The wine was flowing like...like...wine. People were cheering and dancing, Tayfun was sobbing with joy and Bad Girl was eyeing Akne like he was a steak. In short, the watering hole was nothing like it had been. Spethi had changed it. All it needed was a few ferns in the corner.

It was depressing. Other than Bad Girl looking at Akne with a hunger that was almost frightening him, nothing was quite right.

Then there was this jewel thing. Ankhesen had dumped a huge pile of jewels in front of Akne, all of which were apparenty ill gotten gain; at least it sounded like it to Akne. Could he accept any of the jewels without getting into royal trouble? Could he resist accepting them? Well he knew the answer to that one. There was no way he could resist. Not only would it be real payment for drinks, but just one of those baubles could get Bad Girl to...Akne shivered. There was no telling what it could get her to do.

Akne reached his hand out to pick upa few of the jewels; his hands shaking with anticipating. THWACCKKK!!!.

Spethi swatted Akne's hand with a piece of cactus. "This is my bar, hence my payment." She said, placing a few jewels into her brassiere for very very very safe keeping. The thing behind the bar gaffawed. This bartender was really getting on Akne's nerves. Big, good looking, a laugh like a mule and probably dumb as a toenail clipping. Not that Akne was jealous that all of hte women were eyeing him like BAD Girl was eyeing Akne, not at all.

Tayfun came over the Akne and sat down. "I have always liked you Akne, " he siad, patting Akne on the back. " I think of you as a brother, even closer." Akne shook his head. "Spethi took the jewels Tayfun. I have none of them." Tayfun withdrew his hand. "I will be right back." he said, running off toward Spethi.

"I might have a jewel for you" a voice whispered. Akne turned. Bad Girl stood beside him. A small jewel in her naval, another in her cleavage. "No hands allowed if you want them" Bad Girl giggled.

Now this Akne liked. He grabbed her waist a drew her closer. "remember, she whispered, no hands."

"Hey guys, you gotta meet a friend of mine" Tayfun cried, as he practically bowled Bad Girl over; In fact, he came so quickly between them, that Akne almost kissed Tayfun's belly. " Meet my buddy Thorax."

Akne was going to kill Tayfun...or at least give him a nasty noogie. If it wasnt for the fact that Thorax was the size of two or three pyramids, Akne might have even give Tayfun a good finger wagging. Since Thorax might sit on Akne if he tried to harm Tayfun, Akne decided to be polite.

As it turned out, Thorax was a nice fellow, bigger than the bartender and a good drinker. Akne began to wonder. With that devious mind of Tayfun's ad this fellow. Was there some was they might win back his bar?