WUSHU RESURRECTION

[Jax]

Jax placed the empty glass down on the table. It wasn't the best whisky he had the pleasure of downing but it sure wasn't the worst, that would go to a watering hole on Jiangyin. For some reason the drink and the saloon brought back memories of the old 'Rat's Nest' as it was affectionately called. It was located in a dusty rundown town that he was killing time in while the ship he piloted unloaded it's cargo. It was full of cattle folk... ranchers and cowpokes and the like. There was one person that stood out to him though, a lavishly dressed woman who played piano and sang.  Bringing his thoughts back to the present he glanced over to Charity..."You sure I can't get you anything to drink?" Before Charity could answer Jax noticed two people approaching the table and shifted his attention.

"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.

Jax promptly stood and offered his hand in greeting. "Welcome Doc Halladay, so glad you could make it...and who is your friend here?"


.

[Amorru Reyes]

A flash of gold in the hazy mirror stole Amorru's gaze from the pair of brilliant emeralds shining nearby. As he glanced into the mirror, he witnessed a warped abberation of the overdressed young woman he passed by earlier. He wasn't sure what surprised him more: that she somehow made it this long with her personal belongings and dignity intact, or that he considered someone else overdressed. Amorru reasoned she'd "found" a ship. A hardened blonde accompanied the girl in golden garb as she drifted through the room not unlike the garish floating chandeliers Amorru remembered from seasonal social gatherings back on Persephone. And as she passed, she drew about as much attention.

But Amorru's eyes settled back on her presumably armed escort. Probably a nasty bit of business, the blonde, and smart enough to protect her investment. He imagined her crew would be picking through the duchess's expansive wardrobe while their captain got the mark good and tanked. Amorru's eyes followed the bartender's return with the sake, and watched a drab brown blur darken the mirror like a shadow. As it passed, he caught Grace's reflection. The dusty haze fogged the details, but she glanced back at him as she passed with her fèn-kicking comrade. Amorru only offered Grace his back as he turned to Artemis with a nod, taking the drink back and smiling through the burn.

Amorru's ringed finger circled the rim of the small, shallow dish before him. An eyebrow lifted beneath the bandana tied around Amorru's head as he looked at Art. He took a breath, puffed up a bit more, and summoned as much sparkle into his eyes as he could muster. "Art. Since we're being so honest, let me ask: how long are you planning on being stuck on this floating strip mall, anyhow?"

[Artemis Graham]

Artemis was allowing herself to be distracted by Amorru. She was so distracted, in fact, that she missed the arrival of the very face she'd been looking for. But she was not so distracted that she missed Charity's appearance. Artemis sized her up in an instant and was so shocked by her appearance her eyebrows rose a few millimeters. For someone expertly adept at masking her emotions this was the equivalent of smacking her hands to either side of her face and gaping like a child.

It wasn't just the 'come rob me' outfit. Artemis was well accustomed to the kind of frou-frou that adorned the other woman. Her adolescent wardrobe was full of those kinds of dresses. If she'd left Osiris dressed as herself when she'd made a run for it then their outfits would almost have been twins. Instead she had scrounged together a costume good enough to pass her off as a struggling engine monkey and left the golden gowns far behind her. It was a blast from the past and, oddly, instead of her head being dominated by the phrase 'what was she thinking?' instead her mind was running more along the lines of 'someone needs to teach her some street smarts.' Art told herself firmly it wasn't going to be her. She really needed to get this urge to help others under control.

She tore herself away from her altruistic thoughts long enough to see Amorru's past lover sweep past them while the man himself remained firmly disinterested. Or at least he was trying to look at disinterested as possible. Then the drinks were laid before them and her attention was once again caught by those green eyes.

"Honestly?" She made a show of considering the question, as if she had been planning on lying. Then she shrugged. "The plan is for as little time as humanly possible. I've offered up my services to the first eager client and as soon as he arrives I'm out the door." Art took a second to consider what she just said and then frowned "Did that sound wrong?" she asked. Then, before he could answer, she added, "And what ship is lucky enough to be graced with 'best gorram pilot in the whole ruttin' 'Verse?'"

[Charity]

"You sure I can't get you anything to drink?"

Charity's lips parted and a hand came up in the beginnings of a polite refusal of the offered 'drink', but before she could utter a word on the matter, they were approached by two people that Charity considered to be pleasantly 'quaint'.

"Excuse me.  Are you the Captain of the ship called Wushu?  My name is Grace Halladay, doctor."

"Welcome Doc Halladay, so glad you could make it....and who is your friend here?"

She wasn't any kind of discreet when she looked over the pair of them, pleased that they looked some semblance of proper and didn't seem the type to be up to anything too nefarious. And the female was a doctor? Even better. Tastefully painted lips turned upward in a warm and welcoming smile, although she said nothing to either of them. She was just a passenger, after all, and she preferred to fade into the background as much as possible so that she could watch the Captain and his XO deal with these newcomers. Well, Charity was a newcomer as well but she did have a few minutes seniority, or so she told herself with an amused and hidden smile.

While they spoke of business and the like, Charity's attention drifted over the saloon and she couldn't help but grimace. The place was an absolute mess and she guessed that no amount of mopping or dusting could make it any less so. Beneath her glimmering dress, she crossed her ankles and nervously chewed on her lower lip, half listening to the business proceedings and half staring at the man at the bar and his attractive companion.

[Jax]

"...and who is your friend here?" Jax asked Grace as he turned his attention to the man standing next to her. "This can only be the gentleman you spoke about...Sheriff Culpepper, it's a pleasure to meet you sir." Being a gracious host, immediately following a hardy handshake Jax motioned to the open seats at the table. "By all means grab some chair and have a drink with us, we are having whisky but I can get you whatever you'd like." He flagged down a nearby barmaid to come over.

[Emit Culpepper]

"This can only be the gentleman you spoke about...Sheriff Culpepper, it's a pleasure to meet you sir."

Emit, was quick to shake the Captain's extended hand. "Please Captain, call me Emit, it's been a spell since anyone's referred to me as Sheriff Culpepper. "


"By all means grab some chair and have a drink with us, we are having whisky but I can get you whatever you'd like."

Emit, gave a light smile and tap of his brim, acknowledging the two ladies already seated at the table. Pulling a chair out for Grace, he took a seat to her right, placing himself between her and the Young Showboat at the bar. A trained eye would notice that his actions seemed more security conscious than overbearing.
"Thank you kindly for your hospitality. "

[Abigail Archer]

Abigail looked over the new doctor and her companion. Jax was always better with people, it's why he was going to be a good captain. She threw back the rest of the whiskey and stuck out her hand "It's nice to meet you, name's Abigail, I'm the XO and resident muscle." She ordered another drink from the waitress. 

The doc's friend was polite, she appreciated that in a man, it was uncommon for people in her line of work. Though the Sheriff part made her a tad nervous, it was a knee jerk reaction to anyone in the law enforcement field.

[Grace Halladay]

"This can only be the gentleman you spoke about...Sheriff Culpepper, it's a pleasure to meet you sir." [/i]

Grace didn't need to answer the question as her new Captain deduced the answer himself.  She gave a friendly smile to the two women at the table, the one didn't speak but gave them a smile while the other introduced herself as the executive officer though out in the 'verse that was a much more formal way of describing it than commonly accepted.  She was also the muscle which likely meant she'd spend more than a few days under the care of Grace if things went the way they usually did with these types of crews.

"By all means grab some chair and have a drink with us, we are having whisky but I can get you whatever you'd like." [/i]

Emit always the gentleman pulled a seat out for her and she gave him a nod of appreciation as she sat down, she also noticed he took the seat which posted him between her and Amorru at the bar.

"I'll just have water, thank you.  If my services are required in a moments notice I prefer to be as alert as possible."  She felt like a square saying that and she might be the only one not drinking in this bar but a bit of social awkwardness was worth it if a fight broke out and someone required aid.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Captain and Abigail.  I'm sorry I don't believe I caught your name."  She turned her attention to the other woman at the table who was dressed quite extravagantly dressed in comparison to the rest and again Grace felt a square in her clothing choice, a plain blouse with a pair of military khakis.

[Charity]

The Sheriff's hat tap absolutely delighted Charity, one of her elegant hands rising to settle her fingertips over lightly tinted lips. She'd been right in thinking they were quaint, but they also had their own rustic charm that she found had her quite entranced.  When it was time for them to sit, she looked around her own chair to ensure that she wasn't in their way and more importantly, that no one was in danger of stepping on the edges of her fine dress. Only after all seemed safe did Charity lower her hands back to her lap and smile winningly at them both.

"I'm sorry I don't believe I caught your name."

Charity was quite appalled at herself, then, for having denied herself the pleasure of introducing herself to these new faces. She'd thought that they wouldn't be interested in knowing her, but that had been her own mistake. Of course they'd want to know who they were going to be sailing with, even if that person wasn't 'crew', in the strictest sense. "Oh! I do apologize," she apologized, chastising herself mentally for her unpolished behavior. "My name is Charity," she told them, offering them her hand one at a time, rings glimmering and bracelets tinkling together prettily. This time, she did a better job of not making it look like she was trying to have them kiss the back of her hand, although her handshake was still overly delicate. "It is an absolute pleasure to make your acquaintance, Doctor Halladay, Sheriff Culpepper," she greeted, finally remembering her manners.

[Amorru Reyes]

"Honestly?" Amorru thought the tone of the question sounded almost like a dare, but the truth remained of little consequence. Average service times took a day or so, and after that they'd probably never see eachother again. Or perhaps they would, maybe even playing an awkward game of pretending not to see eachother in some other saloon on some other skyplex. Preferring not to dwell on the future any more than the past, Amorru resolved against any reply besides the one he got. Though more than eager he doubted she worked for oranges, clementines or otherwise.

When she asked if it sounded wrong, he barely managed to shrug before she turned the subject back to him. He couldn't tell if she liked hearing about him as much as he liked talking about himself. Still, he enjoyed the dance even as he wondered who lead who. Amorru smiled at Art's complement, assuming she knew something of his reputation after all as he forgot his own words upon entering the bar.

"Ah, hm. Some transport or another. Houdou? Beaucoup? Guangzhou? Does it matter? Ship needs a pilot, pilot needs the sky. What about you? What boat will you be lending your services?"

[Artemis Graham]

Gemini The words hovered so close to her lips it was only decades of carefully managing what she said that held them back. It was such an automatic response, even after all those years, to say the name of her home. The place where she'd been called Captain. Her past. But that wasn't her anymore. It was time to start a new life and while a part of her still longed for a place to call home again, realistically her attitude towards her next boat was the same as Amorru's.

So after only a tiny trace of nostalgia washed across her face, Artemis' expression returned to casual. "Sound fairly familiar," she admitted, "I believe my new boat is called 'Wushu,' although given the limited information I've gathered about her I could have simply been conned and end up stuck on this rock for longer than I'd like." She finally cast her eyes up to the mirror over the bar that she'd been neglecting for so long. "So much for keeping an eye out for the Captain. Someone's been causing such a distraction he could have come and gone by now. Her eyes returned to Amorru and though her tone was scolding her expression showed she was anything but irritated.

[Abigail Archer]

Abigail watched the interactions of the new comers around the table. Slightly awkward, and almost force niceness.  That's usually how it went on a new boat though.  She'd miss the peace and quiet, her time with Jax, the ability to be themselves without others around.  It would all change when everyone got one board.  But they needed the help and she did miss the adventure that came with having a full crew, and possibilities of heists and crime.  A small smile crept on her lips thinking about what was coming next.  Abigail reached over and gave Jax a small squeeze of the hand and looked around at the table again.

"So Charity, tell me again how you ended up here, and how a woman of your stature found yourself without a ride home? Can't say I'm usually this close to someone in your kind of attire without trying to steal something off them." She grinned at their new passenger, Abigail couldn't help but test the woman's threshold.

[Jax]

Time was slipping by and with the saloon so busy Jax started to think their other two recruits had to be in here somewhere. With Abigail taking over in the small talk department he excused himself from the table to take a walk. "Excuse me for a bit, need to take a look around." He flashed his XO a quick wink and was off.  The Flying Camel had filled up quite nicely since their arrival and with the noise and smoke you couldn't make out one side of the establishment from another. The bar area had been out of eye sight from the table so Jax figured that be as good of a location to start his search than any other.

[Charity]

"So Charity, tell me again how you ended up here, and how a woman of your stature found yourself without a ride home? Can't say I'm usually this close to someone in your kind of attire without trying to steal something off them."

It was exceedingly fortunate that Charity had declined the offer of a 'drink' earlier, for she would have surely choked on it and ruined the poised and elegant image she was trying very hard to maintain at the current moment. As it was, only the smallest twitch of her eye and slow straightening of her spine sought to betray the unease those questions had caused. "I'm on holiday, you see," she explained, smiling charmingly in Abigail's direction, "It's quite on-trend now, you understand, to find oneself on a spontaneous adventure. It's tremendously exciting to see where one might end up," Charity lied, nodding as though she were attempting to teach the other woman something very complicated. Delicate hands ran over her lap, both brushing out the fabric so it laid flat and making sure that she hadn't had anything stolen from her.

"Excuse me for a bit, need to take a look around."

Although it worried her to have one of her new companions leave without her, she was quite sure that Abigail, despite her attempt to rattle Charity, would keep her plenty safe from the despots inhabiting the saloon. Not wanting the attention to be on her any further, Charity turned to offer Sheriff Culpepper and Doctor Halladay another pleasant smile, "I'm sure you are far more interesting than I am," she began, her hands once again folded demurely in her lap, "Have you been on very many adventures like this one?" she asked them, raising her brows curiously.

[Amorru Reyes]

Amorru watched Artemis's visage over the shallow saucer of rice wine as he brought it to his lips. Her face warmed as if she recalled a cherished memory, a detail Amorru completely missed as his gaze drifted to her neckline and below. Blame it on the sake. His mother raised him with better manners. His eyes returned to Artemis's face just as her mouth moved in a way he'd never forget as she spoke the ship's name.

"...Wushu..."

Almost choking on his drink, Amorru's expression betrayed his surprise. The porcelain bust for which his fondness grew blurred away. Synapses struggled to fire like fouling spark plugs in the gray matter buried deep beneath the bandana and pomade. Soon he remembered the name of the man behind Wushu's recruitment message: Captain Xavier. Maybe Grace's appearance fell within the realm of circumstance, but something about the way her companion carried himself set off the alarms. Amorru felt the rush of blood wash over him, thinned by the alcohol and warming his skin. Grace's old man walked like the law. Former lawman, at least, projecting the air of quiet confidence of someone who made a life of being protected by the shield and protecting the shield in kind. Amorru lowered the saucer onto the bar and met the emerald-eyed honeypot's gaze as she glanced back from the mirror, no doubt confirming the location of her cohorts.

"Try not to look so pleased with yourself bǎobǎo," Amorru thought.  "Not the first time I got caught in a honey trap. Probably not the last."

Only one person in the whole wide 'Verse could arrange to have Amorru marooned on Greenleaf just long enough to get bored and find a boat looking for a pilot and sailing for deep black, only to get hustled into a crowded saloon and surrounded by guns, all the while using an old flame as a ringer. The name escaped his lips as he held the gaze of his fair-haired siren, carrying a tone of fraternal pride. "Bodwinn."

Amorru snatched the oblong hardcase by its gripped handle and abruptly turned from the bar only to find himself face-to-face with Captain Xavier. Sighing with the realization that if Wushu even existed as more than the go ahead signal to spring the trap he'd never have a chance to fly her, Amorru shook his wrist in just such a manner as to release the stiletto fixed inside the sleeve of his coat. Bad news for Amorru. Worse news for Xavier. The heir of House Duschane bore no intentions of returning to Persephone. Amorru locked eyes with the Captain, jade irises stern as the steel pressing into his cupped palm.

[Artemis Graham]

Amorru's reaction was so bizarre it caused Artemis to have a genuine expression. One minute they were sharing a casual drink. She'd noticed his eyes dip below her smile and was about to rib him for it and then she'd said the (apparently) magic word and suddenly he was...

Artemis wasn't sure what he was doing. His cool facade had dropped in an instant and suddenly he was choking, scrambling and muttering to himself. She tried to make out his final word but it was an unfamiliar one and then he was up and leaving, possessions in hand. She made no move to stop him. Far be it for her to try and be the voice of reason in what could only be described as an epic freak out. Remaining where she was, Art reached for her drink but was struck by the feeling that there was someone still looming behind her. This time instead of looking through the mirror she actually turned.

Her new friend hadn't gotten far. He was only a few paces behind her, frozen and eyeing down a face that she immediately recognised as her new Captain. Art's eyes flicked from Amorru to Xavier. The former's wild expression was not lost on her. He looked like a cornered man. Very slowly she rose to her feet.

[Jax]

Jax had just eye balled his two new prospects when Amorru, his would be pilot, jumped up to meet him. Wushu's captain was quickly taken aback at the sight of a brandished weapon. "Hold up there Reyes!" Jax shouted over the crowd noise as he waved his left hand high up. He flashed the friendliest smile he could muster all the while his right hand drew his autoloader. "Look son, you don't bring a knife to a gun fight." Jax wasn't taking any chances, for all he knew this kid was here to waste him. With the pistol clearly pointed at Amorro, Jax spoke again. "It's Captain Xavier....you looking for work or a fight?" The poor fella did look spooked and most likely Jax was helping the situation much.

.

[Amorru Reyes]

"Typical." Amorru thought while staring silently at Wushu's supposed Captain. "Why do they always want to pull those ugly, lazy things? Figure a blade's too... personal." The pilot's face soured at the sight of the firearm as if Xavier brandished a handful of hot cattle fen. "Not a House Guard, then." Amorru barely even attempted to hide his disappoinment. "Mercenaries, Bodwinn? Guess the game's getting pretty serious now. I am closer to thirty than I ever wanted to be."

"Work? That's still your angle? Figure you and your girl got me dead to rights. You probably got two more guns on me aside. The cowboy, at least. Even if I wanted a fight - and I always want a fight - seems like an ambush is more your style, Captain." Amorru drove the thrusting dagger into the surface of the bar before raising both hands behind his head. "I'll go along, smilin' bright 'n' shiny-like. Figure I ain't got much use for a wardrobe full of bullet holes."

Amorru put on his most relaxed and confident look as he waited for the Captain to holster his weapon. He feigned locking his ringed fingers together as he spoke, using the distraction to reach between his shoulders for a length of sky blue fabric in one of the slashes along the back of the jacket. Amorru knew "Art" continued watching as he fished the inch and a half punch blade from its hidden pocket. "Wonder if she's as quick as she puts on."

[Grace Halladay]

Grace nodded to the Captain as he stood from the table, she casually paid attention to the conversation between Abigail and Charity but out of her peripheral was still watching for Amorru, if she knew him there was likely some form of occurrence to be expected.  The Captain had all but disappeared into the crowd but she could still see his head and he seemed to head in the direction of the blonde and the bimbo.  She drifted away from the here and now and began watching the scene.  She didn't have a good view but heard the name "Reyes" in the Captain's voice and it didn't sound like old buddies catching up.

"Excuse me."  She gave a polite smile as she stood and slipped through the crowd towards her new Captain and her old flame.  She shouldn't have been surprised at what she saw, Amorru had a blade out but was quickly countered by the drawn weapon of the Captain, the crowd seemed not to notice being too engaged in the music, drink and smoke.  She was relieved when Amorru relinquished and jammed the blade into the bar and looking to surrender, she knew he was sly though and this could turn bad fast for the Captain or for Amorru.  She didn't want to be stitching up either of them so she put herself in between the gun and the pilot, facing the Captain.

"Okay, that's enough.  Let's calm this down a little."  Great first impression for sure, defending some random against her Captain.

"Amy.  What the rut are you doing?"  She turned to Amorru, her eyes widening at the use of the R word but kept her look firm.

[Abigail Archer]

Abigail watched the events unfold in slow motion her eyes following the somewhat frantic stranger threatening Jax. She snarled and stood up slowly as not to startle the man. It was hard to comprehend what exactly he was saying, it's like he thought Jax was here to take him away for some bounty...the very brief thought of taking him in for the money as opposed to hiring him crossed her mind but it was gone as quickly as it came. The priority was Jax and defusing the situation.

Grace seemed to either know what she was doing or had some form of history with him. But her approach was too gentle for Abigail's taste. She followed Grace through the crowd and un-holstered her own gun pointing it at the man.

"Yes, Amy, let's calm down shall we? You wouldn't want to shoot the man that's looking to pay you would you? After all everyone likes money." Abigail made brief eye contact with Jax as she surrounding the pilot from the side.