I Emplore You to Employ Me

[James Prent]

Job searching is for the birds. Really.

I'd been in and out of half a dozen businesses over the last few hours, and no closer to gainful employment. No one was hiring. Try the place two levels down. Maybe next door will have something available, I can barely pay the Ugnaughts I have now.

I looked down at myself, wondering if my outfit was why no one was interested. Well, I didn't have a lotta clothes, so I was making do with what I had. It wasn't exactly professional, but I wasn't looking to push a stylus around all day. I'm a waitress.

Boots, leggings, short skirt and loose t-shirt. The skirt was supposed to make me look taller, but who knows. I pushed open the door to Cloud 9 Bar and Grill and paused inside to let my eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Scrubbing my hand through my short hair, I walked purposefully towards the bar.

The 'tender looked up, then down at me. "What'll it be?"

"Lookin' for a job, actually." I smiled the best smile I could muster. "Happen t' have an application form I can fill out?" I pulled my five foot frame onto a bar stool to make conversation easier. "And I'll have a fizzyglug, if you have one. Cherry flavor?"

[Mu Satach]

The bartender smiled at the young woman and nodded, "Cherry it is." After mixing the drink and placing it on the counter in front of her he crossed his arms and leaned forward. "The boss doesn't really have an <i>application</i> to speak of, in fact I was hired by the head waitress Miss Black. She works the night shift and should be in later tonight." The bartender then became thoughtful, "But then there's Spenny who I directly report to and makes the weekly schedule, he's sort of the man in charge of... stuff." He scratched his head and began to laugh, "You know darlin', now that I think of it, all of us here," he gestured towards the other staff members milling about attending to the patrons, "just sort of stumbled in through those doors and ended up with a job somehow." He grinned at the lovely woman.

"Enjoy you're drink and stick around a bit. I'll see what I can find out for yas." He winked at her and went to go find either Spenny or Molly.

[James Prent]

"Thanks," I said, sipping the drink before me. Oh man, he added real cherry syrup to it! Fizzyglug was the most popular sparkling cola drink of the galaxy, so when you were job hunting and not wantin' to get intoxicated, it was a safe bet.

I twirled the straw inside the glass, trying to rescue a lone cherry from where it was trapped under all the ice cubes. Cloud 9 had a great vibe to it. Here in the bar area at lunch time there wasn't a lot of drinking goin' on, though I could pick out the regulars hunched over their glasses of whiskey. People were actually partaking of the lunch menu, which said something. Said that Cloud 9 Bar & Grill wasn't joking about the Grill part. Their food was edible.

[Mu Satach]

The bartender made his way through the back kitchen calling out to his co-workers, "Hey, anybody seen Mirko or Molly yet?"

"Nah, today's Spenny's day off." somebody called back. "Boss is in though."

"Oh, ohkay thanks." the bartender hesitated a bit then walked down the hallway towards the boss's door. He took a deep breath and then gently tapped on it.

A muffled "Yes?" came from beyond.

He pushed open the door a bit and poked his head in, "Hey Boss, I hate to bother you and I know Molly or Spenny usually take care of this..."

"Just spit it out Terry." she didn't look up from her desk.

Terry swallowed. "There's a young lady at the bar asking about a job and..."

"Something wrong with her waiting to talk to one of them?"

"Well, I kinda," he took a deep breath.

Mu finally looked up at the young man. "You kinda already said something didn't you."

Terry silently nodded.

Mu turned her chair around and looked out through the blinds behind her desk and down at the bar below. <i>I gotta see this.</i> From what Mu knew, Terry use to work in one of the skin joints several levels down and had seen everything and then some. <i>She must be a real looker to get him flustered this much. Now which one... Ah. There she is.</i> Mu spotted the woman sitting patiently at the bar observing the patrons while sipping on a soda. "She's cute."

She turned around and looked at Terry, "Alright, I'll talk to her on one condition the next hot tip you get on a shockboxing match at the Cumulus is mine and only mine."

Terry faltered a bit, <i>How did she know I...</i> Terry stopped himself from wondering too much. It wasn't good to wonder too much about things in Cloud City. "What kind of odds you lookin' for?" Part of him relaxed a bit, he'd been slightly worried about making book on the side. He didn't want to loose the gig behind the bar.

"Oh just something decent, not too big of a spread. Don't want you loose any sleep over it." Mu took a sip of her Corellian coffee. "So, you choose. But like I said, make it decent."

Terry thought about it a bit, "Alright, I'll let you know."

Mu nodded. "Give me five, then send her back this way." Terry moved to close the door behind him, "Why don't you go ahead and leave it open."

Moments later Terry was all grins as he walked back up to the lady. "Today's your lucky day."

[James Prent]

I grin up at the cute bartender as he came back towards me with good news. At least, it sounded like good news. "Really?" I set my Fizzyglug down, the cherry impaled on the end of the straw but still trapped under the ice. "That's great - I've had nothin' but bad news all day."

Fiddling with my straw, I pull it out of the glass... yes! and with the cherry still attached. I plucked it off and popped it into my mouth. "So, will I be talkin' t' Molly or Spenny? I'm James, by th' way." I stuck out my hand as I introduced myself.

[Mu Satach]

"I'm Terry." His hand enveloped hers. "Actually, you'll be talkin' with the owner of the club." Terry jerked his head towards the back. "Take a stroll down that hallway that angles up a bit and take a right. The door to her office is open." He smiled and held on to her hand just a bit longer than needed. "Head on back when ever your ready. Her name is Mu Satach, but everyone here just calls her boss."

[James Prent]

"Heh, okay." I pulled my hand back and he released it, a little reluctantly. Wonder what the Doc would say to having ...company over. "Well, no time like the present. Thanks again, Terry." I smiled, and hopped down off the barstool. Terry reached out and helped me down, and I flushed.

Being short didn't mean I was helpless, y'know? I walked the way the bartender had indicated, and found myself at the correct door. Rapping lightly on the frame, I poked my head in. "Ah, I heard the Boss was back here?"

[Mu Satach]

Mu finished putting a something away and looked up at the young woman. "Yes," she waved her hand towards a chair. "Have a seat and tell me a little about yourself."

[James Prent]

"Well," I said, resisting the urge to limp as I got to the chair and sat, "I'm new to th' City, an' I have a lot of experience waitressin'. I may be small, but I'm not easily pushed around." I smiled, trying to look as open and personable as possible.

"Most of my work experience is from Nar Shaddaa," I added, by way of explaination. "All night diner, by the spaceport in the Corellian sector. I saw you have a bouncer, but I know how to get rid of patrons when they get too drunk. Not that I make it a habit to try t' run off customers," I grinned, a little nervously, hoping I was making the right sort of impression. "But sometimes it can't be avoided, y'know?"

[Mu Satach]

Mu's eyebrows arched a bit, "Nar Shaddaa," <i>Tough Kid</i>. "We don't get too many rough characters around here." Mu picked up her black coffee cup and thought about <a href="http://www.sw-fans.net/forum/showthread.php?t=16413">Smitty</a>. "We do however have a few regulars that get a bit grabby with the help." She took a sip.

[James Prent]

I nodded, "I know how to handle myself around them too."

Leaning forward I added, "It would mean a lot t' me t' be given a chance, Ms. Satach. I promise I won't let ya down."

[Mirko Spendrim]

"Hi Terry" Mirko smiled as he came up behind the bar keep.

It was Spendrim's day off, but it was not uncommon to find him here, in the bar, just checking in. Truth was, he found it hard to stay away. Mirko just loved it here. Loved that he belonged. Loved that he has somewhere to go where there were people who knew him, and sorta liked him.

He was clad in a nylon navy blue jogging suite which had a white stripe that ran down both sides of legs and sleeves. Mirko always felt very sporty when he wore it.

Terry grinned at the little man, stiffling a comment on Mirko's appearance and returned his greeting with a simple "Hi"

But Terry couldnt help himself. "Going for a run then are you, boss?"

"A bit later" Spendrim replied a little absently, his attention drawn to Mu's open office door and the woman seated in there with her. "What...er" Mirko stretched his neck to try to see further, "whats Ms. Satach doing?"

Spendrim walked forward a little, maneuvering himself a little closer, hoping to hear something without actually appearing to be eaves dropping.

[Mu Satach]

There was a look in the young woman's eyes that Mu knew well from experience. "Well why don't you tell me what brought you to Cloud City and how long you're looking to stay first."

[James Prent]

What brought me here. Hmm, okay sure. "I needed a change of surroundings. Nar Shaddaa is a great place to be from, if ya know what I mean. And I'm stayin' here for as long as I can, which won't be too long if I can't find a job." My mouth twisted a little as I said the last part. "I haven't found anyone who's hirin' yet, 'cept you."

[Za'in]

The refresher made for patience, he hated waiting. All he needed to do was wash his hands, but the Gamorrean thought it best to forge a new world inside. Leaned against the wall, the young pilot watched the door. Even the slightest twitch would send his body into convulsion, diving inside for his dirty hands to get a cleaning.

There was no such luck.

Matter of fact, it was getting worst.

He could hear the Gamorrean screaming. The toilet was breaking, Za'in could hear it. Every grunt and yell sounded like a war was waging inside. A few second thoughts were starting to slide into the pilot's mind, but a glance at his hands halted the notion for a quick leave. After eating the nerf steak with his bare hands, since the waitress was moving too slow, he had too much grease to shake anyone's hand.

How could he talk to a girl without shaking her hand? Or touching her? What was he going to do all night? This was horrible!

"Sithspit! What did you eat? A Wookie?"

[Mu Satach]

"Cloud City is booming quite a bit." Mu felt the hair rise on the back of her neck, looking around a bit she spotted Spenny outside her office. "Mirko!" She called out, "could you come in here for a minute?"

[Mirko Spendrim]

Quick stepping his entrance into Mu's office, Mirko arrived gingerly beside her.

He snugged his zipper up a bit higher to his throat and stood attentively.

"Good day Ms. Satach. I am, as ever, at your service"

Mirko spared a short nod and "hello" smile to the woman seated, watching.

[Mu Satach]

"Spenny," Mu raised an eyebrow at the blue jogging suite. "This young lady is in need of a job. Do we have any place that could use another hand at the moment?"

Mu looked over the gal, there was something about her she liked. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something there. Or maybe she was just going soft around the edges lately. Or maybe it was that there was a growing compulsion in her spine to help people lately that was new to her.

[Mirko Spendrim]

"Sure, sure"

Mirko was doing his best to think of where they had a need, but credit sheets and outgoings columns kept jumbling his thoughts. He'd wanted to speak before to Mu about the Cloud 9 expenses. Not that the business wasnt running a profit, quite the opposite. Business was good. But Spendrims thrifty little mind thought they could do even better. Trim a few things here and there and watch their 'intakes' swell.

"We could always us another server" he said before he could stop himself.

Somehow, Mirko sensed this was what Mu had been expecting him to suggest.

[James Prent]

"Really?" I grinned widely from where I was sitting. "I can start right away, if ya want. Or, whenever ya want me to start. I'm flexible."

[Mu Satach]

"I'll leave the details of the training and start date to the <i>real</i> man in charge." Mu winked at Spenny. "But why don't we give you the grand tour first and introduce you around to the rest of the crew."

[Mirko Spendrim]

Looking as professional as was possible, given his outfit, Spendrim followed Mu's lead, and stepped aside to allow the ladies to pass before him.

"Welcome to Cloud 9 Miss--- I'm Sorry, what did you say your name was?"

[James Prent]

"Prent," I said, popping up out of my seat and sticking my hand out to Spenny. "James Prent.

"And thank you so much, both of you. You won't regret this, I promise." I beamed, thrilled that within two days of landing in Cloud City I was gainfully employed.

[Mu Satach]

Mu leaned back in her chair, then hauled her self to a standing position. She grabbed her coffee mug and motioned towards the door. "Outside in the hallway there is a private lift that leads up to my home." She led the two out into the hallway, "No one has access to that, but" she took a sip, "we do have a few small studio type setups for employee's or guests if needed down that way." She pointed to several small doors that lined the hallway. "And the door at the back there leads to the alley and delivery area."