To Hell and Back (Hellworlder pirates)

Ch21 Sneak Attack

Sneak Attack

"Now this is my kind of joint" Alice roared as she stepped through the door to the 'pub'.

A pub it seemed was another word for bar in English, maybe the word came with some unspoken intonations of being fancier and nicer than bars because the establishment Alice had brought Alwen to was much nicer than most bars she had been to. Warm and rich wood floors, with a façade of flagstone walls, a rich clean scent mixed beautifully with the smell of food from the kitchen wafting out. It was the nicest Terran establishment she had ever seen, and she was just now realizing that she had unconsciously began to assort squalor with anything Terran, but maybe that was just because they were only visiting poorer neighborhoods. Now that she thought about it there was plenty of beauty and splendor in Terran movies. And the Astaroth was anything but poor.

The pub was named the I.R.A, obviously it was meant to stand for something important to this Ireland place, but Alwen lacked the context needed to figure that out. The place was packed with people, and not just Terrans, though there were plenty of them around. Groups of Bone'men and massive Trikes took up a third of the space, Terrans another third, and the final third was populated with a wide array of non-deathworlders. Bold looking Icutoo and Zxx'thi chatted calmly with deathworlders and Hellworlders alike, and a few species she didn't recognize ambled along without showing the normal tension she had grown accustomed to from non-deathworders.

Limey and the twins were at the bar chatting with an Icutoo and a Gelid, a large puggy broad-shouldered species with an elongated droopy snout and tusks "Nah mate I'm telling you; humans have an intense pain tolerance threshold. We can break bones without blinking, we can take more pain than any of you Icky-toot buggers" he said to the Icutoo on his left who seemed to be drinking a foul ammonia smelling concoction.

"Your people are impressive in many ways, but your bones are denser, that means it would hurt more if they broke" The Gelid shot back.

Gabriel got a mischievous look on his face "Wanna bet, ten credits I can break my fingers without flinching, ten for each finger"

The Gelid snorted "Deal"

Gabriel then proceeded to crack each of his fingers, Alwen knew very well that the loud cracking pop each one gave off was from gas bubbles in the joints. And as disturbing as it seemed to her it was perfectly safe, the Terrans insisted that they get a sense of relief from it. But she purposely faked a shuddering cringe as Gabriel popped each of his fingers on the table, including his thumbs. "Gabriel" Alwen snapped pushing in between the two "How many times have I told you not to do that, I'm tired of fixing your broken bones" she said making a point of painstakingly examining his hands.

"Gracias" he whispered under his breath.

She pretended he didn't say anything a reached into the small emergency medical bag she kept and began to apply a pungent green anti-bacterial salve. She sighed frustratedly to add to the act "keep your fingers as straight as you can for an hour or two" she instructed and the Gelid slapped a hundred credits down on the table.

"Crazy Hellworlders" it muttered as it made a cross between a snort and a grunt sound from its trunk.

Alwen finished up her 'work' and turned to Limey, "Your hometown is close to this Ireland place right, what's the meaning behind the pub's name"

He scowled "I'm from Bristol, that's nowhere near Ireland"

"Closer than Denver is" Gabe quipped.

"Closer than Torwen" Alwen added.

Limey groaned "Fine, it refers to a group of Irish musicians, the Irish Rocker Association. Them and another band, Sin Fain, had a rivalry across the channel with some English bands, bands like The House of Lords, and The Iron Lady. Their rivalry was known as the Troubles and eventually resulted in the Good Friday Agreement; a two weeklong concert held in Londonderry."