[Day 5, EE, Trading Depot] Browsing

[Cuyler Gray]

What was being offered way out here? Necessities and basic sundries, she imagined. Vices and and other entertainment options, perhaps. But, Cuyler wondered if there was anything else.

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

Bomilcar was curious as well. He had ridden along to get to the trading depot, a relatively silent passenger as always. "Anything specific?" he asks, curious.

[Cuyler Gray]

"Nope." she shook her head. "I'm just curious about what they buy out here. What they eat could be interesting, too."

[Kannon]

The anything else was certainly the trader herself. A tall woman in an extravagant suncap and a pink tunic over her stillsuit. Her long red hair flowed freely, and her smile was contagious, certainly a trader's winning smile. Her eyes were only tinged with spice blueness.



"How can I help you, m'lord, m'lady?" She exited her shop that looked like a large refurbished drop pod. Perhaps it was exactly that. Her tone was light and carefree.

[Cuyler Gray]

"That's a good question." Cuyler smiled. "What do you have to offer? Any unique goods? Rumors?"

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

Bomilcar listened for now. He was curious and looked around, and not only for threats. Though as always he was watching for threats. Particularly light handed children and other pickpocket types.

[Kannon]

"Yes." The woman laughed, snorting into filter tubes. "Most of what can be ordered from me is just a function of waiting time and price. So you'd have to be a bit more specific, m'lady."

[Cuyler Gray]

"What is requested the most?" she asked.

[Kannon]

"Here? Spare parts and beer, but that's something to be expected, right?" She smirked. "But you are not average miner recruits, are you?"

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

"No," he confirms. "Beer sounds good," he says curious about the brews that might be local. He tended to be more of a wine drinker but he was certainly not averse to a good stout.

[Kannon]

"Love it or hate it, it's all Harkonnen ale, but I've got some bottles that are actually premium, not some kulon piss. Goes down well with a bit of spice, but you know..." She winked. "The Griffs have monopoly on that."

[Cuyler Gray]

"I could get you some Mutelli spirits, if your interested." Cuyler offered. "If you could tell me a bit about things out here. Anything that you feel has changed or is unusual. Anything notable."

[Kannon]

As per Levenbrech's orders, their Sardaukar shadow was not far behind.

The woman didn't seem particularly enticed by the offer, but nodded politely. "So you seek information? We can talk about that, but this kind of trade also has those two basic features: price and time of delivery." A pause. "Things around here? It's rather backward, don't you think? Spice is still mined around here, perhaps even more than usual lately. Enough people with solaris to get me by."

[Cuyler Gray]

"We'll take some of that ale." Cuyler said. "It's ben busy, then? With more mining, have there been any incidents?"

[Kannon]

"First round is on me." The woman withdrew to her drop pod and produced four bottles, giving them out. "Does your friend there drink?"

Whatever was the answer, she continued. "You'd have to ask the miners, but nothing out of ordinary, I think? Sometimes they lose a harvester, but that's normal and within costs."

[Cuyler Gray]

She nodded. "I've seen how dangerous it can be for the harvesters."

[Kannon]

"They're a bit of lame ducks, true. But they're just imperfect means to a profitable end. Fremen do without them to get their spice though, so they're not essential at the basic level." The woman shrugged. "It almost always just comes down to a carryall being on alert and on time."

[Cuyler Gray]

"The pilots are essential." She nodded again. "But, now I'm curious about how the Fremen do it."

[Kannon]

"You'd have to ask them, they keep their secrets close." The woman gulped Harkonnen ale, sitting on a nearby rock. "Their eyes tell the story though. They must be gorging on melange all the time."

[Cuyler Gray]

She passed a bottle to Bomilcar and offered one to the Sardaukar . The taste of the ale was not to her preference, but it was palatable.

"Does anything else happen out here?" she looked around. "I don't imagine there's much beyond the mining, but I am curious."

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

For Bom, the taste was about what he expected. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't wine. He drank and continued listening.

[Kannon]

"Life support failures are quite entertaining! When electricity and water reclamation go out, things get a bit spooky. Hence wise people store those without advertising how and where."

[Cuyler Gray]

"I can't imagine." she shook her head. "I hope that isn't common. Survival out here already seems difficult at best."

[Bomilcar Thorvald]

He looks to Cuyler, then leans in to whisper. "Find the 'wise people'. The hoarders. They will recognize patterns."

[Cuyler Gray]

"Who's been out here the longest?" she asked the woman.