A space station in orbit of Corellia.

Guidebooks for interstellar travellers usually have quite a lot to say about bars. Generally they will devote some time to the subject of bars in spaceports, especially in orbital hubs. The advice for the careful traveller is to avoid those bars nearest the docking area unless you are seeking an interesting (and potentially harmful) experience. Such places are usually crowded with crewers just released from unloading duties who have chosen to belly-up to the first bar they find and by those petty villains who prey upon them.

The guidebooks rarely go on to offer similar advice about those bars furthest from the docking area but they should. Unless you are keen on either avoiding all contact with real spacefaring life or encountering some particularly cossetted beings (and their attendant nosey security details) the finest places on a space stations are also best avoided. They do, however, concede that the places between these poles can be interesting to see some colour.

No guidebook ever bothers to tell the reader that such places, places such the bar currently being considered by Admar Brask, are also where one should go to get some business done. They do not tell you to go to a middling sort of place to find dependable spacers to do business with. The sort of beings who have their own ships and do contracted and piecework hauling freight. Who would not take too many risks but, if you needed to go their way, would let you travel with them for a fairly fair price.

This was exactly the sort of place Admar Brask was looking for. It was relatively quiet (bordering on staid) of modest side and unshowy décor.

He stood in the doorway, a man of medium height and salt and pepper hair, dressed in a good (but not showy) suit, peering about in a slightly anxious fashion. He held a small bag in one hand. He shied away as some patrons exited the establishment. He seemed rather out of his depth.

His thoughts were quite at odds with his demeanour.

Secondary exit at far end of counter. Most probably sharp left to door to service passage. Booths on opposite wall appear empty but offer limited eyelines. A dozen patrons at...

He made his way towards the bar. He exchanged a few words with the bartender and a tall glass mug of steaming liquid was produced: a spiced tea of some sort.

As the drink was placed on the bar, Brask offered his thanks and began counting out credits.

"Perhaps you could help me with something else?" he asked politely.

The bartender gave no indication of holding a strong view (or indeed any view) on the matter so Brask continued.

"You see I was supposed to travel on Hudar's Hope to Loronar," he smiled an embarrassed smile, "Unfortunately, I entirely underestimated the time it would take to clear the security checks so I missed my connection."

No reaction. No attempt to complete the thought and skip, helpfully, to the end.

"It will be four days until I might be able to get a berth and I am in quite a hurry."

Still nothing.

"I was wondering," and here he stopped counting out credits having reached the necessary sum plus normal tip. But he kept his hand from returning to his pocket a few more credits temptingly with in easy reach of the bartender's hand, "whether there might be someone I could seek passage with."