Saturn's Rings ~ f. millstone

Undress To Impress

Willow entered the galley and tossed a grainy picture of a random man onto the table. Everyone looked at her oddly and asked for further information.

"Dalton Campbell," she explained. "This guy has information Gladys wants. She's willing to pay big money for it. He's a known flight risk, so we need to be careful. Killing him obviously won't do any good, so we have to find another way."

"And what would that way possibly be? We kind of have a reputation around here to uphold." Ellie sarcastically asked, using the table to pop the cap off of a bottle.

"Well, I've asked around Byzantium about this guy. Most of it was useless, upper-class gossip, but I did find out he spends an awful lot of time at Bijous since it opened back up."

Nobody seemed to know where she was going, so she continued.

"Bijous is for drinking and looking at pretty women, right? I was thinking that if we get this guy drunk and distracted enough, he may let something slip."

"What do you mean by 'distracted?'"

"Now that's the fun part. One of us gets to flirt with our guy." She looked around the table at everyone's blank expression. "Does anyone volunteer?"

The group was silent as they all looked at each other, willing someone to say something so they didn't have to.

"I'll take that as a no," Willow continued. "I'll do it then. That means Ellie and Parvati, you two are going to pose as waitresses. Nyoka, I want you at the bar."

"Hell yeah!"

"Bartending, Nyoka. I want you at the bar to bartend. Max and Felix, I want you two inside as lookouts. Act like you're there for the show, but if he tries to leave, you guys are going to handle it."

"How?"

"Whatever feels right at the moment. Distract him, offer to buy him a drink, pretend to drunkenly hold on to his legs and beg him to not leave because he's all you have left, I don't care. Just don't blow your cover and keep him in the building until I give you guys the clear."

Felix's eyes lit up. "Oh, I'm gonna cause such a scene."

"I fear you may have given him too much creative liberty, Captain," Max added with his arms folded.

Even though her worry for this task began to grow, she ignored him and addressed the whole table. "Great. Max and Felix, I put clothes on your beds since you guys will be the only two not in a uniform. I want everyone down in the cargo bay at eight, dressed and ready to go. If you guys have questions, I'll be in the pit with ADA."

*~*~*

The crew arrived at Bijous some time after it opened, but way before it usually got busy. It gave them time to learn the layout and plan.

Willow had read about speakeasies in her high school history classes, and that was about what she expected when she pictured Bijous. However, the reality was a bit... danker that what she imagined. Every square inch of the place had been freshly sprayed with sprat deterrent. The chemical smell that lingered in every piece of furniture would deter even the most stubborn of sprats, and likely some patrons as well. The enclosed space was a bit stuffy and humid despite the clear skies outside.

For the beginning of her hastily thought of plan, the captain posed as a Board official to convince the bartender and waitresses to leave. All she had to do was tell them that they had earned a lavish home in the early retirement district and they needed to talk to the leader there. She assumed they had about two hours to get everything settled before they came back.