No Law. No Bounty Hunters. No Corporations.
Those were the three rules of Freeport, written in bold lettering. Throughout the spaceport, neon signs displayed the same rules. In back alleys and on the sides of buildings, those same rules were graffitied in old, worn-out colours. Speeders and ships had it written on them as well. Every blank surface was a canvas to be painted, and each canvas painted the same picture. This was an enclave unlike anywhere else in Free Space.
The Freeport locals were proud of their sovereignty. They claimed the right to rule themselves. What was once an abandoned military installation grew into a lawless society, where anything went. Most would avoid such places for fear of death, or worse. But, some sought this haven out; a break from the mundane. Thrill seekers looking for adventure would come to visit. A break from reality. A weekend trip outside of normality. Deep space crazies. Killers. Thieves. Pirates and raiders. Anarchistic thugs who knelt to no one.
Truth be told, they all knelt to one person. They all abided by one person's rule. S'kabba "One Eye" Osputis.
Waes Itor had only seen the ruler of this place once. He figured the rumours were exaggerated. The truth was, she was beautiful. That beauty, however, was hidden beneath a lifetime's worth of pain, which coated her very being. Disfigured and mutilated beyond all recognition, she rose from the ashes of her past life, powerful and terrifying. Silence followed her steps.
When he saw her, something in Waes changed. He wanted to give himself to Freeport. One weekend turned to one month. A glimpse at S'kabba changed it all. Tourist, to local, in an instant. Whatever was going on beyond the borders of this system was irrelevant because whatever she was doing was much more important. It made sense to him in that moment, he found his calling, soaked in ethereal silence as she passed through his life.
Waes cleaned the fingerprints from his bar, staring at the shadow figure reflected in the slick coating. It was a deep red colour, almost brown in certain lights. This was his patch of Freeport - small and clean. No one but himself manning the taps, his custom required no more staff, and he required no more custom. He had his regulars and knew them all.
Brus, a Mulu with a drink problem. Heavily dependent, but Waes never made him face his issues. Brus was kind-hearted, soft-spoken, polite, and he never made a mess. When he left, the place would be as if he had never been there.
Enus Loq, a Beskin who liked a quiet place to come and speak. He never spoke about anything big, small talk was what he enjoyed. Waes would rarely waste time answering whenever Enus came through. The encounters would always be brief, but pleasant. He'd never leave much evidence of his visit behind.
I'actu.
"Waes, fill up a glass." A Triskani voice broke the silence of the bar.
I'actu wasn't Waes's favourite patron. Regularly, the lizard would stagger into the bar, abruptly disturbing the peace. He couldn't handle his drink, and for every glass he killed, he grew more obnoxious.
The Triskani sauntered up to the bar and pulled out a chair, scraping it along the floor before hopping into his seat with a thud. "I've made a good sum today, and I feel like passing some funds your way." He said with a sneer.
"How kind of you," Waes replied as he put the Triskani's drink in front of him.
The Triskani drank it in seconds, as Waes waited for him to pay. I'act put the empty glass back down and handed him enough for three drinks. "Here, and get me another." He said, clicking his fingers, "Come on, I said I'm celebrating. You need to speed up, no wonder nobody drinks in here." He said as he glanced around the mostly empty space.
"I do just fine," Waes replied as he turned toward the till with the money.
Working the buttons of the old machine, the drawer opened with a clang, and he placed the coins in their corresponding sections.
He heard an igniter and could smell smoke before turning around. "No drugs! You want to smoke mist, go to The Abyss."
"Come on, Waes. When are you going to drop that rule? This is Freeport." I'act replied, holding the burning stick to his mouth.
"This," Waes banged on the bar with his index finger. "Is my bar, and when you're here, you'll follow my rules."
I'act stared for a moment, and then shuddered as only an irritated Triskani could. "Fine," he said while stubbing it out on the bar. "You know, you'd make a lot more money if you ran the place a bit like The Abyss."
"I run the place how I like it," Waes said as he swatted away ash from the bar, brushing it onto I'act's lap.
"Watch it, you know how much this cost me." He jumped up from his chair, brushing himself. "I'm just trying to push you, because I think you need it. This place could be better."
"It's perfect the way it is," Waes said as he turned and readied another drink.
"I came to ask if you heard the news," I'act said as he sat back down.
"No, what news?" Waes replied as he brought another drink to the Triskani.
"Some Marauders captured a bunch of Confederation prisoners," I'act said. "S'kabba is holding a public execution tonight, she'll be personally seeing the job done."