Atterburn's Pub

Atterburn's Pub
Oneday, 057-221
second shift

Atterburn's Pub - "The Pub at the Hub" according to the glowing green sign over the door - is a typical highport pub, although perhaps a little larger and better appointed than most.

During mid-shift on a work day, the room is fairly empty. Only a handful of tables are taken by the underemployed spacers that frequent spaceport bars during the day.

The patrons at one of the tables stand out as being somewhat different. One of them has the rigid posture of a career Naval officer who has not quite adjusted to civilian life. Two of the others - immaculately groomed and dressed in expensive clothes - are obvious aristocrats slumming in a spaceport bar. However, they both seem remarkably relaxed and comfortable in the seedy environment. The last man looks more like the typical patrons of the bar, neither as rigid as the military man or as put-together as the nobles. His sharp eye and amiable grin do set him apart from the down-on-their-luck regulars.

One of the nobles receives a call, and excuses himself. Reporters lurk in ambush outside of the bar - none willing to challenge the barman's policy of privacy for his guests - but the aristocrat seems to have some practice with sort of thing and slips unseen out of side exit.