Another Day in the Sun

[Marcus O'Terra]

Gan'Zu District
June 17, 2517 - Persephone
10:08 AM Local Time
5:59 P.M A.S.T

The moment the cargo ramp door came down, there was a jolt of heat. Persephone had been having quite a strange week for weather in the area. Most portions were reporting periods of dry heat, while others had a windy rain dousing the streets. 

The Gan’Zu however had been blessed with the first, and the inhabitants of the area seemed rather dissatisfied with the way that things were. Life was already hard enough for most, and they didn’t need to know that nature itself was working against them. But things continued to move like there was nothing different. Was metallic in front of the ship, like the landing pad the ship had touched down on. 

The people of the Gan’Zu at least had the luxury of knowing they wouldn’t be suffering from gusts of dust from the streets blowing in all over their homes and shops, unlike some other places on the planet.

It was a bit past ten when The Chainless landed and Marcus walked down the ramp to the fore cargo bay. It had stairs leading down and he'd come to prefer it. The rear seemed like the sort of bay for heavy crates and things that would be moved around.

He looked around, letting the loose fabric of his the pale red tee he was wearing breath in the heat. He had his coat, and it was open, Gan'Zu wasn't dusty but that was no sense in not dressing for it. His eyes were waiting for a familiar face, one he'd not seen since he last made landfall on Persephone.

"Where the hell are you, Z?" He grumbled, scanning the crowds.

[Ilana Logan]

Ilana stepped off of the ship behind Marcus.  She looked around for a moment then started off toward the shops, hoisting her empty duffel and knapsack higher on her shoulder.  She had a nice sized list though not all of it was for the ship.  Some of it was personal items.  She walked down the street, and she found a small store that sold food stuffs right near the ship.  She didn't know if Fuller had left the ship or not, but she did know there wasn't really a while lot of food on board.  She walked in and bought some things she figured they needed, totaling about 151 credits.  She loaded the foods into her duffel and ran it all back to the ship, deposited it in the cold storage, emptying the duffel and knapsack to take out with her again, then walked back out to find the rest of the items she was looking for.

Across the street from the food store, she found a place that sold tech stuff, and she went in, found the security console she'd wanted and bought it for 10 credits, which was slightly overpriced, but she wanted it.  Plus she got a few other things she wanted.  Everything totaled about 187 credits.  It all went into the knapsack as well.  That oughta keep him out, she thought, thinking of Hawkeye's spying earlier in the day.

Just down from the tech store, she found a clothing shop that also sold some toiletries.  She went in a found a few things she wanted, bought them for about 25 credits, plus a duster she really liked for for 10 credits, and stuffed them in the knapsack. She thought, the price on the duster was pretty steep, but she really liked it.  Most of her clothes were left on Beaumonde in her tiny loft, and there was no telling when she'd be going back there. When she walked out, she saw the store she'd been looking for the entire time: the parts shop.  She walked around the store and found what she wanted; two more crates of scraps and a reg coupler for the gravity hub.  Theirs hadn't went out yet, but one looked to be just about shot.  She paid for the things she'd picked out, put the smaller item in the duffel and hefted the crates up. Damn, this trip really cut into my wallet, she thought as she left the shop.

She made her way back to the ship and deposited everything in the cargo bay against the wall.  She walked back to the ramp and sat down about halfway down the ramp.  She laid her rifle across her lap and waited.

[Marcus O'Terra]

Hawkeye

Hawkeye walked off the ship into the hot air of Persephone, only a few weeks ago Hawkeye had been working out of here, it looked the same. Persephone was a place Hawkeye had come to at key times in his past, about 6 years ago Hawkeye had come here to build his new identity, and it had been the first place he had come, when he left Beylix, now it was his first stop on a new ship. 

Hawkeye watched as Ilana headed off towards the shopping district, well the tourist shopping district, during Hawkeye's stay here he had discovered that, that specific section of town was overpriced, because it was where all the offworlders came. Hawkeye knew better, and headed deeper into town to find the places the locals shopped at.

Hawkeye's first stop was a small electronics dealer, the ship's wiring was tangled, breaking, and crappy, Hawkeye figured most would need to come out, and be replaced, nothing Ilana and he couldn't handle, if she ever talked to him. 4 credits for a whole bundle of wires. Hawk also picked up a comm splitter, 9 credits, this little box would allow the Chainless to have up to 5 calls going on at once, very useful. 

Next was parts, the Chainless' short range sensors, and external hull integrity sensors were shot, and would have to be replaced. Hawkeye found both at a scrap shop, 220, a reasonable fee, Hawk thought. At the nextdoor clothes shop, Hawkeye bought a replacement for his ruined sleeveless shirt, as well as a black, and a blue button down. Now it was about time to return to the ship. Hawkeye lugged his stuff back, and placed it in the cargo bay. Guard duty.

[Ilana Logan]

Ilana watched Hawkeye walk past her.  For all the world, he looked like he hadn't even seen her, sitting in the middle of the ramp with her huge rifle across her lap.  She stood and walked up into the cargo bay, standing sideways so she could see the ramp and some of the ground beyond.  She looked toward Hawkeye, who was setting down whatever things he had bought.

She said, "First thing, I want to apologize for that first day.  I'm not saying you were right, because for at least some of it I don't believe you were.  However, I only came up there when I did because I was pissed off and looking for someone to take it out on.  When I heard your voice come over the comm, you gave me exactly what I was looking for.  In any case, we can't afford for tensions to be this high between the crew.  I'm not saying I trust you exactly, because I don't, and I don't lie to people because I don't like people who lie to me;  but I'm willing to at least entertain the possibility that I might trust you at some point."


She held her hand out and, jokingly, said in a questioning tone, "Frienemies?"  Before he could answer she added, "You should know I bought a fresh baked apple pie and you can only have a slice if you accept."  She grinned broadly, at herself as much as at Hawkeye.

[Marcus O'Terra]

Hawkeye

Hawkeye listened to what Ilana had to say, it was good that they were talking, things had been tense for most of the trip, and it was about time to cut that tension. The two of them were crew members and they'd have to talk eventually. 

"I'm sorry for involving Jay and you in my plot, I forgot that not everyone is a curious as me, or sees my curiosity the same way.  I won't lie to you, if you don't lie to me, but I'm not agreeing to any full disclosure crap either." 

Ilana's offer of a rigid peace was only made sweeter by the offer of apple pie, Hawkeye took Ilana's hand and shook it, "Frenemies, and besides I'll need your help Re-wiring the cockpit, installing the comm splitter, and the replacement short range, and hull sensor systems."

[Ilana Logan]

Rienna Stone


The call came the day before; Riena had made sure that all her geese were in a row.. so to speak. The rondevu point was at one' o clock, at a bar not too far. Hell of a place to stay, mind you. Dirty, smelly and full of old men and drunks. She couldn't have been more please by leaving. 

The job was simple; Steal item A. Give Item A to person B. Only problem was Item A was no where to be found and person B was rearing for a fight. The sound of bone crunching of the weight of her fist, was an all too common sound for Riena. Blood stained her clothes, and along with the hand she was using to teach the traitor a lesson. She had the slack of his collar in her grasp, his body limp as he leaned in. From the previous beating he'd gotten. Most of his front teeth were missing."auh schwer! aet wschasn'd mauh adauh schone!" His face was already ballooning into a swollen mess. "Really? 'cause I am pretty damn sure that you had intent to blow my head off not two seconds ago!" her tone enraged, and on the edge of destruction.

"The next time you ... get the idea to go behind my back... DON'T...dohn mah?" with those final words she let go of his shirt, and pummeled his face one more time; sending him to the ground in an unconscious bloody heap. "Good for nuth'n trash!...waste of my time!" Hocking a hefty sized glob, she spat it out to wards the ground at the man, some of the spit hung to her mouth, her attempt to spit always failed her, and made her look like Feh-Feh-Pi-Goh. Wiping it away with the back of her hand, Riena began sifting through his person, she found money, a wallet, a small black book with written words, and numbers. 

and now it was time to run. 

"I think that Marcus won't mind a  gift or two... courtesy of.. whats-his-face..."

Coming to stand Riena threw all the new possesions into her rucksack, throwing it over her shoulder. She began her hasty retreat from the shadows into the crowd and towards the docks. Pushing past people, and carts. Riena could have sworn she was being followed. Or was it her eyes? it couldn't be. She hurried her pace, and began searching. Her light attire did well with the weather. Her dark wash denim, matched with a pair of sturdy black boots; a light grey jacket hanging out of her bag. A plain white wife-beater. With of course specks of blood. Shiny. Just like old times. 

Taking out a folded piece of paper with the numbers 784 scribbled quickly onto it's faded parchment. Riena counted down the ships; Never having seen Marcus's ship before. The numbers would help out. "Seven-eighty....seven-eighty-two....." Sighing inwardly, as she dodged a oncoming vehicle carring a large bundle of passengers. "HEY CHWEN, watch where you're going...I'm walkin' here!" Spinning around she stopped short when he eyes rested on the open cargo door of the very ship she as looking for. "Seven-Eighty-Four......" her smile cresting her lips. 

"AYE! Marcus.. Don't you look mighty proud owning your own gorram ship....look at that face!" her voice carried through the crowd, as she was visible from where he was standing.

[Ilana Logan]

Amelia


Amelia slipped into a black tank top and cargo pant, stuffing her slinky black dress, the information she'd just stolen, and the 3 diamond rings she'd taken from the man who's penthouse this was, Jeremy she thought the name was, but Amelia couldn't be bothered to remember now that the job was done. Amelia left a red rose on the man's sleeping form, and snuck out the door.

Amelia was awoken hours later, by knock on her door. What the Tsao, Amelia opened the door, but nobody was there, on the floor Amelia found a note with a black coiled serpent on it, Amelia recognized the symbol it belonged to a local drug runner. Tsao, this was not good, if Amelia had know she was stealing from one of his men, she never would have done it. What was the point of living in an apartment where she could be anonymous, and using a fake name, if the subjects of a drug runner could find her, and leave a death threat, so easily? Amelia needed to get out of here and lie low for a bit, maybe even get off world. Amelia grabbed her bag from the night before, stuffed the rest of her clothes, her toiletries, and her other two knives into the bag. Just before Amelia left she noticed a message from Hawkeye, apparently he would be on Persephone and wanted to check in. Problem solved, she'd hitch a ride with him. And without a single thought, she left her apartment. 

Amelia ran and didn't look back. Amelia walked down, the line of ships, until she saw a face she knew, it was Theodore, captain of the Witt's End, well Hawkeye was his name now. She'd found Hawkeye now it was time to hitch a ride. "Hey Hawkeye, long time no see!"

[Ilana Logan]

"I'm not looking for any of that full disclosure crap.  I won't give it, so I can't expect to get it from anyone else.  However, I can work on the wiring.  That's not a problem.  Right now though, I need to get to the galley and put the food away, along with the other things I picked up," Ilana said to Hawkeye.  "I'll be back in a couple minutes."

She turned, slung her rifle strap over her shoulder, and walked into the galley, fished out the things that didn't need to be in cold storage, and put them in the cabinets.  She jogged back to the cargo hold and grabbed the rest of the things she had bought.  She took the parts up to the engine room, and put the personal items in her bunk.  She made it back to the cargo bay just in time to see two women approaching the ship.  She touched her gun out of instinct.  One woman shouted to Marcus, and the other to Hawkeye.  She relaxed slightly when she saw the women approaching knew the men, but only slightly because "knew them" is not mutually exclusive with "liked them."

Interesting, she thought.  She had known they were meeting someone, but she hadn't known who.

[Marcus O'Terra]

Hawkeye

As Ilana was returning, two women were heading their way, Hawkeye fingered his revolver, as they approached. The first girl called out to Marcus, were these girls new crew members? A moment or two the second girl called out to him, it took Hawkeye a moment to remember the girl, Amelia was her name, she had fought in the war under Hawkeye. They had, had a few contacts since the war, he got her a job on Persephone, she got him a job when he came out of hiding, Hawkeye had called her about meeting up, when they were en route, but he never heard back, so he had figured she wasn't interested. 

Amelia, haven't seen you for, what a month, not that long of a time, but in that amount of time, you've probably been in tens of men's beds, so I see how you could think a month is a long time. I figured you'd left the planet when you didn't return my call, it's a bit of a surprise to see you here.

What did Amelia want, and why was she here, she had never made communication with Hawk without wanting something before. Hawkeye just hoped she wasn't here on a job. 

[Marcus O'Terra]

Marcus was a little wary of how things were unfolding. While he was waiting, Ilana and Hawkeye had gone out to shop for parts, Marcus stood waiting, watching the crowds move and sussing up the state of things. 

The Chainless was a massive ship, on the ground it was easier to tell. 

He watched passively as Ilana and Hamlin returned from their respective errands he turned to point at their purchases. The conversation between Ilana and Hamlin brought a smirk to his face. 

The sounds of women brought his attention to the crowd, Riena and another woman, who seemed to be heading to Hamln. He raised and eyebrow and while their attention was on each other, he motioned to Ilana, pointed to his eyes then at the pair of them. His message was clear. Watch them.

Riena closed in on him and he nodded at her comment. "Honeymoon's over, anyway. Look, I gotta make a run. Stay here, introduce yourself. Don't shoot anyone."

[Ilana Logan]

Amelia


Amelia scowled, what was Theodore's problem, why couldn't he just trust her. But of course, Corporal Aspen was too smart to trust Amelia off the bat, Amelia knew she wouldn't trust herself, if she met her. 

Amelia came up to Theodore and stroked his neck, "Come on Hawkeye, no need to be so cold, when I heard you were in town I just jumped at the opportunity to meet you, and your new friends. Come on Hawkeye loosen up." 

Amelia ran her finger down Theodore's back one last time, and then headed over to the woman, she looked like the one in charge. 

"So are you the person holding Hawkeye's leash? I'm looking for a change of scenery, a new work environment, would you be interested in hiring me?"

[Ilana Logan]

lana gave one curt nod to Marcus and looked to the women.  She watched as the second woman walked right up to Hawkeye and shuddered in disgust.  Clearly they knew each other, and from what she could gather Hawkeye was the one with the lack of fondness.  When she gathered Hawkeye wasn't going to loosen up, as she put it, the woman turned to Ilana and asked, "So are you the person holding Hawkeye's leash? I'm looking for a change of scenery, a new work environment, would you be interested in hiring me?"  Ilana's anger flared at the thought of what the woman had just implied, but she reined it in.

Ilana took a deep breath and said, "Far as I can tell, he doesn't have a leash.  If he does, I sure as hell ain't the one holding it.  You can look at the scenery right here all you like but you'll have to ask for a job from the Captain.  No one who isn't crew leaves the cargo bay until he returns.  It's my and Hawkeye's job to guard the ship and we can't do that if we're chasing either of you down"

She glanced at the other woman, then back to the one who had spoken to her, "What are your names?"

[Marcus O'Terra]

Hawkeye

Hawkeye pushed Amelia off him, he didn't want her running her hands all over him, she was up to no good, she was always a flirt, but she was always looking for something to gain, something to steal, anything that could get her a leg up, anything that could get her what she wanted. Hawkeye was not going to let Amelia manipulate him.

Hawkeye listened as Amelia solicited, Ilana for a Job, sorry bitch, Hawkeye thought, your not going to find any help there. Hawkeye realized how this would seem, it would seem like, like he had asked Amelia to join them, like he was trying to gain allies, to overwhelm Marcus, and Hawkeye would not let her manipulate them against him.

"Ilana, Amelia and I fought together in the war, but I didn't offer her a job, I only invited her to lunch, Amelia is a money grubbing bitch, and I would never ask her to be on our crew" Hawkeye hoped she would understand. 

[Jay Fuller]

[ooc: Sorry for the late post. Went camping with the family and just got back today!]

During the time in the ship, Jay had opened up to his crew members quite a bit. Whether they noticed it or not, he felt much more at ease with them then he had when the journey started. He was glad of that fact.

As soon as the ship touched down, after compiling a list of things he needed (mostly what he wanted,) he made his way out to the vendors. He picked up a few medical supplies that the ship needed. It wasn't much, the ship was surprisingly well stocked. That meant he could use the rest of the money to buy exciting things like a new shirt or some snacks. He chose a small package of a gummy candy. He stuck it in the small bag he was carrying for his supplies. He'd hide it in his room for later. He also managed to pick up a new notebook and pen. One of the other notebooks he used was almost full and he needed a refill. He had written a lot more in the past couple weeks than he had in quite a while. 

Being on a planet, smelling fresh air, and getting new stuff had put him in a particularly good mood. When he got back to the ship, he saw that Ilana and Hawkeye had returned to the ship, and that some other girl had appeared. "Shénshèng de gǒu shǐ, it's great to be back on planet!" he said a little too loudly (and cheerfully) as he walked up the loading ramp. He glanced around for a minute. "...Did I miss something?"

[Ilana Logan]

Ilana was torn between amusement and sympathy for the girl when Hawkeye pushed her away.  She pushed the sympathy out because feeling sympathy for someone you barely know is a good way to end up in stitches.  Or dead. Hawkeye started talking to her then.  She listened while he talked and sighed heavily when he finished.

She rubbed the spot between her eyes with one hand and said, "Hawkeye, I don't really give a good gorram why either of them are here.  Whether you invited her or not isn't any of my business.  I get that you wanted to warn me about her, but geez.  I dont care.  She ain't shiny I know that much on my own.  I appreciate the gesture but really, I ain't blind.  For a man who keeps so many secrets, you sure let your thoughts have run of your face pretty easily.  I could see your shock at her appearance plain as day when she walked up."

Ilana shifted her rifle so it was hanging at her side, in easy reach, just as Jay started up the ramp.  She heard his question as she stopped at the top of the ramp near the one Hawkeye had called Amelia, and said, "Yeah you did, but I can't tell you what because I'm still trying to figure that out myself."

[Jay Fuller]

"Oh." Jay said. "Cool!" He glanced over at the new girl that had arrived. She seemed a little shady, but he ignored it. Instead, he went back into the bowels of the ship. He dropped off the new medical supplies and his own personal stuff in his bunk. He was glad they were right next to each other. He, for a moment, pondered hiding in here for a while. But then he decided that there would be plenty of that after they take off. He walked back down to the deck.

When he got there, he looked around at everyone. "So.." he said, wanting to break the silence.

[Ilana Logan]

Amelia


Amelia was offended, by what Hawkeye had said, even if it was all true, but it wasnt very nice to say such things about a lady anyway. Amelia smiled a little on the inside, they way Hawkeye had defended himself to the girl, Ilana?, showed Amelia exactly who wore the pants between them. 

Amelia needed to get off, planet she had accidentally pissed off the wrong men, and if Hawkeye was so insistent not to trust her, and didn't want her on the crew, she was just going to have to work her way into the crew. "Hawkeye has a very biased view of me, He sees my greed as a bad thing, but my worth far exceeds the risk of my greed. I have a photographic memory, can cook, and I'm good at weaseling information out of people, I could be quite useful. I know it's not your job to hire crew, Ilana, but maybe you could help your captain see the worth, behind the exaggerations Hawkeye will spew."

Amelia brought her attention to the newcomer, he was cute, young, about Amelia's age she guessed, probably a bit awkward, he could be easy to manipulate."Hey there handsome, my name is Amelia, what's yours?  Amelia walked over to the newcomer, gently stroked her cheek, before taking her hair out of a ponytail, and letting it hang, wild and free. 

[Ilana Logan]

Ilana looked at Amelia as she spoke and she felt something inside of her rebelling at the thought of this woman becoming a member of the crew.  She didn't know her well enough to say she disliked her, but there was something about the woman that would have Ilana sleeping with one eye open if Marcus let her tag along.

Ilana watched as the girl all but threw herself at Fuller and shuddered in disgust at the sight.  It was really going to get old if she threw herself at every man that set foot on the ship.  

To Amelia, Ilana said, "Look, you seem like a very......" She paused for a moment.  She had almost said nice, but nice was clearly not a word that would ever be used to describe this woman.  She continued with, "....Interesting girl, but I don't know you from any other woman out there.  You don't know me," she said outloud.  

and  I pray you never will, she thought.  

"but I don't help my Captain see anything, and I don't sugar coat anything either.  I tell him the facts and let him decide on his own.  If I disagree with his decision, its not my ship so I won't argue.  The facts are that I don't know a gorram thing about you, Hawkeye all but said we should toss you out on your arse, and you disagree with his suggestions about you.  As far as your worth exceeding the risk of your greed.....that's something I don't really agree with.  I'm not saying you don't have value, I'm just saying you say it, and I have no way of knowing whether you're lying.  Honestly, I firmly believe you're lying out your arse, but that's something only time will tell.  Maybe you'll prove me wrong and maybe you won't." 

With any luck we never find out, Ilana thought.

"One more thing: throwing yourself at every male in sight won't get you anywhere." It just makes you look like a whore.  Ilana literally bit her tongue to stop the last part of that statement from coming out.  It wouldn't do anything for Ilana if the Captain came back and caught her fighting with yet another person on the ship.

[Jay Fuller]

Jay raised a suspicious eyebrow when the new girl came walking up and flirting with him. He showed no signs of interest, (not that he had any) and looked up to Ilana. "What's her problem?" he asked, pointing a thumb to her. He looked back and patted her lightly on the shoulder, "Sorry honey, you're not my type."

He smirked to himself as he walked up and stood next to Ilana. "So what's her deal, now? I don't think I caught it." He looked at her curiously before glancing back at the creepy new girl. He briefly wondered where Hawkeye ran off to.

[Ilana Logan]

"Sorry honey you're not my type," Fuller said, and Ilana let out a surprised laugh. 

Good for you kid, she thought, but secretly felt the reason was more because he was sly than because of the woman herself.  He hadn't told her that, but a lot of times she could tell with men.  It was harder with women if they weren't outright flirting with her because women didn't wear their sexuality the same way men did.

He came to stand beside her and he asked, "So what's her deal, now? I don't think I caught it," he eyed her with a strange look for a moment before his eyes roamed back to Amelia.

"Well," Ilana said with a sigh.  "She and Hawkeye clearly know each other, but in this case, know doesn't seem to be mutually exclusive with like.  Its a big he said/she said thing right now.  He says she's a money grubbing bitch.  She says he's biased.  My head hurts."  She rubbed the spot between her eyes again and sighed.  She needed something for this headache.

"Fuller, you got any Zhǐ​tòng​yào in that nice new infirmary of yours?" She asked.



zhǐ​tòng​yào means painkiller