The second drink vanished as quickly as the first and she set the glass down on the weathered table in front of her. She idly ran her fingers down the side of the glass and sighed heavily through her nose. [i][color=98AFC7]  ‘Fuck you, Bravus…’ [/color][/i]She thought.

She reached into her worn duffel bag and pulled out a metal orb, about the size of a tennis ball. The surface of the orb was smooth with symmetrical seams running in flowing geometric designs close to the middle of each of its hemisphere’s. On one side, in the centre of the shape, was a small circle made of a translucent material, almost like glass. Pressing her thumb onto it, the glass circle flickered - it became obvious that this was actually a fingerprint reader. The seams running over the orb began to glow and separate, several small plates rising out from the surface of the main structure. The object emitted a soft, high pitched sequence of whistles as Tes tossed it gently into the air. Rather than falling to the ground, the enigmatic little sphere hung in the air for a second before beginning a slow, methodical orbit around Tes’ head.

She called it an IMP – Individual Media Port – and it was a device of her own design and one of which she was most proud. The orb was a portable, hands-free, multimedia device, communication relay and cross platform data receiver. Twinned with a sub dermal implant, the prototype for which was currently embedded parallel to the base of Tes’ skull. The link between the implant and the orbital device allowed two-way communication between the two meaning Tes was able to access any open network and utilise information – much like the common datapad. Rather than a screen, however, the implant allowed for a direct link to Tes’ optic nerve, providing a neurologically controlled HUD.

She scrolled through the most recent news bulletins.

[center][b]BREAKING NEWS[/b]

FULL PLANETARY LOCKDOWN EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

Due to emergency conglomerate ambassadorial assembly, Gamma Capuli V will be subject to full planetary lockdown, effective immediately. 
Docking clearance for all ext-atmo craft has been rescinded pending further notice. All approaching craft are instructed to establish orbit and await further instruction.

All grounded craft will remain under strict lockdown protocol until further notice.
[/center]

[color=98AFC7]“Are you fucking kidding me?!”[/color] She hissed. She saw her hope of getting off-world dissolving before her eyes. There was no way she could get out now. Not through conventional and legal means anyway. She felt her blood bubbling in her veins and she held her breath, closing her eyes and trying to stop the anger screaming in her ears. Exhaling steadily, she opened her eyes again. She needed another drink.
Despite being female, Tes’ had never had problems holding her own and she rose from her seat was able to force her way through the growing crowd inside the Down and Out. Her IMP took a higher orbit to avoid colliding with anything around it. She arrived back at the bar alongside a blonde, armour-clad man and his drunken friend. She noticed the sword sat at the blonde’s hip. She knew that there were only two reasons why a person chose to wear a sword nowadays. Either he was some posh tosser who valued style over substance or he knew how to use it and was not afraid to. Out of the corner of her eye, she examined the man. She guessed it was the second one. [color=98AFC7][i]Merc? Bodyguard?[/i][/color] She mused.

She caught Mani’s eye and simply held up her empty glass and nodded. She wasn’t being rude and she knew that, when he could, Mani would get round to serving her.