S1E0 - Preparations To Launch

Started by Desertpuma, June 19, 2018, 10:32:17 PM

Riggs

[KITCHEN]

Damien was head first and waist deep into one of the newly installed large capacity ovens checking on a broken wire rack. "I can see right here the welds are all crap and two have bro...." He stopped when the Captain's voice boomed over the ship wide comm.

"Good Afternoon. All crew members, please join me in the conference room on the Upper Deck for our first Crew Meeting."

When the message ended he finished. ".....ken, maybe we can get someone from engineering to tack weld it back up?" He pulled himself out and climbed to his feet. He had been speaking to Mr. Underwood, the so called adept kitchen inspector. "Pretty shoddy equipment for new, someone must have been lining their pocket with the extra coin, might want to look into that." Damien quipped not really happy about the suit cladded overseer the Guild had sent. "If you excuse me I need to attend Captain Marseille Crew meeting."


' H o p e ... I s   N o t   A   C o u r s e   O f   A c t i o n ! '

Desertpuma

Mr. Underwood had slipped away to the kitchen area when most people were still being introduced. He had started his examination with the stemware before moving on to flatware. It was a systematic inspection. Whoever had delivered the glassware was a clod, he found three cracked tumblers, a wine goblet, half of the champagne flutes and no brandy sniffers survived. He made notes on which ones needed to be replaced before tossing the damaged ones into solid trash bin.

Moving on to the flatware, things were much better. He only found two damaged forks and three bent knives. Everything just needed to be polished for it to turn out correctly. He had been about to move on when the sous chef made mention of one of the ovens. "I will make a note of that. The trace will happen over the next day. Sounds as if you have a meeting to get to. I will continue here."

Underwood drew a letter out of his jacket. "There is someone on your ship named Brenna. Would you please pass this on to her? The Captain asked me to handle it earlier but I had more concerning work to do. Thank you." He laid the letter on the table before stepping over to the walk in freezer. Opening the door, he promptly stepped inside and started examining the manufacture of the appliance as well as the goods within.

Over the course of the next several minutes, the crew gathered in the conference room to hear their new Captain discuss what they would be doing or perhaps it was just to make a general speech. Either way, things were counting down to departure and some rules needed to be set, expectations determined and a sense of everyone being on the same page.



Elena

Elena's eyes opened and she turned her head a little, seeing Karyn settle against the doorframe leading back to the bridge. She offered her another brief nod to acknowledge her presence before Dash's entrance pulled her attention to the main doorway.

"Miss Elena. Look at this for punctuality. I've worked here for a little over an hour with no hint of tardy," Dash bragged playfully.

One elegantly arched brow quirked upward at the greeting, her sparkling blue gaze slowly scanning Dash from his head to his toes and back up again. Apparently he still thought Mister Street was the captain. She couldn't be too mad at the poor mechanic, she had started this after all. A soft breath lowered her shoulders and she offered him a warm smile, one hand extending to point toward an empty chair, "Very impressive, Mister Winters," she praised, the corner of her lips twitching upward in the barest hint of an amused smile. She was saving the seat to her immediate right for Ben, but all the others were wide open for the taking.

Next in was Brenna and the Captain returned her gaze quite happily. Both brows shot up for a moment in question in an attempt to see how the doctor was doing so far on board the ship. She wanted to make sure her friend wasn't feeling the need to jump ship just yet, and if she was, Elena wanted to be able to have some heads up so she could lavish the woman with gifts in some attempt to get her to stay.

"Nothing too serious I hope. Doesn't appear to be a medical emergency at least," Brenna observed.

"Nothing too serious," Elena confirmed, setting the tips of her fingers against the surface of the table. She looked up as Jesse entered, followed by who she assumed was Honor Saxton, their House representative, and then Ben. She looked mildly amused when the hacker settled silently against the wall and decided to give her a break by not insisting she use an actual chair. "Mister Street," she greeted, lightly patting the back of the seat to her right to indicate that it was where he belonged.

Cobalt gaze flickered toward Honor and the Companion smiled politely, her head tilting to the left just a bit, "Miss Saxton, a pleasure to have you on board. I hope your trip here was not too taxing?" she asked, brows raised in question. Elena wanted to make sure they had a good working relationship, after all.

At the sight of Damien entering the conference room, the tug at one corner of her lips increased, a secret light glimmering in the brights of her eyes. "Mister Riggs," she murmured in welcome, tearing her eyes off him so she wouldn't make anyone uncomfortable by staring at a member of the crew.

Maxell slipped in as quietly as a man of his size could, making his way to the chair to Elena's left and sitting with what was likely the most polite look on his face he could muster, although to others it probably looked like he was imagining a hundred different ways to kill them. The Captain offered him a warm smile, happy to have him aboard, and gently patted his arm with the tips of her fingers.

Now that everyone was here and accounted for, Elena looked over her crew with a pleased sort of grin, taking in how they all looked together and running over what she knew of them from their files and some of their interviews. All in all they were a fine and capable bunch and she was very happy to have them on board. With a soft clearing of her throat, her hands returned to their position clasped in front of her lap.

"First, I would like to personally welcome you all to The Allure. The Guild and The House have high hopes for us and with your help, I believe we are more than up to the task," she began, gaze settling on each of them one at a time, including them all in her confidence. "There are a few ground rules I would like to get out of the way before we get to the matter of our maiden voyage, so I do hope you will bear with me," she asked, lifting a hand to smooth it over her perfectly arranged waves.

"As you are all aware, our ship is outfitted with the niceties the House and the Guild have to offer, however I will have to insist that none of the crew partakes in these particular pleasures. That means there will be no gambling or hiring on any of our Companions while you are on duty. I would ask that you all conduct yourselves around guests and clients in a way that will reflect well upon our esteemed investors," she laid out simply, her voice calm and her expression mild. Once again she looked over the faces of her crew to gauge their reactions.

Her hand waved a little as though to waft away the seriousness that had settled in the room. "With that out of the way, I'd like to inform you of our first assignment. We will be transporting a squad of Alliance officers to the moon of New Luxor," she began, not looking directly at Brenna or Jesse when she continued, although she was most assuredly speaking to them now, "I understand that that might make some people nervous, and would like to assure you that only Mister Street, Mister Graves, and I are required to interact with these particular guests. I would also like to remind you all that the main deck is off limits to passengers and clients without the express permission of Mister Street and I so you will not have to worry about your spaces being invaded. You are all more than encouraged to feel comfortable aboard the Allure," she told them.

The passenger deck was more than large enough to accommodate future guests and their desired activities. Food would be brought from the kitchen on the main deck to the passenger's lounge and should the passengers need use of the med bay or anything on the main deck, permission would be granted on a case by case basis.

"Are there any questions?" she asked, her expression and posture easing into a relaxed comfort.

Jesse Walker

Jesse watched Ben as he entered the room, they diverted back to Brenna, and then down to the floor, really quite unsure of where to stare.  She felt uncomfortable looking at the captain, and wasn't quite ready to face Brenna again, for fear of causing the woman to jump ship.

Elena began her speech, looking up a Dash, she wondered if he had finally caught on to the gag, a small smile crept onto her lips.  The poor guy.  At least he had a good sense of humor.  She zoned out slightly, looking around the room, fading in and out as the captain discouraged the crew from 'partaking' in the pleasures of the ship, again her eyes moved to Dash, expecting he'd be the first one to try.  She looked over to Ben, he definitely wouldn't, too much of a military man that one, at least that's what his records indicated, whoops, something else I shouldn't know.

Moving back to Brenna, Jesse wondered how she ended up friends with the captain, after all, the profession would almost certainly make her uncomfortable.  And the captain was just so....cold. Brenna wasn't.  Jesse's thought process was immediately interrupted by the captain's next note however,

Quote"With that out of the way, I'd like to inform you of our first assignment. We will be transporting a squad of Alliance officers to the moon of New Luxor,"

Alliance. Officers. Squad. Her heart stopped, than dropped, a lump formed in her throat.  Jesse felt her palms beginning to sweat, a tingling sensation going down her back. She swallowed, her breathing becoming heavy, she looked up at the captain.  The woman knew and probably did this on purpose.  Terror ran through her veins.  She crossed her arms in front of her, as if to hug her self into some form of security and comfort. It wasn't working. Jesse's face became pale, and she could feel her heart beating, hard, and rapidly. Like someone had given her a shot of adrenaline. She wanted to run. But where to? This was her only way off planet. She looked to Brenna, then Benji, she trusted them, she didn't trust the captain. Perhaps hiding, again, yes in the compartments? Just until they left? A disguise? what if she dressed like a man they'd never expect that. None of these ideas were feasible.  Her brain had stopped work along with her ability to listen.  Sure yea, they can't go into the crew quarters, okay, fine, Just hide in your room. Don't come out. Just hide. It'll be fine. Totally fine. No one would rat you out. It's not like you just alienated your only friend.  Maybe the browncoat would hide you. The captain would most certainly give you up. Max also yes, would definitely give you up.  Hiding is best. In a corner. Somewhere, maybe the vents. Dear god, why did it have to be alliance.

Jesse closed her eyes and took a breath, trying retain some resemblance of tranquility. Though she doubted it was working.  It would be fine right? Totally, fine.

Brenna Casey

Brenna had sat quietly as the rest of the crew entered and she'd even tried to send Jesse an apologetic smile, though it didn't appear to have been seen. She'd probably made the girl think she was hated with her most recent disappearance and she made a mental note to pull Jesse aside and try to assure her that, while she'd been uncomfortable, there was no permanent damage done. Throughout Elena's speech, Brenna paid close attention though she'd already been well informed about the ground rules regarding the amenities afforded to passengers and clients that were off limits to the crew. It was the revelation of who the ships first clients would be that set her on edge.

Quote from: Elena on July 22, 2018, 04:01:12 PM
"I understand that that might make some people nervous, and would like to assure you that only Mister Street, Mister Graves, and I are required to interact with these particular guests. I would also like to remind you all that the main deck is off limits to passengers and clients without the express permission of Mister Street and I so you will not have to worry about your spaces being invaded. You are all more than encouraged to feel comfortable aboard the Allure,"

Brenna understood the hidden message, though it did little to put her immediately at ease. She'd done her fair share of shouting down an officer or two during the war when they'd attempted to keep her from doing her job or felt the need to interfere with the process of saving lives. And then there was her father. Either one would make for a terribly awkward situation for Elena and that was the last thing she wanted to have happen on the maiden voyage of Allure. Briefly, her eyes strayed to Jesse to gauge her reaction. 'Oh... not good...' The girl looked as if she was about to pass out or run screaming from the room. Inwardly, Brenna prayed for the former if only so Jesse didn't bolt from the room and cause a completely different kind of scene. A fainting spell would at least keep the girl quiet and would give Brenna the chance to extricate the girl to someplace more private.

Her hand suddenly lifted as her blue eyes moved intentionally away from Jesse to Elena. "I presume a call to Mister Graves would be proper procedure if one of our passengers found their way to the upper deck, correct?" Unbeknownst to Brenna, a small tick of her apprehension slipped through and showed on her face even as she hoped that her question would draw attention away from Jesse.

Benjamin Street

July 22, 2018, 10:59:08 PM #85 Last Edit: July 22, 2018, 11:02:35 PM by Benjamin Street
Ben followed Jesse into the conference room, making sure to nod to or acknowledge everyone present there. He made his way around the table and sat in the seat at Elena's right. He glanced around at the faces of those assembled. It was a pretty solid group. Well skilled in their fields. He thought back to what he had said in his brief conversation with Karyn, and nodded a little to himself. There really wasn't going to be much for him to do outside of takeoff and landing, unless the passengers made trouble, but that was what Max was here for. And Riggs, if Ben's intuition was right. Elena hadn't explicitly stated that that was the case, but the mans background, and something in Elena's voice as the time made him fairly confident in his assumption.

Not that Ben was complaining about having a lot of free time to socialize with the crew, and potentially the passengers, but part of him did miss the excitement that came from flying a vessel with a more... shady purpose.

Ben was pulled out of his musing by Elena clearing her throat. Speed time! His eyes flicked steadily around the room, watching for reactions like he thought a good XO should. There was nothing for the first half of the speech, but when Elena revealed what their first official job would be, that got some reactions. The most immediate one being Jesse's. She looked... anxious to say the least... scared too? He wondered about that, but Alliance military officials did have a certain... reputation in certain circles. One that was not always unwarranted.

The next face he noted was Brenna's. He noticed her briefly eyeing Jesse as well, and wondered if she might know what had the woman so nervous. Maybe during their talk after Jesse's first "I'm Diseased" proclamation. He made a mental note that he should try and talk to one, or both of them and make sure everything was alright. Brenna looked back up at Elena and voiced a question, some apprehension showing on her face.

Quote"I presume a call to Mister Graves would be proper procedure if one of our passengers found their way to the upper deck, correct?"

Here Ben spoke up, his voice serious and businesslike, a tone he reserved for very few things. "Yes, a call to Mr Graves, myself, or both. I also want to stress that if any of you do choose interact with any of our esteemed guests, this group or any future groups, and they act in any way inappropriately, please call me or bring it to my attention." He paused and let his eyes slide around the room, even to Riggs and Max who he felt needed no reassurance. "No one messes with my crew, and I don't care how long their title is or how much their suit costs." The last words he said with a hint of dangerousness to his voice, and he meant them. A crew was like a family, and you don't mess with someones family unless you're prepared to deal with the big brother.

Dash Winters

Dash watched as the crew arrived bit by bit, most of whom he'd been fortunate to encounter already. He also watched as Captain Street nonchalantly joined the crowd rather than standing at the front and leading the meeting.

This was very impressive. In fact it was genius. A captain who wasn't feeding off the power and pining for attention, but instead happy to sit back, and trust others to take that lead. The way he let his XO take responsibility for the meeting, conveyed a message of how he relied on his crew and was willing to allow them to show off the best of their abilities. Dash had to admire that. It was truly the mark of a captain.

"If I may." Dash stood up.

"I stumbled onto this venture with little idea of what to expect. And in a very short time I've been very impressed by the crew you've rounded up. Kind, friendly, supportive, most certainly talented, and determined in the face of missing potato peelers." He looked to certain crew members; the doctor who cared deeply for her patients, the 'XO' who had been willing to welcome Dash on board and give him a chance, the tech specialist who was happy to share a joke but also happy to be the joke when she felt she had put someone else in an awkward position, and the sous chef who refused to peel his own potatoes. Finally he looked to Benjamin.

"You obviously care for your crew and are not afraid to share the spotlight with other talented people." He had carried himself well and conveyed a dedication to the protection of his employees.

"So despite a lack of alcahol, I would like to propose a toast." With that, Dash clasped his hand around a nonexistent glass and raised it in the air.

"To our captain, Benjamin Street. And our home, the Allure." He nodded to Benjamin, smiled sincerely and smiled content with his situation. Dash knew exactly what was going on and he was happy to be there.

Karyn Wychovski

Karyn stood quietly, letting Elena have her speech, and then a few of the others. She noticed Jesse virtually curl up in fear at the mention of Alliance.  She had seen that type of reaction before, even as she faced the person so doing. Her last encounters with her fellow troopers had left a bit of a bitter taste in her mouth as well. She pulled away from the wall, almost ready to walk over to the woman to assure her, but since the conversation was still in play, she felt the need to hold her station.

"I want to add to Mr. Street's comment. Any disruption or 'lost' individual who wanders the wrong deck, will be met with strict deterrence. I understand that security is not my specific place, but as a former security specialist, I am available to resp8nd as needed."

Maxell Graves

Maxell secured his collection, still unpacked, and moved one of the rolling cases to his shared quarters. Unsure who shared the other bunk, Maxell made sure to make it clear which bed he claimed. He gave the bed's modest coverings a close once over, found the arrangements and creasing horrible out of regulation, and prepared the bed in a fashion more befitting a retired officer of his distinction. Satisfied with the results of the arrangement ritual drilled into him by his own superiors, a daily reminder to keep things in their proper order, Max made a mental note to discuss the matter in full with the head of housekeeping and get the matter settled at a more suitable time. The Captain called the crew to the conference room, and Maxell insisted on not keeping Elena waiting.

Upon arrival in the well accommodated gathering hall, Maxell nodded curtly to his fellow crew members as he passed them. His eyes set in a long practiced thousand mile stare, his face betrayed only slight disdain in the form of an occasionally curling lip and slight flaring of nostrils. Taking a seat in a position he felt befitting the head of security, Maxell regarded Elena with a deep nod. Perhaps as a sign of respect or reassurance, perhaps just to have her attention for a moment more.

After the lady said her piece, presented in a calm and nearly poetic manner of speaking someone with half a functioning brain would expect from a mastered Companion of her training and reputation, her as yet unproven choice of second in command spoke up to intercede upon any questions of too little import to require Elena's personal attention. Street eyed Riggs and Graves both to accentuate whatever point he hoped he make, an action Maxell immediately presumed as an attempt to size him up. Maxell returned Ben's look with a steely, unwavering glare before the XO's eyes set back to flicking about the place like a green recruit on their first fire watch. Either Benjamin lacked the stones, or Maxell mistook his intent entirely. Maxell's eyes squinted for a moment as he forced himself to release the mounting tension. His doctor worried for his blood pressure, after all.

After Benjamin finished addressing the odd questions Graves considered answered clearly by Elena's initial fair words, Maxell rose a finger to inquire about a matter he found of utmost pertinence but found himself cut off by a parade of people looking to make their presence known and tack their two bits - warranted, relevant, or otherwise - onto Elena's natural ability to command a room. "Amateurs." Maxell grumbled under his breath, more due to disinterest in expending any more effort than necessary as opposed to any concern for the feelings or opinions of anyone who may have heard him under the sound of their own self-congratulatory posturing.

"GUNS!" Maxell cut the room off before clearing his throat. "Ahem. I should say, armaments. I would presume most equipment contained in my private arsenal a bit extreme in regards to proper security countermeasures. What does the Captain consider an acceptable deterrent to unsolicited activity on board the vessel?" Maxell's hands weaved and folded before him, his shoulders raising slightly and his cheeks turning the faintest shade of red.
The bugle sounds - the charge begins, But on this battlefield no one wins
The smell of acrid smoke and horse's breath, As I plunge on into certain death


Iron Maiden, "The Trooper"

Elena

Elena looked around the room, gauging the reactions of her crew to everything she'd said so far, wanting to make sure she had addressed everyone's concern. Her gaze followed Ben and Brenna's to the slowly imploding Jesse and the Captain could only raise a brow in response. The girl looked like she was about to curl in on herself until there was only negative space left behind. Her gaze met with Brenna's as the doctor asked her question and the Companion gently tilted her head toward their comp tech, perhaps indicating that something needed to be done about the woman's potential panic attack.

"I presume a call to Mister Graves would be proper procedure if one of our passengers found their way to the upper deck, correct?" Brenna asked.

Crimson lips parted to answer the question, but her XO beat her to it. Elena watched him as he spoke, her hands settling against the edge of the table. She was very pleased with his answer, with the way he seemed to understand exactly how Elena wanted the crew to feel aboard the ship. His threat to any ne'er do wells messing with the crew brought a full smile to her lips and she was once again completely satisfied with her choice of an second in command. From behind her, Karyn piped up.

"I want to add to Mr. Street's comment. Any disruption or 'lost' individual who wanders the wrong deck, will be met with strict deterrence. I understand that security is not my specific place, but as a former security specialist, I am available to respond as needed," she offered.

Elena nodded a little and glanced back at Karyn to offer her a polite smile, "Oh, I am sure that will not be necessary," she assured the copilot before turning back toward the rest of the crew.

"GUNS!" Maxell exclaimed. "What does the Captain consider an acceptable deterrent to unsolicited activity on board the vessel?"

The Captain paused a moment to think over his question, wanting to make sure the response to guests and/or uninvited patrons was not too aggressive. Blue eyes slid toward Ben, inviting him to add to what she was about to say if he had a better idea. "Should the activity be from a registered guest of The Allure, I am sure a...moderately heavy hand and gentle guiding back to their proper place would be an adequate response," she began, returning her gaze to Maxell. "However, should any activity arise from someone we were not expecting, I will leave the full breadth of your response up to your discretion," she told him, her gaze cool. Anyone coming onto the ship with the purpose of doing her crew and/or her guests harm would be greeted my the full force of The Allure's security team.

With that covered, she cleared her throat and straightened her back all the more, glancing at Karen a moment to bring the conversation back to her offer of assistance. "Each of you was hired for a specific role aboard this ship, chosen by myself or our investors, and so there is no doubt in my mind that you will all be able to carry out your assigned tasks without any trouble. But I must insist that you call upon Mister Graves, Mister Street, or myself if you need assistance with a wandering passenger," she told them all.

"I would like to prevent our guests from being made uncomfortable as well by any crew operating outside of their assigned positions," she told everyone, looking at each of them in turn. Everything was made to run smoothly the way things were, and they were not in any pressing need to have crew mates dabble in each other's roles, not with a ship as well managed as this one.

Glimmering crystal gaze slid toward their newest recruit as he stood, her brows lifting as she prepared herself for whatever the poor man was about to do. Patient as ever, she let the man carry on with his drink less toast, humor radiating from her porcelain features.

"To our captain, Benjamin Street. And our home, the Allure," Dash toasted happily.

For a moment, Elena said nothing, clearly fighting to keep the smile off her face, one corner of her painted lips tugging upward of its own accord. The poor dear was still turned upside down and she couldn't help but feel a little bad about having something to do with that. With a gentle sigh and a smile, she gestured toward Dash with an open, upward facing palm and looked at Ben, brows knit in sympathy for the mechanic. Her expression clearly said, 'Someone please explain things to him...'

Jesse Walker

Jesse opened her eyes and looked back at the group. Several pairs of eyes had fallen on her, and Karyn was approaching.  Thankfully the woman stopped to ask a question of the captain. Who had also seemed to stair at the hacker.  Chris on a cracker keep your self in check. Jesse moved off the wall and tried to compose her self taking a deep breath. Feeling the color return to her cheeks, after Max, and Ben both stated no one would be allowed to roam around without permission. However she couldn't help but worry, a knot turning in her stomach.

She attempted to make eye contact with Brenna or Ben. She barely registered Dash's toast being involved in her own mental crises.  As she was probably blowing it out of proportion at this point ,but panicked nonetheless. It was selfish, and she had only been here a short time but she was really starting feel like she was at home at this point. She kept quiet, hoping that the meeting would end soon.

Brenna Casey

July 27, 2018, 06:46:47 PM #91 Last Edit: July 27, 2018, 06:58:59 PM by Brenna Casey
The brief eye contact with Elena was all the impetus Brenna needed, though she was hesitant to move immediately having asked a question regarding security. It would only be polite for her to give her attention to the answer. Mr. Graves and Elena seemed a tad... put off?... by the offer to assist with security by the woman Brenna knew to be their copilot. Elena attended to that matter in her usual manner: direct, but graciously so. While she was doing so, Brenna risked another glance towards Jessi and the concern etched ever deeper into her features. Not even the reassurance that wandering passengers would be quickly returned to the passenger deck, by whatever means Mr. Graves or Mr. Street felt were necessary, was enough to calm the young woman. If anything, she looked as if she were about to force herself backwards through the wall now simply to escape.

Just as she was about to silently excuse herself to go and see about Jessi, Dash took his moment to grandiosely toast their 'captain' and ship, sans alcohol. A flicker of a wince replaced the concern and then was gone as she realized that their newest crew member was still working on the understanding that Ben was the captain. Had she known, she might have explained the joke, but it was clearly far too late for that. 'Oh Elena, you're on your own with this one,' she mused even as she gave her friend a look that echoed the sentiment. The smile that barely hid in Elena's face as she made a gesture for someone to explain was signal enough for Brenna to bow out to see to her duties as doctor.

Slipping from her seat, she started to move around the room towards Jessi, trying to catch the young woman's eye as she did so. Her own worry about the first voyage was unceremoniously shoved to the back of her mind as she did her best to move as quietly as possible until she was beside Jessi. Once there, she leaned in, turning her head away from the rest of the crew to speak in a low, hushed whisper. "Let's get you out of here. You look as if you're about to be sick and I can play it off as an anxiety attack if need be, but we're getting you out of this room." Ever so gently, one hand moved to rest on Jessi's arm and give her a little nudge towards the door. The doctor gave Jessi a look that clearly indicated there was to be no argument about leaving the room and continued to gently, but insistently remove them both from an uncomfortable situation. Just before reaching the door, Brenna glanced back hoping to catch Elena's attention to offer a brief nod indicating she would and could handle this one.

Honor Saxton

Cargo Bay

Honor was horrified even more when the XO got obviously flustered over the placement of her one undergarment.  He was obviously uncomfortable and she shared the sentiment.  It wouldn't have been so bad if he was just a crewperson, but he wasn't.  He was one of authority and on top of that, quite handsome.

Oh the injustice of it all...

Luckily, another female showed up to help her.

"Maybe, you should just go over there for second, while Miss Saxton? was it? and I clean up her things.  I'll come get you when we need those big ole muscles of yours. Eh? Handsome?"

Thank God.  Getting Mr. Street out of there would be so helpful.

"My name is Jesse, by the way, figured it's better you know my name before I start touching your...unmentionables.
I've never been big on strangers touching my under things..ya know unless they look like him."


"Yeah, I know... Honor mumbled.  Then she was further embarrassed by the comment.  She only hoped that her utterance was either a) not heard or b) taken to mean she was agreeing to needing the help. Having it reveal that she thought the first mate rather good looking would only add to the horror of their first meeting.  So she put on her best 'Poker face' and spoke with as much confidence she could muster.  "I'm Honor Saxton.  The Gamer assigned to the Allure?  Thanks for all your help."

Jesse was quite nice.  Honor was forever grateful for all she was doing to re-situate herself.

"I'm sorry, you had such a rough journey here, but we'll do what we can to fix that."

"Well things can only go up from here, right?"

She heard the cargo bays doors close behind her and knew he was still there, but was saved when she heard a message on the ship wide comms.

"Good Afternoon. All crew members, please join me in the conference room on the Upper Deck for our first Crew Meeting,"

Mr. Streets lovely voice sounded behind her.  She couldn't help but turn to face him and then resume to blush like a school girl.

"Ah,"  "Speech time I think."  Then he did the strangest thing.  Like a master of ceremonies, he took a comical pose and it a lofty voice and a very sexy grin.  "To the conference room!"

She blinked at him again for a moment before she heard Jesse's chuckle, which set her mind back on track.

"It's in these moments that I wonder if the captain hired you because you're just so damn fun to look at."

Jesse was truthful in that one.

"Welcome aboard Miss Saxton, god help you, and and us all, if he's in charge."

Then Jesse disappeared leaving Honor with Mr. Street.

"Yeah...  I'll just be a moment," she said quickly and then basically fled.  Within no time at all, things had been stuffed into her trunk and it was locked up tight. She decided to act as if the first mate had disappeared into the ether so she wouldn't have to lay eyes on him until later.  So lickety split, she thanked Jesse and hauled her stuff to her new quarters.  Once there, she looked around.  It was one of the larger rooms on the passenger deck with a double bed, but in comparison to her lodgings before, it was tiny.  She felt her chest tighten and her breath leave her as panic started to slip into place.  Claustrophobia.

Oh my God...  Can I do this?  I didn't think it would be so small...

But she had a meeting to get to and she didn't want to be too late.  Plus getting out of her own room was preferred at the moment.

She arrived just on time, although her racing heart hadn't quite slowed down.  She was sure she was pale and hopefully didn't look too panicked.

"Miss Saxton, a pleasure to have you on board. I hope your trip here was not too taxing?"

She nodded a bit and responded quickly.

"It was a bit bumpy, but I'm here and ready to get to work."

She stuck to the out wall, leaning against it as she tried to take some deep breaths to calm herself as other the other crew members filed in.  There was some short words here and there, but she wasn't really paying attention until Elena spoke again.

"First, I would like to personally welcome you all to The Allure. The Guild and The House have high hopes for us and with your help, I believe we are more than up to the task,"

So far, Honor wasn't quite sure if she was up to the task, but she was determined to represent the House with pride and professionalism.   

"There are a few ground rules I would like to get out of the way before we get to the matter of our maiden voyage, so I do hope you will bear with me,"  "As you are all aware, our ship is outfitted with the niceties the House and the Guild have to offer, however I will have to insist that none of the crew partakes in these particular pleasures. That means there will be no gambling or hiring on any of our Companions while you are on duty. I would ask that you all conduct yourselves around guests and clients in a way that will reflect well upon our esteemed investors,"

Honor knew that and felt it was indeed important to not blur the lines of things within the crew.  She was starting to feel a little better as she felt her heartbeat returning to normal.

"With that out of the way, I'd like to inform you of our first assignment. We will be transporting a squad of Alliance officers to the moon of New Luxor,"

Alliance officers?  That was different.  She wondered if it was a true voyage and if the soldiers would be availing themselves in the activities provided them here or if it was just transport.

"I understand that that might make some people nervous, and would like to assure you that only Mister Street, Mister Graves, and I are required to interact with these particular guests. I would also like to remind you all that the main deck is off limits to passengers and clients without the express permission of Mister Street and I so you will not have to worry about your spaces being invaded. You are all more than encouraged to feel comfortable aboard the Allure,"

Perhaps just transport then if they didn't have to interact.  Here space might be slightly invaded since they would most likely be across the hall from her since her cabin was in the passenger area, but she didn't care about that.  Then she heard that some folks would be nervous.  She searched everyone's faces to see who might be in that mind and saw that Jesse was rather affected by the news and noted it for further processing.

"Are there any questions?"

Another crew member spoke then and Honor recognized her as the ship's doctor from the files given to her.

"I presume a call to Mister Graves would be proper procedure if one of our passengers found their way to the upper deck, correct?"

Brenna's expression slipped for a moment and like a tell, Honor identified her as another person who was uncomfortable with their passengers.

"Yes, a call to Mr Graves, myself, or both. I also want to stress that if any of you do choose interact with any of our esteemed guests, this group or any future groups, and they act in any way inappropriately, please call me or bring it to my attention."  "No one messes with my crew, and I don't care how long their title is or how much their suit costs."

Mr. Street is protective of the crew...  That was nice to know.  But by the tone of his voice, she could tell that he was deadly serious.  She only wondered what would befall someone who stepped out of line.

It was then that another crew member - one that she didn't have a dossier on - spoke up, pressing to do a toast to the ship on their maiden voyage.  She wondered who he was.

"I want to add to Mr. Street's comment. Any disruption or 'lost' individual who wanders the wrong deck, will be met with strict deterrence. I understand that security is not my specific place, but as a former security specialist, I am available to resp8nd as needed."

Karyn.  She would be quite adept at carrying out just what she said.  Nice to know that she volunteered.  Some folks would discount a woman and that would be a costly mistake.  Good to have that as their ace in the hole.  She was then startled by someone else's forceful exclamation.

"GUNS!"  "Ahem. I should say, armaments. I would presume most equipment contained in my private arsenal a bit extreme in regards to proper security countermeasures. What does the Captain consider an acceptable deterrent to unsolicited activity on board the vessel?"

Well...  he was and interesting fellow.  She wondered if she should tell Elena or Mr. Street that she also possessed a couple of weapons that were strategically placed when a game was going on.  It wasn't unheard of to find a client who got agitated when comfronted with a sizeable loss of coin.

"Should the activity be from a registered guest of The Allure, I am sure a...moderately heavy hand and gentle guiding back to their proper place would be an adequate response,"  "However, should any activity arise from someone we were not expecting, I will leave the full breadth of your response up to your discretion,"

Now why would they encounter anyone who wouldn't be expected on the ship?  They had strict protocols in place.  How would that even happen?

"Each of you was hired for a specific role aboard this ship, chosen by myself or our investors, and so there is no doubt in my mind that you will all be able to carry out your assigned tasks without any trouble. But I must insist that you call upon Mister Graves, Mister Street, or myself if you need assistance with a wandering passenger,"  "I would like to prevent our guests from being made uncomfortable as well by any crew operating outside of their assigned positions,"

Honor frowned a bit at that comment.  Who would do that either?  It would be unprofessional to say the least.

"To our captain, Benjamin Street. And our home, the Allure,

He thought the Captain was Mr. Street?  The man was certainly confused, but he was most likely a late addition,but wouldn't he know who the leadership was?  She looked over at Elena who looked a wee bit exasperated at the toast.

She watched as Brenna went to Jesse and started to try to alleviate some of the girl's anxiety.  She was glad someone was paying attention to Jessie's lack of comfort and was trying to help.  Jessie had been quite nice to her.

Honor spoke up then.

How many soldiers are we talking about.  I assume they will be assigned to the passenger quarters and at least a couple of us room in the same area.  I'd like to get an idea of what to expect."

She waited, definitely avoiding eye contact with Mr. Street as she wanted for an answer.



OOC:  I hope that got me caught up and I apologize for the length and delay of the post.











Riggs

July 30, 2018, 06:19:24 PM #93 Last Edit: July 30, 2018, 06:35:40 PM by Riggs
Damien stood quietly listening to Elena address the crew...Her crew... He corrected himself. Damien was quite proud of her and what she had achieved and though he was just here to run the kitchen, he personally tasked himself with seeing her succeed. Others chimed in after the Captain had finished and the Cook was very happy to not be in a position that he would need to speak as well. At the mention of guns, Damien's right hand casually reached behind his back to feel the hard cold steel of a small auto-loader through his black and white chef's coat. It sat nestled up at his lower back, just in case Mister Graves was a little tardy in opening the armory should the unthinkable take place. It was then that he noticed the letter in his back pocket...Brenna's letter. He remembered as his eyes started to scan the room for her and finding her headed toward the exit. Without delay he moved to intercept her at the doorway catching her and Jesse just as they stepped out of the room.

"Excuse me Miss Casey and Miss Walker." He spoke loud enough for them to look his way.

' H o p e ... I s   N o t   A   C o u r s e   O f   A c t i o n ! '

Maxell Graves

To say Maxell felt disappointed by Elena's restrictive 'hands only' policy regarding unruly clientele acted as both underexaggeration and a disservice to the man's skils. However, he found a great deal of relief and satisfaction that in the unlikely event of an unauthorized boarding attempt his Captain left him at his own discretion. Still, he figured it might be best to carry a hidden holdout or two on his person at all times. What Elena didn't know regarding his preparations wouldn't hurt her, whereas an unaccounted for stowaway might. Maxell sniffled, as if the thought provoked an instinct to seek out potential threats.

Maxell's eyes drifted around the room, finally settling on Jesse Walker as she attempted to fade away from the room. Her face took on a pallid tone. Light reflected across the light sheen of nervous sweat. Maxell's stare framed itself in a squint. Just as he made a move to stand up, the ship's medic Brenna Casey approached her. Maxell set his jaw and considered the options. The girl was clearly ill. Perhaps the ship's make-believe Chef served an improperly prepared meal to those who arrived prior to Max, though he couldn't imagine the circumstances. How does one ruin toast? Perhaps the eggs hadn't boiled long enough.

At the mention of the ship's upcoming guests, Max could only shake his head. A boat full of Alliance Navy on some unofficial dirt leave. No wonder Elena thought to invite Maxell. Max hoped the unit's CO would remember to keep their subordinates in line, elsewise Maxell held no lasting fondness for the Navy and would be happy to eject them all the same. His lasting loyalty belonged to the Corps alone, and he never liked the way Naval officers regarded their dirtside counterparts anyhow. Graves politely awaited another lull in what began to appear as an open congress, interjecting a concern of his own not entirely disconnected from Honor's question of proper boarding for the crew and guests. "Yes. The sweaty one." Maxell gestured to where Damien approached Brenna and Jesse, which stoked Max's suspicions once more. His eyes narrowed as he considered the potential nature of the conversation. Something about 'tators', perhaps? "Is she contagious?"
The bugle sounds - the charge begins, But on this battlefield no one wins
The smell of acrid smoke and horse's breath, As I plunge on into certain death


Iron Maiden, "The Trooper"

Benjamin Street

Jesse seemed to worsen a little bit, and Brenna got up and began to shepherd her towards the door. Ben hoped she was alright, but knew she was in good hands with the Doc. Riggs also moved towards them, catching them near the door. After the meeting was over Ben would go check on Jesse. He was genuinely worried about her now.

Maxell inquired about what arms would be acceptable to use in the event of something unsavory happening. Ben's own weapons were currently locked and hidden in his room, and he made a mental note to ask Elena if he would be allow to carry his sidearm, openly or otherwise.

Honor also voiced a question about how many officers would be boarding, and the location of their quarters, which Ben left for Elena to answer.

And then there was Dash, poor, poor Dash. Ben listened as the man made his mini speech, and had to work extremely hard to keep himself from bursting out laughing when Dash made his toast. He felt he did a rather good job of keeping a straight face too. Ben turned his head to look at Elena at almost the same moment she looked at him. The look on her face clearly asking someone to explain things to Dash. Ben's eyes danced with inner light and he maintained eye contact with her while he reached out, grabbed, and raised and invisible glass of his own. A grin spread across his face and he gave Elena a mischievous look that very clearly said, Hey, this one is allllll you.

Dash Winters

Dash looked around to see smiling faces, one alternative conversation continue and a few people leaving. It was awkward to say the least, but he could live with awkward. In fact, he'd spent a long time living with awkward. Then captain Street raised his invisible toast. Perfect. That right there was what made him so good. Supportive and trusting in his crew to the end. Dash then took in the less enthusiastic member gathered.

"Okay I get it." He lowered his empty handed toast from above his head. "Not really worth joining in on a toast unless there's alcahol involved, am I right?" Dash moved on. With everyone on board being so polite, or arguably mischievous, Benjamin might always be known as captain to the new mechanic.

"Well, did I miss the christening party, or are we due a celebration?" Dash posed his question to the man of the hour. His most impressive captain.

Elena

She stared back at Ben with raised brows, both surprised and entertained by his lack of assistance in this matter. With a slow grin, she watched him raise his invisible glass, mischief returning to the vivid azure of her gaze. Her head titled to the side just a bit and her smile promised a playful retribution, but for now, she had to deal with the poor mechanic.

Elena returned Brenna's nod when the Doctor began ushering the panicking comp tech out of the conference room. Her hands slowly moved to clasp behind her back and she took only a couple of seconds to look Jesse over. Perhaps it was time to see if she was willing to tell Elena the truth. After all, it would make things a lot easier for her in the future if her Captain knew exactly what her situation was. Although she was suspicions of Jesse, she did already consider her a part of the crew and would have appreciated being allowed to protect her as such.

Her eyes flickered back toward Damien and for just a moment, her lips pursed together in thoughts. Cobalt gaze slid over his face a moment before he turned and began to follow Jesse and Brenna out of the room, the letter in his hand. A soft smile tugged at one corner of her lips, although she did find herself mildly annoyed that the kitchen help had pawned off her request onto the head chef. She hummed softly in mild annoyance before letting it go.

With a soft shaking of her head and a mental note to deal with that and the Jesse situation later, her attention slid back to The House's representative. "A marvelous question, Miss Saxton," the Captain began. "We are only expecting a small squadron. I do not imagine they will be taking up too much space in the Passenger Deck. However, if their presence begins to make you uncomfortable in any way, please inform one of us," she asked, gesturing with an upward facing palm toward Ben and Max.

"Is she contagious?" Maxell asked.

Max's question pulled her attention back toward him and she grinned very slowly, her head shaking from side to side in a barely noticible movement, "I don't believe so," she assured him, looking toward the doorway with a raised brow. She considered asking Max to keep an eye on Jesse, they didn't fully know who she was after all, but she did worry his methods might prove a little too invasive. "If you would be so kind as to stay behind a moment after this meeting has concluded?" she asked softly.

"Well, did I miss the christening party, or are we due a celebration?" Dashed asked, right on cue.

"You are indeed," she answered, and her hands again found their place atop the table. "I would like to thank you all, once more, for being a part of this momentous undertaking," she said to the crew who was still present. "I would also like to point out that a crew works together the best when they've had time to bond. As such, the Crew Lounge has been prepared thusly. Alcohol will be provided, although I will ask that you drink responsibly. You will have two more days to acclimate to the ship before our guests join us, so please make yourselves at home and do let me know if you have any further questions," she told them, gesturing to the door, "You're dismissed. Have fun," she told them with a bright, warm smile.

Elena raised one index finger before they could all leave, "Ah, Mister Winters, why don't you stay behind for a moment as well," she asked, her gaze on him kind but stern. 

Karyn Wychovski

Karyn watched as the doctor retrieved Jesse and escorted her out. Her eyes tracked Damien as he too headed toward the door. Her securitysense tingled slightly, but when she checked Max, Ben and Elena, she felt they had accepted the situation as inconsequential. The kid proposed a toast, still mistaking Ben as captain, and she slowly shook her head, but her lips had a crack of a smile trying to beak out.

Shortly after, the party began breaking up, as Elena requested two to remain behind. She wasn't on that list, so she turned back and with a nod to the captain returned to the bridge.

it might be a few days before getting under way, and I still have a few more scenarios to run on the nav comp. I'll get those out of the way before taking a break.

She settled back into the pilot's chair and brought up the appropriate screen, tapping in a series of coordinates and running the plots.

Jesse Walker

Quote"Let's get you out of here. You look as if you're about to be sick and I can play it off as an anxiety attack if need be, but we're getting you out of this room."

Jesse stumbled along as Brenna pulled her out of the room. One could call it an anxiety attack, it felt like her brain was melting inside of her skull. They were still outside the door, easy enough to hear, she was certain everyone had seen her. A tinge of red grew in her cheeks giving her the complexion of a doll, pale faced and rosy cheeks.

Quote"Excuse me Miss Casey and Miss Walker."

She jumped slightly, still in her own world, she pulled her arm away from Brenna and turned away from Damien giving Brenna chance to speak with him. Jesse closed her eyes and breathed, trying to gain some dignity back. She hated making a scene but the idea of going back to prison just not agreeing with her.

Quote"Yes. The sweaty one." Maxell gestured to where Damien approached Brenna and Jesse, which stoked Max's suspicions once more. His eyes narrowed as he considered the potential nature of the conversation. Something about 'tators', perhaps? "Is she contagious?"

Christ. Contagious. Well if they didn't think of her as a criminal they certainly all thought she was diseased. Her previous outburst about being diseased appeared to again backfire.  A constant reminder that her mouth literally got her know where. Jesse ran a hand through her hair and opened her eyes,

Quote"Okay I get it." He lowered his empty handed toast from above his head. "Not really worth joining in on a toast unless there's alcahol involved, am I right?" Dash moved on. With everyone on board being so polite, or arguably mischievous, Benjamin might always be known as captain to the new mechanic.

"Well, did I miss the christening party, or are we due a celebration?"

Boy was he right, more about the alcohol than anything.  She needed something to put her at ease, perhaps now was the time to risk it and just tell Elena everything. Maybe Benji first, he'd understand, he seemed like he would at least? Brenna would protect her. Her brain began to solidify as the irrational thoughts left her. The fear subsided, or most of it anyway.  The color returned to her face.

Quote"You are indeed," she answered, and her hands again found their place atop the table. "I would like to thank you all, once more, for being a part of this momentous undertaking," she said to the crew who was still present. "I would also like to point out that a crew works together the best when they've had time to bond. As such, the Crew Lounge has been prepared thusly. Alcohol will be provided, although I will ask that you drink responsibly. You will have two more days to acclimate to the ship before our guests join us, so please make yourselves at home and do let me know if you have any further questions," she told them, gesturing to the door, "You're dismissed. Have fun,"

Thank you dear and fluffly lord. The meeting was over, and there was a distraction to boot. She turned back to Damien and Brenna, she gave Brenna a light nod of thanks, but couldn't really form any words.  She owned the woman, multiple thanks, and drinks, after all she had put her through today.  She'd meet Brenna there, Jesse turned leaving her to speak with Damien, it was important enough for him to catch her as they were leaving, she suspected it wasn't really any of her business.

Jesse walked towards the crew lounge, she was the first to arrive, and she was totally fine with that. It gave her a moment to further gain her sanity and composure, looking at the bar she found exactly what she needed. A smile formed,

"Tequila. Yes tequila is what I need." A drink that had been known to get her into trouble on most occasions, but it brought out the fun side in her, helped her forget. And thankfully even a thimble of liquor could get her drunk, so she put it to work and took to shots, one after the other.  She shuddered as the liquid ran down the back of her throat and hit her empty stomach, this couldn't make things any worse, right?

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