[2010 Resolution] Drabble 34
Date: 11 December 2012
Prompt: "I would be rich by now if I saved my breath."
SixSix is a successful bounty hunter whose infamy has reached multiple galaxies and star systems. But unlike certain warlords who have no choice but to pay out the nose in order to have a crew, organic or otherwise, the mercenary prefers his modest spending habit. Just because he can afford the exorbitant fees of some of the more prominent scientists doesn't mean he should.
Besides, some of the lower-caste technicians can be amusing in their own way. The twitch of a multi-lidded eye, the high-pitched hum of respirators going into overdrive, or the chirpy shift of insectoid joints can be so hilarious that SixSix can't help but prod skittish technicians just for these reactions.
But eventually it gets old and tedious and repetitive to the sotoroggian. Any threat or demand for cessation is met with an aggravated version of the skittish tics, which ends with the technician accomplishing minimal work at best and absolutely nothing at worst.
The alien mercenary has never taken kindly to having his time wasted, and he would normally have simply soothed his displeasure by wasting the cause. But that would leave him with one less competent source for his tech-mods and he'd already had to cross out his usual go-to from his list, so he simply grits his teeth from behind his helmet.
It's times like these that SixSix regrets cutting all ties with Myaxx. He does not regret cutting her because at the time the chimera sorely needed to be taken down a peg, but he quite possibly misses her, which he viciously insists is for reasons of convenience and practicality. He does not miss her or her particular brand of nervous tics.
Because Myaxx was, probably still is, the most competent of the technicians in that price-range. In fact, the only reason she remains in that price-range is he promised her his silence on the identity of her employer. And the only reason he continues to keep quiet is because if word gets out, every hotshot rookie with a few extra thousand credits to burn will go straight to her for upgrade and mod-jobs. Effectively robbing him of whatever competitive edge he's amassed, experience notwithstanding.
It seems a certain diamond has done just that and the knowledge eats at him. SixSix's been bested in several missions past, did Tetrax really have to go and get the chimera on his side too?! Thanks to the petrosapien, nowadays if SixSix wants a halfway decent upgrade, or a slightly challenging mod-job, the sotoroggian has to dig deep into his credit stash. The alternative is tolerating the glacial work-pace of a just-competent-enough technician, like he's doing now.
An impatient hiss slips between SixSix's grit teeth, and the technician loses his grip on the soldering iron, forcing him to start over. The mercenary storms out, muttering oaths and curses beneath his breath lest he ends up killing the skittish technician, hating the petrosapien bounty hunter all the more for forcing SixSix to settle for second best. Yet again.
Prompt: "I would be rich by now if I saved my breath."
SixSix is a successful bounty hunter whose infamy has reached multiple galaxies and star systems. But unlike certain warlords who have no choice but to pay out the nose in order to have a crew, organic or otherwise, the mercenary prefers his modest spending habit. Just because he can afford the exorbitant fees of some of the more prominent scientists doesn't mean he should.
Besides, some of the lower-caste technicians can be amusing in their own way. The twitch of a multi-lidded eye, the high-pitched hum of respirators going into overdrive, or the chirpy shift of insectoid joints can be so hilarious that SixSix can't help but prod skittish technicians just for these reactions.
But eventually it gets old and tedious and repetitive to the sotoroggian. Any threat or demand for cessation is met with an aggravated version of the skittish tics, which ends with the technician accomplishing minimal work at best and absolutely nothing at worst.
The alien mercenary has never taken kindly to having his time wasted, and he would normally have simply soothed his displeasure by wasting the cause. But that would leave him with one less competent source for his tech-mods and he'd already had to cross out his usual go-to from his list, so he simply grits his teeth from behind his helmet.
It's times like these that SixSix regrets cutting all ties with Myaxx. He does not regret cutting her because at the time the chimera sorely needed to be taken down a peg, but he quite possibly misses her, which he viciously insists is for reasons of convenience and practicality. He does not miss her or her particular brand of nervous tics.
Because Myaxx was, probably still is, the most competent of the technicians in that price-range. In fact, the only reason she remains in that price-range is he promised her his silence on the identity of her employer. And the only reason he continues to keep quiet is because if word gets out, every hotshot rookie with a few extra thousand credits to burn will go straight to her for upgrade and mod-jobs. Effectively robbing him of whatever competitive edge he's amassed, experience notwithstanding.
It seems a certain diamond has done just that and the knowledge eats at him. SixSix's been bested in several missions past, did Tetrax really have to go and get the chimera on his side too?! Thanks to the petrosapien, nowadays if SixSix wants a halfway decent upgrade, or a slightly challenging mod-job, the sotoroggian has to dig deep into his credit stash. The alternative is tolerating the glacial work-pace of a just-competent-enough technician, like he's doing now.
An impatient hiss slips between SixSix's grit teeth, and the technician loses his grip on the soldering iron, forcing him to start over. The mercenary storms out, muttering oaths and curses beneath his breath lest he ends up killing the skittish technician, hating the petrosapien bounty hunter all the more for forcing SixSix to settle for second best. Yet again.