ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

[Heretic Zed]

The ‘Verse so far…

As could be expected, after the Miranda broadcast, there had been political uproar. Important men resigned, scapegoats were named and one of them had literally fallen on his sword. But the major players, the rich men in the shadows remained the same and before long things settled down back to business as usual. The would kept turning, the ‘Verse kept spinning.

The new batch of politicians had made promises about taking military action against the Reavers. Operation Miranda, a taskforce of ships sent into Reaver territory in an attempt to exterminate them. Lead by generals who had been colonels during the Unification War, one crucial error had been made. The Taskforce commanders had underestimated the Reavers, thought of them as rabid mindless animals. They were mistaken. Reavers are mad, no doubt about that. But they are also highly intelligent. The taskforce encountered traps, ambushes, and found themselves being the hunted. If not for reinforcements sent from the core worlds, the taskforce would never have made it back alive.

Yet the operation seems to have worked. Reaver attacks are far less frequent now, as though the rim has suddenly become silent…
***

Some days just had more problems then others. Life was just like that, nothing to do but take them on one by one. And it was with this attitude Captain Isa Mac-Orashu stood on the sloped hatch of the firefly class ship Rhapsody. It had touched down on Haven not more than a quarter hour ago. Apparently it didn’t take long for the crew to pack up the last of their positions, because now they were making their way past her.

First was Hendly, he was the “Security Specialist”, civilized talk for hired gunmen. He didn’t say anything, just walked away with his back to Isa. She couldn’t really blame him. Why stick around when nobody else was.

Next was Dash, the pilot. She only met Isa’s eyes once sheepishly then quickly looked away. What was it, guilt? Shame? Or was she just frightened?

Bernard, the medic was next, directing some dockworkers to help him load the coffin containing Reed, the mechanic, onto a mule hovercraft. Bernard blamed himself for Reed’s death. Kept saying his skills weren’t good enough. True, he had choked under pressure, but Reavers were hardly something a country doctor like Bernard couldn’t have been ready for. Reed shouldn’t have charged in like that either, that’s what got him killed. Sometimes being afraid was a useful trait.

Next was Max, First mate, he didn’t say anything to Isa, but he mumbled random gibberish to himself. He had been like that the whole trip back from the job. The man needed serous help. Maybe he could find it on Haven, but Isa doubted he would ever head back into the black again.

And last, Sara. Prissy and imperious as ever. She strode past Isa and turned, “You! She said in a voice bordering on hysteria, “In all my years I have never met anyone so obnoxiously rude and lecherous and…” Isa stopped listening after that point. God the woman could complain. She was a want-to-be Companion who thought she could make her mark out on the edge of the ‘verse. She had been sourly mistaken.

Sara continued on for a time. Isa nodded without listening. Whatever Sara was spouting it was probably true. At last the other woman finished her tirade and fixed Isa with a look of contempt.

Isa mimed blowing her a kiss, which made Sara bristle even more. She spun on her heal, a motion that resulted in her loosing her balance, nearly twisting her ankle. Sara declined to look back and limped away as quickly as she could. Some women just didn’t have what it would take to be a Companion.

“Well” Isa said to herself, “That’s everyone.” Turning around she looked into the hold of her now vacant ship. There was still work do be done. A drawback of being part of legal salvage operations, contracts to fulfill. “Guess it’s time for a new crew.”

She stepped off the hatch ramp, closed and locked the door behind her after setting her scout drone to patrol mode inside the hold. Locks were all well and good, but having something watching over the ship wile she was gone was better. One might consider it a gross miss use of military surplus equipment, but it wasn’t like she could afford a real watch dog.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Elsewhere in the small port, another pair of people were disembarking, but as passengers, not crew.

"So what are we doing on Haven, Vikki?" The younger of the two women asked, looking at the other for a moment before scanning the area. "This place looks pretty bleak, doesn't it? I'm still clueless as to why he didn't just come get us on Ariel." She said, then shrugged and dug through the pack she was bringing along, coming up with a pair of Fruity Oaty Bars, and offering one to Vikki, as she started peeling the packaging off the other. "Want one?"

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

A small ship, not large enough to hold more than half a dozen people, was entering the port as well. The ship in question was worn, torn, and in terrible shape. The poor girl had seen better days, that was certain. However, the ol' gal was still faithful, and determined as when she was born, and made sure her passenger made it safely to his destination.

The hatch lowered, allowing the only passenger aboard to step onto the ground of the planet. A handsome man, who was seen always with at least a small smile on his face, with proper, neat brown hair, simple clothing fitting a civilian, as well as a dangerous looking sword, the sheath decorated with Chinese design, and a pistol, that looked to have been constructed with Newtech design, was seen stepping down out of the ship. Once his feet placed themselves on the ground, he turned around, and smiled warmly at the captain who was standing at the top of the ramp, looking back at him. "Thanks for the lift, I owe you." the handsome man thanked her.

The middle aged woman smiled back at him, arms folded, and gave him a wink, "You don't owe me a thang, sugah." she told him. The woman was a blond haired, blue eyed woman in her thirties, with a 'country girl' accent. Her hair went down in curls, not past her shoulders in length. Her lips were full, and her eyes sparkled when any kind of light touched them. Now, they were sparking at Duke, having taken a fancy to the charming man. "You helped me out plenty to! Besides... You know I'd do anything for you, Duke."

"You're the sweetest girl in the whole 'verse, Tammy." he complimented her, "I'll let the folks who I'm giving this package to know the name of the sweet-heart who helped me get here."

Tammy giggled, walking down the ramp, passing by Duke as she trailed a hand along his clean shaven face, "Come see me anytime, Duke, I'll be waiting..." she said suggestively, before walking out of the door to the port the ship was in, letting Duke catch a good view of the back of her body, which he happily enjoyed.

"As much as I'd like to give you the night of your life, Tammy..." Duke lifted up a small package in his hands, smiling at it faintly, "A hero's work is never done. Those old folks are countin' on me." he said aloud, before walking in the direction Tammy went, out of the port. Once in the local area, Duke walked straight to where two very kind folks lived, one of whom was sick, and required a medicine that was considered illegal, due to it's side effects. Duke knocked on the door, and when an old man, wrinkly skinned and white haired opened the door to see Duke standing there, his old eyes lit up with hope. That's when Duke lifted the package in his hands, offering it to the man, "For the lady." he said politely.

The man smiled brightly at Duke, and almost seemed on the verge of crying, "Thank you so much Duke, you have no idea what this means to me. I was so worried that sickness was gonna take my wife away from me..." he told Duke.

Duke only smiled, shaking his head a little, "Thank a kind, lovely woman named Tammy, she helped me get this." he said, handing the package to the old man.

At that point, the man did begin to cry. He wiped a tear of joy off of his face, "You really are a hero, I know that now. If you ever need anything, Duke, anything at all, just ask. I owe you everything."

Duke smiled, and made a small bow to the man, "My pleasure. I'm here to help the people, just like my father. Give your wife my regards." Duke said, before turning, and walking away, "Take care, now!" Duke told him, waving his hand as he walked away. Duke had intentions on first finding a cozy place to lay his head. He remembered Tammy is a religious girl herself, and fit in quite nicely with the folks here. He knew he'd be welcome in both her home, and her bed...

However, once he'd reached a much quieter part of the area, Duke soon realized he was being followed by a couple individuals. Duke wasted no time, he turned about, and looked at the two men dressed as mercenaries, placing a hand on the hilt of his sword attached to his back. "There somethin' I can help you two gentlemen with?" Duke asked them.

Instead of reaching for their guns, they placed their hands on blades they themselves were carrying, "Yeah... You can come with us without makin' a ruckus." one of the two men told Duke. "We ain't gonna hurt ya if ya just play along. Styx dun said she wants you alive." the thug announced.

Duke let out a sigh, and drew his sword, gripping the hilt in both his hands, "Sorry, but I don't want to see her, even dead." Duke announced.

The two men drew their weapons as well, pointing them at Duke, "I don't remember givin' you a choice, kid." the man said, as the two men prepared to try and overwhelm the boy with their superior numbers...

(Leavin' that scene as-is, for certain people looking for a crew to come in, and save the day. )

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Song Kunrou took a deep breath of the air as she stepped out of her living quarters. After living on Ariel as a premier doctor, moving out here to the edge of the 'Verse was a bit of culture shock, but the people here helped her through that, and now she was as at home among them as she once was among the stark walls of the hospitals back on Ariel.

She wore a simple sleeveless white top that had the Chinese symbol for "Hope" embroidered on the back of it and dark leggings. Her shoes were heavy combat boots and her long, lustrous black hair was done up in a bun on the back of her head. There was a pistol in a holster on one hip, and she had her medicine bag strapped to her belt on the other side.

She noticed the ruffians nearly to overtake the stranger and she hurried to his aid, pulling her gun from her hip, "That's enough boys." she said in a soft voice, "Put the weapons down and leave this man alone." she spoke as if she were speaking to a dangerous animal, and perhaps she was, then she turned to the man an angry expression forming on her face, "You Mei Yong Ma Duh Tse Gu Yong! How dare you make me wait this long and then when I find you you're sneaking away! Come with me Ma Shong!" she grabbed his arm with her free hand, hoping her bluff worked.

((And I hope the bluff doesn't work, cause then we can both be found :'D ))

 

[avatar99]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Sighing as she steps off the shuttle from persephone Jean looks around for the nearest watering hole. She was supposed to meet a client there and the money offered up for the job was quite tempting. 'I wonder who I'm meant to be protecting this time.' She thinks to herself as she keeps a watchfull eye on the area around her. She hoped that this offer wasn't another attempt from a client to turn her into an assasin as she steps into the 'Velvet Rose' bar.

 

[Heretic Zed]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Isa walked without much thought about where to go. In her head she mulled over her problems over and over again. People were keeping their distance from her. Understandable, after all she was intimidating tall, dressed in a dark green military cut overcoat over black coveralls with black heavy work boots. The large sword on her back and the scowl on her face probably helped as well.

Because she wasn’t paying much attention, she walked into the scene being played out between two tugs with swords and the young man and woman they were apparently accosting. Isa sighed.

She could A) walk away and deal with the regret she’d feel for not even lifting a finger to help. She could B) try to reason out what was going on and mediate the situation…

Or C) she could cut to the chase, draw her sword and see who ran off first. As always, she chose C.

There’s something imposing about a six foot tall woman drawing a Claymore out of a half scabbard on her back, “Get lost,” She said to the thugs, “You don’t want to see how angry I’ll get if I have to use this, and I’ve already had a bad day…”

((RJ, I’ll leave it to you to decide how they would react to that.))

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

All three men were surprised at the sudden change of situation. When Kunrou walked onto the scene, and addressed the thugs ready to overtake Duke, the two bulky men looked to one another in confusion at the sudden development. And stood stupidly as she walked over, and grabbed the arm of the younger looking, apparent victim of the situation. "W-what-" Duke stuttered as she started pulling him away.

As the two started making some distance, the confused henchmen suddenly snapped back to reality, and remembered what they were supposed to do, realizing that the Chinese woman they saw marching up to the scene was running off with the man they were sent to collect. "Hey! Wait a minute!" the brute shouted, pulling his gun, and pointing it at the woman, "He's gettin' away!"

Duke, at that moment, took control over as much of the situation as he could. Duke positioned himself between Kunrou, and the thugs, knowing they'd hold fire, and wouldn't shoot her for risk of killing him. "What were you thinking!" Duke questioned her, "You must run, I will handle them while you get-"

Duke was inturrupted by the sound of a large sword being drawn, and a powerful looking woman holding an oversized sword in her hands. “Get lost,” She said to the thugs, “You don’t want to see how angry I’ll get if I have to use this, and I’ve already had a bad day…”

The thugs now seemed either intimidated, or annoyed. "Where the heck are all these chicks comin' from!" one of the henchmen shouted, "Styx said he'd be alone!" the other claimed.

The two thugs began to take several steps back, realizing now that they were the ones that were outnumbered. "To hell with this, he ain't worth diein' over!" the henchman announced, before they both turned on their heels, and fled.

Duke let out a sigh, "A shame, I wouldn't have minded getting a little exercise." he said aloud, before turning to Isa with an attractive smile, the same one used to make a woman's heart crumble with love at first sight, "You are as strong as you are beautiful, milady." Duke complimented her, before looking back and forth between Isa, and Kunrou, "Thank you both for trying to help me, but this would not be the first time I've had to deal with thugs like them, you see. However, I'm not a man who doesn't repay acts of kindness, is there anything I can do for you in return for your bravery?" he asked both Kunrou and Isa, feeling in his heart that kindness should always be rewarded.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Kunrou shook her head, "I'm a doctor, and I've been here long enough to make this my home but I know there are other places in the 'Verse that need my skills. I'd like to have what they called on Earth-that-was a traveling practice. So unless you know a Captain in need of a crew..." she sighed.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Duke folded his arms in thought, "I don't know if I can help with that... You see, I'm having a similar problem myself. As you might imagine, those thugs are likely not the only ones on this planet, and since those two still live... My presence here will be known eventually..." he explained.

 

[Heretic Zed]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Oh this was just too easy. “Um, I’m a ship captain…” Isa said pointing at herself. She thought for a second, it might be better to get to know these two before up and singing them on as a crew. She had made that mistake with the last crew and look where it got her. She re-sheathed her sword in one fluid movement that she had practiced for quite some time and said “You know what? You say you owe me, so how about you buy me a drink and we three talk it over. The Velvet Rose is pretty close.”

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Kunrou blinked rapidly, "Really? You are?" her voice edged a little higher with hope, then she nodded, "Yes, talking this out seems prudent. This is How Shi Sung Chung."

(((Sorry for so much Chinese, but i figure since she IS Chinese a little excess won't hurt xD )))

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Duke nodded at Isa, "A drink then. My name is Duke, by the way. Many of the folk here know me as, hero as well..." he chuckled, before turning, and walking in the direction he intended on going before the interruption, and rescue, towards the bar. "Come, with all the ruckus, I'd rather not stay here long, we'll say what we must in the bar," he told them both, leading the way for the bar, and giving the amorous captain Isa a good look at his nicely shaped rump as he did so...

 

[Goldstein]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

In the bar, a bespectacled man in a long overcoat sits at a table by himself. Several bags rest on the floor near him. He sips on occasion from a glass of something, but doesn't seem to be here to drink. Rather, if anyone happened to notice him at all, they would find him to simply be observing, and listening. 'After all,' he might muse to himself, 'bars are the classic meeting place.' Even if he doesn't find what he's waiting for today, there is always the next day. After all, he's certainly not on any sort of schedule.

 

[avatar99]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Jean sighs as she sits at her table in the bar. She looks around but it would appear the person that was to meet her here hasn't shown up. "It would appear I've been stood up." She says chuckling wryly to herself as she continues to wait for the person that was giving her that job.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Vikki quickly declined Lyn's offer of a snack. The younger woman shrugged and stuck the second bar back in her pack.

"Alright, your loss." She says happily, looking around once again. "Well, wander I guess? I'm kinda hungry, let's find some food." Without waiting for an answer from the older woman, Lyndis shouldered her pack and started weaving her way through the crowd, smiling as if at some personal joke.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Kunrou followed behind the ship captain thanking the Buddha for this opportunity to treat people elsewhere in the 'Verse.

 

[Heretic Zed]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Isa had to hide her snickering at Duke’s posturing. Her face fell when the Doctor chose to fall into step behind her, preventing her any chance of studying the other woman in more detail. From what Isa could tell, she had that idealistic flare common among doctors, but the sense to have a weapon handy.

She glumly walked in the center of the trio, rolling her eyes occasionally at Duke’s posturing.

The Velvet Rose was like many of the frontier bars across the ‘Verse, the only difference between it and the ones found on core worlds was that in the core, they payed extra for the rustic wood floors, worn tables and rugged looking bartenders.

Isa took the lead here, choosing an out of the way table by one of the side walls where the three of them could talk without having to shout over the crowd, not that there was one yet, but one could never tell when things might get rowdy. The table was round, Isa sat facing the wall with her back to the bar. She wasn’t exactly expecting trouble here and there wasn’t anyone on Haven she would have to keep an eye out for.

She waved a waitress over, noticing that it was a new one, a young woman --practically still a girl. Probably fresh off a farm by the way she walked among the tables with a tray held with both hands. She had blond hair in pigtails and freckles on her cheeks. She also hadn’t realized that Isa was openly leering at her.

“Whut can’ah get fur ya?” The waitress said. Oh yes, thought Isa, very fresh off the farm.

“Glass of Scotch,” Isa said, “On this guy.” She pointed a thumb at Duke.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Duke smiled at the woman when her gaze went to him, "Hello, Cindy," he greeted her, "I won't be having anything today, I'd rather be sober. So, how's work here been treating you so far? I hope everyone's been kind to you, you know who to come to when someone treats you wrong." he told her, already revealing his charming habits to the two women at the table as he gave Cindy the waitress a warm smile. His charm, and flirtatious disposition much more likely to be noticed by the young girl than Isa's leering.

 

[Chibichibi]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Kunrou seated herself across the table from Isa. "Nothing alcoholic for me, but you already knew that dear." she said to the waitress. then she smiled at Isa, "You know you've been in a place far too long when the waitress in a place you rarely frequent knows what type of juice you prefer." She seemed to relax in her seat, "Which is why i want to get away, to travel, to see other worlds and treat people in places that need me the most." She trailed off, "Dui bu qi, I tend to ramble."

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: ITTB: Episode 1: Some Days

Duke raised his eyebrows, and leaned back in his seat, regarding the Chinese woman with a pleased smile. Although he was a bit put off by the fact neither woman introduced themselves proper, and what he was beginning to assume about the woman with the sword's sexual preference. "This would not bode well for a man such as myself aboard her ship. Perhaps I'm not as fortunate as I had imagined..." he thought to himself.

"That's quite an honorable goal," he said to Kunrou, "I'm surprised you and I haven't met yet, Miss...?" he trailed off, allowing her to introduce herself, or rather, encouraging her to do so. Meanwhile, he was trying very hard not to glance at Isa, for fear of showing his thoughts on actually joining her crew.