#captain eddy

Happy birthday @techmomma !

Here’s a team of Tech’s!  Somebody definitely done goofed to have us need this many of them to sort out whatever the problem is.  

Picked Tech from some of my favorite AU’s from (roughly) the past year, (mostly from ones I participated in, but with a couple exceptions- Avatar/Korra AU I was still watching the show, and the ParkAU I didn’t have anything in particular to contribute, I just enjoyed watching them!)

Ed Gable rested by the fire, waiting.  He had frequented most, if not all of the taverns in both the spaceport and the planet below, but this was certainly one of the odder ones.  It was a bit more upscale than what he was usually accustomed to, being on the (in?)famous tourist district of Pier 93, looked to have been recently renovated as well, but it still carried an air of seediness as well.  Most tables, Ed’s included, were secluded within alcoves, and further obscured by a fog comprised of both incense and smoke, and whatever enhancement was blocking out the continuous cries of the slug-lions outside further served, perhaps intentionally, to muffle the conversations at the other tables. Hats lined the wall, of every cut and quality, much more than could be accounted for by the current number of patrons.

The proprietor of the inn came by- a short, aging man with very thick sideburns and eyebrows- to drop off his drink.  

“Sorry to keep you waiting.  May I take your hat?”

Eddy relinquished his hat to the man, who placed it on one of the few vacant knobs on the wall nearby.  But instead of carrying on with his duties, the proprietor took a seat across from him and smiled.

“Now then, I believe we have some business to attend to, Captain”  

Eddy narrowed his eyes.  

“I don’t think ya know what you’re talkin’ about.”

The man raised his eyebrows (with no small effort, they were quite large)

“Oh, I assure you I do.  You wouldn’t be seeking me out if I didn’t know my stuff.  Interesting reaction, by the way, to what could have been merely a lucky guess, us being in a spaceport and all.  But I won’t insult either of us by claiming that’s the case- I know exactly who you are”

“Were.” Interjected Eddy.

The proprieter waved his hand dismissively.  

“Whatever you say then, mister Gable.  Boffin Barrow, at your service- I believe we’ve done business before, albeit indirectly. And now I have some more information you might be interested in.”

“Ger’on’wifit” Ed grumbled

“Its about that devil, Johannus and his band o’ ghouls.”

Ed tensed.  

“He’s been looking for something, and I’ve found out what it is… and where.”

“What’s that to me?” Eddy asked unconvincingly.

Boffin snorted.  

“Oh please, as if you’re not a class-A meddler.  Takes one to know one.  I thought I had ensured the package would be delivered directly to the void- too bad you’re not still in business, I’m sure  your crew would have gotten the job done properly- but instead it got picked up by some salvagers.”

“And..?”

“They’re a local operation, Mr. Khan’s Salvage Co.  It won’t take long for Johannus to figure out his cargo’s made it here.”  

Ed downed the rest of his drink and shook his head.  

“Dumb kids...”  

Boffin shrugged.  “Doubt we would have questioned free loot floating in the ether back when we were that young either.   Can’t blame them for trying to make ends meet, but we can try to undo the damage they’ve done.”

“Dunno, migh’ be for the best, he wouldn’ dare come here.”

“Ha!  I know you wouldn’t trust the Navy to be able to protect the port against the likes of him.  Only reason we haven’t had any trouble from him yet is he hasn’t had any reason to, until now.  Fix this.  I’ve worked too hard to get where I am for ol’Johannus to come and screw everything up.”

A bell rang as the door to the inn opened.

Boffin glanced over.  “Ah.  Speak of the other devil…  Sorry, I need to attend to this.”

He left the table to greet the immaculately dressed canid at the door.  “Governor! Such an honor to have you grace my humble establishment!  Your hat, if I may?”

“I won’t be staying.”  Sniffed the governor, nonetheless handing over his hat.  “I’m here to make sure you’ve fixed the issue with your permit.”

“Ah, of course governor!  I trust everything is now up to the standards of the Pier?”

The governor glanced around dismissively .  “It suffices.”  His feline eyes narrowed as they caught sight of Eddy.  “Though you could perhaps be more selective with whom you let inside.”

Eddy glared right back.  “Funny, I was about’ta say the same thing.”  

The governor let out a low hiss.  

Boffin moved between the two men “Now now, gentlemen, there’s no need for this, how about we all calm down and I’ll fetch you both a drink?”

The governor turned his head up and away.  “That won’t be necessary.  I’ve gotten all I need here.”  

“I thin’ it’s time fer me to head out as well”

There was a pause as they both stared expectantly at Boffin.  

The governor coughed.  “My hat?”  He asked icily.  Eddy nodded towards his own hat as well.

“Oh, I did ask if I could take it.”  Said Boffin jovially, but backtracked as the two men glared at him.  “Joking, I’m joking of course thatactuallyworkssomeofthetimethough.”

He pulled the two hats off of the wall to return to their owners- but as they put them on, they found they had been switched at the last second.  

“Oh, hm, that isn’t right is it, apologies, I do have so many to keep track of” Boffin ‘apologized’, as he corrected the ‘error’, returning the hats to their rightful owners.  “Good evening, gentlemen.  Hope to see you again.  I might have something important to talk about with you governor”

Boffin sent a look towards Eddy