Meeting the Lady in charge

Posted on Fri May 29th, 2020 @ 11:31pm by Skyplex Administration Scarlett Wilson & Alliance Alice LeMat

Mission: Bright and Shiny things
Location: In and around Furor's Pub
Timeline: After Lotto

ON

LeMat had a Wave from a lady; it did seem his reputation was preceeding him; of course the said Lady being an Administrator would give a more reasonable explantion, he would meet her at a Pub on Deck Three. Not the hustle and bustle of Deck seven so LeMat did not expect a ton of trouble. The Black long Blazer as this was more official, red Turtleneck shirt and the Charcoal slacks. Meeting a Lady in a bar; there are certain standards to be thought of in more proper company, and the Big Bore Revolver with Long barrel in a left handed holster hanging on his right hip would be a good deterant while the Modern upgrade of his Name Sake heavy in the left shoulder rig. and the compact 'Ditch' effort well in place should things get dicey.

"Every girl go crazy for a sharp dressed man." LeMat un button the coat and lean on a wall outside the Pub watching the Lottery going on out in the corridor; looked like the usually hefty crowd that wanted to legally gambe for big stakes at common man prices. It was the game for those afraid of the tables. Not much more worth than the kind dreams of what one will do with the winnings until someone else's number came up. He Shook his head and walk into the pub. Ms Wilson Waved an invatation to meet at the Pub after her Official Work was done. Never hurt to get to a meeting early and maybe have a smooth brew to kill some time; he did not like to do a shot to calm nerves; as he really had no reason, so a Brew would do.

Taking a table nearer the back and even managed a corner table; Ladies like to have a little privacy whom Wave to men; especially those who weild a bit of power. An Administrator making the first contact of a 'Bounty Man' was not at all unexpected; might even say expected considering he had come to the Plex and already asked for a favorable Birthing for his Racer. His name and profession would be on her desk toot and sweet.

Sitting with his back to a corner LeMat just hoped no one starts anything while he spoke with Administrator Wilson. He figured a half hor at least as a 'Lady' is always late, it is the the Fashionably Book.

LeMat just watched the crowd for the woman in queswtion, a new face in above average attire would have the Barkeep noting where he sat, Lady Scarlett would have no problem finding him in what had to be a favored spot for her to suggest it.

Human nature is a constant.

The crowd was ebbing and flowing with the afternoon. The recommencement of the lottery for Blue Sun purchases had started to trickle people back into Furor's pub, the closest alcohol to the buying tables. Most came in elated at this point, fortunate winners or early tickets in the draft of sales. They were pleased to throw a few more credits into the finale of a long day of waiting around, running for their lives and waiting some more.

A quite young redhead in rough blue jeans and a red flannel shirt picked up a tray of drinks form the bar and walked over tot he booth LeMat has staked out. "Mr. LeMat, welcome to Greenleaf, I thought I would save you some time and bring your drink directly."

She was not unfortunate looking, her freckled complexion and icy blue eyes were framed by long flame red hair. She positioned herself to settle down into the booth with Alice.

"Lady Scarlett I presume." He accepted the drink and never look below her shoulders as a gentleman does not take liberties. "I see your Lottery went well." He commented. "Thank you for reaching out; I have been meaning to swing by your office but settling it took a bit of time I am afraid."

"Scarlett Wilson, humble Station Administrator at your service." Scarlett's cheeks flushed a little at her title, knowing full well few ever expected much from a woman her age in a position like her's. "You seem to have made a strong impression on Moira in my office. She had many glowing things to say of you. After reviewing your file, I felt we should meet. Thank you for agreeing. It says in your file that you were a gifted student in Criminology and one of the youngest full Marshal's in the history of the Alliance. I respect that greatly." her eyes narrowed as she got down to business. "I see you turned in your badge and have since been traveling as a bounty hunter and amateur racer. I am wondering if you might consider a change in employment."

"Moira is a doll actually and Racing is not my profession, more of a hobby." LeMat said before he took a drink and contemplated for a second. "A Lady invites to meet a man over drinks, one of two reasons by human nature, I see yours is professional. That does not bode well for my best jacket." He smiled and gave her a wink. " No badge means less rules and the; shall we say, less desirable are brought to face the Law. Also, I do not have so much paperwork and they do not get off should they run faster and extra force to bring them in cannot be pointed as reason to let them out." He tilt his head. "And I don't have to wonder how loyal my partner is?"

Scarlett smiled at Alice. "I certainly understand the need to be free of regulations, trust me, the temptation is there all the time. But I will be frank, this station needs a lawman. I just learned our current Marshal has needed to travel on an indefinite open ended mission of some level. He was a good man and he will be missed. Right now I have 3,500 people on this station, a new security chief and a whole heap of trouble. I need an experienced lawman to keep order and bring wrong doers to justice. We have no local magistrate. Most criminals are shipped to Jaijyin to stand trial. IT would pay a comfortable amount, minimal travel, and there are many other perks. You would be in charge of all law on the station until the point that the Alliance deems us worth to send another Marshal. I am under rights as the Station Administrator to appoint whom I see fit until proper authorities decide to act. That can be a long while."

"You make a pretty argument to your point." LeMat complemented. "You have a good woman in your Security Chief, she will do the job or die trying." He lightly chuckled and met her gaze with a look that was business. "Huntig does pretty good and the lure of that; even just slobs passing through to get somewhere else would be pretty good." He pointed out. "Marshals cannot Double Dip, they are on the Salary, while good they do tend to earn every credit." He added. "Now as a Lawman; not the slotted Marshal you see, there is a little wiggle room that if I bust them I can turn the Perp for aide money to pay for racing?" He lifted his glass to take a swig and let Miss Scareltt ponder for a few seconds, should not take her that long.

Scarlett didn't hesitate for a moment. "Mr. LeMat, this station is a complicated amalgamation of all that is good, beautiful, terrible and ugly all rolled into one, spinning together around a planet we are forbidden to land on, a billion miles from the central authorities. I am offering you a position, I leave it to your own morals how you use that position. If you do step significantly outside the law you uphold, we will be having a different conversation. How you handle your collars with the Alliance authorities is not within my scope of review. Do good for this station, and I will make sure the station does good for you. Do poorly, know I have the access codes to all the airlocks on the station. Now, will you keep order on my Skyplex?"

"Bold and blunt." He sat forward to look her straight in the eye. "Talking Turkey, okay by me, I gave up the Law because I had cuffs on me and a Deputy shot me in the back." He told her. "I trust your Chief Security and can work with her." He gave a sly smile; if you want order I can do a fair job of it. But yo even think of Airlocking threats, we will not get along well." He winked. "I just want a passable free hand to do the job right and most Administrators do not let me do my damn job. You sound like you could give the support I need. He offered a hand. "And at least be a Lady and hint I am near an Airlock should it ever come to that?"

Scarlett took the man's hand. "Trust is an essential trait, that I value, and I dont forgive being breached. I think we can work together. And never worry, the alarms will go off before the outer doors open." she said with a warm smile.

"Good to have our vantage point understood mutually." HE returned the Smile. "ou might have some ... persons coming to you at first, I do promise to be 'polite' despite what mihjy be said." The sly grin returned as he ended the handshake and sat back looking in her eyes. "New managment always has to set the 'working Parameters' at the start."

"I have the utmost confidence in your discretion." Scarlett said taking a quick sip of her drink. "Any question or assistance I can provide for you getting acclimated to the station I am happy to provide. Would you like a meal to go with your drink Marshal LeMat? On the station."

""Mother always said never turn down a meal from a Lady." LeMat added. "SO what do you really expect out of this deal, you must have waved my official records to find my Badge
information?"

Scarlett lifted a pair of menus from the small holder in the center of the table, and handed one to Alice. "Dolph makes a fabulous Schnitzel, and the potato pancakes are to die for." At Alice's question she lowered her menu and looked him directly in the eye. "Of course I did. You appear to be a man of strong principles. I need that. I want someone who holds to the spirit of the law more than the letter of the law. I've no time for any more lawyers than I already deal with. "

"You are starting to be the Kind Of Lady I like to have on my side." He took the Menu and decided her suggestions sounded good. "And I will go with your suggestions." He nod. "I have not met a Lawyer I liked... yet." He shrugged. "Would like a legal reason to shoot one on principal some day."

Brushing a lock of hair out of her face, Scarlett gave the lawman a wicked smile. "That would make two of us. They've never given me anything but heartache." She put her hand up and signaled to an woman in her 60s in a beermaid outfit. "Frauline Eva, zwei schnitzel plates and two orders of Potato Pancakes." She turned back to Alice, are you drinking beer or do you have a preference?" The young woman seemed to be relaxing some.

"Anything but Beer with a Schnitzel would be blasphemy." LeMat looked at the lady taking the order. "Eva will verify that with a smile as it Is proper." He nod.

"Excellent. Two beirs Frauline." Scarlett ordered. Eva smiled, spun about and headed back to the bar to load their order. "You know, I have been wondering, what made you give up the badge. I get that the regulations are far too burdensome. But you had advanced Criminology in your record. Where else do you go with that if you aren't being a cop?"

"I went there, Bounty Hunting is like being assigned to track a Perpetrator; I go after wanted men and bring them back to face trial." He look her in the eye. " I know I can only trust my partnerships so far as is profitable to both. I do not have a partner bought off to shoot me in the back." He shrugged. "It was; in the bigger city rules that the Law can be bought like Lawyers hired and the Scum Bags worked for people who pay. The Dregs that most think are Bounty Hunters were at least consistent and loyalties implied and understood. So long as I had no price on my head I can work with Other Hunters. I was not so sure with Lawmen at the time. Mackenzie I know where I stand, so half my job is easy, she won't want to shoot me like my Former assigned Partner did." He took a drag on his beer. "Badge only protected the front side of the law not the back end of it."

Scarlett nodded as Eva brought two large pints of beer. She nodded and smiled at the woman. "Danke." Then turned back to LeMat. "I do my best to be honest and fair. In the course of my duties as Administrator, I have a lot of people pressuring me to do what they want, on both sides of the law. I steer a course that keeps my people safe. Along the way I have had to make unpleasant decisions. However, I am not a gun for hire. I will not kill or intentionally harm someone, unless they are trying to do that to me. And if I get pressured into something that directly can harm you, I will tell you and give you the chance to get the hell away from here. Not a perfect world, but hopefully a fair one." Her face drooped a little at the end as she contemplated some of her more unpleasant past.

"Just know that I only leave once." He finished the small remainder of his First Beer. "If it get to where you are spooked enough to wave me off; while I appreciate the gesture, do not take it personal if I choose my neck not be stretched or back shot and never look back." He grinned. "Though if said parties have a Bounty I will bring them back dead; even at half Price." He chuckled. "I'd do that on a Lawyer for free." He nod to her. "I will work not to put you in such a position, I cannot stop crime or the Criminal Element." His sly growing grew. "Controlling how much is allowed and make us less profitable than other less reputable places is a goal to shoot for. Only those with deep roots here , keep all new comers out. Benefits both you having less crime and those that cause you headaches less competition." He raised his Mug. "Thus you have a more civilized station you can handle."

Scarlett likewise finished off her beer, before signaling to Eva to bring two more. "I think you have a good understanding of the Skyplex. I am not a politician. I was hired by the shareholders to keep this station profitable. To do that, we need to allow business to flow, even some less than desirable business. And it happens to be my home, where I was born and raised. These people, good, bad and ugly are my family, and as of now you have become part of that family. I will do all I can to keep peace and protect you and the citizens of the Plex."

"So we agree that keeping Further Rif-Raff from disturbing the delicate balance is my emphasis and not letting the black sheep of the Family not get too big for us to handle should be my emphasis." LeMat nod. "That way no one gets run off the Plex and order is kept on the surface and as far as Alliance not needing a larger presence here?" He smiled. "A good Marshal doing his job will keep the Alliance looking at other Hot Spots. If the Alliance Law is not broken why fix it, they are more concerned with Malcontents that Marshals and Directors who keep a degree of Order that takes up none of their time. We seem to have it in order; they leave us alone. The more we seem to curb to their will the less they look at us. Crime at controllable levels makes everyone happy."

Eva returned from the bar with their beer and meals. Scarlett held up the pint glass, "You certainly do understand your directives. Keep other criminals and the alliance out. That way we can all go about our days peacefully. Cheers Marshal!"

"Man has to know his limitations and a Lady's expectations." HE clinked Pint Glasses. "To us achieving just that."