Thunderhead itself, while cosmopolitan due to being an active spelljammer port, was generally representative of the planet. A lot of beastfolk, from slender otterfolk to stout beaverfolk shared the unpaved streets with ursine, also known as bearfolk and rabbitfolk, also known as Harengon, in varying fur colors of browns, grays, tans, and a few black furred, often with white stripes. There were a few off-worlders who had settled the planet. A human leaning against a post, smoking a pipe as a pair of Giff sellswords lounged nearby with their arquebus firearms strapped to their backs, bayonets at their belts.
In the grand scheme of Wildspace, the planet Timber was far enough off the main track that little occurred for anyone to be clutching weapons and eyeing the crowd. Most of the newcomers who arrived on the planet were in-between missions and were enjoying the temperate climate until someone approached them with an offer or a contract to hire them into longer service, which made the recent troubles plaguing the roads from the dwarven colony of Ironton to Thunderhead all the more surprising.
The Perilous Orchard was a two story tavern with a couple of rooms to spare made out of a solid gambrel roof with timber walls and stained glass windows that would have been a sin to break. The glass depicted various pieces of fruit, either floating alone, or in a bowl. The tavern itself stood nearby a row of buildings that included the stone tower that was known as the ‘Rook of Coins’ also known as the Thunderhead field office of the Mercantile Authority of Wildspace (MAS). Booker’s outfit: three black spheres hanging from a bar. Actually, when one looked close enough, there was a hint of color that was supposed to make for a starry void within those spheres, which differentiated from the traditional golden spheres of the money changers. The other buildings included a laundry and the Ironeater mining clan that served the dwarven colony at Ironton. Sorenson passed through the gloomy threshold at the Perilous Orchard’s double doors, followed by Mona and Kincaid flanking her. It was a light crowd, with a small party playing cards. A single Giff trooper in a surcoat of deep blue with a crimson trim stood to one side, regarding the three with his arms across his chest and a sentry’s forwardness in his eye. The giff was not the bouncer, instead a voice called from the side.
“Captain Sorenson,” A posh voice called, spoken by a squat figure covered by a dual coloring of ink and snow covered fur on the stomach with a bright gold beak and a pair of sharp chocolate colored eyes. The avian humanoid waddled in a silver waistcoat with a black ascot, his coat hanging over the chair next to a second male avian who had worn a conservative brown jacket and blue bowtie. Despite the conservative dress, the second stood out by having bright gold eyebrows that crested a pair of black eyes. Between Caroline, Mona, and Kincaid, the recognized the pair as dohwar, who despite their appearance as talking penguins were not native to Timber. Caroline immediately recognized the two as Koba and Yashi Letterkyne. The big shots from their home planet of Ise.
“Been in town long, Koba?” Caroline asked after introducing her two crew members. Koba regarded Kincaid and Mona only for a moment before he looked over Caroline, “Long enough to get a few things going. We had hoped to get an ore shipment, but the trouble on the roads has delayed that and we have other cargo that needs to be moved. Which is why we were glad you walked in.” Koba paused when a third voice carried over the room, it was Booker, he was standing to the side, waving to Caroline as if he had drifted out of Gray Katherine’s gravity plane and was flailing for a rope before he drifted off into space.
“Booker and the Commerce Authority have got me, Koba,” Caroline said.
“If you’ll share what he’s paying, we could match,” Koba said, “I’d like a dependable ship to move what cargo we have in town.”
“Caroline!” Booker had become a little more forward, stepping between the two groups with a bright side, “I mean, Captain Sorenson! I’m so glad you could make it.” He paused when he saw the large hippopotami headed Giff straightened up instinctively. Anyone could guess that somewhere either on a table or inside that coat was a gun, but the threats that most focused on in that moment was the officer’s sword that the Giff carried coupled with the fact that there was dense sheaf of bone in the Giff’s forehead that could cave a metal helm in if it was soft enough. If the Giff wanted to, he wouldn't even need to draw a weapon in order to flatten Booker.
“It’s alright, Vernon,” Koba raised his hand before he turned to Booker, “I was just having a conversation with the Captain here about an arrangement-”
“She’s already spoken for, Big K,” Booker said, referencing Koba’s nickname, which caused the dohwar to tilt his head. The term ‘big’ was not because Koba was at all tall, he was instead quite stout.
“I’ve been told that your client has a small offering of product to move, yes?” Caroline noted, an idea suddenly flashed in her mind.
“It will more than be enough to justify the freight,” Booker rubbed his hands in worry when he saw that glint. Freight captains that got ‘ideas’ meant they had a plan to benefit themselves.
“Well, I’m already having a cleaning job being done in my hold, I’ll be happy to explore if I can move some goods to the Rock of Bral, if you gentlemen would be interested.”
“Two contracts at the same time?” Booker whined.
“What the hell is to you, how many contracts I take as long as your product gets there?” Caroline’s voice was sharp as she looked at Booker.
“It would make me feel more secure if you ensured MY cargo arrived to the customer’s satisfaction. You know, the corner office?”
“You about one or two sells shy of being tossed on your can, Booker?” Koba chuckled, which turned into a frown when he caught Booker’s quick glare in his direction. “Cheer up, Booker. If the Commerce Authority ever dumps you, Yashi and I could use a good salesman.”
“I’ll think about when I’m having shoe leather for supper,” Booker countered before he turned back to Caroline, “Would you please come with me and meet with my client, Captain?”
Caroline nodded and turned to Koba, “We’ll talk in a moment, Koba. I already promised I would meet with this client, and I’m sure you would appreciate making contact with a captain that does not go back on her word, no?”
Koba politely inclined his head and noted his appreciation for Captain Sorenson’s integrity. “Feel free to look me up after your little chat. Either here, or the Belvedere Boarding House where we’ve been staying until we move some of this cargo and straighten out our Ironton delivery.”
