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Post by Ilana Logan on Sept 11, 2020 18:05:34 GMT -5
Eve's Down Docks
Persephone
May 3rd, 2518
Local time: 8:34 PM
AST: 5:00 AM
Ilana sat in the back corner of the room at a table watching the door, slowly sipping bourbon. It wasn't exactly crowded, but it wasn't empty either. A decent Wednesday night, she supposed. She'd sent the wave out two weeks ago, and posted a help wanted ad on the cortex for the old JoLynn. It wasn't much, but it was home, and it was time to take her back out in the black. It had been too long.
She felt a wiggle in her front coat pocket, and Reggie's little face poked out. She gave him a pretzel from the bowl on the table and he disappeared back into her pocket. She smiled at the sweet little rat and went back to watching the door, taking another pull on her bourbon.
Now to play the waiting game. Who would show and what new faces would she see? She'd spoken with her contact on St Albans yesterday and confirmed the drop point for Beylix, around Penglai in Kalidasa. Pretty straight forward for the most part, though there is a rather odd rule about the cargo. It's going to fill the entire first bay of the JoLynn, but we're under strict orders not to open it. People want their privacy I guess, she thought. Still odd though. I wouldn't have even thought to open the cargo if they hadn't specified we couldn't.
She took a long pull of her bourbon and leaned back in the chair to wait.
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Post by Helios Hamilton on Sept 11, 2020 18:12:29 GMT -5
Helios stumbled into the bar it reminded him of the bar at the academy, just less crowded, patting the dust off himself and walking over to the bartender ordering a drink, he takes his drink and finding a seat. he kicked his feet on the table, letting his bright yellow boots blind anyone looking over and started sipping his drink he set his rucksack down and observed the woman in the corner, Helios just kept to him self and lit a cigarette watching the door, he was itching to start a brawl
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Post by Marina Kseniya Sebastien on Sept 11, 2020 19:20:34 GMT -5
Eavesdown Docks.
It was a name and a place that had some weight, if only the sort of weight felt by the heart and carried by the soul. Rina shook her captain's hand--her third captain in less than a month, her third ship, her third ride--and walked off the ramp. They'd both known the score: she was working her way across the Verse with no plan to settle down with a crew. The Captain had wisely refrained from asking what drove a talented ship's mechanic into such an itinerant lifestyle and Rina refrained from saying why. It was an arrangement that suited both of them.
Some things it was better not to know. Knowledge always had a price and Rina had already paid dearly for hers.
She didn't look back. There was little point to it. She hadn't burned any bridges with the crew she'd just left but neither was there a standing invitation to ship out with them. It was enough to know that she needn't reach for her gun if they crossed paths again.
Onward ...
The old ship was in her rearview now. Her new ship had yet to appear. Between, she needed a meal and a place to doss down. She keyed up the notice board at the edge of the tarmac and tapped in her request: job listings. The Docks were a busy place, full of commerce and bustle, and jobs were plentiful. Rina memorized several promising leads from the list and cleared the screen. She'd try each one 'til she found a good fit.
She left the tarmac and headed for the first on her list, diving into the town outside the spaceport proper. The town wasn't new to her and old haunts tugged at her memory, whispering from her past of this and that. She refused to indulge in sightseeing: the people she'd have wanted to visit were no longer there and she was old enough and honest enough to admit it would hurt to see who and what had taken their places. The garage, the tea and dumpling shop, the cul-de-sac, and all the rest of it.
Another time, another life. Another me. Let's work on the present you, shall we?
First on her mental list was a bar. She studied it as she approached. It didn't look too disreputable. The neighborhood it stood in wasn't too dangerous. It looked like the sort of place that didn't ask questions but still had standards she could live with. Rina went in, stepped aside to keep the doorway free, and swept the room with a good look. Her gaze froze on seeing a familiar face and her memory whispered the name that went with it: Ilana
For almost six months, Rina had charted her course on the strength of signs and portents, on superstition and unpredicatbility. Unpredicability had been her weapon against fate. Serendipity had been her ally when she'd needed it the most. Seeing Ilana now had the feeling of both.
Rina didn't question it. Before she quite knew it, she'd crossed the distance to the woman's table, drawn like a compass needle to True North.
"Hey," she said to the woman sitting there. "This seat taken?"
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Post by Ilana Logan on Sept 11, 2020 23:10:09 GMT -5
Ilana watched as an odd, pink -haired man walked in, seating himself at a table not too far away and parking his bright yellow boots on the table top. She sighed audibly as she noticed he was watching her. "For fuck's sake," she muttered quietly.
She shifted her eyes back to the door as it opened again, and Rina stepped inside. She looked around for a moment, and then met Ilana's eyes. Immediately she crossed the bar to the table and said "Hey. This seat taken?"
Ilana smirked and shoved the seat next to her out with her foot. "Have a seat Rina. Been a while, yeah?"
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Post by Marina Kseniya Sebastien on Sept 11, 2020 23:13:26 GMT -5
"A while," Rina agreed and took the seat offered. "What have you got for us?"
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Post by Ilana Logan on Sept 11, 2020 23:30:09 GMT -5
"It's an odd one," Ilana said running a hand over her face wearily. She thought for a moment, and continued, "On the surface, it's just a cargo run. Pick up, take from point A to point b. Be discreet. The odd part is that it specifically said not to open the cargo under any circumstances. It wouldn't have even occurred to me to open the damn cargo if they hadn't mentioned it."
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Post by Marina Kseniya Sebastien on Sept 11, 2020 23:47:34 GMT -5
"Huh." Who the hell goes out of their way to stipulate not to open the cargo? Nobody legit opens cargo. Nobody legit needs to specify not to.
That got Rina's mind tripping down paths dark and twisty and all too familiar. She tipped her chair back and took a lazy look around the room. Nothing leapt out at her to run. Nobody seemed to be lurking in the shadows waiting to pounce on her. The other patrons in the bar seemed content to mind their own business. Well, except maybe that pink-haired individual over thataway. She wondered what his interest was but he didn't seem to be an immediate threat. Rina gently nudged her duffel under the table with her booted toe. Her duffel was nearly empty so it didn't take much effort. Back to the problem.
She pulled a pen from her sleeve and fiddled with it, spinning it in her fingers in time to the wheels spinning in her head. "I could rig up a scanner if you really want to get a peek inside without breaking the seals." The pen spun over the back of her thumb, only to be abruptly trapped by her fingers, then spun again. "Or you could refuse the cargo."
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Post by Jace Cisco on Sept 12, 2020 8:40:24 GMT -5
Jace had not expected to hear from his former crew mates, let alone the former captain. His curiosity couldn't allow him to simply ignore the message, but he wasn't about to respond outright to the message. He couldn't believe he had left a good job on Greenleaf, but he was eager to see his old crew if they were actually there. He wondered how likely his boss would allow him to return to his ferrying job within atmo on Greenleaf. Chuckling a bit to himself, now that he thought about it he probably should have given him a heads up that he was leaving. Jace hadn't even seen the black in a goram month. The tumbling feeling he felt though at the thought of uniting with his old crew made him feel it was worth going to Persephone. Even though it was a core world one could barely count it as it was right on the edge.
Stepping down from the ship the captain meeting him at the bottom of the ramp.
"Hope you enjoyed the trip, sir, will be needing the second half of that payment." The captain spoke in a thick accent.
Jace nodded and fished out the last bit of credits he was owed. "If you are staying a few days, may need a ride away if need be."
"Welcome to it, same price though," The captain replied as he put the credits away.
Jace slowly walked away from the packed port pretending to eye the merchandise of the stalls. Pulling his brown duster tighter hugging it to himself and tucking his head further into the coat. Jace meandered down the streets the crowds beginning to thin. Jace growled audibly as a dirty dust ridden individual bumped into Jace. Their hand had liberally and foolishly tried to fish out something of value from his pockets, Jace's hand encircled the small individuals' wrist and the flash of the knife hidden within his coat.
"I advise you to move on if you want to keep your all your fingers." Growling the tall man shoved the individual away and then continued along his way.
Jace had found the named tavern so he settled against the wall of a shop nearby eyeing and watching. Seeing if anything caught his attention before finally deciding it was safe enough to risk walking into the bar. Crossing the threshold of the bar the cool air greeted him with the dimmed lights. Going to the barkeep Jace requested something strong to settle his nerves. Goram core worlds, he hardly hated anything more.
His eyes falling on a dim corner Jace peered at the familiar face of Ilana Logan, the spitfire of a captain was nursing her drink. Jace observed another female approach her the table so Jace decided to approach as well. The fear of core officers fading away, flipping the illegal vox scrambler hidden within the seems of his coat.
"Evening Captain." Smirking as the formal title leaving his mouth. "Mind if I sit?"
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Post by Ilana Logan on Sept 12, 2020 22:09:29 GMT -5
"Huh." Rina took out a pen and began spinning it in her fingers.
Spin. "I could rig up a scanner if you really want to get a peek inside without breaking the seals."
Spin. "Or you could refuse the cargo."
Ilana took another pull on her bourbon and tipped the glass toward the bartended to indicate she'd like a refill, the set the glass down. She sighed heavily. "No, unfortunately I can't. Roman is - " She stopped as she saw Jace approaching.
"Evening Captain," he said with a smirk. "Mind if I sit?"
Ilana smiled slightly and waived a hand to indicate he can sit. "Actually, I'm glad you're here first. I got something I need to discuss with the two of you before the others get here. Rina actually knows some of it already."
The bartender silently refilled Ilana's glass and slipped away. She took a sip and continued. "We've got a job if you want back in with the crew. On the surface: just a standard cargo run. Pick up, take from point A to point b. Be discreet. The part I'm having trouble with is that it specifically said not to open the cargo under any circumstances."
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Post by Marina Kseniya Sebastien on Sept 13, 2020 0:06:47 GMT -5
Rina's eyebrow rose as the man came up to their table but she didn't say anything. It was obvious from Ilana's reaction that he was welcome. Rina put her chair back on all fours and leaned in a little. She didn't want to miss a thing.
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Post by Jace Cisco on Sept 13, 2020 3:09:17 GMT -5
Jace received the warm sarcastic welcome from his Captain and immediately got down to business. Nodding towards the female he now vaguely recognized as Rina.
"Gan beyh." Grimacing he threw back the burning amber liquid that coursed through his body. Waving towards the barkeep as he refilled the cap'n's drink for a refill for himself. "I am certainly awake now. By the way Ilana are you covering the drinks for this shindig meeting?" Waving his own question on he moved on to the real subject.
"What is this job, if its to interview the feh feh pi goh over there, I will have to pass." Jace spoke quietly nodding to towards the lithe subject that appeared to have escaped a bughouse. Jace couldn't tell which was blinding him more the pink hair or the yellow boots.
He listened to the job. Seemed simple enough. His ears perked up at the specific instructions of not opening the cargo. Throwing the second drink back before the bartender could even leave the table.
"I changed my mind I will be happy to conduct the interview." Jace spoke sarcastically, "I would prefer to do that than to mess with this tze sah ju yi! I have never went on a job that didn't never go south when the job required extra instructions that wasn't already obvious."
"Remember that damn doxy core girl that got us in some trouble last time." Jace stopped and pondered a second. "How much is the job? How much of a guarantee that it's a simple pick up drop off is this? What does discreet mean anyways, show up in some abandoned location for a new brainpan special, or is it somewhere relatively safe with minimum chance of death?"
Jace settled down hoping the amber liquid would chill him out. Alarms were going all over him about this as soon as it even mentioned. Something about the extra intrustrictions made him think this was something that was either highly illegal or almost guaranteed more trouble than it was worth, but this was Ilana. Even though he had got into trouble every mission he had gone on since joining up with this crew he had grown fond of them, and he knew she wasn't moonbrained, yet. She wouldn't even consider this unless she had already ran the scenarios through her own head. She had a plan, and he knew he was in for the ride no matter the decision so long Greenleaf.
"Well, Ilana?" All signs of formality dropping at this last question. Fondling the hilt of one of his hidden knives, something he only did while nervous or concerned.
Chinese Phrases
Gen byeh - bottoms up
feh feh pi goh - baboon's ass
tze sah ju yi - suicidal idea
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Post by Jay Fuller on Sept 13, 2020 11:44:38 GMT -5
Downing the rest of his gin, Jay pulled up the message received from Ilana to double-check the location and time. He was going to be fashionably late, not his usual style as he preferred to be punctual. Living in a small town, working at a tiny hospital (if it even qualified to be called a “hospital”) had given him a rather lackadaisical demeanor. Plus, the nearby hotel he stayed at was not comfortable, and travel lag had kept him in bed well into the afternoon. He needed coffee before reuniting with his old crew.
Turns out, coffee was code for gin. He found a small restaurant that had some tasty looking images floating in its windows, and with an hour or so to kill he decided to pop in for a quick meal.
Jay paid, slung his rucksack over his shoulder and made his way out into the dimming light of the Eve’s Down Docks. It was still surprisingly crowded for the time of day, he figured most ships would have departed by this late in the evening. Though, he reminded himself, out in the black there isn’t much use for daytime or nighttime. It was all relative. God, he missed being off-world.
Excitement began to pump his heart a little faster. He was just around the corner from the tavern, wondering who might have shown up already. The second he received word from the old captain, he dropped the notice at his workplace and set up travel arrangements into the docks. With Ilana’s crew popping back up on the very same planet Jay had been stuck on, the word fate came to mind. Anything to get him out of that làn xiǎo town.
Jay entered the tavern and made his way to the bar, naturally. Letting his eyes adjust to the darker interior, he ordered another gin and began gazing across the patrons. A pink-haired, yellow-booted fellow caught his eye and Jay silently admired the fashion choice. It didn’t take long to sess the familiar group sitting in the corner. Ilana was the first he noticed, then Jace and the woman who he briefly knew on their last crusade. Shén, what was her name? he asked himself, Gina? Rita? Lucy??
Once the drink was in his hand, Jay took a breath and walked over. By now, the excitement was pretty apparent in his body – he was sure it was obvious on his face too. He was trying to contain his grin into a more subdued smile.
As he approached the table, he waved to everyone and said, “Well, what a coincidence, meeting all you here.” He chuckled and added, “Mind if I join you?”
---
“làn xiǎo” = shitty, little
“Shén” = God,
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Post by Ilana Logan on Sept 14, 2020 1:56:12 GMT -5
After she explained the job, he said, "I changed my mind I will be happy to conduct the interview." Jace said, the sarcasm as obvious as an elephant in the room. "I would prefer to do that than to mess with this tze sah ju yi! I have never went on a job that didn't never go south when the job required extra instructions that wasn't already obvious."
She opened her mouth to speak, thinking he was done, but apparently he was just refilling his oxygen. "Remember that damn doxy core girl that got us in some trouble last time."
Ilana waited this time, figuring he might be taking a breath. When he still didn't speak, she opened her mouth again, only to have him get going once more. "How much is the job? How much of a guarantee that it's a simple pick up drop off is this? What does discreet mean anyways, show up in some abandoned location for a new brainpan special, or is it somewhere relatively safe with minimum chance of death?"
Jace finally relaxed a bit, but she still eyed him to make sure he wasn't going to starting talking again before she tried this time. "Well, Ilana?" He said it like a question, clearly indicating his impatience.
She rolled her eyes at that and said, "Well, first the job is 50 platinum per crew member and another 250 for the ship. I'm not exactly in a position to say no to the job either. I need coin, and to get coin, you gotta work or steal. I'm not real picky about which of those I'm doing either, but this is the offer I've got right now. You know gorram well there ain't guarantees, especially out in the black. It ain't simple. That much is clear. If we do the job and stay the hell away from those crates, I expect we'd have a 50/50 shot of making it out alright."
She eyed Jace carefully and her eyes found Rina. "But you also oughta know by now that I don't plan to do exactly that. Telling me specifically not to open the crates makes me wonder I got something dangerous to me or my ship. So, she looked back to Jace. "we ain't gonna open it, but we're sure as hell gonna take a peak inside."
Ilana's eyes caught the door opening. She looked up just as Jay came in and walked to the bar. She grinned, genuinely happy to see the kid. He approached the table waving. “Well, what a coincidence, meeting all you here.” He chuckled and added, “Mind if I join you?”
She waived her hand at the open seats around them and said, "By all means. Glad to see you made it.
1 platinum = 2.5 credits
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Post by Helios Hamilton on Sept 14, 2020 12:03:46 GMT -5
Helios observed the group in the back, he figured by how many people kept going over there it had to be the navigation job, he'd gotten odd glances from almost everyone in here. He put up his hood, knocked back a few more drink and tried to stand up, he stumbled and fell landing on the floor. He stood back up, grabbing his bag and rifle, looking around hoping no one had seen his failed attempted to stand. He approached the group in the back, "you the one needing a navigator?"
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Post by Marina Kseniya Sebastien on Sept 14, 2020 12:42:40 GMT -5
She rolled her eyes at that and said, "Well, first the job is 50 platinum per crew member and another 250 for the ship. I'm not exactly in a position to say no to the job either. I need coin, and to get coin, you gotta work or steal. I'm not real picky about which of those I'm doing either, but this is the offer I've got right now. You know gorram well there ain't guarantees, especially out in the black. It ain't simple. That much is clear. If we do the job and stay the hell away from those crates, I expect we'd have a 50/50 shot of making it out alright."She eyed Jace carefully and her eyes found Rina. "But you also oughta know by now that I don't plan to do exactly that. Telling me specifically not to open the crates makes me wonder I got something dangerous to me or my ship. So, she looked back to Jace. "we ain't gonna open it, but we're sure as hell gonna take a peak inside."Rina caught the look Ilana sent her way and she silently answered it with a raised eyebrow: I'm on it. She didn't know what Ilana had for her to work with but Rina was confident that whatever Ilana had aboard her ship, she could modify to the purpose. Ilana's eyes caught the door opening. She looked up just as Jay came in and walked to the bar. She grinned, genuinely happy to see the kid. He approached the table waving. “Well, what a coincidence, meeting all you here.” He chuckled and added, “Mind if I join you?” She waived her hand at the open seats around them and said, "By all means. Glad to see you made it. Rina glanced down with a smirk. She was glad to see that Jay was still his exuberant self. It would have hurt to have seen him beaten down by the years since they'd last met. Helios observed the group in the back, he figured by how many people kept going over there it had to be the navigation job, he'd gotten odd glances from almost everyone in here. He put up his hood, knocked back a few more drink and tried to stand up, he stumbled and fell landing on the floor. He stood back up, grabbing his bag and rifle, looking around hoping no one had seen his failed attempted to stand. He approached the group in the back, "you the one needing a navigator?" Rina tipped her chair back and cut a glance at Ilana, curious about the captain's reaction. Who is this guy? |
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Post by Ivy Evans on Sept 14, 2020 16:11:24 GMT -5
Ivy walked into the bar, a bounce in her step. She glanced around, seeing a table full of people that she was sure she could win over with something to drink. She smiled brightly at a man with bright pink hair and shining yellow boots, only to frown when he face plants onto the ground. Ivy watches as he pulls himself up and stands by the table. Hmm....maybe she'd buy drinks for the others. She wasn't sure he needed any more. Slipping past him, she pulls a chair up to the table and grins at a woman who looks like she's leading the conversation.
"How about some drinks?"
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Post by Ilana Logan on Sept 15, 2020 16:24:54 GMT -5
Rina raised a brow at her barely veiled suggestion. Ilana looked up at the movement ahead that caught her eye. The pink-haired boy stood, lifted his yellow-booted foot as though to take a step, and fell flat on his face.
"You ever see a person and just know the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead?" Ilana asked to the group in general as the pink-haired boy face planted the floor.
A young girl near the boy made a face as he hit the floor. He righted himself and, clearly trying to repair what little dignity he had left, he came to the table. "You the one needing a navigator?" He asked.
Rina glanced at Ilana again and Ilana answered with a heavy sigh. Before she could answer, the young girl flounced right around him and pulled herself up a chair, sinking into it gracefully.
"How about some drinks?"
Ilana leaned back in her chair. She first looked at the girl and said, "For god's sake, yes."
She then looked at the boy and asked, "Who're you applyin for? I gotta say kid, you're here for what amounts to a job interview to be the person leading us around the galaxy, and you're three sheets to the wind. Not exactly putting your best foot forward so to speak."
Ilana snickered at the pun and took a pull on her bourbon.
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Post by Marina Kseniya Sebastien on Sept 15, 2020 16:32:21 GMT -5
Stifling a sigh, Rina raised her hand to flag the bartender. They might as well stay for another round.
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Post by Helios Hamilton on Sept 15, 2020 16:40:21 GMT -5
Yeah, he probably should have eased up on the drinks, he thought to himself as he tried to form a sentence that would repair whatever possible shot he had at this job.
"Yes, I realize my chances aren't looking so good, but I know my way around drunk or not," I told her.
I'm never drinking before an interview again. I looked over to the neatly dressed girl who had offered drinks, something about was, how do I put this, she looked like she hadn't seen a lick a combat, while the rest seemed to have their fare share, I tried to straighten myself up correctly and look decent.
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Post by Ivy Evans on Sept 15, 2020 16:41:24 GMT -5
Ivy passed some money to the bartender, buying drinks for the table and glancing at the people sitting with her. The pink-haired man seems to be a little drunk, so she buys him a cup of water instead.
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