[Game] [IC] Into the Black

[Exile]

Zhan - With Rowan

"Certainly seems to be the case, we have one hour before we meet the passengers. What are our options?"

[Ellain]

Rowan- with Zahn

"Hmmm, seems I might remember something like that... You think we may have a similar situation here?"

[Exile]

Zhan - Over ship-relayed comm

"Zhōngshí de zhànshì (faithful warrior) tell him I will meet with him in one hour, and tell Lizzie that for not following my jiǎndān shǎguā xíng (simple, idiot-proof) orders today she is to clean the dà xiàng bàozhà shì de lādùzi (explosive diarrhea of an elephant) off of the cargo bay floor, and she's got till we start loading up to do it.", Zhan barks when Mando mentions Lizzie's arrival before ending the call.

Looking at his comm when it signals a new wave he looks at Rowan straight-faced and says, "It never rains..." before answering.

After listening to Brisket rattle off he replies in a similar tone and pace, "Very well, Mr. Brisket I will gladly take your men on the fastest route possible to New Melbourne as soon after I meet both yourself and these three gentleman at my ship assuming everything checks out. I do not let anyone or anything onboard my ship with first meeting them and you will be no exception. Assuming all goes well we will leave at O-six-hundred."

Pausing to here Mr. Brisket's arguement about the delay in leaving before barking back, "Now I don't know what bù nàifán zhuāngmúzuòyàng de fójiào tiāntǐ wùlǐ xué jiā (impatient, bumbling bhuddist astrophysicist) taught you astronavigation but I can assure you based on my training and years of experience navigating everything from cruisers to mid-bulk transports to Dīliè de kě zhīpèi kōngjiān chē (shitty, disposable space cart) that using the alignment at that time to utilize the gravitational pull of two of the moons to slingshot us towards the Red Sun getting us there quicker than if we left now, and it will give us time to allow your workers to set their affairs in order."

Now Cook pauses to allow the headhunter's apology to be stammered out. "It's perfectly fine, each person to their place. We will meet you there with your men in one hour." he replies not too subtley informing the headhunter to let him do his job before ending the wave.

"... but it pours. Rowan do you remember the Persian Affair?" he asks Rowan, refering to a job they pulled just a month after the transmission in which several passengers, seemingly from seperate from each other turned out to be coordinating an attempt to steal the ship.

[Sarlon]

Sama - merchant negotiations - with Tucker

"My dear sir, I would ask for a 50% mark off then, and the fact you cannot aquire in good time a Phase Adaptor, then I may just take my business else where."

[Chanlin]

Tucker - With Sama at Trader Jim's Discount Emporium

After the merchant seems to react calmly to Sama's antics, Tucker turns to scan the crowd while Sama negotiates. The whole while he keeps his arms folded and his hand near the pistol, though his unspoken threat is now clearly directed out to any passerby and not at the merchant.

[Tyg3rW01f]

Deucalion -- Wolf
After his interaction with Lizzie, and promising to have Mando help her lug the box, Wolf stepped out to greet the hikkomori. "Mongo, I'll spell ye abit. Playz h'lp Lizzie wi' a mite, eh, me bucko?"
His eyes on the hikkomori Wolf drew out one of his legion combat knives and began cleaning his own fingernails.
The meaning of his words plain to a deaf-mute, Wolf conversationally asked, "Help ye, Sar Kellins?"

[Jay 2K Winger]

Trader Jim's Discount Emporium - Sama & Tucker

Kevork Papazian draws himself up as Tucker comments on the captain's need to protect his crew. "Of course I understand, my friends! These are interesting times, times of change, all this talk of Alliance misconduct, Miranda and whatnot, of course your captain would think of his crew's safety. I myself am the father of five young girls. If anything were to happen to them, you can be certain my fury would shake the heavens themselves! I worry about them myself, living on this world. You may find this hard to believe, my friends, but there are dishonest people around here."

And he smiles as he says this. It's a rather disarming smile, and his eyes do notice Tucker's hand being near his pistol. He just gives the pilot a level 'I can see what you're doing and you wound me, sirrah' stare, before turning his attention back to Sama.

"You must think I was born falling off the back of a shuttle, my dear," Papazian tut-tuts. "I am not some back-berth slack-brained fool. For one thing, seventy-five percent? Outrageous! IF-- and that is a big 'if', my friends, you may set your watch and warrant upon it-- I were unable to find you what you needed, the absolute most I could discount you would be forty-five percent. We are all businessfolk, are we not? I must make a living just as much as you do."

There is a pause, and then he chuckles. "Besides, we both know there is no such thing as a multi-fluctuating dual-phase flux capacitor inhibitor. Next you would be asking me for headlight fluid." He barks a single short laugh, and takes the shopping list from Sama. He spends a few moments looking over the list, nodding to himself and muttering in his pseudo-Turkish language. Then he points at one item on the list*. "This you ask for here, I cannot get you this, much to my deep regret. These are all controlled by that," and here the merchant's lips twist into a scowl as he rattles off some words in his native tongue before spitting on the floor, "that lives up on the skyplex. You do not want to deal with that monstrosity. Best I can offer is a near-model from Lowantech. A good engineer could jerry-rig it to fit the needs, and you are a good engineer, yes?"

* GM Note-- Sarlon, pick an item on the list that would be somewhat difficult to acquire.

Haller Landing Markets - Zhan & Rowan

When the captain calls up Mando, the gun-hand answers. "Lao Bahn, that Kellins guy is still nosing around. He definitely seems twitchy. Tried to talk him up, but he seems too nervous to talk to me." His voice drops a bit, a clear sign that he's being overheard on his end, "Think the guy's had a bit too much dust up his nose, if you take my meaning." Then his voice raises a bit again. "Lizzie and Wolf just got back in, Cap'n. Need me for anything out there?"

After Zhan is finished with the call to Mando, he gets a comm from Franklin Brisket, the headhunter. His voice is a bit gruff, the voice of a man who smokes heavily. "Captain Cook, glad I could get in touch. I got these three workers bound for New Melbourne that are racking up downtime. Downtime don't pay the bills. They don't work, they don't get paid. More importantly, they don't work, I don't get paid. And if I don't get paid, well, you don't get paid, and that's the bottom line, innit? Whenabouts can I expect you and yours to be ready to ship off, so I can tell the workers where and when to be?" Going by his voice and manner of speaking, he sounds very much like a man who is all about business, which means he's all about getting paid. Probably somewhat dubious of scruples, but who isn't, these days?

Deucalion - Lizzie, Wolf, Mando

As the medic and hacker arrive back at the ship, they'll find Mando standing by the ramp, his slouch hat pushed back out of his eyes, arms folded as he watches a very rangy, pale man. By the state of his clothes and hygiene, he looks every inch a hikkomori-type, and he's definitely a bit twitchy. He's muttering to himself in Chinese, but so low it's difficult to make out the words, and he's eyeballing the ramp and Mando as if to try to rush past him to get on board anyway.

Mando, without taking his eyes off the hikkomori, nods to the two. "Ricky Kellins," he mutters to them. "Some guy who wants transpo off-world. Somethin' about him don't sit too right with me."

[Exile]

Zhan - in the market with Rowan

Looks over to Rowan, "Small oversight, I know we were all excited to get out of the Black for a while. Stay with me for now, I should listen to my own advice before running off after everyone who didn't. If you're finished here, let's go."

Once they start moving again he starts to call to check in with Mando at the ship.

[Ghel]

Lizzie - Deucalion

Lizzie tosses the two dog-eared books she bought in the market on top of the box: Silverlock by John Myers Myers and a copy of the Tau Te Ching. "Help me carry this, will you?" As she and Wolf carry the box to her room, Lizzie says, in an almost off-hand manner, "Didn't you say the captain was looking for me? Maybe you should let him know you found me."

[Ellain]

Rowan- among the market stalls

Looks ashamed "Sorry captain, I must have misunderstood you earlier. I'll make sure to stay with someone the rest of our time here. I'll keep my eyes peeled for Lizzie too."

[Exile]

Zhan - among the market stalls

Turning to Rowan, "It would seem that business has taken an upturn since the Miranda Transmission, in fact, this may be the one and only time I have too much work. Now if I could just get everyone to stayed paired up as I ordered when we went planetside I'd be doing fantastic."

Pausing a moment to look back into the marketplace, he sighs and reflects, "At least you, I know, are armed. Still need to find Lizzie, you're going to have to forgoe your shooting practice. I want someone with me when I meet this Lerga individual. There's a crime lord with a station over this planet of Slavic descent and I noted Lerga's accent was similar. If the two are even remotely related we'd better stay on our toes."

The two leave, Zhan to renew his search, Rowan following orders, Zhan begins to mention that they are looking for Lizzie and what she's wearing when he remembers she wasn't wearing red at all. Too much time in the Black, he thought to himself, days start running together after a while. "She's wearing khaki pants and a green tank top." he recalls aloud.

"We'll need to find her quickly, I'm expecting a call from the headhunter confirming the job with Meridian any moment now, and we still need to check in on Sama and Tucker..." he pauses, "At least if we get there and find a weeping Arabian merchant we'll know they're on their way back to the ship."

[Ghel]

Lizzie - Deucalion

A look of pure joy washes over Lizzie's face as she opens the box. She stares at the books for a moment until Wolf's voice brings her out of her reverie. She looks up at him. "It's not simply that I disapprove of your habit. I'm genuinely concerned about your health." Lizzie looks back down at the books. "But I promise not to bother you about it ever again."

[Tyg3rW01f]

Wolf and Lizzie -- Haller Landing Markets
"They may be bad for me, but no worse than having a generous price on my head, Lizzie. Oh, by the way, I also happened across an old friend who owed me some credits. He paid his debt in full with something I'm certain you'll enjoy for a week at the least."

Back on the ship, Wolf places a very very old vault-box on a cargo container and grandiosely gestures for Lizzie to open it. Inside is a complete, 108 volume set of Archway paperback Hardy Boys Casefiles mysteries, with a copy of "Bones to Ashes" by Kathy Reichs.

Packing his pipe, Wolf asks her, "Am I now forgiven for entertaining my one vice of which you cannot approve?"

[Chanlin]

(ooc: gonna back pedal just slightly so I can respond before Sama. Would have posted sooner but I just spent the vast majority of this weekend at a training camp.)

Tucker - With Sama at the Trader's Stall

When Zhan leaves and the merchant gets all uppity like Tucker puts on what he hopes is a disarming smile, "I do apologize good sir. I'm sure our captain meant no offense. He had to attend to one of our crew, surely you can understand a Chieftain watching out for the people he's meant to protect."

As Sama lists off her deal and the item she's looking for he lets out a slight smirk and then quickly schools his expression while folding his arms in front of his chest, a pretense to put his hand closer to his pistol butt, and waits to see how the merchant will react.

[Ghel]

Lizzie - Haller Landing Markets

Lizzie laughs warmly at the swarthy man's proposition. She's about to respond when Wolf walks up beside her. She lets Wolf lead her away, trying to explain. "I didn't mean to get separated from the others."

Lizzie sighs when Wolf stops to purchase tobacco products. "I don't suppose you'll listen to me this time if I tell you that those things are bad for your health? No? Didn't think so." She sounds resigned.

Lizzie sticks near Wolf at first, but tugs on his sleeve after a minute. "Wait up. I see books." Lizzie heads straight for the stall and rifles through the vendor's books, finally settling on two books, which she holds close to her as she and Wolf head back toward the ship.