WUSHU RESURRECTION

[Grace Halladay]

Emit was quick to divert the attention from himself as he was want to do offering to buy her a drink.  She gave him a slight eyebrow raise as he waved over a server.  She wasn't really hungry and wasn't in the mood for a hangover so she simply ordered another glass of water.  As her eyes cast down from the server towards Emit she saw someone sitting down at the bar.

"Oh what the rut?"  She exclaimed just under her breath as she turned to Emit, planting a hand on the side of her face to block the view.  Of all the gin joints in all the worlds why did he have to walk into hers.  Amorru Reyes, the philandering pilot she used to date was seemingly hitting it off with someone at the bar.  Here's hoping he wouldn't see her and they could get off planet without any interaction with each other.  Realizing Emit was likely going to get inquisitive she got ahead of it and pretended she was just brushing her hair over her shoulder.

"So.  Emit, who is this Captain we're looking for I haven't seen what he looks like so if you have I could keep an eye out for him."  She put on a fake smile trying to mask her discomfort with Amorru's presence.

[Artemis Graham]

Always observant, Artemis immediately clocked Grace's attempts to avoid detection from the flamboyant pilot. A rather large grin crossed her face. It wasn't a mean grin, but it didn't exactly signal candy canes and puppy dogs either. At best it could be described as cheeky. Her attention turned back to her companion as his drink arrived and she watched to see what he'd do. Truthfully, she'd barely made a dent in her own drink. The only reason she kept trying was a fierce determination to prove she hadn't gone soft and could still swill cheap beer like the rest of them. It killed her to admit she was far more used to sipping finely aged wine and crisp gin and tonics.

But she was curious to see whether her new friend would good naturedly humour her by having a drink or whether he'd say something snarky. The fact that he made a show of toasting was a surprise. She would have bet on snark. So as he raised the glass towards her she took it from his hand and caught the server's eye again. "Bring him the good stuff" she instructed. She could afford it after all. "And it's Artemis," she said to Amorru. "But I guess if I'm buying you drinks you can call me Art."

And then because she just couldn't resist trouble, she said the words she'd been trying to stop herself saying for the past few minutes. "As to whether or not you're trouble, I won't take your word for it. I'll just ask your friend over there." She nodded over to Grace and Emit. "She doesn't look particularly pleased to see you."

[Emit Culpepper]

Emit, didn't take offense to Grace odering only water. In fact he quickly felt he had made Grace feel uncomfortable.  Just as he was about to apologize for his manners. "What in the rut?" Grace's attention and body language briefly changed, as slight as it was,a trained eye could easily acknowledge something was off.

When the brazen pilot over his shoulder, had  first entered the Saloon, Emit, determined with ease that there was no threat . However now it would appear that a threat to ones emotions,namely Grace's was in play. Before he could turn around fully in his chair to investigate this little matter in more depth. "So.  Emit, who is this Captain we're looking for I haven't seen what he looks like so if you have I could keep an eye out for him."

It was a nice move by Grace, to try and deflect his attention back to business. Not wishing to push the subject just yet regarding the fellow acting like some vid star,he responded to her inquiry.  "Well his advertisement showed him looking to be about 30yrs old or so. Light facial hair with a styled  haircut. I could probably figure out how to show you his photo on one of them pocket gizmos. "

As soon as Emit, started to move closer to Grace's side he heard a women's voice from the bar. "She doesn't look particularly pleased to see you."

[Amorru Reyes]

Amorru's eyebrow went up suspiciously when his fair-haired companion stopped him from drinking. He didn't think he owed the bar enough to warrant poisoning his drink, but perhaps she knew something he didn't. When she told the server to get him the good stuff, Reyes smirked as if scoring the match's first touch. She introduced herself as Artemis, told him to call her Art. He supposed he would call her whatever she liked, so long as she picked up the tab. He was about to ask Art about her "ride" when she directed his attention to a pair seated at a booth: some dusty old pokey and a woman covering her face from the embarrassment of being seen with him in public. Then the woman pushed her hair away from her face, and Amorru stared daggers at her with a sneer.

"Kào běi.. " Amorru muttered lowly, but not so low Artemis wouldn't hear him. "She told me I was immature, but I didn't think she'd cotton to collecting relics."

Two years later, Amorru wasn't sure what attracted him to the sawbones in the first place. Maybe it was the boat's limited selection, or the fact that she'd saved him from bleeding to death a time or two. Then she flashed that fragile, uncomfortable smile to her companion and the fine details of their ill-fated courtship came back to him in a rush. A rare wave of jealousy washed over Amorru, manifesting visibly in fiery green irises. She'd been the one to call it off, after all, and the wound of that rejection ached still.

Amorru's drink arrived before he could do anything stupid. Reminding himself to live for the moment, he rose the shooter as he turned his attention back to Artemis. "Long story. Here. To fine art... in all it's forms."

[Jax]

[DOCKING RING]

"I was hoping to find a ship here that was taking on passengers."  The lavish lady explained politely, tilting her head a little as her smile warmed just noticeably. 

Jax's grin grew even wider at the sound of her search. What could be the odds of walking right into their first paying customer? He glanced at Abigail long enough to flash her a wink and then quickly moved ahead to seal the deal."Well today is your lucky day as we have room for passengers." Jax motioned toward Abigail. "This here is my XO, Abigail Archer and I am Captain....well you can just call me Jax." Now this sure was a stroke of fortune Jax thought and he was going out on a limb here, but he felt pretty confident she could even pay her way.

[Artemis Graham]

As it turned out, Artemis was the one stirring up trouble. That was new. Usually she was all about keeping her head down. This path seemed more fun; although the night was still young. She doubted it would remain fun should people start throwing fists or drinks. Still, it was hard not to notice that gleam in his eye as Amorru looked at the woman. Definitely an old flame. No one knew 'long story' like Art did. She'd never been in a relationship that didn't have 'it's complicated' written all over it. The urge to cause further mischief faded slightly as she attempted to put herself in the other woman's shoes. There was such a thing as solidarity and Art had experienced enough awkward ex-encounters that she wasn't going to intentionally subject another person to one.

So instead she raised her own glass and clinked it with Amorru's. "To long stories," she countered. When she'd taken her drink she glanced back at his sparkling green eyes and laughed, shaking her head. "Usually I'm not into the whole compliments and bravado thing but it certainly has it charms. I feel a little guilty for mocking the people who fall for it all these years.

[Abigail Archer]

"I was hoping to find a ship here that was taking on passengers."

An uncharacteristically large grin spread across Abigail's face. Those were the magic words she was waiting to hear.  She casually walked up next to Jax.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance miss.... Abigail stuck out her hand, also an odd move for her, but she wasn't stupid and could smell the money off their newly found cash cow. This was probably the first time either of them had made money legally. It certainly wasn't as fun as a heist, but it'd do for now.

[Charity]

[Docking Ring]

"Well today is your lucky day as we have room for passengers. This here is my XO, Abigail Archer and I am Captain....well you can just call me Jax."

Charity's shoulders relaxed very discernibly at the glad news that their ship was indeed taking on passengers. Her attention shifted between the two of them as the Captain, or who she now knew to be the Captain, introduced his tiny crew to her. "Jax," she repeated carefully, slowly, as though trying out the strange name and seeing how it felt on her lips. Once again, she extended a bejeweled hand, first toward Captain Jax and then Abigail, offering them a strangely delicate hand shake that seemed almost more like she was presenting them with her hand for them to kiss it, but partway through remembered that wasn't how things were done here and swiftly changed the motion into a gentle, but proper, handshake. "It is a sincere pleasure to make your acquaintance, Abigail, Jax," she finally greeted, looking at them both in turn as she said their names and committing them to memory.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance miss...."

Although her lips parted, and a soft breath slid in past them, obviously in preparation for her own introduction, she did seem to hesitate for just a moment. Perhaps this small pause was enough for them to notice, perhaps not, but in the end,  she decided that giving them her first name wouldn't be too much of a risk. "My name is Charity," she told them, clearly feeling like not saying her last name made the whole introduction experience slightly uncomfortable, like a half-finished sneeze or the hiccup that pushed at your chest but never quite developed. Something important was undoubtedly lost with the omission of her full name. "I can pay, of course," she assured them, raising her elegantly arched brows just slightly and setting her hand once again over the locket around her neck.

[Amorru Reyes]

[FLYING CAMEL SALOON]

Amorru returned Artemis's smile as her laughter rang out above the din of boisterous conversation, lamentations of lost wages, and the clanging of dishes. He liked the way it sounded, carrying an air of comfortability with oneself that he considered may be her finest quality yet. The thought that her laughter might call Grace and her companion's attention to their good time gave Amorru cause to smile even wider, revealing a glint from a platinum replacement canine. He looked over Art's face as she spoke, stealing a glance in Grace's direction.

"You could say 'falling for it', or you could say 'going for it'. Personally, I prefer the latter. And you say that you don't usually go for bravado, but ya ain't even tryin' to hide that scar." Amorru extended his index finger toward Artemis's brow, testing to see how much she wished to protect her personal space. "That a long story, too?"

[Grace Halladay]

"Well his advertisement showed him looking to be about 30yrs old or so. Light facial hair with a styled  haircut. I could probably figure out how to show you his photo on one of them pocket gizmos."

Grace smiled earnestly recalling how technologically illiterate Emit was, she remembered the one time he tried to work the till at his wife's shop and produced a bill of some billions of credits.  Thankfully his wife was there to fix the error or Grace and her mother would have been in some serious debt.  Recalling this however gave Grace a pang of guilt, the two were a perfect match Emit and his wife.  It was hard not to empathize with the hurt and struggle, even though she wasn't a psychologist she still knew the physical ramifications of such grief.  As he moved to her side of the table she saw  him pick up what the woman from the bar said just as she did.

"Is it too late to get that drink?"  She half-joked as she pulled up the add on the cor-pad taking a look at the message from the man who called himself Jax.

"Well he should definitely be noticeable, looks like a movie star or something."  She couldn't help but overhear 'Amy' and the blonde having quite the time, knowing him like she did he was likely hoping it hurt her on some level, she also knew he was probably pairing the two of them up.  She always did have trouble with his ability to get in her head, nobody else ever did that to her.  His wild child ways were so completely obtuse to her own, that was what made her like him.  Not to mention he was really good looking and annoyingly charming.  Stop it Grace, stop it.  She sighed.

"Okay, I'm going to be honest with you Emit.  That guy at the bar we used to go together, call it a fling or whatever.  I was really into him, I mean I think I might have even loved him but I couldn't trust him.  He was reckless and flirty and irresponsible and I just couldn't deal with my feelings for him interrupting my responsibilities as a doctor so I dumped him.  I was.... harsh.  I'm just telling you because when he gets a few drinks in him as he is prone to do he gets a bit vocal.  I just want you to know that I don't need any defending, hopefully we won't cross paths but if we do just let me handle it please."  She spoke in hushed tones, the noise of the bar around them likely masking her words from her scorned ex.  Funny how in one sentence she had vented the entirety of her relationship history to a man who had loved and lost a libraries worth of memories.  She felt a bit ashamed for having vented to him, at the same time old wounds had opened and she remembered what drew her to the man.  He had taken her out of her comfort zone, challenged her sensibilities with his live free or die hard lifestyle.  Thankfully after their employer arrived it would be the last time she'd see him.... hopefully.

[Artemis Graham]

Artemis tensed, just slightly, at his approach. She'd softened a lot over the past few years but she would never outgrow the skittishness she felt towards human contact. In fact, she would have flinched a lot more if she thought there was anything genuine behind the interaction. Art was afraid of feelings. They were far too catchy and, much like a cold, could be caught by even the slightest gesture from an infected party. But nothing about Amorru was genuine. It was relaxed and light hearted and (if she was being perfectly honest) fun. So she stayed where she was and managed a careless shrug.

"It involves a dwarf, a wrench and a kidnapping," she said. "Honestly, you wouldn't believe me if I told you." She left out the zombies. That was 'classified' after all.

It was hard not to notice the attention they were drawing from the other pair and this, more than anything else that she'd been through that night, was starting to make Art uncomfortable. She could handle the attentions of a rogue scallywag. But the attention of the general public always made her nervous. "Seriously though," she continued, almost smiling at the idea of any exchange between them being described as serious, "Ex lover or are you her loan shark?"

[Jax]

[DOCKING RING]

"My name is Charity," she told them, clearly feeling like not saying her last name made the whole introduction experience slightly uncomfortable... "I can pay, of course," She assured them.


"Paying is always good." Jax retorted as he shook her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Char...ity." He said her name slowly as if waiting for a last name to be added by her. A lady like her out here all alone without a proper surname could mean anything, all of which didn't matter much to he and Abigail. If you have the coin you have a ride and the more complicated the passenger the better. "We'll be staying here a couple days, if you're not in a rush you have a ride."  Jax checked his time piece remembering they had some new crew waiting on them. "Right now we are late to meet some folks, so if you wish... we can store your bags and join us."

[Amorru Reyes]

[FLYING CAMEL SALOON]

Amorru's touch loomed an inch away from the scar. He pointed along the length of it before withdrawing the feint. Art only shrugged, which bode well enough for now. No love-drunk gasping, no flinch. She handled herself well, and didn't seem to consider him a threat.

The rake felt a little let down by Art's answer. Whether he believed her or not mattered little. All of Amorru's favorite stories involved dwarves and kidnappings, though he imagined in such situations he'd prefer a rapier to a wrench. Getting nostalgic during the momentary lull in conversation, Amorru glanced back over at Grace. He used to love the way she looked at him. Now he hated her for ignoring him. Him.

Artemis must've caught Reyes's clumsily stolen glance - sloppy work on his part. She skipped straight to the point, calling Amorru out on Grace and his connection. He licked his lips, tried to buy time as he considered his next step - just the type of hesitation he was prone to when the Doc was involved. "...Few years back. We crewed on a ship together. Long time in the Black. Spent most of my time at the rudder. Didn't see much of her except at dinner or dirtside. Mostly I saw her in the infirmary.  Sometimes a job would go south and I'd start a fight, or I'd run my mouth or make a fella jealous and they'd start a fight, or I'd just get bored and start a fight. Shrapnel, once. Anyway. Yeah..."

Amorru watched Grace watch for someone coming through the door. Gorram woman. Why wasn't she looking? Acting like she didn't see him soon as he sauntered in struck him as a bit cold, even for Grace. Just her, he decided. Doc Halladay. He peeled his eyes, frustrated with whatever game she took to playing. "She use to give me an earful while she stitched me up. I think she liked it though. Puttin' me together, I mean. Once she told me I'd kill myself. I said 'better me than some ugly wángbādàn nobody ever heard of'. Y'know?"

Shaking his head he made to finish his drink, only to find the glass nearly empty.  He rose the glass between himself and Art, watched it bend the light like a kaleidoscope lense around her. "So. Art. What are your thoughts on sake?" Amorru kept turning the glass. For a brief moment his thoughts turned from Grace, curious what Artemis saw if she cared to look through it back at him.

[Charity]

[Docking Ring]

"We'll be staying here a couple days, if you're not in a rush you have a ride. Right now we are late to meet some folks, so if you wish... we can store your bags and join us."

Despite the pause and the space he left open for her last name, Charity only offered up another warm, albeit guarded, smile, dark eyes glimmering. At the mention of having to stay a few days, however, her smile faltered for the barest of moments before she was able to pull it back into place with practiced ease. An elegant hand fiddled with her gilded locket for a few seconds more until with a deep breath, she purposefully lowered it and looked back down at her luggage, making sure it was still there.

"A couple of days," Charity repeated to herself in a gentle whisper. While she was undoubtedly conflicted about the notion of staying here any longer, she had a good feeling about these two and surely no one here would be looking for her. She was an awfully long way from home, after all. Charity's attention snapped back to Jax and his timepiece and she nodded along as he spoke, "I think... that sounds quite agreeable," she finally decided, her brilliant smile blooming back to life upon her lips. Of course, she had no idea that they were going to be meeting these people in a saloon, but the shock of that would come later.

[Artemis Graham]

Amorru's reaction to her lack of story made her smile. "Or maybe he'd enjoy to hear my tales after all," she thought. She made a mental note of her best accounts of thrilling heroics just on the off chance it came up again. Enough time had past that she could tell almost all of them without being arrested for treason, homicide or just really pissing people off.

But her stories would have to wait because, to her great surprise, he was telling his own. It was perhaps the first trace of real honesty the two had shared so far and Art was definitely taken aback. There was a part of her that was immediately concerned, shying away from anything real and sincere. But his story was also one she could relate to. That was the danger of being in the black. Despite your best efforts you somehow ended up letting people in. In her experience it always ended badly. Always. Not that she'd trade her memories for anything but it still hurt. A lot.

It was these thoughts that prevented any cynicism or judgement appearing on her face as she watched him spin his empty glass. If anything there was a look of understanding and the corner of her mouth turned up in a small but knowing smile that said 'I've been there.' With that in mind she was glad that his next question didn't call for any deep revelations of her own. Just because she could empathise didn't mean she was ready to share. Unbeknownst to her the next words coming out of her mouth echoed those of another fish out of water waiting at the docks with their would be Captain "I think that sounds quite agreeable," she said simply. She nodded at the bartender. Two drinks before meeting the Captain was probably a bit reckless but she'd spent vast chunks of her life as a functioning alcohol so she figured she'd be fine.

Although on the other hand every drink she had lowered her guard a little further. And watching Amorru's green eyes, eyes that so mimicked her own, she had a feeling she had a lot more to be afraid of than making a bad impression with the Captain.

[Abigail Archer]

Abigail smiled as Jax closed the deal.  Money, that's all she could see.
"Well then miss, let me grab your things and I'll go ahead and store them in our cargo bay. You are more than welcome to join us at the saloon, or stay here and take a rest. It's ladies choice." She smiled, again uncharacteristically, to someone that knew her better it almost looked painful. It wasn't a movement her mouth was used to making.

Abigail took Charity's items and stored them in the cargo bay, shortly coming back to Jax in the docking ring.  She set off towards the direction the docking master and pointed them, where they could meet their new crew. 

[FLYING CAMEL SALOON]

Abigail walked in to the bar with Jax and eyed the room. She grabbed a table in the back, where they could sit with their backs towards the wall.  It was a hard habit to break but she never liked it when people had the edge to sneak up on her.  She took a seat and waved over the waitress, ordering a couple of whiskey's for the table. Abigail observed the room quietly, there were a few contenders that were there for them possibly, but she'd have to wait to see when they came up. 

She looked over at Jax and lifted her glass, "Here's to some new adventures eh?"

[Jax]

Jax was feeling pretty damn good as he entered the saloon, no sooner than docking with the station they had landed their first paying customer. Things were looking up and that just put Jax on the alert waiting for the other shoe to drop, it was going too easy so far....a nice change of pace but highly irregular.

It was fortuitous that Abigail managed to find a table near the rear of the busy establishment. As she took a seat Jax paused to pull out a chair for Charity..."After you Miss Charity." Before seating himself he took a slow glance around the room, they had a clear view of the entrance but there were still two dark corners that were a little shadowy. Jax paid no mind of the waitress as he completed his survey of the room.

"Here's to some new adventures eh?" Abigail announced.

Jax eased himself down and reached for a shotglass of freshly poured swill and raising he clinked glasses with Abigail.

"New adventures for sure!"

[Charity]

[Docking Ring]

"Well then miss, let me grab your things and I'll go ahead and store them in our cargo bay. You are more than welcome to join us at the saloon, or stay here and take a rest. It's ladies choice."

Although she was more than hesitant to let someone else take her bags from her, in the end she recognized that bringing them with her to meet a larger group of strangers was even less of an ideal situation. At least here, they'd be locked up and both Jax and Abigail would be at the saloon and not alone with her bags. It wasn't that she thought they were thieves, of course, but she was a little more wary when it came to her belongings than when it came to herself, if her less than inconspicuous fashion choices were any indication.

Not wanting to be left alone on their ship, Charity hurried after them, her skirts rustling softly and her heels clicking rhythmically. Somehow, she looked even more out of place than she had before now that she was being led about by two individuals who were dressed appropriately for this place.

[Flying Camel Saloon]

A slow look of realization and thinly veiled dismay spread over her expression as they walked closer and closer to the Saloon. She'd been hoping they'd turn away at the last moment and that there meeting with the potential crew would be someplace a little finer, like a garden or perhaps a quiet café, however she had no such luck and they continued on their beeline right for the Flying Camel. Charity took a deep breath to settle her nerves and forced her anxious grip away from her locket once more, one hand coming up to softly pat at her curls to make sure her fancy up do was still as immaculate as it had been earlier. The poor woman winced visibly the moment they entered, her dark gaze regarding her new surroundings with a strange mixture of horror and curiosity. She did pause a moment to stare unabashedly at the man at the bar, the colorful fabrics peeking out of his sleeves drawing her attention, as they were likely meant to do. However, when she realized that Jax and Abigail had continued walking without her, Charity was quick to hurry after them, taking a seat at their table and placing her hands demurely in her lap. Flashing Jax a thankful smile, she sat with her back remarkably straight and her chin parallel with the floor, her posture nearly perfect save for the almost painful tension in her shoulders, "Thank you," she murmured kindly.

"Here's to some new adventures eh?"
"New adventures for sure!"

She'd declined any alcohol and was hoping that she was fading into the shadows in the same attractive way that her companions had seemed to. However, with the bright gold of her revoltingly lavish dress, she was more of a beacon than anything else. Despite her uneasiness and the shock of finding herself in a saloon, she had to admit that she was a little excited. Sitting in silence, her gaze bounced between Jax, Abigail, and the man at the bar, the smallest hint of a smile pulling at one corner of her cherry lips.

[Emit Culpepper]

"Okay, I'm going to be honest with you Emit.  That guy at the bar we used to go together, call it a fling or whatever.  I was really into him, I mean I think I might have even loved him but I couldn't trust him.  He was reckless and flirty and irresponsible and I just couldn't deal with my feelings for him interrupting my responsibilities as a doctor so I dumped him.  I was.... harsh.  I'm just telling you because when he gets a few drinks in him as he is prone to do he gets a bit vocal.  I just want you to know that I don't need any defending, hopefully we won't cross paths but if we do just let me handle it please."

Emit, was taken a little back by Grace's comments. He hadn't had much experience in helping folks mend relationships or broken hearts. But he did know a thing or two about tryin to forget painful times in ones life.
Raising a hand again towards the serving staff he motioned for two glasses.
"Oh don't you worry Grace, I ain't going to be defending you if he gets himself piss drunk. I'll be to busy holding his mouth to the floor with my boot!" With that Emit,took another swig from his glass.

[Grace Halladay]

Grace smirked at Emit, her tension easing a little remembering it was just a coincidence and soon he'd be gone from her life again.  She swirled her glass of water watching a small whirlpool form in the center before it fizzled out and she continued her crowd watching.  Seeing a group enter the tavern she pulled open the ad Emit had saved and took a look comparing the two as the man sat in a corner booth with some women.

"I think our ride is here Mr. Culpepper.  Let's go introduce ourselves"  Grace nodded towards the man as she stood from the table, grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder.  Weaving through the crowd she passed by Amorru and against her better judgment couldn't help but give him a look.  She probably owed him an apology but his infuriating behaviour made that unlikely especially in this setting.  Approaching the table she preened her outfit to ensure it was acceptable.

"Excuse me.  Are you the Captain of the ship called Wushu?  My name is Grace Halladay, doctor."  She pressed her hands together awaiting his response.