Progenies: Chapter 2

[Tasha Ryder]

"Good, we had a guy with a whole hit squad after him. Lucky we aren't without our defenses here but still... took a couple weeks to get things back to normal." Tasha said as she lead Astrid out of the club. "I'm pretty sure all this is new to you huh? Clean streets... people not running for their lives?"

[Astrid Vogler]

"Clean sheets yes. Most of us don't run for our lives anymore. People usually don't last long as a slave before converting. Rumor has it the Prophet has turned his attention on Qo'noS."

[Tasha Ryder]

"Yeah that's what I've been hearing too. Not sure how that'll pan out. Klingons and us haven't had the greatest relationship, a few houses are on good terms with us, but as a whole... brr..." Tasha said with a shudder. "My niece Angel, she's got an old 1960s Pontiac GTO convertible that has a phaser cannon placement in the backseat. During the early days like 30 years ago, she was fighting them off with it when they'd come and do stupid ass raids. The Marines would usually mop up but still they never trusted Humans since the Imperium War."

[Alexander Calhoun]

"The Klingons will take care of them." A male voice with a slight English accent said as they walked down the sidewalk. "Gee 'Auntie Tash' not even a 'hi'?"

"Astrid, meet Lex... he's my resident pain in the ass. And stop calling me 'Auntie', seriously... we're only a year apart." Tasha chuckled. "I thought you were still processing those Xenexian assholes you guys caught?"

"Finished early, mum wanted to actually get out of the office while it was still daylight. And James... he's worse than JT when it comes to paperwork, can't believe that he's Director of Intel." Alex said and looked at the Astrid. "Terran refugee... welcome to Terra Alpha... trust me, we don't have crazy zealots here. Crazy Xenexians... oh I'd worry about the crazy Xenexians." he dropped his glasses down his nose to reveal his lavender eyes. "We're bad influences on good people."

[Astrid Vogler]

"I don't think I'd call myself a good person," Astrid smirked. "Just good at surviving."

[Alexander Calhoun]

"Oh bloody hell you sound like my mum, 'I'm not a good person' blah blah... and then she does something selfless and heroic." Lex shook his head. "Y'came here to escape a horrible situation, kinda get a pass. That's what this planet's been about since it started. Fresh starts all around. So, I take it we'll be seeing you at Leo's. About time Tash hired some new faces, half the people working there are related to the family or are tryin' to just mooch off the Ryder family. Which isn't a bad thing mind you. Still, quite a few members of my family met in bars and Leo's too. It's how my parents met, she was tending bar up on Byron when it was just a dinky little Regula type station, love at first sight. Those two have been together over forty years... with temporal shenanigans and clones and such. For about a minute I was the baby of the family. Word of advice... LoveBrew... it's dangerous stuff. Libido enhancing. Only serve it if it's an actual couple... trust me on that one. Spent the next couple days fixing the sink in the bathroom after I and some random girl... broke it. Not me proudest hook up ever."

"Well... we do have warning labels on the tap and the bottles and not your proudest moment, puh-leeze... she was one of Alice's lingerie models, she was hot. You only felt bad because you got sprayed not her and spent the night looking like you pissed your pants. Keeps asking about you too, which is getting annoying. I'm tired of finding panties with your name on it and 'Lex, call me' behind the bar. Seriously dude. Just call her." Tasha chuckled. "You can face down pretty much any threat with a smirk and a 89 pound model you're scared witless."

"99 pound model with D cups and a sadistic streak... " Lex winced. "You don't know or want to know what else went on... although I can say that LoveBrew has been responsible for at least ten children being born. Including my little sister and brother."

[Astrid Vogler]

Astrid shrugged, "How about I stay away from the stuff? If anyone asks for it I'll send them to you."

[Alexander Calhoun]

"That works." Lex said with a smile. "Well I have some... people to meet. I hope to see you around more Astrid. And Tasha has no chill when it comes to what things cost, so enjoy the shopping trip. Stock up. I'd also suggest comfortable footwear. Something you can literally kick ass in."

[Astrid Vogler]

Astrid looked down at her own shoes. They were ill-fitting worn hand-me-downs. The toes of the black ballet flats we scuffed down to brown leather. On the right shoe there was a hole where the upper had separated from the sole. In truth it had been so long since she had a proper pair of shoes the concept of "comfortable footwear" was almost as foreign as this planet.

"Sorry," she replied. "These are my best pair of shoes."

[Tasha Ryder]

"Well then we certainly have a literal head to toe makeover to do." Tasha said with a cheerful tone to her voice. "Y'know... it makes me sick how that 'quote unquote' church has taken over Earth. That's not the message." she shook her head. "It's treating others as you want to be treated. Reaching out to those who need the hand."