Backing In

                            By:

                         Fox Cutter

03/05/97:

I walked once again into the bar on Mydisia Base. I had been
spending most of my time in the past week on the five mile
rock that was the base, waiting for Marn to return.

It had been two weeks sense I had last seen him, and was
starting to suspect that he might not be coming back to the
Base.

Though that suspicion was laid aside as I walked back into
the bar and found Marn sitting by himself at a mostly dark
table.

Walking over to the table, I slipped down at it. "Hello
Marn."

He looked up, and smiled at me. "Welcome again Oriana. Sorry
about taking so long to get back to you, but there was some
complications with the guild."

I nodded. "What guild."

He smiled wider, and spread his arms wide. I noticed that,
on the inside right wrist of his jacket, was a small badge.
It looked to be a heart with a black dagger crossed over it.

I looked back up at his eyes, and he nodded a bit, and
returned his paws to the table. It hit me after as second
that it was as if he was making sure I saw it. I shook it
off as the idea was a ridicules.

Marn sipped from his drink. "You owe Braden five credits for
the glass you took."

I blushed a bit.

He twisted his one ear a bit. "Come on Oriana, you and I
both know you took the glass I was drinking from last time
we talked. You owe Braden for it, or you could return it
next time you come in."

I nodded a bit, the waitress walking over and setting a cup
of coffee in front of me. I had become enough of a regular
for it to be automatically delivered to me when I came in. I
paid the waitress and took a short sip.

Marn leaned back a bit. "So, did you find anything
interesting on me?"

I shook my head. "Only a couple of people wanting you for
questioning."

He nodded. "I know which to you mean. I actually had nothing
to do with them either, I just was seen with them once or
twice. I usually don't work with in Council controlled
space, part of my deal with the guild."

I took another drink. "What exactly _do_ you do?"

He laughed. "Oh, I can't tell you that."

I smiled. "Can't you give me a clue or two. A sample of DNA,
or maybe the address of one of the governments that wants
you."

He shook his head, fishing his own drink. "Oriana, I really
would love to help you, I really would. But remember, I
_told_ you that we would not be talking about my past, and
that is how it will stay. Anyway, I rather doubt you would
have much of a reaction to my line of work."

I leaned forward a bit, twisting my ears slightly forward.
"Try me."

Reaching over the table, he patted my on the top of my head.
"I won't. You don't want to find out, trust me on that one."

Letting all my teeth show in one smile, I said. "You maybe
wrong, and if you don't tell me, I'll find out on my own.
Somehow and some way, there is no escaping that."

He frowned, then pulled out some bills and dropped them on
the table. "Don't push it." He stated, very flatly. Then
standing walked out of the bar.

I slumped down on the table. "Seems like all are
conversations end that way." Then throwing back the rest of
my coffee, I left as well.

* * *

Half an hour later, I walked into Page's office. She was, as
usual, working hard on one of her computers. I cleared my
throat, putting my paws on my hips, under my trench coat.

She looked up and over at me. "Hello again Oriana."

"He Page. I have some more information for you."

"On Marn?"

I snickered. It was rather obvious that after having Page
scan for info on Marn, then having her check from someone
else, who I left nameless, about a week later, that they
were one in the same.

She leaned forward. "So what do you have?"

"First off, he mention that he is wanted by three
governments, though out of the Council's spear of influence.
Secondly he mentioned he was part of some guild. Which, from
how he said it, sounds like has some interaction with the
Council."

She nodded. "The governments can be checked through some
less helpful channels, but there are thousands of guilds,
some some, others large."

I paused for a second, remembering the badge on his wrist.
"He did have a small badge of a heart with a black dagger
over it."

Page wrinkled her eyebrows, her ears flattening a bit. "Not
familiar, but I'll look for it."

I tilted my head. "What's wrong?"

She smiled. "Nothing, nothing at all. Just suddenly
remembered my grandmother for a second. Now go, I'll take
care of this."

I nodded. "Thanks Page."

She shrugged. "It's what I'm suppose to be doing."

I smiled, and left her to her work.