Cran couldn't help but feel eyes watching him as he finished off his drink. Even on trash heap like Oana, complete with bar lined streets, dirty disarrayed ports, and a scum population, the elemental knew that he drew attention. He suspected that it was the confidence that he displayed, a sharp contrast to his size, or perhaps it was the fact that he was the only remotely Human looking being for light years. Whatever it was, Cran wished that the rest of the bar room crowd would put it aside, there was nothing he could do about his confidence, afterall he was an immortal, and he was sure that all of them had seen stranger beings than him. Anyhow, he was going to leave in a moment... and if they were up to anything, he hoped that he would be able to avoid it. However, as Cran got up to exit, sliding his payment under an empty mug, one of the strangers who had been eyeing him gathered the courage to confront him.

"You're not from around here, are you?" The creature was tall and bulky, ugly too, but its voice was level and intelligent. Cran thought it might unwise to brush the man aside, and so he answered, if begrudgingly.

"No," he muttered. "Just visiting..."

"Business, I hear," the great man growled, his eyes narrow. Cran managed to consider him again, surprised at the stranger's knowing tone.

"I suppose you could call it that," Cran answered cautiously. "What's it to you?" The man began laughing to the chorus of the rest of the crowd, Cran shifted nervously, wondering what exactly was going on. Whatever it was, it didn't seem good... and all Cran's instincts were telling him to turn the situation.

"Funny work you do, Elemental, killing people you ain't got no business killing," one of the seated men called out, his double gaze interested. Definitely not good...

"Yeah," another piped. "Where you puttin' all that money? Into that junker you got, or you drinkin' it all down like the rest of us?" There was a short lived laughter as several of the crowd saluted each other with their beers. Cran frowned at them all, keeping a look of unconcern on his smooth young face.

"Just doing what I can," he said vaguely.

"No," said the large man who still stood in front of the confused Cran, his gruff voice interrupting the revelry of the others. "This boy's got a family." Now shock was clearly written on the Water Elemental's face. He had slipped before, accidentally giving away the blood on his hands, but how was it possible that these stranger's knew anything so personal about him.

"What did you say?" He broke out.

"You are saving your money for your family, aren't you, boy?" The man asked, crossing his arms over his great chest. Cran shrunk back a little, his mind racing.

"I..."

"Your girl, Nin'Queesha, was just in here, sweet thing..." The men nodded with their leader.

"My... girl..." Cran's gaze became discreet. It couldn't be... could it? What were the chances that she would be here?

"She seemed to think she was anyway," the man went on, disrupting Cran's thoughts. "But you make me think that you don't agree with her..." The room seemed to close in around Cran as the once curious eyes became suddenly hostile.

"We both knew that it wasn't permanent," Cran scrambled to save himself. "She can't seriously think that I would be...

"Hmm?" The great man took on an expression of angered surprise. "Certainly having a child with a female means something to your kind..."

"There was never a child," Cran snapped.

"Certainly looked like you," one of the men said, glancing at his concurring friends.

"Hain't seen many with hair of that color," said another. "And with such a name... 'Riptide.'" Cran stared blankly at them all... Nin'Queesha had been here, he was sure of that now... that name only got around to people who wanted him to spill blood for them. But could she really have his offspring with her... she wouldn't have...

"When was she here?" Cran said sharply. "What was she doing here?"

"A few weeks ago, perhaps..." said the big man, his gaze intent, questioning. "And she was looking for you actually; looks like she overshot you."

"Wha..."

"It isn't hard to follow a hunter who hires out ahead of time..." Cran felt himself flush with embarrassment.

"Do you know where she went?" The crowd became interested again, all the dull eyes of the men on Cran.

"You going to follow her, boy?" Asked the man, and Cran could see that the creature didn't want to answer.

"I don't know what happened here..." Cran glanced around, imagining Nin'Queesha with these men... what had she done to win them over? Something other than what she had done with him most certainly. "But if what you say is trueI have to find her..."

"Maybe you should think of responsibility before you run out on your friends next time." The tall man, looking deflated now that Cran was actually willing to try and fix things, bent to sit down. The Water Elemental could see that he wouldn't be getting much more out of him.

"If you aren't going to help him," said a new voice, Cran turned to face a tall humanoid, dressed like a typical spacer, who was standing in the open doorway. "Why did you tell him about it?" The great man gave the spacer an indifferent expression and went back to his drink, unconcerned. Cran growled and was about to demand an answer from the man when the spacer pulled him out of the bar.

"You wouldn't want to mess with that one, bounty hunter," the spacer said once they were outside. "You should feel lucky that you said the right thing... they were going to pull you apart for that Fire Elemental."

"He should feel lucky!" Cran spat. "He couldn't have hurt me if I wanted him to, and..."

"Hey," the interruption surprised Cran into silence. "You want to know how to find your kid?" "Do you really have to ask?" The Water Elemental was greatly annoyed now that he was over his initial shock.

"I can help you," said the spacer, "If you will help me first." Cran grimaced, already seeing where this was going...

"What do you have in mind?"