Eavesdown Docks: A new Sheriff in town.

The cargo crates stacked in front of the ship weren’t the most comfortable seats, but they’d do until the last cases of whiskey showed up.  At least the weather on Persephone was reasonably mild; waiting in the cold was never Nack’s favorite thing to do.  It never got cold back home on Blackburne.  Well, at least the company was nice here on Persephone; Nack entertained himself by fondly recall evenings spent with Calina Tereshchenko.

Half dozing and leaning against a sealed box, Nack waited.  Ten cases of top grade whiskey at a good price, even after paying the dock ruffians to leave his cargo alone, was a hell of a deal and more than worth the trip to Persephone.  Eavesdown Docks were a good place to do this sort of business, one of the best.  The click of boot heels striking tarmac roused Nack from his doze, his eyes catching the black uniform of the local law.

“Nice badge.  You the new sheriff?” Nack stood up and faced the woman who was walking his way.  Shiny new uniform, gold badge, black leather boots polished to a shine; she gave Nack a professional smile and approached the landing pad assigned to The Osprey.

“Hello,” her voice was smooth and friendly.  Too smooth and friendly to Nack’s ears and too young by far.  Young cops are never a good thing; all too often they are still fired up with Law and Justice. 

She stopped a handful of feet away from where Nack stood, his tattooed arms folded across his chest.  “Good afternoon, yes, I am the new Sheriff for the Eavesdown Docks district.”

Nack nodded, “Office still at the same location?  In case I need to pay a parking ticket or something?”

The cop twitched a smile, “Yup, same office, just new management.”

Nack’s lips didn’t echo the smile.  If anything they curled in irritation.  “Wonderful, glad to hear it.  A whole new crew to have to bribe.  A fellow just can’t catch a break in this ‘verse, can he.”

Watching her face to catch her reaction to the words, Nack shifted to sit on one of the sealed cargo containers, pulling one leg up so he could rest his thick arms on his knee.  The Sheriff lifted an eyebrow and replied, “Well, it looks like you cleared customs without a problem.”

“Yes ma’am, of course.”

The woman looked Nack over for a moment then examined the cargo containers scattered around, “So, nothing to cause me any problems, right?”

Weary of police and fencing with words, Nack stood up and faced the Sheriff directly.  “Look, I’ll be blunt, ma’am.  I’m not here to smuggle anything dangerous onto your dock. I own a bar out on a rim world. Things are scarce there. Hard to come by. And if sometimes it means picking up necessities at a dock like this where the previous owner of those necessities isn't aware of where they are being sold... sometimes that is the way of things.”

Nack paused a moment from his little speech, watching the Sheriff’s face, and then continued, “I just need to know what cut your office requires to keep from busting my balls.”

The Sheriff, and yes she was definitely young, cast a look up and down the docks, seemingly amazed that someone was openly and bluntly speaking of bribing a public official.  Instead of responding to the question from the ship’s captain she extended a hand, “I’m Sheriff Ghoststar.  And you are…”

Nack took her hand in his and gave it a shake, “Nack Barnes, Captain and owner of The Osprey.”

Retrieving her hand from Nack’s grip the Sheriff looked up at the cockpit of the small courier vessel and along its battered rusty hull, then back to its Captain.  “Well, Captain Barnes, it’s good to meet you.”

Nack’s lips pursed in slight annoyance and impatience, “I hope it’s good to meet you, but that’s up to you, ma’am.”

“You don’t really do ‘subtle’ do you, Mister Barnes.”  Sheriff Ghoststar made a bit of an effort to put on her “Cop” expression and address the issue of most concern, “I run a clean dock.  So long as you aren’t out raping and murdering you’re okay by me, Captain.”

Nodding his head, Nack sat back down on a crate, “Then we’ll be fine, Sheriff.  I’m not bringing danger to you or yours, just… buying things from folks who might not be the proper owners.”  Scratching his chin, a few days of stubble along the jaw line, Nack continued, “It’s a hard life out there, ma’am, and we do what we must.  Most times that involves paying off the local law.”

Shaking her head in bafflement at this continued discussion of bribery, Sheriff Ghoststar then shrugged, “Look, as long as the purple bellies aren’t coming down on me for what goes on here…”

A grin broke out on Nack’s face at that.  “Well, that’s always in everyone’s interest, isn’t it?  Avoiding any… official entanglements.”  Nack was relieved to see the Sheriff’s agreeing nod.

“Sounds good to me, Captain.”

“Well, Sheriff, most of what I come here to buy is fine liquor, wines, sometimes foodstuffs.  I’ll make sure the occasional case of good drink finds its way to your office, ma’am.”

The Sheriff smiled at that.  “Much obliged, Captain.  I think that would suit very nicely. 

As the Sheriff began to turn to walk away, Nack caught her attention, “Sheriff.  I wish you well in yer job here.  But… a bit of free advice, if you won’t take offense.”

Her head tilted a bit as she stood waiting, “Okay, sure, Captain Barnes.  What is this advice?”

Nack took a deep breath and let it out in a long slow sigh, “Ma’am.  If I might I’d ask that you keep in mind that most of us ain’t got no malice in us for the law, not really.  We’re just tryin’ to get by in this ‘verse.  Keep that in mind, eh?”

Sheriff Ghoststar considered that for a moment and nodded, “I’ll keep that in mind, Captain.  Thank you for your time and I wish you well in your endevours.  Stay lucky.” 

With that she turned and walked on to the next landing platform to continue her rounds.  Nack took a moment to appreciate the tightness of her uniform as she walked away then smiled to himself and leaned back on the crates, waiting for the rest of his cargo to arrive so he could get back home to Hale’s Moon.