"I don't like the idea," Carnaris said, his stone like expression didn't convey any strong emotion behind his words.
"I don't particularly like it either," Sart M'grinada, the overseer of the workforce, added. Sart scratched at his neck, flakes of dead scales sprinkled from him with the vigorous movement.
One of Zin's eyes shifted to watch the flakes, and he stepped to one side to put distance between himself and dead scales. Zin didn't have much love for Triskani, he found them to be irritating creatures and untrustworthy. Sart was bearable, however, and good at his job. It didn't have any compassion for others, as was to be expected of a reptile. That trait alone made him perfect to carry out his work.
"Your thoughts on the matter are noted," Zin said, filling the silence that grew between them. "We'll still go ahead with the meeting. They may be able to benefit our operation."
"If they don't?" Sart asked, his dead unblinking eyes hung on Zin.
Behind Sart, Carnaris grinned knowingly, his fingers lightly brushed over the pistol at his hip.
The rest of the small gathering shot looks at one another, but all of them returned their gaze to Zin awaiting his word on the matter.
Zin knew what Sart was implying, and Carnaris's wandering fingers made it obvious that he was in agreement. Carnaris was particularly ruthless for a Human, but it come with the territory. One would be unable to do what he has done without earning a hardened soul. Zin felt, however, that hard souls, and cunning brutality were detrimental in terms of making friends.
"I respect the suggestion of doing harm to our potential associates, but I will have to decline. We will meet them, and if a mutually beneficial deal is not worked out, we will all walk away from the meeting," Zin skimmed over the faces of Sart and Carnaris, letting his stare hang for a moment in silence, "unharmed."
The welcome grounds were a buzz with life. Many of the guard division were standing to attention behind Carnaris and Zin, some clerks and logistical analysts were standing by for their input, if they had anything worth adding. Sart was standing alongside some of his people, atop the tilted tower. He was unflinching, keeping his eyes on some of their workers as they went about their business. The gates were open, and beyond them, the landing pads were empty, awaiting the arrival of Razor Jax and his people. The walls of the compound were filled with guards, some walked, others were stationed atop turrets. Anyone who could be spared from the depths was.
"Ships!" A voice called out from a nearby watch tower and those words were repeated in an unbroken chain of warning.
Zin could see what looked like insects in the distance; little black dots painted against the rose tinted sky of Jex. Soon, the dots took shape and then the engines could be heard. They overshot the landing platforms and slowed down once past the gates. They hung in the sky for a moment before descending. As they got closer to the ground a violent dust cloud was kicked up. Zin squinted to avoid it, but he physically covered his face from the heat of their engines as they neared.
Two transport ships landed, sinking slightly beneath their weight. They were soon followed by six speeders. The speeders were open to the elements. Each looked different; one was large, and held three people. One pilot, and two rear gunners on swivel seat turrets. The other speeders carried two people, one pilot and one gunner. They looked similar to one another, but each had their own flare. It was clear that each ship came from a different world; or at the very least, a different crafter. The only thing now making them look uniform were the crude modifications. Clearly, they were outfitted for speed and not to look pretty, or perhaps they looked just how their mechanics intended. The two transporters among this gathering were heavily armoured, more block-like with hard edges and engines large enough to deal with the sheer wait of the vehicles.
The doors of one transport came to life with a hiss. Steam blasted out of the vents, an exit became clear as a platform descended and dug into the ground upon touching it. The other transports door began to open in the same way.
Zin recognised Razor Jax from info-boards he had skimmed through in preparation for the meeting. He was clearly older, and looked a lot more worn out than the images he'd seen. Each time a boot hit the surface of the ramp, a metal thud rang out, as if he were a smith manipulating steel. He wore leather armor, worn and dirty. His hair was short, and for a Human he was tall, which was noticeable even at a distance. Armor plates dotted his leathers, many had dents and scrapes; battle damage. He had a broad jaw, and there were a few scars dotting his rough skin. One defining feature were his lips; there was a purple stain coating them which extended beyond his lips in a blotch around his entire mouth. Zin noticed that the others in his cohort had the same stain.
"Razor Jax, it is nice of you to meet with us. Welcome to The Oridium Mines," Zin said, extending a hand to their surroundings.
"You mustn't get much done around here." Razor Jax said as he glanced lazily around the welcome grounds. Some of his people laughed or grinned with amusement.
"I don't understand," Zin said as he looked to Carnaris, who shrugged, confirming that he wasn't sure what the High Flyer meant either.
"If everyone's out here, how can anything be getting done?" He laughed. It was a sickly, wheezing laugh, that transformed into a cough which ended with a glob of purple mucus being spat beside him. "Don't worry though, I got something that'll make up for it." He produced a small vial and tossed it to Zin, which he caught. "We have different strains of it which work for just about every member of Free Space. We're even synthesizing a batch that works on Gnosians, it's still being trialed though, so for that particular strain it could be a while."
Zin listened to him while inspecting the vial. "What does it do?"
"It affects each species differently." Razor Jax said. "It gives Rotchi energy, and a long lasting dose of strength. It keeps Humans and Doshans alert for hours and removes their appetite. It makes Triskani docile. It helps Mulas think clearer and faster. It affects Beskins similarly to Mulas, but it also makes them move quick. Our chop shops can churn out vehicles in a week, which previously took more than a standard month." Razor Jax gestured to his ship and soon crates were being walked down the ramp. "It can be used for recreation, or work."
"How much do you want for it?"
"Absolutely nothing, this batch is on me." He replied. "Test it out, see if it is a benefit to you and your operation. If you are satisfied with the results we can discuss terms of a deal, which I hope will become an endearing partnership that will benefit both of our enterprises."
Zin looked at Carnaris, who seemed too focused on the crates to realise he was being watched. He turned back to Razor Jax and stepped forward extending a hand. "I thank you for considering us, I accept." He said as they shook hands.