Ares Chronicles: The Slice, Part 2 (By Cicion)

Cicion walked up to the bar. "What do you have that'll keep my teeth clean and light my throat aflame?"
"Here, try this. It's called Kzadsha Juice. Real popular on this planet lately, not that I've been in touch with other planets for a while." The bartender handed Cicion a glass. Knowing that Nijayias couldn't drink alcohol, he wondered what this drink could have to give it such a kick. He extended his sensing tendrils over the glass. He detected a hint of the new form of Potassium which had been developed that was still volatile and reactive but was safe for ingestion by the species with tougher innards than average. It still felt like a branding iron when it went down his throat, though, and when he opened his mouth a plume of white smoke floated out. #Must have reacted with my throat coating.# The bar's patrons seemed impressed at his ability to drink the stuff, in fact seeming surprised that it hadn't blown a big hole in his stomach. Cicion leaned on the bar.
"Tell me, do you have any knowledge of what's been going on with the government lately?" The tender looked up, then down again quickly. "Allow me to repeat myself. I asked if you knew anything about the governmental SITUATION-" He laid a hundred scintak chip on the bar. The Nijayias and the Phylydion had been in alliance so long you could exchange scintak for Nijayias money anywhere. "-of this fine empire in recent months?" The tender looked up.
"All I know is that the crime syndicates have started a war for no apparent reason against the government. The government should have been able to crush them easily but for some reason much of the Imperial Navy has disappeared. The crimelords have infiltrated everything, everywhere." As if on cue, Cicion heard the patrons shifting in their seats behind him. The bartender went into the back room. Suddenly Cicion heard a whistling sound behind him. He whipped around in time to catch the club flying towards his head and send it back to where it came from. The thug fell down, unconcious. The other thugs immediately stood up, pulling out several nasty weapons. Not waiting to defend himself, Cicion ran straight toward one. The thug swung his club, but Cicion ducked and rammed him in the stomach. The thug fell. Cicion turned to the others, drawing his dagger. One thug had pulled out a pistol and fired at Cicion as he ran. Cicion dodged and twisted out of the bolts' paths and sliced the man's weapond in half before giving him five punches to the jaw in two seconds. He then charged into the middle of the others and fought them hand to hand all at once. One went down, then two, then three, then all the rest in turn. Cicion turned to the last and threw his dagger. The thug fell to the floor. Cicion recovered his dagger and holstered it, not even breathing hard. "NEVER try to beat a Taeskor with less than an army." Cicion walked out and to his ship, which blasted off instantly.