S2E7 - Greenleaf Stopover

[Amorru Reyes]

"Well, I've seen a couple of alerts to inbound ships. Maybe one of them will be our next out. What's your specialty?"

Half a protein strip slathered in spiced honey glaze hung out of Amorru's slacking jaw. He thought it understood that he spoke so highly of himself, and could only manage to respond by slowly chewing the strip until it disappeared between his lips. Amorru swallowed and opened his still-sticky mouth to speak. "Wha-" Unable to beat the waiter to the touch, his expression morphed from perplexed to disapproving to cautiously delighted as he leaned forward to waft the drink's aroma. Inhaling, he judged the scent under the lax scrunity offered to most free drinks that came his way and eyed the ogre at the bar.

" Ganbei, mate! 'Night I had, it's just nice to feel ruttin' appreciated! There's a good lad!" Amorru made a show of raising the drink and taking a big gulp. Avoiding eye contact with the woman across the table, he spit the drink back into the glass and slid it across the table to himself. The glass disappeared beneath the table.

Amorru's eyes came back to his host. "Mind your feet." he warned her before emptying the drink beneath the booth. The glass came back up and banged loudly. He called the server over and signed for them to lean in so he could whisper. "Let's have another round of sake for myself and my friend here, and put it on the big guy's tab yeah?"

The server made back for the bar to place the order as the pilot's attention turned back toward the brunette. Her eyes moved from the waiter to the bar to somewhere over his shoulder.
Amorru's head spun around to see where her attention went, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He tried to avoid any awkward eye contact with the broken down bruiser at the bar.

"Anyway, what'd you wanna know? Oh, right. My specialty. Well..." Amorru's right hand flicked and a polished black and silver switchblade handle appeared in his hand. With the press of a button a fine-toothed comb appeared and ran through the coifed pompadour above his head with a steady, practiced sweep. "My specialty, well..." The comb disappeared back up Amorru's sleeve as the server returned with impeccable timing and set a fresh tumbler of sake and an extra saucer in front of the obliviously lucky and unabashedly arrogant schmuck. He filled two saucers with the sake and rose one in the air just above the table. "Figure you're lookin' at it."

[Monty]

Monty tagged along with Helena and Barnet feeling very glad to finally be off Ronin and on there way...Drinkin' time was a wastin' ...he mused. Skyplex's were not any place new to Ronin's mechanic, he had spent a good portion of one year working on one in the Maintenance Ring orbiting Athens. The thought of which produced a wide grin on his face. Before long they had arrived at their destination, Monty walking fast to keep up with Helena.

"So top shelf right? Since you're paying and all."

Before Monty could answer she had scampered off like a kid in a candy store, or a gunhand in an armory. He just laughed and motioned to Barnet to follow as she had already secured them a table. He slipped into a seat as the barmaid waited to take his order. "Well I'm thinking without a doubt...some...kind...of...beer..." He spoke slowly as his brain swiftly ran through a list of brews, at least the most memorable ones. "Okay thinking dark....do you perchance have Cheltenham on tap?" He asked enthusiasticly.

[Charity]

"Look I know what you're thinking.  I was just going to talk to him about us... on the same ship.  I guess I should've figured he'd be with a girl thirty seconds after walking into a bar."

"Mmmmhm," Charity murmured, gently setting an elbow on the table and resting her cheek on the back of her hand. Her gaze drifted between Amorru's back, the beast who'd 'sent' him a drink, and her new best friend. One corner of her lush lips quirked upward at the stream of liquid dropping to the floor by the pilot's feet and she couldn't help but make a thoughtful little sigh. He'd ordered another drink and Charity noticed that that was the second time she'd seen him drinking out of those little saucers. "So that's his drink," she mused aloud, returning her attention to Grace and smiling.

"Well," she began, sitting up again and setting her hands in her lap, "If you want to speak with him, it seems you might need to drag him away from his current companion," she offered, her back straight and shoulders relaxed. "Perhaps sending him something to drink might brighten his spirits and coax him this way, he did seem quite thrilled to have been complimented by the large man," she noted, tilting her head to the side a bit, "Or if you'd like, I could go and request his presence?" she offered.

Her attention was pulled to the saloon's entrance by the commotion surrounding a new patron and her apparent age, her brows lifting curiously. The small pixie of a lady looked perplexingly familiar. Charity's expression melted into one of careful consideration, her dark gaze following Jo as she sat on her own, her mind spinning as it attempted to work out where she'd seen her before. A small gasp straightened her spine and brightened her face for a second before it darkened with memory. For once, the aristocrat seemed conflicted. Her chest heaved with a sigh before she took a deep breath and stood a little, waving her hand and staring in Jolene's direction, confident the glimmer of her jewelry and the crimson of her dress would catch her attention. So, she was awfully putout when the poor woman didn't see her.

Holding one finger up to Grace, Charity smiled winningly, "Why don't you think about it while I'm gone. What could it hurt to get things out in the open?" she asked her, leaning in close and planting a sisterly kiss on the top of her head, "I'm sure it would make sleeping far easier," she wagered before turning on her heel and making her way toward Jolene's table, the click of her heels muffled in the loud saloon, her vivid dress dimmed by the lighting. Still, she was a sight to behold in this festering cesspool of an establishment. Hands clasped in front of her waist, Charity stood at Jo's table and smiled down at her, "It's been some time," she greeted her warmly.

[Jolene Blaylocke]

So engrossed in her cortex search for backup jobs, Jolene completely missed the approach of someone. It was a just in case kind of search. Several jobs had been retracted after the face to face meeting, just based on her appearance. That wasn't what was said, but that was the general reaction on the faces of those offering up jobs. And so, when the woman's voice came out of nowhere, Jo jumped like a startled cat. Coupled with the mighty jump of her small frame came a soft yelp.

"It's been some time,"

Her cortex bounced against the table as she dropped it, hands planting themselves on the table. Jo was suddenly more awake than she'd been in weeks, eyes wide and sitting bolt upright. Finding a woman in exquisite clothing, the heavy sigh released the sudden breath she'd taken in. "Lao tien ye! Scared the go se outta me!" First look only gave the barest impression of the woman, but Jo needed another deep breath to calm herself. Carefully, she scooped up her cortex before turning to look at the woman more fully.

Second look and there was distant recognition. Large brown eyes squinted as her mind went searching for why the face was so familiar. Memory after memory, going further and further back over the previous few years until she stumbled upon the right one in a dusty corner of her mind. "Ariel... security install... right?" Somehow, her voice wasn't nearly as confident as her mind was that she'd landed on the right job that she recalled the woman from. "So... um..." Her eyes returned to a more normal size, but filled with an apologetic look before she confessed. "Yeah, that was a while ago, but I'm really sorry... the name isn't coming to me."

[Jerilyn Gordon]

"Anyway, what'd you wanna know? Oh, right. My specialty. Well... Figure you're lookin' at it."

Jerilyn smirked at his fancy handling of the knife/comb, it reminded her of some old Holo-vid she had come across at some time in the far distant past. Maybe as a youth,it was hard to tell. But the confidence he expressed, and there was just something about him...

"A fellow pilot? Interesting."

She noted the commotion when the young sprout was being questioned by the bouncer, and followed the girl's path to her own table. The two woman at the bar also seemed to be fascinated by both the girl and Jeri's gentleman friend, especially after the incident with the offered gift of a drink. She tilted her head, her pony tail draping across her right shoulder and just touching her breast. She pulled up her personal cortex and flipped through a few entries.

"The two ladies at the bar? They seem interested in you. Know them?"

Just then, one of the women stepped away and walked over to the girl, and seemingly surprised her. A conversation ensued, but the noise of the bar made any eavesdropping impossible.

Jeri shook it off and returned her attention to Amorru.

"Oh, My name is Jerilyn. Friends call me Jeri for short. Maybe one of these ships ... "

She showed the list of contracts that she had evaluated to him.

[Abigail Archer]

Abigail and Jax had left the ship later than anyone else.  Ever since this morning she had tried to avoid him. She spent her day throwing knives mostly at a board in the cargo bay, and cleaning her weapons. It was the only thing that kept her from feeling like the dull wall flower she had become.

She looked over at him, fighting the urge to say something insecure, or emotional.  The knot in her stomach grew tighter at the idea of kind of emotion outside of anger.  She hated him for it. The knot turned into a lump and the lump started to come up and she thought she was going to throw up again, but instead it was something much worse,

"You know.  Things have been weird. And I gorram hate having these conversations. This isn't me I don't do this, I'm not this sick weak doll thing and I blame you for turning me into this. I'm not insecure, and I have no need to be. I am one god damn fine woman, and you just go around catching damsels and you make me feel like....not myself. And all I can think about doing is beating the living hell out of you every moment of the day, because you did this, you want me calm, and quiet, and to do what you want to do."

And it stopped, the verbal diarrhea had subsided, though the rage continued. She needed to hit something, or someone. Her fist clenched as she looked up, they were coming up on the bar. It wasn't a conversation she wanted to have because she knew where it ended, and that hurt even more. As they came closer Abigail noticed some unusual movement in the crowd, more rapid than the usual hustle and bustle, and a familiar face appeared...

"Lin?" He was being perused, and by some on savory gentlemen it seemed.  Without notice Abigail took off to aid her former captain and friend. From a distance it might look like a hungry animal giving chase to it's prey, Abigail came up on one of the goons and tackled him at the waist, engaging him in a very bloody and much needed fight. One could hear the cracking blows as she took out her pent up anger on the man feeling more alive than she had in weeks.  Death was imminent for the gentleman, and she didn't care.

[Jax]

Breakfast turned out to be quite awkward and not from a direction he was expecting. Abigail seemed to be dealing with some inner demons or the like, he wasn't quite sure what she envisaged getting Wushu back would entail. He didn't see his XO the rest of the day until at last he tracked Abigail down and persuaded her it was time they catch up with the crew.

The silent walk through the skyplex was deafening as neither sharing a word. Jax was quite perplexed, here they were on the pinnacle of success with their own ship and all. What else was she looking for was the constant question in his head when she finally broke her silence in electrifying fashion.

"You know.  Things have been weird. And I gorram hate having these conversations. This isn't me I don't do this, I'm not this sick weak doll thing and I blame you for turning me into this. I'm not insecure, and I have no need to be. I am one god damn fine woman, and you just go around catching damsels and you make me feel like....not myself. And all I can think about doing is beating the living hell out of you every moment of the day, because you did this, you want me calm, and quiet, and to do what you want to do."

Her words hit Jax like a ton of bricks. He attempted to cut in a couple times but she just keep right on with her soliloquy.
You want me calm, and quiet, and to do what you want to do. He replayed that line in his head. Jax thought of a hundred things he could say in the moment but all he got out was..."What the ruttin' hell you talking about?! But she didn't seem to hear as she was surveying the crowd for some odd activity. Her only response before she took off on an full run was..."Lin?"

Jax immediately took after her, he could see someone that looked like it could be his old captain being chased. Abigail swiftly and unmercifully brought down the trailing assailant like a lioness on a hunt. As she looked to have things well in hand he continued on dodging the slower moving patrons until at last he lunged for the lead suspect just grabbing him by the ankle. This fella was a bit bigger than the one Abigail brought down and it wasn't long before he was on top of Jax, pinned to the floor being strangled.

[Vega Barnet]

As they entered the bar Vegas eyes swept the room, taking stock of the patrons and noting all the exits. He didn't do it intentionally, it was like breathing, he didn't have to think about it his body just did it. There were a few standouts among the patrons, but none of them set off warning bells in his head. He grinned at Helenas enthusiasm and followed her and Monty to a table and sat with his back to the wall. When the waitress came for their orders he asked for a triple shot of vodka of a brand that was located about three quarters up, not quite top shelf, but close. It'd be expensive, but he had his share of the bank heist. He sat back and let his eyes wander the patrons.

[Natascha Santiago-Negron]

"Oof- a beer? I dunno Monty, you really think they'll have that in here?" Nat asked, ribbing the guy lightly. Soon as the waitress was done with the rest of them, Nat ordered her standard- good ol' fashioned White Russian, cheapest vodka they got. No need to bankrupt her friend so soon after meeting back up with him.

"So, what are we drinking to today? I'm thinking 'to new opportunities', unless someone else has a better idea." Nat said, holding her glass halfway ready for a toast. It certainly was a nice little group at this table- Monty being a familiar face, Helena who was almost as charming as she was, and Vega- the way he held himself, stiff and orderly- kinda reminded Nat of her own military days.

The thought of that made her coat feel just slightly heavier in her mind, but it was a thought quickly shaken off.

[Grace Halladay]

Thankfully Amorru dumped the drink when it arrived, Charity seemed undeterred and as she placed her elbow on the table she was brave wearing that get up in here.  For the previous concerns of her being robbed and the general lack of cleanliness.  She kept playing with fire even though she'd been burned once.

"So that's his drink,"

Grace watched as the gears turned in Charity's head before she turned back to the doctor.

"Well... If you want to speak with him, it seems you might need to drag him away from his current companion... Perhaps sending him something to drink might brighten his spirits and coax him this way, he did seem quite thrilled to have been complimented by the large man... Or if you'd like, I could go and request his presence?"

All of those were terrible and rational ideas and none of them Grace was keen on employing.  Thankfully Charity, a girl of dubious attention span found another target and allowed Grace off the hook for the time being.

"Why don't you think about it while I'm gone. What could it hurt to get things out in the open?  I'm sure it would make sleeping far easier,"  Again the bedazzled one spoke sense before planting a kiss on her forehead and leaving apparently she saw someone she knew.  Grace smiled back at her as she coddled the drink of water that had now arrived at the table, Charity's perfume lingering long after she had gone.

Her surveillance of Amorru was compromised when the girl he was with nodded over to her just as Charity was leaving.  In an attempt to avoid contact she bee-lined for the exit, this was the closest she'd get to a dine and dash, leaving her glass of water on her way out.

When she got to the hallway she saw the backs of both Jax and Abigail just as Abigail started whaling on a man, she was pretty certain she would do anything not to be on that end of a beating by the woman after seeing her ferociously attack.  The Captain however wasn't faring quite as well pinned and being strangled.  Panicking and not knowing what to do she planned a quick attack.

'Okay Grace, if you hit the temporal bone at the right vector using the tibia that should cause enough cognitive dissonance to temporarily incapacitate him.  Also make a note to learn how to say kick him in the head.'  She prepped herself for the attack taking a couple steps back and came back forward striking the man in the side of the head with her shin.

"Oh, that hurt."  She yelped as she stumbled back, hopping on her now smarting shin.

"Oh he's pissed."  She realized as he looked to her, rage in his eyes.

"I'd like to start my three part apology with.  Sorry... sorry.  I'm really sorry."  Looking around, now would be a real good time for someone who could fight to appear.

[Abigail Archer]

[OCC: If this constitutes as god modding let me know and I'll alter the post]


Abigail took a moment from her target, his blood spattered onto her shirt. She thought Jax had a hold of things however when she looked up Grace was being cornered by the large individual, apologizing profusely.  She sighed out of frustration and pulled the five inch steel dagger in her ankle holster out quickly. Abigail stood up and started walking towards the man.

"Gou huang tang, that's my doctor I needher to fix me up when go se like you comes around!" Abigail switched from a walk to sprint and leaped on to the man's back stabbing the blade into his shoulder with a loud war cry.

"I told you. That's. My. DOCTOR!" She twisted the knife and pulled it out quickly, blood gushing from the man's wound. She jumped down, twirling it in her hands, his blood spraying around her. A maniacal grin spread across her face, "You wanna dance big fella." Abigail stepped in side movements forming a circle with the giant, forgetting about anything that might have happened earlier that day.

The man grinned back at her, looking at the blood streaming down his shirt. Clearly he was injured but he wasn't down from the count. He looked back at Abigail and clenched his fists, she saw his knuckles turn white, and while the challenge was enticing, she knew she couldn't take him on his own.  "However, while I could take you on my own, any assistance would be helpful." She hollered semi confidently.

[Monty]

Monty's enthusiasm was curbed a bit by hearing the barmaid say they didn't have Cheltenham and so settled for some local skunk brew. "Better bring a shot of whisky to go with it then." He added remorsefully. Looking quickly at a menu...And we'll take a basket of fries as well, surprise us with the sauce selections."

"I dunno Monty, did you really think they'd have that in here?"

Monty just shrugged his shoulders..."Wishful thinking I guess, but couldn't hurt to ask." It didn't take long for all their drinks to arrive along with a steaming hot basket of greasy goodness.

"So, what are we drinking to today? I'm thinking 'to new opportunities', unless someone else has a better idea."

Monty lifted his shot of whisky in unison with Nat. "I'll drink to new opportunties and great crew!"

[Lin Kuei]

Lin heard the commotion behind him as the fights broke out. He was unsure at first until he saw Abigail's blond hair as she shouted about her doctor. Circling back around, he caught a glimpse of the other man who had been pursuing him laying on the ground. His face had been bloodied and, by Lin's guess, it was Abigail's fist. She always did have a temper.

Coming out of the ground, he helped the man up off the floor from behind so he would not see his face. Guiding him over to the side out of the view of the main concourse, Lin started talking behind the man's back. "You okay, mister. You okay." Abruptly, he pushed the hitman forward into a wall. Upon turning around, he was quickly struck in the throat with two fingers from Lin's right hand and started choking. As he slid down along the wall, Lin's knee came up sharply under his jaw. Chances are he would not die but he was certainly out cold slumped on to the floor.

Hearing Abigail's call, Lin slipped into the crowd. He watched her and the other hitman circling each other for a few seconds as he circled them through the group of onlookers. Lin waited until the man circled his direction before coming out of the growing number of people with a stiff kick to the side of his right knee. Grabbing the man's right wrist to control the knife, he stabbed the man with a knife edged chop into the juncture at the base of his neck. As the man collapsed to the floor in pain, Lin raised an eyebrow at Abigail. "I appreciate the distraction. I see your anger therapy sessions are going well."

Lin pulled the man forward on to his stomach and knelt down next to him. Bracing the man's right arm, Lin brought a significant amount of force onto the man's elbow resulting in a loud crack as it bent backwards, an action committed to with the ease of breathing. With jab to the back of the hitman's skull, Lin stood as he saw Jax and who he presumed was a doctor. "Thought I saw your ship but was not sure you still were controlling it."

Lin started to walk toward the ships and the Thirsty Camel just presuming the others were following before he spoke again. "We just got off the surface of Greenleaf after three weeks of repairs. Figured the crew deserved at least a few hours before we went after the next target. These two were bodyguards for my information source on the Skyplex. They were not too happy about how got the information. I'm still up for getting a brief break. I'm sure they will be looking for us within the day. What have you two been up to since you left?" Lin maneuvered through the crowd as he spoke.

[Jerilyn Gordon]

Jerilyn sipped her saki and sampled the last few fries while her companion scanned the list of ships requesting pilots. She studied his face for reaction, but her eye kept getting drawn back to the woman holding discussions with the younger one at the adjoining table. There was something...

"Any chance you'd be willing to share some background? Just got the feeling we might have run into each other before. You know, common grounds and all. "



Her time on other ships over the past handful of years had been a crazy ride of short adventures followed by boredom and drinks. Nocturne had been the most recent, but after that ... it had ended badly.

Their stop off on Ezra, with Bayne taking the shuttle to the Skyplex, and then never returning.

Jerilyn checked the gauges as she balanced the thrusters to keep Noc' in stationary position. Turning back to watch as Bayne stepped through the hatch, she felt a drop in her heart.

" Please be careful, Bayne. Stay safe for me. I'll see you dirtside."

Bayne and Victor had never returned from there.  Contacts unresponsive. Personal data erased; the Noc' landlocked and herself dismissed. Uncertain as to the cause, she had put it to rest and moved on. Still, the memory hung in the back of her mind.



She came back to the present, realizing that for  a brief time her mind had gone to that dark spot that she hated.

[Jax]

Grace's kick to Jax's opponent's head at the very least broke his strangle hold on him. Jax used the distraction to slip a quick knee up into the man's groin as he rolled out from under him. The man seemingly unshaken turned his attention to the helpless Doctor.

"I'd like to start my three part apology with.  Sorry... sorry.  I'm really sorry." Grace pleaded with the man as the crowd around did little to help. To most folk this was just another fight on the Docking Ring, a regular occurrence outside the saloon. Generally as long as shots are not fired security doesn't even get involved.

"I told you. That's. My. DOCTOR!"

Before Jax could gather his wits about him Abigail was on scene to step in for Doctor Halladay. She danced about the big man as the knife she wielded flashed reflecting the corridor lighting between jabs. The blood leaking from his body only seemed to spur him on.  "However, while I could take you on my own, any assistance would be helpful."

Wushu's last night aboard the Skyplex had taken a dark and bloody turn. Jax was on his feet now ready tag team the man with Abigail when from out of nowhere Lin appeared.

"I appreciate the distraction. I see your anger therapy sessions are going well."

Lin's movements were energized and fluid as he took the man down in an instant. With a loud crack, that even made Jax cringe, the attacker's arm was broke. Lastly with a swift blow to his head their adversary was finally at rest. "Thought I saw your ship but was not sure you still were controlling it." Lin began after stepping away from the now limp body. "Hey Lin...." Jax replied rubbing his sore neck...."Thanks for the help." There wasn't much else to say at this point, it was one hell of a reunion, not one Jax could have ever imagined.

Jax walked over to Abigail as they followed Lin toward the saloon. She was a bit of a mess, hair tangled with splatters of blood. "Feeling better?" Jax asked not really expecting an answer. "Let's get you cleaned up, shall we." Jax reached to hold her hand as Lin was speaking, Jax only catching the last part as they entered the Flying Camel. "What have you two been up to since you left?"

[Artemis Graham]

Art was feeling pretty happy with herself. She'd managed to procure everything she needed to have Wushu, perhaps not purring like a kitten but growling like a fairly well fed panther. It had also been a day spent largely on her own as she tinkered, tweaked and fine tuned things in the engine room. In fact she was so absorbed that she missed the sounds of the crew departing. She was only reminded that they were meant to be eating dinner together by the sounds of Abigail and Jax getting ready to leave. Swearing aloud, Art changed from her working overalls to a pair of jeans, a button up top and a leather jacket. But she kept on her work boots partly because they were comfy and practical and partly because she had nothing to substitute them with. Perhaps she should have been shopping for more than just parts that morning.

The change took no more than a minute and she managed to make it in time to see the Captain and his XO amble off towards the Flying Camel. Art was relieved. Although she'd never admit it, she had a poor sense of direction and she wasn't entirely sure how to get back to the bar. But she kept her distance lest she have to make small talk. Or worse, hear them start talking in pet names (she so hoped they weren't pet name people).

When Abigail suddenly took flight, Art found herself in a conundrum. She didn't want to look like she was following them but she also didn't want to get lost. So she compromised and took after the pair at a brisk pace, using her dancer training to weave through the crowd with relative ease. Even so, she managed to lose them and was just about to steal herself into asking a stranger for directions (the horror) when a ruckus nearby caught her attention.

Ordinarily it was Art's policy to move away from danger but something drew her forward. And she saw...Art wasn't entirely sure what she saw. Blood. Violence. Rage. Death. None of these things were unfamiliar to her. She'd survived a skyplex full of zombies and she had more than a few lives on her hands. But it had been awhile and Abigail was...terrifying magnificent. There was no other words for it. As Art watched, the fight finished dramatically and her doctor, her captain and her XO seemed to shake it off and take off again as if nothing had happened. Art stepped over a few bloody corpses, wondering if they were worth following. Surely they wouldn't be heading to the bar after all of that? Surely they would be trying to...

The Flying Camel Saloon loomed in front of her. Art wasn't sure if she was impressed, disgusted or terrified at the fact that her new ship could fit 'beating men to death' in between pancakes and farewell dinners. But one thing was for sure, when she entered the saloon a half minute after them the notoriously blank faced mechanic was having an expression. In fact, she was having several. The phrase 'you look like you've seen a ghost' would have summarised her look quite nicely. Deaf to all those surrounding her, she moved straight to the bar and waved down a server. "Something quick, something strong and something expensive," she instructed, eyes unfocused and wide, "and make it a double please."

[Lin Kuei]

"Hey Lin...." Jax replied rubbing his sore neck...."Thanks for the help."

"No problem, Jax. You were never very capable in an unarmed combat but you were a good pilot." Lin almost missed her as she followed them through the crowd but he spotted Artemis Graham. Her height and stature meant it was easy to look past her. Lin still recalled meeting her a few years back when she was on Gemini. They had met up with Ronin on Harvest and had a picnic of sorts. Victoria had cooked for everyone.

Lin stepped quickly as he slid through the crowd and headed into the Flying Camel. He spotted his crew immediately. Stepping passed Ian's table, he just nodded indicating he got the information they would need before he slid into a seat next to Vega. "I found a couple of strays out there along with the information we need to get Ian his ship back. The Wushu is Captained by Jax and his XO is Abigail Archer. Both were previously crew on Ronin. We may be able to get their help for a minor part of my plan to take out Nikola. We'll see."

Lin's eyes scanned the saloon as he always kept an eye on the doorway. When the server came by, he asked for some hot tea. Being as it was not alcohol, it arrived fairly quickly. Lin looked at the others at the table. "Drinks are me. If Nat gets too drunk to pilot, I'll take care of it." There was a short raise of his cup to his crew, even those not at his table, before he downed it and refilled.

[Grace Halladay]

While she was grateful for the intervention the ensuing beating the man took was hard for her to watch and watch she did.  Abigail took the fight to him hard and not long after that another man intervened and was just as brutal.  Before long the man was on the ground, a mess of broken bones and gushing blood.  It was horrible.  The three of them walked off like it was nothing, she on the other hand couldn't leave things the way they were.  Grace took to action in her own way as she pulled out some bandages from one pocket, splints from another and well she emptied a lot of pockets which had a lot of supplies.

She identified that the man she'd kick was in more immediate need than the one who after a quick pulse check was thankfully only unconscious.  She kneeled down by the man with the broken arm and felt around the break.

"Okay this is going to hurt.  Even if you are unconscious."  She lifted his arm and after a quick count of three reset the bone to a disgusting crack.  Then she quickly placed the splints around it and wrapped it up firmly.  Digging into her pocket producing a syrette of morphene and jammed it into the man to ease some of the pain.  Next she had to deal with the stab wound, she pulled out a pair of nitrile gloves before starting.  Rolling him over, careful to keep his arm flat she used some field scissors she'd had since the war to cut around the wound.  Thankfully it wasn't too deep and likely would heal alright though it was clear she'd likely splintered some of his shoulder blade.  She pulled out a vial of saline and poured it over the wound to clean and disinfect before using a swab to pat the area clean.  Next she wrapped a bandage around his torso, firm but not too tight with a gauze pad underneath.  It was the best he was going to get.  The other man there wasn't much she could do for so she cleaned and bandaged his head quickly wanting to catch up with the others in case these two had friends and she did not have Abigail to protect her.  Cleaning up her supplies and disposing of the gloves she stood to see a small crowd staring at her, obviously perplexed as to why she was bandaging the men who her crew had just incapacitated.

"What?"  She asked before lowering her head and rushing to catch up to Abigail and Jax.  Finally reaching them she thought to place a hand on Abigail's shoulder to get her attention but judging the potential outcomes thought better of it.  Maybe a verbal approach was less dangerous.

"Hey Abigail."  She cleared her throat.

"Thank you.. for not letting him make me a punching bag.  I really owe you.  If there's anything I can do to repay you please let me know."

[Abenette Kelker]

Just when Abe thought she might be able to talk a bit with Ian, things changed.

"We'd better get strapped in.  There's a nice bar on the skyplex.  We'll continue this there."

She nodded.  She got ready in silence and tried to catalog the questions she had into some kind of logical order.  When they stepped off the ship, she looked over at Ian, dressed in his duster and armed as normal, she felt warm inside.  She gave him a smile.

"Came here with the Glory a time or two.  Soon we'll come back here with her again."

Her smile grew broad and she nodded.

"Can't wait ta be home," she said, smiling.  She couldn't help but have her hand fall onto her stomach for a brief moment before it slid off.  She wasn't ready to share with anyone else yet.

It was nice to slide into a booth and do just normal things like having a drink, not blowing things up or fighting off invaders.  In a way, it was kind of unsettling.

"What did you want to ask me?"

She did have several things to ask, but she tilted her head and watched around her.  There was a girl standing at the bar trying to get a drink and having a bad time of it.

"Yes, I'm old enough, and no, it's not a fake ID."

Abe giggled a bit.

"That sounds way too familiar don't it?" she said to Ian and the girl huffed off to a booth with no drink.  Then she turned her eyes to Ian.  "I do have lots of questions, mainly how we are goin' ta plan ta work this and how long do ya think we can go without alertin' Kuei ta our circumstances?"

She looked back to the crowd watching folks milling about and clocking where their crewmates were.

"Place is gettin' busy, ain't it?" she murmured as a waitress came by and askedtheir order.  She almost told them she wanted some tequila or whisky, but opted for ginger ale.  "Do ya have any of that here?  If not, water would do.  The bottled kind, not from the station's system."

God only knows what kinds of things grow in some places' systems or how well they are maintained.

Then she watched as a woman approached the girl at the booth.  The other lady obviously had means, for she dressed that way.  Fine garments, jewelry, the air of wealth all around her...

"Do ya suppose she is tryin' to get herself robbed on the way back ta wherever she came from?  Some of these stations aren't exactly full of law abidin' citizens," Abe commented quietly to Ian as she sent another smile his way.  "I mean, look...  We're here."

Then the girl nearly jumped out of her seat when the woman spoke and she found her hand nearing Dude from under the table as Abe studied the situation closer.

But it was Lin coming in with a couple of people, both looking slightly disheveled and possibly a bit bloody.  She stiffened and used a lifted chin to direct Ian's eye that direction.

"He looks OK," she said of Kuei. 

Maybe Lin knew them?  He didn't look alarmed in any way.  She watched as Lin passed by, giving them a nod before joining the other crew members, apparently bringing a couple of new folk with him.

"Looks like things went well, huh?" she mentioned as drinks were put down in front of them.  She uncapped the water and took a drink before putting the cap back on it.  "Do ya think we should join in? Or do ya have any ideas on how ta be a gunhand and pregnant at the same time while hindin' it from the captain of the ship you're currently on?"

 

[Amorru Reyes]

"A fellow pilot? Interesting."

Clever girl! What's that she said? Fellow? Huh. Two pilots competing for a paying gig... Well, suppose I shouldn't get too attached to her now...

"The two ladies at the bar? They seem interested in you. Know them?"

Amorru glanced toward the bar, wondering if the Silkwater twins finally tracked him down, finding only Lady Charity and somebody's kid sister who apparently snuck into the bar. The answer to the question "Why?" eluded him, but in the asking of the question he found himself taking a curious interest in Charity's activity for the first time since meeting her.

"The one in the dress... She's a passenger on the boat I came up here to join. Think she's obsessed with me. The posh, soft-handed bores she's likely used to passing time with, can't say I blame her."

"Oh, My name is Jerilyn. Friends call me Jeri for short. Maybe one of these ships ... "

Amorru smiled as she showed him the Cortex viewer. His eyes followed the length of her ponytail as she leaned toward him. Maybe Co-Pilots isn't such a bad idea. Split cleaning duties, rotate breaks while maintaining routes, extra set of eyes on the gauges,  Amorru's mind drifted idly toward other potential benefits when she reminded him she was a person with a name.

"I'm Amorru. Friends call me Amy. Any of these boats look fine. Though I can't remember flying one looked like that." Amorru smiled, excited by the prospect of having another pilot around to talk to. He followed Jeri's eyes towad Charity and her youthful new companion. Huh. Wonder what kinda game The Lady's playing at now...

"Any chance you'd be willing to share some background? Just got the feeling we might have run into each other before. You know, common grounds and all. "

Amorru gave Jerilyn a suspicious look. Could be she's mistaken. Could be I just suspected a trap a night too early. Coud be Lady Charity's the mastermind behind it all... Could be tonight's saki is stronger than last night. Fine.
If Jeri wants to talk I'll talk. Haven't played Pack of Lies in awhile now. Hope I'm not too rusty.

"Sure thing, Jeri. That's the nice thing about friends! We can talk about anything. So, what would you like to know?"  Amorru maintained a friendly expression as he and Jeri laid out their metaphorical cards over conversation. He let her have the first round, hearing her questions and answering the ones he liked. As she spoke, Amorru planned his own turn.

Back on Persephone, a tweenage Galileo Duschane struggled to maintain his focus on the placement of his fencing instructor's feet over the curvature of her hips. "Mounting and maintaining a proper defense, Stevany imparted upon her charge, "begins before the opponent is even in range. Let's begin."
Galileo's feet propelled him toward a sound and proper thrashing as the well-versed Dame sprang her own trap.

The rings on Amorru's fingers bounced up and down on the table, drumming a frantic racket. Phase one: distraction. "Hey! You ever fly a Komodo?"