Jolene takes it in in silence and a closed smile, eyes traveling between those speaking.

Blinov:
Nia Tran shrugs, and looks obviously nervous. "H-hey, Blee. I, uh, can't wait for the concert. DeadHog--reminds me of the old days on Shaddai..."

Coy Lewiston looks between you and Nia. "You two know each other?" He looks at you suspiciously, then smiles. "Is NME wining and dining you too, huh? Pretty aggressive recruitment push, am I right? Well at least they sent us one of their pretty recruiters," he says, nodding his head towards Nia. "I've seen some of their other employees...well, did you ever happen to meet a Ms. Iijima?" He shudders. "Less said about her the better!"

Nia clears her throat. "Yeah, less said the better. Blinov...we'll talk after the concert...see you then"

Coy shakes his head. "Naw--why doesn't your friend come sit with us? NME's dishing out real creds to get the local businesses onboard," he tells you. "Let's take advantage of it, what do ya say?"

Denny:
While Coy and Nia are distracted by Blinov, you drop down at the back and reach under, popping open a small panel. You remember where the fan-cooling lines are on these models--even with such an advanced design and all the key features internalized, it's still vulnerable to certain design flaws. This car might make it to the concert, but it will surely overheat along the way. Time comes to start up again after the concert, it's not going anywhere.

Jolene:
You stand with Marshal Greene and Monaz, who's still chewing, but watching protectively over Blinov for some reason. "Enchanté," he says, and tries to kiss your hand with his mouth full. There are bar peanuts in his beard.

(OOC: Shall we fast-forward to the concert then? )

"Oh, I do appreciate a cultured man," letting her hand be taken and kissed. She gives Marshal a quick pained smile before shifting into full on faking it. "I'm a touch sheltered myself, but 'shh!' don't tell nobody, OK?" Adds a conspiratorial wink, to the obvious entertainment of both Monaz & Marshal Greene. "Been around many a dome I take it, Mr....?"

Jolene:
"Call me Monaz," the gruff merc introduces himself, clearing his throat once his mouth is empty. "Honestly, I don't stay on Qetesh often, but I got called in to take a meeting with an energy company. The job didn't pan out, but I'm heading out to Humbaba from here, so thought I'd make the pit-stop. Yeah, these hicks aren't too bad." He snorts and spits casually. "No offense," he adds, though he doesn't seem terribly worried about offending you.

"Yer friend here just hired me for a brief engagement." He points towards Blinov. "I'll stick with you 'til you all get where you're going, then I'll split. Don't know if you were aware, but this 'Heathen Eyes' guy? One who owns this bar? Totally wackadoo, apparently." He rolls his eyes. "Doesn't care for other psychics on his turf and whatnot. Your friend seems to have the sitch handled for now though."

Marshal Greene doesn't engage in conversation with Monaz, clearly uncomfortable dealing with more shady characters today--first those twins, now this tough customer. Before he heads back to Q-Town, he sends the crew all the info he can share about the Manny Basanos disappearance in case they're curious, and about the female assassin Blinov ID'd. The latter files arrive in a folder labeled "OUTER LIMIT".

(I'm OK with skipping ahead to the concert.)

(I shall have my grand concert write-up and some questions for all characters tonight!

Blinov is in his The Girl Who was a Butterfly Knife T shirt.

Jessup Amphitheater
DeadHog with special guest DJ S'MOOV
(For achieving a personal goal and being super patient and dedicated, you all receive 600 XP!)

With the Marshall gone, you all get back in your truck and follow Coy and Nia to the concert. The amphitheater is a half-bubble-dome opening towards the crowd, with a short wall around the entrance side.

Monaz rides with you to the concert to make sure Blanco hasn't reneged on the deal and sent anyone after you. The merc determines you're in the clear, and lingers outside the concert as Coy and Nia lead you inside. It seems as long as you steer clear of Blanco's establishment and don't get too comfortable in Jessup, he'll turn the other way.

You are swiftly led to the VIP area, a dimly but colorfully lit section very close to stage-left (that's your right, looking head-on), and facing it at a 45-degree angle. DJ S'MOOV is opening, and her roadies are getting set-up. Some are clearly robots, and all of the human-looking roadies have at least one cybernetic feature to them.

Blinov:
As you are escorted up past the line, several concert-goers give you a respectful nod, looking at your T-shirt. One girl with an electronic cigarette and an afro hair-do has a slightly older, slightly more worn version of the same shirt. She looks you up and down.

Nia turns away, trying not to see that. She grabs your hand and pulls you along.

The VIP section is already populated with a few rich kids, including Venus and Dexter, whom you met at UnLocal in Q-Town.

Denny:
As you reach the VIP area, Coy shakes his head. "Man, you look so familiar. Where th' heck do I know you from? Maybe you've been to one of Dad's stupid cocktail parties?" He finds a cooler of really expensive booze and begins sorting through his options while waiting for your answer.

Jolene:
This place is so loud and getting more raucous, and the concert hasn't even started yet! There's not a wealth of entertainment options on Qetesh--have you been to a concert before? Sporting events?

Denny

Thinking about how to respond so many thoughts go through Denny's head...
 This is the son of the  man who put my family out on the street...Of course I look familiar to him...my ancestors should be haunting his and his families dreams every night because of the in-justice done to us... What did father always about revenge...? How sweet....no I don't think that was what he said...but I think that's what it is


" We'll I couldn't tell ya...what do you do for a living?"

Not having been to so many "official" concerts or sporting events, but knowing her way around a hoedown, Jolene takes a keen eye to helping Coy select booze. Now there's something she's been raised around all her life: distillin', legal or not, has been in her blood that its like ABCs. Scanning for the choicest of single barrel malts with enough kick to bring down a mule, she will point out a few favorites, good for melting away inhibitions, memories... faces...

Listening in on Denny trying to "'round about" what seems to be an old rival (what's their deal?), she has no qualms exploiting a rich kid's stash to knock his own ass out. Denny'll just owe a favor in the future. He seems useful with tech.

Standing here all lonesome in the VIP mixin' drinks is gonna get old fast after sending ol' Coy on an 'ass findin' mission — his own'. Gotta find a cutie with some spring in his step, but none too complicated. Someone tall, dark, & handsome, but none too slick.

... gotta remember after mixin' Coy's 3rd extra stiff drink to ask Nia if she needed her man to stay all sharp and ready tonight...ish. No sense putting a girl out, 'specially a friend of a co-worker. She may have business to do.

Denny:
"What do I do?" Coy Lewiston shakes his head and takes a long swig of some expensive off-world liquor. "Ah, I run Lewiston Corp for my dad--well, the day-to-day stuff. He still has final say. Heh--while he's jet setting around the sector, he left it up to me to and his army of lawyers to sort out the family business. Like handling smaller subsidiaries, modifying our product line, that sort of thing."

"Just sold off this smaller acquisition to NME, in fact," he chuckles, seeming strangely relieved. "Glad to be rid of the thing--couldn't turn a profit, really."

"That deal's not finalized yet," Nia Tran interjects, waving her hand to keep Coy quiet.

Coy hands you the bottle he was guzzling, waiting for you to drink.

Jolene:
As you hear Coy discuss business, you definitely notice his speech slurring just a bit. Nia sighs. "Thanks, but I'd prefer him tanked tonight," she explains to you. "This is just polite engagement with a potential business partner. I don't want him to get the wrong idea…" He gaze shifts to Blinov.

Coy turns to you after passing the bottle to Denny. "You…you look familiar too! I swear I've seen you around. I dunno why I can't remember shit these days." He fishes out another liquor bottle from the cooler.

"Maybe a family reunion or something?" he sniffles. "Shame if that's the case, because…yeah…" He looks at you lingeringly.

Blinov:
With Coy distracted by his drinking, Nia pulls you aside. "So…I know you were checking up on me the last few days. Now you know I work for NME. I thought if I could steer you away, you wouldn't have to know. But the money's good, Bli."

She looks at you earnestly, seeking understanding. "I know when we were kids on Shaddai we hated this corporate bullshit, but…look where that got us! Our old gang's dead or in jail, or…here!" She gestures to the Jessup dome far above the amphitheater, and flashes her middle finger in frustration. "I swore I'd never live like that again. You see that right? But I don't have any other options…"

Venus and Dexter watch as Nia presses close to you, Venus gaping in gossipy shock. Dex still looks kinda annoyed about losing that dance contest though.

DJ S'MOOV goes through her whole set--it's flawless, amazing. Her digital voice and the virtual orchestra backing her, combined with some hot four-on-the-floor beats, make a great showing of the "symphonic electro-thrash" genre. She ends her set in a glittering cloud, and she disappears backstage as the lights die down. DeadHog is setting up next…

"Enjoy the night with an old friend, sugar." Jolene gives a last exchange, knowing that at worst they can get a cab on home. "I think I can sauce this goose with a right glaze, if'n you catch my mind." I return my attentions to Coy and getting him humming along in that happy black out, but not vomiting or pass out, phase.

At Coy, "Aw shucks, you mistakin' me with one of those beauties that hangs on the arm of a powerful man like you. Bless your heart, you're tipsy!"

"You can't remember shit these days cuz you gone left your troubles behind so much you done lost a bit of yourself." Smiling and refilling Coy's drink at the same time. "That's when you're primed and ready for a new coat of somethin' wild!"

Looks off into the crowd, trying to do a solid for a few pretty girls who never been to a VIP booth, but long to do so with their eyes. Jolene actively avoids social climbers and gold diggers, if she can spot them. To Coy, "Ever dance partner with a trio? All pressed up nice like?"

Still looking for a tall, dark, & handsome to while the time. Maybe add a sweet girl for Denny while I'm browsin' to distract Coy. Reserve a nice old fashioned of 15 yr bourbon, neat, in my hands while selecting from 'the beautiful ones'.

"Nia, buddy, it's concert time. I really do want to talk about this, you know it*, but we've got music to focus on at this exact moment. How about we just pretend we've got no worries in the galaxy for the rest of this, and we'll catch up on everything else afterward, over a bite? Junk food's on me."

* As he says this he gives her a look of crystal clear sincerity.

Denny

"Sounds like right like a nice little transaction.. What subsidiary would that be?"

Thinking the worse...Clenching his fists...trying to remain calm....Maybe letting him go get his dance with Jo-Jo isn't such a bad idea... In fact if Blinov Occupies Nia, and JO-Jo occupies Coy, I could try to find some business paperwork in his car or somewhere about this "Transaction"....

(( Does Coy have any kind of folders/paperwork with him? Or even a wallet, That I've noticed?"))

The man himself--DEADHOG--arrives in the stadium via a personal hover plate, floating above the roaring crowd for a few seconds before floating down to the stage. His set begins with the propulsive boom  of  "Star River Jam", a bass track notable for a few false earthquake reports on planet Thalia. He proceeds to do some newer stuff, like "Digital Osmosis" and "Xperience"…

Jolene:
You spot a couple particularly attractive young folks in the crowd, a young man and two women, pressed tightly together near the front. Their clothes aren't the latest fashions from off-world, and slightly worn-looking, so they're definitely locals. The man is handsome, with a sweet face and thick-framed body, clearly a farmhand. He looks a bit like your old friend Gordy Shane.

At this point in the concert, Coy is too blurry to notice that Nia is off to Blinov's side.

Blinov:
Nia hears your words--and a wave of obvious relief washes over her face. "It can wait," she says eagerly. It's clear now she was only explaining herself out of obligation to your friendship, and she quietly sets her cheek on your shoulder.

You and Nia (and your other urchin buddies on Shaddai) always loved 'Hog's work. What's your favorite track? Do you know Nia's?

Denny:
"Subsidiary? Oh--a bunch of little local things. We threw these local acquisitions in a bundle and NME will take 'em gladly. Mostly farm-tech, uh, like farm tools…stuff…" Coy gets a little distracted and turns back towards Jolene, and then towards DeadHog, just as the 'Hog's famous slow-jam comes on…

Coy doesn't have any business-type materials with him, save the compad he keeps in his vest. He might have had something in the hovercar though.

Also, what is the name of that slow track, anyway?