Date:
Planet: Thurisa

Standing on the balcony of his hotel room Kyle stared out across the vast expanse of Guttertown. It was a spacer town through and through. Even the small Fleet training facility had turned its back and closed its' doors against the people living there. Not that they were much above thieves and criminals. It was a place to get lost in, a place where no one cared who you were before or where you were going from there. Anything could be had for a price, even a new identity, and no questions were asked.

He stepped back into his room, ignoring the cockroach that scuttled across the floor in front of him. Salamander would be in the marketplace by now and he needed to see him before he went to his second appointment later that day. He paused surveying the room he'd called home for the past week. There was little in it that he actually owned or would be willing to claim as his own. No, there was little Kyle would claim. He was Jade now and forgetting that might get him killed. From the back of the chair he picked up the age-worn cloak he'd traded his newer one for and from the night table he took the three chakra chips he was willing to carry. Everything else he left without a backwards glance.

Outside the hotel he set off knowing he'd find Salamander by the fruit vendors. It was only a block before he entered into the bustling marketplace. Several times he felt ghost-like fingers plucking at his clothing searching for his wallet and anything else that might be of value. All they might get was some lint. His chakra chips were safely hidden in a secret pocket in the waistband of his trousers. A block away from the fruit vendors' row the first cramp hit him making him suck in a deep breath in shock. It was just over forty-eight hours since his last dose. He quickened his pace finding Salamander even more important than before.

Turning a corner he found Salamander, his fat body planted next to the fruit cart of a desert nomad. The pudgy hand he was waving at the nomad was covered in the sticky juice of the half-eaten quava fruit he held. The nomad ignored him as she haggled with a real customer over the price of a basket of the fruit. She also ignored Jade as he came up next to Salamander.

"Ah, Jade, how nice to see you. Beautiful day isn't it?" Salamander asked before shoving the rest of the fruit into his mouth. Jade tried not to retch at the sight. The man looked more like a severely obese pig than his namesake, but saying so would not get him what he needed.

"It's nice enough. Do you have what I asked for?"

Salamander studied him carefully, absently offering him a quava fruit. When he shook his head no Salamander bit in to it. "I have what you asked for, but you cannot afford all of it. Not unless you are hiding more than a couple of chakras in those flea-bitten rags you're wearing."

Jade's eyes narrowed. He hated dealing with this repugnant man, but he had little choice in it. "How much?"

"For the papers I think two silver chakra is fair. For the other I want a gold chakra. You asked for a large quantity and the supply is becoming scarce. I can make twice as much selling it in smaller portions."

"The deal was three silver chakra for all of it, stupid khadarsi rat," Jade growled.

"Flattery will get you no where with me. This is Guttertown, Jade. You should know by now nothing is certain until money has changed hands. My offer stands, take it or leave it."

"I can't afford a gold chakra. I'll give you the two silver for the papers and the third silver for however much of the other you'll part with."

Reaching under the cart Salamander pulled out a thick envelope and handed it to him; "Your new means of identification. Everything you could possibly need is there."

Jade opened it looking briefly inside then closed it again. "Good, and the other?"

Leaning back in his chair he chewed on another bite of fruit. "I like you, Jade," he said pointing with the fruit. "I know someone who would probably be willing to trade with you for the amount you're looking for. Normally I would get all I could from you, but I'm feeling generous today."

"Thank you so much," Jade said sarcastically, slipping the envelope under his belt. He reached with one hand under his shirt while the other one carefully slipped free two of his three silver chakra chips. Dropping them into Salamander's sticky palm he asked, "Where I can I find this someone?"

"In the tanner's row. Find the Leather Rose booth and ask for Corvin."

"Leather Rose booth, ask for Corvin?"

"Yes. I think my friend will be able to help you."

Jade just grunted in reply as he turned and headed back into the marketplace. Tanner's row was on the far edge of the market, almost on the very edge of Guttertown. It had been placed there in hopes of keeping the stench of tanning hides out of the town itself. Personally he thought it might be an improvement over the normal smell of rotting garbage and corpses that permeated the air. He was stopped at a crossway deciding on which direction to go in when the second cramp hit. Just as bad as the first he waited for the excruciating pain to pass before continuing onward. He hoped Salamander had been telling the truth when he said this Corvin would be willing to trade for what he needed. Not that he was all that willing to make the trade, but he didn't have a choice anymore.

Tanner's row loomed up before him and he stopped again to get his bearings. Luckily enough the Leather Rose was actually one of the first booths in the row. It soon became apparent why when he noticed the awning wasn't attached to a covered wagon, but to an actual building. There were three teenagers working the counter, two boys and a girl, while a man who looked to be in his thirties was tooling a piece of leather on a workbench behind them.
Jade stepped up to the counter, near the corner, waiting for one of them to finish with their customers. The girl was finished first. She smiled charmingly at him, "Can I help you, mister?"

"Perhaps," he said not responding to her smile. "I'm looking for Corvin. Salamander sent me."
Her smile disappeared and she looked at the other customers a moment before saying, "Hold on a sec."

She went to the older man, "Da, there's a man here to see you. Says 'Mander sent him." The man looked up and in the direction she pointed, locking gazes with Jade.

"Show him around back, to the common room. I'll be right there."

"Yes, Da," she said clearly not liking it. She ducked under the counter and gestured for Jade to follow her around the side of the building. In the back she led him through a door into what looked like a combination workshop, eating area, kitchen and lounge. A large dog lay underneath the workbench watching them as they entered. The girl pointed to a chair, "I suggest you sit there. Da will be with you in a sec, but until then you make a wrong move and Dogmeat here will rip your throat out. Understand?"

"Perfectly," Jade said sinking into the chair as another wave of pain wracked his body. The girl's eyes narrowed, then she nodded almost to herself, "Dogmeat, guard."

With that she let herself out another door in the front of the room. A moment later the man came through that same door. He glanced at the dog who had risen to a sitting position, "Dogmeat, relax," he said studying Jade. "So the Salamander sent you to me. I'm guessing you're to the point where you have to have the Dreaming or you would have waited to scrape together whatever outrageous fee he's charging. I'm also guessing you're no stranger to this kind of trading."

"If you mean am I used to whoring myself to get what I need? No, I don't usually do this, but I am desperate and I don't care anymore. I figure I'll be dead sooner than later so it just doesn't matter what I have to do to prolong it."

Corvin grasped Jade's smooth chin with his rough hand, turning his head this way and that. "You're too young to be cynical. You were somebody once, weren't you? Not to long ago from the looks of you."

"It doesn't matter. Who I was is dead. All that's left is the person you see before you. Jade. That's all I am now."

"Like this stone you wear around your neck," Corvin said touching the oval stone set in the choker he wore.

"I need a bottle of Dream. What do I have to do to get it?"

"Surely you cannot need a large amount per dose."

"No, I don't, but I don't expect to have access to a supplier for a while. I need to carry it with me."

"I see. Then I ask nothing more than what you already expected to trade."

"That's it?" Jade asked not believing him.

"That's it. Why don't we go upstairs," he said as Jade shivered from another burst of pain. "I think it is past time for your next dose."

Still wary Jade followed Corvin up the stairs and into a bedroom. Corvin crossed to a chest, which he opened and withdrew a bottle of the dark blue liquid Jade craved. He opened it and poured some into a vial. Jade's hands were trembling so badly Corvin had to pour it into his mouth for him.

His eyes closed as he savored the taste. Flashes of light burst against his eyelids like a display of fireworks. The touch of his clothes began to irritate him as his skin became super sensitive. He felt Corvin's rough hands against his helping him remove his clothing. Opening his eyes he stared into Corvin's. His hands drop to his sides letting Corvin continue.

Two hours later Jade stood with his back to Tanner's row the leather carrysack containing his new identity and his precious bottle of Dream cradled against his chest. The Dream still coursed through his veins, pulsing to the dull throbbing pain of the welts on his back. He ignored the pain just as he ignored the crush of people around him. His next stop was the spaceport itself. More accurately the storage lockers at the spaceport.

Hurrying through the marketplace it didn't take him long to reach it. There he found his locker and punched in the access code. Inside were the few belongings he wanted to keep from his old life and the last of his chakra chips. He shoved all of it into the leather carrysack Corvin had given him. Everything else was left behind for the next person who used the locker.

It only took him a few minutes to reach the bar where he was to meet someone from Dark Justice. There he strode inside and up to the bar itself. He ignored the blatant offer of the woman taking his order as he glanced around trying to figure out if the people he was supposed to meet were there already. Picking up his drink he happened to glance into the mirror behind the bar. The image he saw made him stop and take a longer look. It hadn't been that long ago when he prided himself on his handsome blonde looks. His once pale skin now was slightly darker even under all dust and grime he hadn't bothered to wash off. He'd chopped his waist-length hair into a crew-cut and dyed it the darkest and most permanent shade of black he could find. While never close to being overweight he had also never looked as gaunt as he did at the moment. But it was his eyes that caught his attention. They had begun to change the way all Dream addict's eyes do. The black of his pupil's were beginning to take over the pale blue irises.

Jade shuddered and turned away the image horrifying him. He sat in a booth in the far back waiting for his contacts to arrive. The leather carrysack was still clutched to his chest. He stared down into his drink without really seeing it, so it took him a moment to realize someone was standing next to him. Looking up he found two Petrixans and a Kavaal.

"Um, can I help you?"

"Jade?" asked the taller of the Petrixans. He nodded in reply gesturing for them to sit.

"Actually, we don't have much time. I'm Trai," he said, "and this is Tkai and Rreiku. We were sent to pick you up."

Jade stood up forgetting about his drink, "I'm ready to go."

Trai and Rreiku glanced at each other, but Tkai was already leading him out of the bar. They caught up outside just as she asked, "So, why did you decide to join us?"

Jade looked away and shrugged, "It's evil and needs to be destroyed. Does it matter why else?"

Tkai started to say something, but Trai clamped his hand over her mouth before she could.

Rreiku said, "That is as good a reason as any of us have for joining the fight. Do you have any special skills? We are short handed and need a fourth member on our team."

"Not really, but I'm willing to learn whatever you have to teach me. As far as I'm concerned my life started today."