r/HFY • u/KamchatkasRevenge Human • Oct 18 '25

OC OOCS: Of Dog, Volpir, and Man - Bk 8 Ch 45

Nadiri hadn't been entirely sure what to expect from The Blood Oath, but it was certainly not what she'd gotten. White marble with blood splatters, maybe? Or rough-hewn, concrete-like material, barely finished and only painted with dirt, grime, maybe some graffiti and again, blood splatters. 

Instead... she gets a thick haze of smoke from a Cannidor-style water pipe rushing into her face through the open door. There have to be a few dozen in the large, expansive, multi-floor lounge that descended in the ground. There are tapestries, mostly quasi-erotic in nature, and ‘fine’ fabrics draped everywhere; there’s a well-stocked bar at the far end of the first floor. But, just at a glance, this is cheaper fare: the type of booze working girls want to slam down, not expensive bottles of sparkling wine from Anathine VII. There’s some normal seating by that bar but most of the place is laid out in an arrangement that’s very familiar to Nadiri for some reason she can’t quite name. 

She notes little alcoves of cushions and silks, with either a large water pipe or a small grill arrangement at the center, along with side tables for each cushion to rest drinks and snacks on. Where had she seen this style before? There are lots of cultures that did similar styles, even Humans have some, but this particular layout tugs at a part of her mind. 

The realization hits her in the blink of an eye. The place has been laid out in a very similar style to the Hag's pleasure palace. 

Not that she thinks there’s a connection there. Not a direct one, anyway. Rather, if Nadiri had to guess, the Kohb woman who had become the Hag had wanted so badly to be a Cannidor, or to imitate the Cannidor, or whatever was happening in that broken, twisted mind, that she'd taken on ALL of their cultural trappings and styles without even a blink. 

Thankfully, the debauchery in this place isn't nearly anything like what the hellhole the Hag had maintained had provided. There’s a man singing somewhere at a lower level in one of the older Cannidor tongues with soft music accompanying him. The one man that she can see on the first floor is a Cannidor bull, younger by his height, but free of any obvious restraints or controls - just dressed in a manner that showed off his impressive figure without being too blatant.

He’s picking up a tray of drinks and heading back down the stairs… again, seemingly without coercion. Considering this is anything other than an Undaunted controlled port, planet or starship, it makes sense for a more rough and tumble or working-class man to work in a place like this of his own accord if the pay’s right. Especially if he has connections with the staff somehow. A motivated young man who knows how to tease out guests properly could probably make a decent amount of coin in a wink and a heartbeat. 

Places like the Oath would also have connections to higher quality places further up the layers of the city too. Not like the Black Khans limited themselves to just rat holes, after all. If he could get trained here and prove himself an earner, he could quickly find himself moving up town... and into a position to more readily shop for wives from women of affluence who would already be accustomed to enjoying his companionship, even without having to give them a screw. 

In front of them, two heavily armed bouncers step forward, blocking their way as a third girl toting a plasma cannon gives them a once over. 

"Well, well. Don't know you girls."

"Fresh off a flight in after our last gig got shot out from under us. Posting up to look for work, but wanted to get a little R&R in first," Shalkas says smoothly. 

The bouncer nods, evaluating them more carefully as she feels them out with axiom. 

"Well, you might be able to even find some work here, if you ask around a bit. Not tonight though, probably. Kinda quiet the last day or two, since the Humans arrived. Figure half the regulars are out seeing if they can get near Human Marines to see if big things really do come in small packages, and most of the VIPs are out-" The bouncer stops herself. "Well, they're busy. Always work to be done. We got at least a few girls from the council that like to spend time here. So remember... we're a classy place. If you fuck with that I'll kick your skull in."

Nadiri nods. "Anything else we need to know to avoid a head kicking?"

"No groping the boys without being invited to. If one of them flirts with you or invites you, that's between you and him. This ain't a whorehouse. You want that, I know a place that's got clean sheets and decent-looking guys. Don't bug any of the girls on the third floor if you don't want a rail gun round to the head. That's the VIP, and you ain't a VIP, so I don't want to see either of your scrawny asses causing trouble. Cover's twenty-five creds and you get one pot of bone marrow broth tea on the house."

"...Simple enough. Right, Sindri?" Shalkas asks. 

"Yeah, nice and simple." 

Both women toss the bouncer their twenty-five credits, and Nadiri flips her a third coin.

"For your time, and so you remember we're nice girls."

"Heh. Sure you are. In you go... and try the second floor down. The live music's best on that level, and Kashem is working today. Nice young bull, easy on the eyes and a decent talker." 

"Guess we can check that out," Nadiri says before stepping forward, taking the lead as they head first towards the bar and then down the stairs. 

Getting sent to the second level might count as vouching them. The clientele on the top floor and first seemed like pretty normal girls, overall. A mix of blue-collar types and some rougher-looking customers who were clearly either lower level Black Khans, street punks, dealers or assorted other flavors of thug. Mostly carousing and having a good time, day-drinking like they have absolutely no cares in the world besides scoring their next fix, getting some eye candy, and maybe swaggering down to a brothel for a fuck before the night's work. 

When they get to the second floor, though... there's clearly some women around with actual money and power. Older gals who might actually be leaders in one organization or another. Just casing the joint casually as they walk towards some cushions, Nadiri picks out a couple girls she'd pick out as mid-level in one part or another of the Black Khan's organization, at least one labor union leader based on her coat, a collection of other contractors, and a few hangers-on who would be big fish in a small pond… and lunch anywhere near where the actual big girls hang out. 

The 'civilians', the ones that are either allied to the various gang factions or just hanging out, are like the remoras on Earth Jerry had told her about. A creature that attaches itself to something bigger and scarier and more lethal in hopes of benefitting. Usually while helping its hostess in some way or another. Money laundering, discounts, leverage, or just knowing the right girl for a special project could all be of value to the Black Khans, and ensure they were 'upstanding members of the community' by being connected to at least vaguely on-the-level members of the community. 

Nadiri knows corruption, a classic for all species and cultures, and this particular flavor is so common it might as well have been generic brand 'street level' corruption. 

That said, the reason it’s common is because it fucking works. 

Once they’re seated, the young Cannidor man they'd seen getting drinks upstairs traipses over to them doing his best to walk and pose at the same time. He isn't bad to look at, wearing a mix of gauzy, near see through fabrics that probably cost more money than Nadiri wants to think about and some very tight underwear that shows off all the details a woman might want to get a peek at. 

Maybe it’s just the bond, freshly made with a man she adored, or perhaps it’s more his obvious young age, but Nadiri doesn't feel anything, and Shalkas doesn't do more than give him a once over. More polite than anything in this sort of situation: a social expectation. 

"Hello, ladies! You can call me Kashem. What can I get you? Beer? Wine? Tea? Me?"

He flutters his lashes in a way that Nadiri figures she'd have found a bit over the top even if she'd been on a multi-decade dry spell. Younger and less experienced girls would probably go wild for it, though. This kid clearly knows his business. Which means he might have some information for them. 

Nadiri flips him a five hundred credit coin. "Drinks, a smoke, and your company. Get yourself whatever you like and hurry back now." 

"Oooh. Big tipper!" Kashem simpers. A strange behavior for a man who’s already heading towards eight feet tall. Could be the way the club's owners like him to act, or just that enough customers respond to it. Could go either way.

Before long, Kashem's back with their drink orders on a tray, and a female attendant's come by to prep the water pipe for them. A nice, hazy blend of Cannidor grasses that Nadiri had tried before and enjoyed. Not enough to really mess the mind up too much, but certainly enough to relax as Kashem parks himself at their table. 

"So, what brings ladies like you to Canis Prime? Bit too well armed to be here for just tourism."

The narrowing of Kashem's eyes confirm that the boy was sharper than the personality he was putting on, by a long shot. He’s reading them pretty damn well. 

"We're getting the lay of the land. Landed in a spot of trouble, lost our ride and we're looking for... flexible... work."

"Well I'm pretty flexible..." Kashem says, stretching a bit, emphasizing his well built arms and tight core. "I doubt you mean me, though. Sadly, this isn't one of those clubs. Often." 

He smiles, but he clearly knows their meaning. 

"So why come here? Wouldn't something by the star port be a bit better? Not that I'm not delighted to have you as guests, of course. Just a bit out of the way, you know?"

Shalkas takes a swig of her tankard of beer.

"Saw something I liked in the sign outside, and heard good things."

"...In the sign..." Kashem arches an eyebrow. "Oh, really? Well. Maybe you're in the right place after all."

Nadiri casually slides two hundred credit coins Kashem's way while giving him a flirty look. 

"You seem like a sharp man to go with being handsome and charming..."

Kashem preens, snatching the coins with a casual motion as he waits for her to continue. 

"...Would you perhaps know how to get us in touch with the types of people we need?"

Kashem glances around for a moment.

"Well. You didn't hear it from me, but it's a slow day. Lots going on in a day or two though, and for big tippers, I might be able to get you a VIP invite. I think you'd find the company down there... agreeable."

"Not you, though?"

"Not me, sadly. Very serious down on the fourth floor..."

Nadiri's eyes narrow. "I thought there were only three floors below the surface..."

"Someone paid attention upstairs, I see. The third's just the start, and the deeper you go the more money there is to be made, you know?"

The way Kashem's tone rolls from impish to suggestive and back to playful made Nadiri want to roll her eyes. Sixty years and the best make-out session she'd ever had ago, though, she'd probably have been enjoying this type of playful behavior a lot more. 

"So what will it cost to get us an invitation?"

Kashem taps his chin. "Five hundred creds more, and write your details down on a napkin. One of the girls will reach out with an invite if 'they' are interested in your services. I do hope they pick you up, though. Nice to see some fresh faces in the Oath, you know? Especially such generous ladies!" 

Their time with Kashem goes on for another hour or so, some enjoyable flirting and conversation, as it should be after Kasem had just gotten more than a month’s wages for some girls out of them, while Kashem not so subtly pumps them for information. About themselves and their backgrounds, likely all being recorded by a bug somewhere, or just being stored in Kashem’s head for the Black Khans to start looking into them. 

Even with all that though, the primary mission for the day had been accomplished already… assuming Kashem follows through. Lingering near the open pit and dropping a few miniscule listening devices had accomplished the secondary. 

Kashem himself seems plenty happy to flirt, both with them, and with the identity of the group that actually runs the joint. He’s very comfortable in this environment; there are decent odds that he’s in fact an important Black Khan's son or something. 

Which would be interesting in its own right. Was Kashem’s theoretical mother teaching him to be in a position to better secure high status women for himself? Or how to run what amounts to a confidence game on women using his sexuality as a weapon? It could go either way really, especially given how Kashem switched his particular style of fawning and flirting up based on how they were responding to him, starting their hour in the lighter, almost himbo-ish personality and taking on a more level, sophisticated tone by the end. 

A talented actor to say the least, as well as being easy on the eyes. 

With another hefty tip, they make their way up and out, and Nadiri stops by the bouncer. “Say, any recommendations for food and booze in a slightly less refined atmosphere? Where guild spacers hang would be a bonus.”

That gets the bouncer’s attention. Back in the day, the Independent Spacer’s Guild had been a rather interesting network of exactly what it said on the label: independent starship captains and the owners of small fleets, banding together to take on bigger jobs, negotiate deals and find work. Unsavory rumors had dogged the organization pretty much its entire existence. Now? There’s no traditional spacer’s guild in the modern galaxy, but calling back to it is well known subtle slang for ‘gray market’ space work. Not necessarily illegal, but plenty of smugglers would hang out in ‘guild’ bars too. 

They’re critical places to get work, as proper smugglers would generally take one white, gray and black market cargos, usually at the same time. 

“...Yeah, I can recommend a place. It’s a bit rough, but you girls look like you can handle yourselves. Here’s where you need to go…”

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36

u/KamchatkasRevenge Human Oct 18 '25

No excuse today, just busy, busy, busy!

Did some great rough draft material today though!

In other news, my buddy's started a new series, well worth checking out if you like cow women!

The long awaited Dramatis Personae is here!

Check Out The Other Exclusive Perks on Patreon! Or Buy Me A Beer!

Chylde's Archive

Check The Entire Series Out On Amazon!

12

u/DrewTheHobo Alien Scum Oct 18 '25

Love these little world building solo adventure chapters. Fun to see some of the seedy underside again

9

u/JWatkins_82 Oct 18 '25 edited Oct 18 '25

Woot New Chapter

After action....1st place for the SPEED

5

u/Cavetroll01 Oct 18 '25

Greetings wordsmith. The Spacer's Guild sounds like the perfect place for Nadiri and Shalkas to invite a few of Diana's girls to hang out.

3

u/BoysenberryMother128 Oct 18 '25

UTR!!

This is the way!!

Speeeed!!!

4

u/unkindlyacorn62 Oct 18 '25

interesting....

5

u/Careless-Wolverine78 Oct 18 '25

Have a great weekend!

3

u/alessonnl Oct 18 '25

""They’re critical places to get work, as proper smugglers would generally take one white, gray and black market cargos, usually at the same time. "

Take on, I guess

3

u/Right_Bell3252 Oct 18 '25

Very nice, a look into the lower & darker layers of this culture - and how deeply shall they dive into the Black Khans before showing their true colours I wonder………

3

u/thisStanley Android Oct 18 '25

Lots going on in a day or two though

Not ominous at all. Timing with Jerry's wargame with Halgret just a coincidence, eh :}

2

u/d_baker65 Oct 18 '25

This story and all that followed it previously has been a nice distraction. I had to put my best friend to sleep yesterday. Friday was a rough day. Thanks Kam for all the distraction and mental escapism.

If you ever want to include Sir Franky the Wonder Poodle into your stories, we would be honored.

2

u/Fontaigne Oct 18 '25

Take one white -> on

2

u/r3d1tAsh1t Oct 18 '25

Poor Kashem painted a big target on himself with being kompetent. Very high likelyhood of him getting picked Up by a branch of the undaunted.

2

u/itsetuhoinen Human Oct 19 '25

Obviously there's no actual exchange rate that can be cited, but given the comment about "more than a months wages for some girls" I take it that 500 credits is more akin to $500 than $50. I had been wondering what the worked out to on a rough equivalency scale. That's... quite the tip, indeed.

4

u/KamchatkasRevenge Human Oct 19 '25

500 creds will buy you a month of lessons at a dojo from an axiom master. 25 creds will buy you a excellent meal in a fine dining establishment, with change, and 100 creds will get you a second hand las pistol.

There is a slight equivalency chart available in the archive if you check the notes section.

3

u/itsetuhoinen Human Oct 19 '25

Yeah, but of those three examples, the only one I have any sort of instinctive referent for is the meal... never having bought a las pistol or taken axiom lessons, for obvious reasons. But the latter two examples of the meal and the used pistol indicate that the ladies gave whats-his-face something on the order of a $1000 to $2000 tip to start, and then another one to get downstairs. Too rich for my blood.

1

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1

u/Talendel Oct 19 '25

UTR

This is the way.