Setting
East Lanterna Way leads from Verinotte Square to the Eastern Gates, passing dual floored houses and businesses alike. To the south is the Mint and Sage, rustic Bed and Breakfast suitable for travelers of any degree. The location is owned and operated by a resident of Verinotte Hollow, and promises the best hospitality on this side of Terra. Food for the guests is said to be above par.
Men, monsters, and dogs of all species cycle in and out from the north, bearing goods they bought at The Piata. Many boasted of treasure acquired at the Stones of Isis, a shop notorious for having items previously construed as unable to be found. This street is always lit by enchanted lanterns, in fact these lanterns are it's namesake. Due to the lanterns, and the Tower Alba peeking over the buildings to the east, crime on this side of the city is low. Forces Vankoryth can be found posted on every corner, as security more than a military presence.
An evening walking down East Lanterna Way is a walk down a way alive with life. When the shopping is over, the crowd from the Piata bustles into the lit street, music pouring from the houses and the Tavern at the square. It is at this time the cobble stones truly glisten with the footsteps of the people, the diverse crowd a melting pot of darkness. Many enjoy fine crafted cigars, others stroll from one end of town to the other. Either way, East Lanterna Way is somewhere to discuss the new wine from Therrier-Paix at Tauvyr Tavern, or perhaps the rumors of the Mayor secretly not existing at all. A town without a mayor?
In the early hours of the afternoon, you will find the occasional drunkard ambling from Tauvyr Tavern to the Mint and Sage. The Forces Vankoryth patrolling the streets normally don't bother non-rabble-rousers.
Every now and then, the roaring of a motorcycle could be heard pulling into the parking alley of the Gae Ceann Clubhouse. The leather-clad gang members are a frequent sight around East Lanterna Way.
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"I am no worse for wear, my dear lady, and you needn't trouble your conscience with it. I am Philius Percival Wolfinson. Whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"
There was unmistakable interest in his eyes and though there was an element of physical attraction (being suddenly assaulted by the presence of two such comely women in quick succession can have that effect), the majority of it was pure curiosity. His hand remained holding hers as he gave a slight bow.
A bouncer clad in a tight leather cut bearing the vibrant green skull and reverse anarchy symbol of the local motorcycle gang pointed at the vehicle, rapping his knuckles against the frame of the door and catching a rifle that was thrown to him from the inside. The bouncer cocked it, bearing his silver teeth and slinging it over his shoulder.
The bouncer stared daggers at the vehicle and it's occupant; Callandra. The body language was obvious. This is our territory, get the fuck out.
--"Confirmed, triangulating location, Location confirmed, dispatching additional units."
The Tech Con agent slowly craned her head at the bouncer, obscured by the truck, Callandra had reached for her own weapon, a plasma pistol tucked in the center console of the truck.
"Hey, I don't want trouble, and you don't want trouble, go back inside and I'll kindly pass on through. You want to make this worse I'll happily oblige." She shouted at the bouncer, while flipping a switch and toggling a small targeting joystick. A handful of clunking sounds echoed and a 38mm Fuel-Rod Cannon folded out from the bed of the truck, then swiveled over and bore aim at the lone bouncer.
"Don't say you haven't been warned."
Leela folded her arms and huffed stubbornly. Nora nudged her leg with an attempt at a nonchalant kick. With an audible, irritated groan, the teenager curtsied to the man. "I am very sorry," she said grudgingly, and only because her mother had been pushing her to do so.
Nora looked about the shop with a smile. "Oh. Perhaps you are new to the area? How convenie-" She was cut off harshly by the blaring techno music and an incredibly rudely spoken young woman. Nora frowned, but Leela seemed somewhat curious. They exchanged glances, then tried to do the same with Mister Wolfinson. They noticed yet another person join the scene as a door opened, revealing a dark skinned man. He seemed to be glaring at the woman.
And then guns were pulled.
Nora held fast onto Leela with a gasp, pulling her back. "My God!"
A tiny bell above jingled its protest as Philius opened the door with more force than strictly warranted. He pulled the two ladies through, watching the scene outside with dismay, then closed the door, engaged the deadbolt, and looked above the shop window. He sighed his relief as he spotted the metal shutter and quickly pulled it down into place, the room suddenly quite dark.
Phil groped in the dark for a moment before locating and flipping the light switch. A single hanging bulb in the middle of the shop floor flickered on, almost reluctantly. Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself, he found a few chairs behind the checkout desk and pulled them nearer the lonely incandescent bulb.
Unable to suppress a nervous laugh, Phil waved to the seats in silent offer to his impromptu guests. "Ladies."
"Gang activity!" exclaimed Leela excitedly. "How wo- I mean...what a shame. People should strive to be high-class citizens like ourselves more..." She nodded, then gave Mister Wolfinson a bright, fake smile. "But yes, yes. Thank you. I'd rather not bare a likeness to Swiss cheese."
Nora guided Leela over to the chairs, where they sat. "Have you been here long?" the older woman asked. "Does this happen very often?"
His smile faltered as he indicated the room around him. The shop floor was empty, save a desk, a table, some shelves lining the walls, and the four chairs in evidence, all covered in a thin layer of dust. "I'd only just arrived arrived when your rather energetic child... made her introduction. My belongings haven't arrived, yet, but there is some basic furniture in the bedroom upstairs. You and your daughter are welcome to the bed if things don't calm down out there soon."
"As for the distasteful display going on out there, I saw no indication of gang presence when I came to look at the property." He brightens. "Ah, yes. I should explain. This is to be my shop, Epilogue Books. Do you read much, Madame Carroll?"
Leela crossed her arms, biting her lip. "Well, I don't think it's really as bad as you think! They probably just had a tiff. The guns weren't pointed at us."
Nora shot her daughter a look, eyes narrowing. Leela turned her nose up.
"Well...moving on. This is going to be a bookstore, is it? Lovely. I do love to read. Well, at least I know where I'll be coming when I'm looking for a good read."
He quickly turned his attention back to Nora. "I, for one, am glad you've moved nearby. I didn't expect to make such agreeable acquaintances so quickly." His eyes met hers with admiration, then lit up with delight. "Madam. I don't suppose you'd consider starting a book club here. I just know that a woman of your obvious taste and breeding would draw other ladies of quality here, and it would mean we'd be free to enjoy each other's company more frequently."
Nora stared at her flatly. "You are not allowed to talk to Uncle Garrett anymore. He has gotten into that little head of yours."
She turned her attention to the bookstore owner, and she could not help but allow that same smile she'd given him earlier to become pleasant once more. It had a warm, inviting quality to it. "Why, you certainly understand how to speak well of your company. I am flattered. Yes, I think a book club would be lovely. It would help to get acquainted with others around the area, as well." She looked out toward the door. "Well. If they aren't assaulted every time they come around the area."
Leela sneered at the obvious going between the bookstore owner and her mother. She didn't particularly care for the romance between her mother and father, but seeing her with someone so much older than her, yet so much younger than her mother was...bothering.
As he continued rifling, Phil pulled out a number of books with titles in English, French, Greek, and Latin, along with a few that didn't have titles on the covers. "I'll have to get an idea of what the folks around here like to read before I put any sizable orders to the distib- AH! Here it is." He pulled out an old hardcover with Latin on the spine. "Do you read Latin, madame?"
"Not well. Though much of it has to do with Pramia's history- oh, Pramia is my home planet, apologies- I never did get the chance to learn very much." She paused as Leela clawed at her mother's hand, which was removed in a warningly slow manner. "What is this wonderfully aged book here?"
He held the book out to Nora. "Well, this one is is the collected works of Cicero, specifically his essays on friendship and civil service." Philius was clearly very excited about this as he looked at the cover, emphasizing the importance of it. "It's in the original Latin. Imagine reading his words directly from nearly two-thousand years ago!"
"Leela."
"-kittens."
Nora held out her hand to take the book, looking it over carefully. She marveled as she carefully flipped through the pages, eyes lidded as she angled the book to the light. "Goodness gracious, this is astounding. I regret not keeping up with my lessons. I'll have to go back to them!"
Philius turned to Nora, suddenly a bit timid, then looked back down at his pile of of books. Some looked quite new, though the majority were easily a century or more old. "You know, I used to tutor Latin, Missus Carroll. I would be happy to make some time to do so again if... if that's of interest to you."
Leela opened her mouth to protest, but could only manage a gape. The look said it all. Are you kidding?
"Close your mouth, Leela. That's unbecoming," her mother commented. "Well, if we take a peek outside and see if all the commotion has died down, I think Leela and I will be on our way, but you can be assured we will visit... in the very least, I will visit... tomorrow. I'm sure my husband would love to see this place, as well."
"That would be absolutely wonderful, I'm sure. I look forward to meeting him and the rest of your family. Your invitation is most generous, and though I should avoid putting you to any trouble over my small kindnesses, I must admit my curiosity overwhelms my propriety, so I accept."
Philius escorted the two ladies to the rear exit and opened it for them. Before moving aside, he captured Nora's hand in his and bent at the waist in a moderate bow, resisting the urge to place a peck atop it by the narrowest of margins. "It has been my profound pleasure to make your acquaintance, madame..." He gave Leela a slight bow, still holding her mother's hand. "... and mademoiselle. This exit should allow you to avoid any unpleasantness by escaping the sight of that... young woman with the truck. It is almost light out, but I will escort you home, as propriety demands, if you wish it. Otherwise, I am off to bed with the hope of your company on the morrow. It will be a welcome respite from what will likely otherwise be a day of dusting and furniture arranging."
Hark exercised his arm. "Sicken up your herd if you need to, I've got mine right here. I just wanted to remind you, this is Gae Ceann territory, coming in here like that is fuckin' insulting." Hark spat on the floor. "Next time, take the normal car. Especially if you're coming back around these parts."
Hark was glad the group had got out of the way, that was his original intention after-all. Who said the Gae Ceann didn't look out for the people outside their clubhouse?
She threw the truck into gear, and pulled the cannon back into the bed of the truck.
"Let the military seize control of the place before we redevelop." Once the windows were rolled up, the truck burned rubber and screeched off.
"No! No, we're fine. We're completely fine!" said Leela, grabbing her mother's sleeve to drag her away. "We've had a wonderful stay and she'll certainly come back sometime, I'm sure, but daddy is waiting for us to get back soon and he might get worried." Nora was ushered out by her daughter, but not before Leela took a peek outside to make sure everything was alright. Once outside, the young redhead stuck her head back in through the door to leer at Mister Wolfinson.
"Yes, and I said daddy. My father. My mother's husband." Her eyes narrowed as she backed out, making it awfully clear that his advances on her mother were unwanted. She popped her head back in one more time.
"HUUS. BAND."
And then she was gone.
He strode over to the clubhouse and rapped lightly on the door.
Looking around, he frowned at the emptiness of the space. Philius grabbed a few boxes from his car, some filled with knickknacks and personal belongings, most with his own books, and brought them upstairs to his living area. After setting all that up, he went back down to the shop and put up a few posters. Photographs of book piles and quotes from famous authors, along with one or two reproduction movie posters from the forties and fifties.
Satisfied that he had accomplished all he could until his stock came in from the distributor, he eased into his comfortable leather chair behind the checkout desk and opened a book.
However, at the front, Nora was not the only person there. Stood beside her was a stalwart gentleman who dressed within the same period, but different region, as the woman. He wore a pair of preacher boots, black brushed cotton trousers, a clean white shirt with a cherry vest over it, and, to top it all off, a soft gambler hat on his head. Around his waist was a gun belt with a holster, within it a shiny revolver.
He had strong features, all of which included a cleft chin and a chiseled jaw. There were a pair of goggles looped around the crown of his hat. He had his hands folded together behind his back.
"Your husband... I presume?"
Philius straightened his cravat and tugged down the front of his vest even though both were perfectly correct.
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