[See more of my NFTs on these OpenSea collections: https://opensea.io/collection/orbitingoutliers, https://opensea.io/collection/isoc and https://opensea.io/collection/quaevolant]
GSgt "JC" Suankhularb: "Hey, is that an expensive and VERY ILLEGAL 'Qubaine Cigar' you're smoking there, buddy?"
SSgt "Grin" Greinailko: "Sure smells and tastes like one to me. Yum-yum!"
JC: "WTF, man? You tryin' to get us shit-canned to some frozen outpost in the Plaedean sector? Those things are like, way, way up there on ISOC's contraband list. You best put that thing out now before someone sees you! No wait. Let me have a puff first!"
Grin: "Here ya go. Enjoy one of your own. I got a box of these babies."
[Grin lights up JC's cigar with a small flame coming out of his left nostril and hands it to him.]
JC [Savoring a cigar of his own now.]: "Mmm. Damn, this is smooth! And tasty too - the same way I like my women, hehehe. Too bad we still got'ta get rid of them before someone catches us."
Grin: "Relax. We ain't breakin' any regs, civilian laws or interplanetary sanctions. These cigars are knock-offs, not genuine 'Qubaines'; meaning, they're not on any damn contraband list."
JC: "They sure smell and taste like the real thing."
Grin: "Maybe that's because 'Kubein' Tobacco, Inc., the company that makes these awesome fakes, is an obscure, well hidden and totally legal subsidiary of Qubaine Enterprises."
JC: "So, let me get this straight. Since we're smoking Qubaine clones, everything is copacetic?"
Grin: "Yup. And even though it's a f*cked-up situation, you got'ta give Qubaine Enterprises some major props for finding the legal loophole. They're using ISOC's own regs to hamstring ISOC. Imagine that?"
JC: "F*ckin' A, ditty bag!"
[In unison and with a mock Hispanic accent.] "We don't need no stinkin' contraband lists! Hehehehe!"
Then in silence, JC and Grin smoked their genuine 'Kubein' (aka fake 'Qubaine') cigars.
Smiling, JC and Grin close their eyes and think about the last shore leave on Opus Prime's "If you can think it, we can make it" vacation resort.
JC: "Hey man, remember those blue women and purple cocktails on Prime?"
Grin: "Hell yeah! They were f*ckin' awesome! My partner even made a 'lock' to fit everyone of my 'keys'! Hehehe..."
JC and Grin laugh and continue smoking their cigars.
And just for the next few, brief moments, everything felt perfect in the two ISOC Operator's universe ...
[Submitted for your entertainment.]
May you and yours be well and loving life today.
In Lak'ech, JaiChai
*A rare, signed, higher resolution and non-watermarked version of this image is available for download using CBD at: https://creary.net/digitalart/@jaichai/contraband
(JaiChai 190 Aug 2022. Simultaneous multi-site submissions posted. All rights reserved.)