Scene 4: Chance Encounter

While the police are sorting through disgruntled
club patrons there are two bounty hunters lounging
at the bar.  One of them discovers a pistol in his back.

KANON:  Arrest us.

Elan and Kanon each take a pistol from one of the men and have them stand up before walking between both of them.  The first bounty hunter tips his head to the officer at the door and they proceed outside across to another building.

Out of sight, Kanon takes the lead and
forces the bounty hunters into an alley.

BOUNTY HUNTER:  Now what?

KANON:  Find another profession.

Kanon hits one with the butt of the pistol
and he falls unconscious, but Ellan hits
the other and only causes him to complain.

BOUNTY HUNTER:  Owww.

ELLAN:  Sorry.

She produces a taser and he falls unconscious.

Emerging on the other side of the alley there is less of a crowd to disappear into, but no authorities are within sight.  Kanon and Ellan walk embracing each other, but there is no tenderness.  They take turns scanning around themselves as casually as possible.  This would be helped by looking around at the venders.  Instead, they march straight along the pavement and approach the landing pad from the opposite direction that they had left it.

To their restrained horror the landing pad is vacant.  The Shadow's Heart is gone.  Elan tugs on Kanon's arm and Kanon looks back, as if he might catch a glimpse of it, and looks back again at the landing pad.

KANON:  Well, I locked the door.

Where do you suppose

it could have gone?

ELLAN:  Sure. Bright idea leaving it here.

I knew we should have kept going.

KANON:  I don't understand it.

This used to be such

a nice neighborhood.

ELLAN:  Any more bright ideas?

KANON:  Nothing, except, that

we shouldn't stand around here

talking about.

They turn to leave and immediately bump into someone.

KANON:  Oh, sorry, excuse us.

AARON:  No problem. You wouldn't

believe how many people here just
run into you and don't say anything.  

Is something wrong?

Ellan looks at Kanon.

ELLAN:  Stop staring.

KANON:  Oh, uh, sorry.

I just recognized you.

AARON:  It's alright.

So you were at the dueling ring.

I hope you weren't too disappointed

by how it turned out.

ELLAN:  We didn't even know it 

was an illegal fight.

AARON:  I'm sure.

KANON:  I've been away.

Janriel's my home away from home.
I wanted to show Ellan around.

AARON:  You got permission to

come through the quarantine?

That's not an easy thing.

There's a lot of people who would

jump at the chance to be able to leave.

ELLAN:  Our ship was stolen.

AARON:  Well, I'm sorry to hear that.

I can't get off Janriel myself.

Janriel is a dangerous place.

We just might be stuck with each other.

She strokes her hair back.

ELLAN:  Is that... an offer?

AARON:  All the honest bounty hunting

is getting played out.  So, no luxuries.
But no one else lives with me.  I could give you

a place to stay; at least until the quarantine's lifted.

KANON:  That's very generous of you.

AARON:  Follow me, then.

I could use the company.
By the way I'm Aaron Miles.
Welcome to Janriel, miss.

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