Summary: The Vega lands without incident on New Melbourne and Quinn heads off to sell some of the cargo. Meanwhile, Xin and Shai leave a Companion (Ooooo!) and go shopping for some weird supplies Xin has yet to explain, and Kasai's off at a seedy bar as a different persona, looking for information on his long lost ship. As everyone reconvenes for dinner, Oriana appears and inquires about the ship's captain, having been referenced by someone Quinn kinda-sorta knows. She thinks it's a joke since Oriana is just a wee little thing, and a plan is hatched to get rid of her quickly.
16:19:28 [XinTou] It had taken the better part of four hours, but Xin had managed to scrub, scour, and bleach every inch of his bunk and the sickbay back to its former glory. The footprints of blood, the chunks of skull embedded in the sheets, all was gone. You'd never know this had been a place a violence a mere few days ago. As for the doctor himself, the man never had his feathers ruffled for too long. He was dressed simply, with a touch of class, as you do. A creme colored collared shirt, a deep green and tan vest with gold buttons, and dark brown slacks. His outfit was completed by his sleek silver shades and his finely stylized pompadour. If not for the multitude of piercings and outrageous tattoos, he'd look the perfect gentleman, and not some futuristic sort of pirate. Having finished his business with Qi about ten minutes earlier, he looked curiously over to Shai, a bit of mirth in his usual smirk. "Now that you've met an actual Companion and been in a Companion house, are you impressed or severely (c)
16:20:01 [XinTou] disappointed?" His gait was slow and even, gently easing in and out of crowds without being noticed, despite his freakish appearance. At the moment, he seemed to be heading for a hardware store, of all places.
16:33:05 Shaiyat was feeling much improved after a good couple days of rest. Between both Quinn and Xin's watchful eye he didn't have much choice. The awkwardness of the brace was a challenge, but the pilot adapted. By the time the time came to land he handled the ship just fine, with a little help from the captain. Once they'd landed Quinn was off to meet with some good friends, selling off the goods they were unable to drop off back on Triumph and hopefully make them some profit. Which left Shai little to do...and when he got word the doctor was going to visit an actual Companion he asked if he could come, in the least-awkward way possible. The pilot was and had always been fascinated with the entire profession but had little to no experience with that world. He was content just to meet the woman, and explore the outside of the estate while he waited for Xin. He was the perfect mirror to the man, looking every bit as plain as the doctor did proper. He'd found a clean flightsuit at least, black in color and decorated with
16:33:24 [Shaiyat] several patches on the sleeves...and he'd shined his boots up real nice. Yup. His hair was tamed as much as he could achieve, planning on finding a barber at some point. But for now he followed next to Xin...to the hardware store? He didn't seem to mind, one hand stuffed deep in his pocket as he held the other arm with the brace close. “'course I was impressed! Never got'ta meet an actual Companion...always feel bad staring from far away ya know? They always seem like the nicest folk...” He smiled, though the expression faded as he read the sign above the store they were about to go into. “You a mechanic too Doc?” He kidded, nudging the man a little.
16:50:08 Kasai had made arrangements to meet with a contact of his the day before, which he had spent the majority of helping clean the cargo bay and practicing his martial routines in his room. He had kept to himself, feeling that his personal discipline was more important than making buddies at the time. He had left the Vega in his normal attire, aside from the fact that his jacket was shoved in the bag Xin had let him borrow. He moved through crowds like a ghost, moving smoothly and quickly, though he wouldn't appear to be rushed in the least. He was making his way to the seedier parts of town, his meeting being in a small establishment where the less gentlemenly gentlemen would go to enjoy the things they thought finer in life. Before he entered the bar he ducked into a poorly lit alleyway, pulling his jacket from the bag and sliding it on in one motion. He stowed the bag under the coat, and pulled his hood over as far as it would go. Fully extended, the hood hid a large fraction of his face, giving him [c]
16:50:10 [Kasai] an enigmatic appearance. When he walked into the establishment he was immediately recognized by the staff, all of which became very tense and uneasy. One of the waitresses called a bouncer over, whispering something in his ear. The beast of a man then went to a dimly lit booth in the back corner and threatened the current occupants away. Kasai made his way past the waitress and spoke in a soft voice, "Thank you, deary." He nodded to the bouncer and then sat down at the back of the booth, propping his feet up as the waitress came over with a drink already made. "Thanks, babe. Send my regards to the barkeep." He picked up the small glass and swallowed it down. It had been awhile since he'd been Bach, but he found it easy to slip into as he waited for his contact to arrive.
16:55:11 XinTou grinned and shook his head. "No such luck, otherwise I'd have Captain Driscol double my pay. No, I just need to build a little something. Medical experiment and whatnot." He answered lightly as the doors of the store swung open wide to admit them. "And yes, in my experience, Companions are of a very even-tempered and pleasant disposition. I'd been brought up to respect them anyways, but I really developed an admiration for their art when I spent a few months on Sihnon. Small stint as the Companion Academy's personal doctor. Of course there were a few rude individuals, every group has its bad seeds, but overall, a lovely experie-excuse me!" He waved down a disgruntled storeowner. "Yes, ni hao, I'm looking for some boards of wood, approximately 40 inches long, half inch thickness, nails, and a mirror roughly the same length as the boards." The non-hygenic man annoyedly pointed them in a random direction and lumbered off. Looking put out a moment, Xin looked over to Shai with a thin smile (c)
16:55:45 [XinTou] of annoyance for the storekeep. "Well. Looks like we're on our own." With that, he began slinking down the aisles, searching for the aforementioned materials. "How's the shoulder?" He queried conversationally.
17:07:18 Shaiyat rather liked hardware stores himself. He wasn't much of a mechanic, but he'd taken to rigging things from time to time when he needed to. And re-wiring things. Most of Vega's innards within the cockpit was no longer where they started...he'd moved quite a bit around. In the process he'd also ruined quite a few tools...which he thought might be worth replacing now that they were here. Anyhow, the pilot keep his injured arm close whenever someone went by instinctively...he'd planned on asking the shop keep a few questions as well, but once the man scurried off in a huff he gave up that idea. “Been 'round these kinda stores once or twice...” He paused, standing to his full height for once to try and scout out just where the needed items might be...but gave up and followed Xin. “Jus' what're you buildin' with a mirror?” The pilot couldn't keep his curiousity down. “I got a drill, might be easier than nails but I mangled the tip a bit. Need'ta get more anyway...” He waited for an answer before he
17:07:48 [Shaiyat] brought the shoulder back up with a quick nod. “It feels alright...can't sleep on it though.” He shrugged. “Wanted ta ask though...should I get this brace wet?”
17:21:32 Kasai didn't have to wait long before he saw his contact enter the bar. The man looked rather plain, his dress was casual and his hair was tied in a short ponytail and he was clean shaven. He walked over to the booth and slid in next to Kasai. He looked worried, and spoke in hushed tones. "Bach, where have you been? I haven't heard from you in months, what's been going on?" Kasai leaned over and patted the man on the shoulder. "I had to take a little vacation, Grigori, that's all. Got myself in a little tussle with the Alliance, if you recall." Grigori nodded, "Aye, I remember. Looks like that tussle has followed you. You look a mess!" Kasai interrupted, slightly irritated. "Get to business, Grigori. I assume you got my whole message, otherwise you wouldn't be here." He leaned closer, "So tell me, friend. Have you heard anything?" Grigori shrugged. "That's why I'm so worried, B. I can't even fathom how you ended up losing the Kaiser in the first place. There had to be a whole [c]
17:21:52 [Kasai] platoon of them, right?" Kasai shook his head. "I was in a bad way, and drunk on top of that. Now shut up and answer my question." "Well, I haven't heard of anybody bragging about having her, though I have gotten a few reports of a group saying they're looking for an Alliance buyer for a highly sought after item." Kasai felt slightly relieved, but he knew that they could be talking about anything. The Alliance didn't like losing any of their things, and anything that they did lose became a 'highly sought after item'. "Just tell me who and where." The man named Grigori passed a small datapad to the man he called Bach. "The information's all in there, B. But I've got to get out of here. People don't mess with you, but the more I'm seen with ya the more thugs I get knockin' on my door. I only hope what little info I've got helps. My network has decreased in size recently from hostile takeovers. Take care of yourself, B, and never give up the fight!" The man scurried off, leaving Kasai to look over the datapad.
17:22:54 Quinn had managed to get a hold of some friends she'd worked with back on Whitefall. They'd set up shop on New Melbourne and were running a tight operation kidnapping the relatives of rich Alliance officials. Weaponry was a welcome commodity for them, and since many of their names were blacklisted it was difficult to come across anything of real value. Although she trusted these people a great deal, Quinn didn't want the same thing to happen twice and took the shuttle out to meet with them before any goods were exchanged. It wasn't long before she returned to fill the shuttle with 25 crates, roughly half of the cargo, and sold it at 7,500 platinum. She'd managed to fetch a better price than the compound on Triumph was originally willing to pay, and with the distributor only wanting thirty percent, the pay off made cleaning all that blood off Vega's floors suddenly worth it. A few beers later, Quinn returned with the shuttle and divied up the platinum. It'd taken a good amount of scribbling numbers <c>
17:23:04 [Quinn] and a few crumpled pieces of paper, but she finally remembered enough from her homeschooling days. The distributor's amount was placed in a safe hidden in the cockpit, a message sent his way to notify him of the sale. Quinn whistled as she went to open the cargo doors, wanting some fresh air as she waited for the boys to return.
17:26:16 XinTou replied flatly, "Doctorly things. Something for the Captain. If it works, she can tell you later. Not that interesting." He by all means tried to avoid being sharp with the boy, but he had to walk a fine line. He knew how sensitive Quinn was about her leg and he hadn't necessarily told her about his idea for a medical experiment. So yeah, it would be best not to get Shai's hopes up about lessening Quinn's pain and then having him blab off to her. Cheerfully, he changed the subject when Shai did. "A drill would be lovely if you manage to get a non-mangled tip, thank you. And no, don't get the brace wet. If you plan on taking a shower and can't hang your arm out the shower, we'll make a quick stop at the med supply shop and get you a case, all right?" Despite his outward coolness towards everyone and everything in general, he had actually developed somewhat a soft spot for the childish man-boy-pilot. "Ah! Boards. Fantastic..." He looked around for a moment, then back to Shai. "Would you mind(c)
17:26:30 [XinTou] grabbing a cart or a store helper or something? I didn't really think of how to transport these back to the ship."
17:42:07 Shaiyat of course couldn't see how it wouldn't be that interesting. Of course it was...but he was quick enough to pick up that he shouldn't ask further. “Ain't never seen Quinn use a mirror for much...” He joked, quite sure that whatever the doctor was building wasn't going to be used for beautification of any kind. “Well, if ya need help jus' ask...used'ta build with wood back home.” He let the subject go with that last offering. He picked up a few odd trinkets, dropping them back in their bins just as quickly. “Don't think any of ya'll will appreciate if I don't shower for three weeks...” He chuckled a little, giving a pointed look back at Xin...who was always clean if he could help it. He tried to envision his arm in a case, and failed. But he left it alone, figuring Xin would know what to get...anyhow once they found the boards he realized the same time as the doctor that they didn't have an easy way to carry such things back to the ship. Time to steal a cart. The pilot nodded. “I'll find somethin'
17:42:37 [Shaiyat] that'll work...an get what we need. Meet ya up front?” He grinned before moving off in a hurry...he rather enjoyed the doctor's company as well. And considering his usual apprehension with people in Xin's profession it was surprising...though then again Xin wasn't the typical doctor.
17:55:33 Quinn 's prosthetic was a complete loss. It'd taken a beating on Triumph and was no longer operational – without the neural-transmitters to help her muscles operate, it was more or less just a stick, which made falling very easy. She felt more comfortable and balanced using her crutch, and had continued to use it since the failed job. It did make a few tasks more difficult however, including moving things. Quinn did as best she could, arranging the cockpit and sweeping out the last of the Triumph dust. It had started to sprinkle while she swept the last bit to the end of the cargo door, and just as she turned the skies opened up and rain came pouring down. With a muffled curse Quinn hurried to get back in, the plastic foot of her crutch slipping several times though she did manage to remain upright. After a moment's consideration she decided to lock Vega up. Hopefully Shai had remembered his control to open the doors from outside, and she didn't want to leave everything open when she started dinner upstairs.
18:03:23 XinTou pursed his mouth in an attempt to refrain from laughter at Shai's joke. When he was able to control himself, he answered in all seriousness, "Despite her attempts to the contrary, the captain is quite beautiful, if a tad unconventional." No one comment on the irony of Xin of all people calling someone 'unconventional'. While Shai was off stealing someone's cart or dolly, Xin gathered several boards, a long slice of mirror, some screws, and some nails. Just in case the whole warped screwdriver thing didn't work. At the sound of a storm gathering, Xin grimaced and also grabbed a long sheet of canvas for cover. "Thanks." He uttered to Shai as he loaded up then headed to the front. About five minutes of loud bartering in Chinese later, the pair were outside again with their newfound supplies, plus the umbrella Xin had managed to talk the owner to throw in for free. "All set? We should probably make a run for it." With that, he threw open the umbrella with a snap...only to have the instrument invert (c
18:03:38 [XinTou] on him, almost cartoonishly so. He stared at the inside-out umbrella a moment with a quiet fury clouding his aristocratic brow, then threw it to the ground as began heading forward, muttering bitterly as the rain started to increase. "Luh-suh..."
18:06:16 Kasai looked over the datapad for a moment, muttering softly to himself. "Well this isn't much help." He stood quite abruptly, clearly having planned on that meeting lasting quite a bit longer. He waved to the barkeep. "Put it on my tab, old man. I'll pay up in a month or two." The barkeep didn't seem to happy about it, but he let Kasai leave without incident. He shook his head as he left, ducking into the same alley he had before he entered the bar. He looked around for a moment, making sure nobody had followed or was watching. He pulled the bag from under the jacket, quickly slipping the jacket off and into it. He tossed the datapad in as well, latching the bag tight and placing it at his side, keeping his right hand on it as he made his way back through the crowds towards the Vega He stopped at a convenience store, going in quickly. "One pack of cigs, storekeep. Gimme the best you got." The owner wasn't fazed by his demeanor and tossed a pack to him, stating the price. Kasai pulled out a small [b]
18:06:18 [Kasai] billfold, placing a small bill on the counter. "Keep the change and don't make a ruckus about it." The owner pulled the bill away as Kasai left. He pulled a small lighter from a rack as he did so, "Takin' the lighter too." He walked outside and pried one of the cigs from the pack, lighting it in a smooth motion as he took a drag. "Damn, I hope nobody has a problem with bad habits." He stood quietly, watching the crowds move by, across the street from a hardware store.
18:20:44 Shaiyat was less concerned with the rain at first, more so caught up in a small argument with the burly man he'd 'borrowed' the cart from. So, while Xin haggled for prices the pilot managed to talk them out of a fight in a similar loud fashion. So, that said and done he noticed the sheet of canvas....and then the rain. Or how hard it was raining rather. He gave a nod of agreement when it came to running for it, taking control of the cart as they went if Xin allowed to give him both hands to fiddle with the umbrella. Oh yes, that wonderful umbrella. The pilot was less concerned with his own appearance...and more with the doctor's though when the umbrella completely failed. He laughed. A short burst that he couldn't control right off before he shot Xin an apologetic smile. “Least it was free....” He mumbled with a small smirk before he focused on more important things...like making it back to the ship. Making their way through the rushing crowd the got back to Vega....only to find the door was closed. Shai
18:21:15 [Shaiyat] paused, looking dumbfounded for a moment. “Well...this ain't good.” He wiped some of the water from his brow needlessly, bending over best he could to keep his brace dry before remembering he had the hand-held door control in one of pockets...but which one? Mumbling some curses under his breath the pilot went to his knees after coming up empty...check his boot. Yup. He'd slid the small remote there as an after thought. So, now thoroughly soaked he sent one last apologetic look to Xin before opening the ramp and running in with the cart...making quite abit of noise as he did so.
18:25:24 Oriana shouldered her heavy pack, grumbling to herself and struggling to keep her umbrella above her. She had to get off this gorram rock. Her pack contained all her worldly possessions, but her money pouch was notably dusty. She stopped by a stand and bought a hot biscuit with the last of her credits. Armed with her delicious snack, Oriana continued in her search for work, passing by many of the docked ships without a second glance. Pausing in front of a promising looking ship, and deciding to get the attention of the two approaching it, she shifted her pack to the other shoulder. It really was a wonder such a small person could carry such a weighed down pack, and she would carry it to the end—which came quite sooner than she anticipated. With a loud and sickening rip, the bottom of Oriana’s pack split, and her things crashed on the ground, rolling in all directions. Muttering a few choice curse words, Oriana began scrambling around, trying to save her things from the incessant rain.
18:34:59 Kasai seemed as if he didn't notice the rain, at first. It bothered him slightly as it began to pick up, landing often in his eyes. He watched Xin and Shai exit the hardware store but made no effort to make them aware of his presence. A smirk played across his lips as the umbrella failed completely, and he couldn't help but chuckle as the two of them sped off towards the Vega. He shrugged to himself, beginning the trek back to the ship while still puffing on his cigarette. Compared to the scurrying of the people around him, he seemed as if a snail, walking at a casual pace letting himself get soaked. His clothes needed a good wash anyways. He took a moment as the crowds were dissipating to pull his coat from the bag and sling it over him like a sheet, covering himself from more rain as he started to jog for the ship. He reached the ship right as the cargo door was opening, making himself known as he threw down his cig and ground his foot on it. "Good to know one of us had a way to open the ship. I [c]
18:35:00 [Kasai] was worried if I got back any quicker that she'd be closed up." He nodded to the two other men before making his way into the air lock, shaking himself a bit to get some of the excess water off of himself.
18:38:09 Quinn had some potatoes boiling. A bowl of fresh snap peas sat on the table, along plates and chopsticks, a pitcher of tea and a bottle of whiskey. A fresh meat pie was keeping warm in the oven, the smell of it causing the woman's stomach to growl. “Better hurry up,” she murmured, giving the boys another half hour before she ate ahead of them. Quinn had bought a few things to celebrate the payoff and the fact that they'd survived the last stint. She moved down to the catwalk after the sound of the doors opening, the cart and its contents given an odd look as she came into view. “The hell you two buy?” she asked, then caught sight of Xin and chuckled. Those poor fancy clothes of his. She watched Kasai come in and sighed a little, having almost hoped he'd just disappear in search of his treasure. No such luck. “Food's ready after you lot get dry.” Quinn moved to go back into the mess hall.
18:42:41 XinTou looked like a drowned cat. But not just any cat. Like, motherfucking cat royalty. He looked like pharaoh's cat, had some idiot palace slave left it out in the rain too long. Annoyed, superior, uncomfortable, really irritated on how the water had ruined their appearance, but far too poised to throw a fit. His clothes, thankfully, were not ruined, just soaked. His hair, however, had become completely unruly after a half-hour of preparation. Cursing quietly, Xin was suddenly interrupted from his moment of agitation by two things. First, he noticed Kasai on their way up to the ship. He awkwardly lifted a hand in casual greeting and commiseration before then being distracted by thing number two, Ms. Oriana's bag breaking. Frowning, he set his cart to the side, nodding to Quinn in a 'I'll tell you later' kind of away and motioning for Shai to take it in as he jogged over to the young lady. "Dui bui qi." He muttered kindly, helping her gather up her posessions, if allowed. "Are you all right?"
18:50:14 Shaiyat ran his hand through his sopping wet hair, slicking the mess back for now as he blinked drops of water out of his single blue eye. “We got...ah. Jus' some stuff.” Shai tried his hardest not to make a big deal out the odd supplies, knowing the doctor wanted to keep it a surprise...or something. He didn't laugh at Xin, because really he looked just as bad. “ 'least I remembered ta bring the remote this time around...” He gave a nod towards Kasai, still unsure of what to think of the new comer but the pilot was usually friendly to a fault. Shai planned on bringing the cart in, getting it safely into the cargo bay before turning to notice Oriana's plight and the doctor helping her...he would've left it alone but he suddenly figured the longer he hung around the easier it was for Quinn to ask about the stuff they'd got. And he was a horrible liar. “'Ey...can ya bring that into the sickbay?” He looked to Kasai first, hoping on that cue that Quinn would go back up to finish dinner (Which sounded great by the way)
18:50:25 [Shaiyat] as he stepped back out into the rain...moving to grap a couple of Oriana's items that'd rolled further away before coming back over with a friendly smile. “These look ta be yours...”'
19:00:36 Oriana smiled at the two helping her, thanking them and taking the items they’d collected and gathering them in her arms. Overflowing with belongings, and becoming noticeably more soaked in the rain, Ori peered back up at the ship, a flicker of recognition in her eyes. “Hang on,” she muttered, piling all her things into one arm, where they teetered dangerously, and digging in her side pocket. “This wouldn’t happen to be…” She pulled out a piece of paper, but thanks to the rain, the ink on it had run and the words were hard to make out. “ Se niou,” Ori breathed, squinting at the paper, trying to read it before the rain made it worse. “Um… Is this… Looks like… Quinn’s ship?” She looked up at the two men, grinning with pride for making out the name. “I was recommended by a friend… Well, acquaintance… Well, I’ve known him for about two days… Anyway, I heard she was lookin’ for an extra hand, and I’ve got two, so…” Ori trailed off, her eyes darting from the men, to the ship, to the passerby hurrying through the rain.
19:05:58 Kasai watched the doctor and the pilot run off to help the girl who had dropped her things. He thought to himself if there was such a thing as too much chivalry before glancing to the captain. "You want me to move their stuff, mon capitaine?" He recalled that earlier he had been forbidden from the sickbay, and was pretty sure Quinn still didn't consider him anything more than a passenger. He figured he was still an unwanted oddity amongst whatever their norm was, and swore to himself he could almost see displeasure on her face as to the fact he had returned. He'd have to catch Quinn later and ask her about it. He perused over the contents of the cart as he awaited the fine captain's response.
19:08:17 Quinn narrowed her eyes suspiciously at Shai's reply... but she left it alone, for now. She knew she'd get it out of him soon. “Please do, Kasai.” She was surprised to see Xin rush back out into the rain, but shrugged to herself as she went back into the warm mess hall. The drained potatoes and meat pie were set out on hot plates, butter and a few spices making their way to the table shortly after. Quinn poured herself a glass of tea and sat on the counter, her crutch leaning near by. Although she wasn't yet aware of Oriana's presence, she had indeed hoped her friend would refer someone her way before they left New Melbourne. Quinn was perfectly happy to sacrifice less money in her pocket for another trustworthy hired gun. It would make delivering cargo a lot easier if she could leave the Vega and not worry about it, Shai and Xin the whole time.
19:12:56 XinTou answered Oriana's question with a very qualified: "...um." In all honesty, he was stumped on how to respond. I mean, what were the chances the girl would stumble right next to this very ship? Also, he was cautious about saying anything without Quinn's say-so. When Driscol stalked off without so much as a 'how-do-you-do', his brow furrowed a moment. He wasn't very good at being the decision-maker unless said decision was on either cutting someone up or putting them on a heavy regimen of hallucinogenic drugs. After a moment, he gave Oriana a friendly, if unsure grin. "...well. At the very least, please join us for dinner. You can speak with the fearless captain then." He held out his arms in an indication that she could hand off a few things if she had too much to carry.
19:21:41 Shaiyat was a bit less skeptical at first...but only because she used Quinn's name. And he was overly trusting. He decided to leave out for now that Vega was actually his ship, those details not as important as getting out of the rain. If Oriana followed after Xin's suggestion he'd wait just inside the ship to greet her further. Despite his unruly hair, eye patch and otherwise rough looking apperance he had the friendliest smile. Which he shot her way. “Well, if'n yer lookin for Quinn yer in the right spot...” He tried to be reassuring, mashing the near-by button that activated the ship's comm. System. “Hey Driscol...you expecting a guest?” He kept the smile, knowing that the message would echo throughout the whole ship, including the mess hall. Overly trusting yes, but maybe his last encounter had made him a bit more cautious.
19:29:37 Oriana handed some of her belongings over gratefully and returned smiles to both of them. What the heck, she could trust them. She had nothing to lose. Following them into the ship, sighing with relief to be out of that pesky rain, she stood there, waiting for further instructions and dripping a small river onto the floor. “I’m Oriana Scott, by the way,” she said, offering a tiny hand to shake. “Ori’s fine.” Her eyes slid over the distinct shape of the ship. She didn’t know her machinery well, but as far as she could tell, this ship was one that held its own. Her eyes went back to Shai as he called for Quinn, waiting for a hint of affirmation.
19:37:55 Kasai nodded at the captain, moving to take the cart down to the infirmary. He tried his best not to drip everywhere, though as soaked as he was it proved to be quite a futile thing to attempt. He took his time while positioning the cart, taking in the part of the ship he hadn't been in yet. The most notable thing to him was the way the infirmary was painted, light blue with koi? Didn't seem to fit the doctor's prim and proper nature, but he knew better than to judge someone completely by a first impression. He made his way up the stairs and into the mess area, passing by Quinn on the way to his room. He remarked in a polite fashion, "Smells nice." Then continued down into his room. He wasn't quite sure what to do, seeing as he was completely soaked and had no change of clothes. He shrugged and tossed the bag onto the bed, then hung his coat and vest off the mirror and laid his shirt out on the floor so it could dry. He took off his shoes and socks, tossing them aside as he pondered to himself. [c]
19:37:57 [Kasai] He called out from his room. "Anybody got a problem with a half naked guy?" He didn't have much modesty, but he'd bear with soaked clothes if the crew preferred it.
19:40:50 Quinn was preparing her potato when Shai's voice echoed through the ship. “Guest?” she asked herself, snatching up her crutch and again wandering out to the catwalk. He hadn't sounded very worried but that was characteristically Shai. Quinn's hand found it's way to the holster at her right hip, but it fell away as she peered down at the scene. Oriana wasn't anyone she recognized but she didn't exactly seem like a threat. “Don' believe so,” she drawled, eyeing the soaking wet girl. “Humphries send you?” Bastard, she added mentally, if indeed that was the case. Quinn was quick to judge on most occasions, and was beginning to think this was some kind of joke. “Depends on which half's naked,” she called back to Kasai.
19:49:21 Shaiyat waited to hear back from the captain, not expecting her to show up instead. Well. He did his best to read her reaction...she didn't seem to be expecting the girl. But she didn't seem to be over-hostile about it either. Hmm. He fidgeted with his brace a little, watching Xin make his way to his room to repair some of the damage was done before he messed with the brace much more. It was starting to itch...anyhow. Back to Oriana. “My names Shaiyat...” He bowed slightly with a smile, fitting in a quick introduction before Kasai's dilemma made itself known. Naked? Why? The pilot didn't put together that the man may need another set of clothes just yet...he instead sent a questioning look to Quinn. “It alright if I close us up? Gonna trap in more water'n we need...”
19:56:24 Oriana looked over to Quinn as she made her way into the catwalk. She put on her most winning smile, but didn’t venture forward until invited. “No, ma’am,” she said in regard to her question about Humphries. “The name of the guy was…” She furrowed her brow, trying to remember through the haze of drink she’d had that night. “Austen, I think.” She looked hopefully between Shai and Quinn, trying to see if their faces betrayed some amount of recognition. She grinned at Shai at his introductions, murmuring a quick “pleased to meet you,” her mama had raised her right. At Kasai’s proclamation, she raised her brows, but kept silent, stifling a small giggle. Waiting to see if Quinn knew the man who’d recommended her, she switched her belongings to the other arm, shaking out the stiff free one with a sigh.
20:08:43 Kasai shrugged. "Figured I'd have to wear soggy pants. Oh well." He raised his voice for the next part, "And I was really hoping to walk around in the buff." He wondered if they'd catch the fact that he wasn't being serious. He looked at the tape wrapped around his right forearm, which had almost gotten soaked in the rain. It still had enough hold in it to last for a day or so, giving him enough time to find more. He slid the glove off of his right hand, laying it on the bed. Most of his hand was wrapped as well, but what little could be seen of his fingers were covered in scars. He ascended from his room and made his way to the mess. This was the first time his scarred body would actually be visible to the others, though the things they'd notice first would probably be the pieces of jewelry around his neck. Two chain necklaces, one adorned with a plain silver locket, the other holding a small golden ring featuring three diamonds. He stood at the end of the table, eyeing Quinn from the back. "Been lookin' [c]
20:08:44 [Kasai] for more crew, mon capitaine?" He looked over the food, not really expecting her to respond. He scratched his right bicep, drawing attention to the tattoo that was there which could only be described as a tribal designed mouth, bearing it's fangs and awaiting it's next meal. There was another tattoo on his back, a tribal dragon outlined in black and inked in with purple. It's head rested at the bottom of his neck while it's tail lazily drifted onto the back of his left shoulder. He looked quite ridiculous; half naked, soaking wet and covered in scars. Well, at least he thought he would look ridiculous.
20:12:00 Quinn continued staring at Oriana, even as she nodded to Shai's question. She had begun to frown a little, a brow quirking when the girl tried covering up her amusement at Kasai's question. Uh oh. “How old're you?” she asked, indeed knowing the name Austen – a friend of a friend who she'd met earlier that day, who must have overheard her need for crew. The man seemed alright and had even bought Quinn a drink, though it was obvious now he was something of a jokester. Ha, ha. “I'm lookin' fer someone can help move heavy things 'n shoot a gun.” Way to be a jerk, Quinn. No doubt she'd actually be impressed with Oriana, if she saw what she could do. Kasai was ignored for the moment as he called back and made his way into the mess hall. He'd better wait to eat until everyone was in there.
20:22:25 Shaiyat tried to ignore the smell of food...but cold, wet and hungry as he was that was hard to do. He tapped the control that made the ship's ramp close, stepping forward some and hoping Ori would do the same as to be out of the way when the airlock doors automatically closed. Honestly the girl standing next to him didn't look like some kind of mercenary...he had to agree with Quinn there. But, in this universe he'd learned not everything was what it seemed to be. “Why don't we talk this out over food?” The pilot called out, leaving out that his main reasoning was dictated by his stomach rather than his head. He motioned for Ori to make her way up the stairs unless the Captain objected...going up himself soon after and shooting the woman his winning smile. “Can least see where she's able...” He whispered to Quinn before making his way into the mess hall. He stopped...openly staring Kasai's way though he didn't mean to for so long. “Oh.” He recovered, though not gracefully. “I gotta shirt you can borrow if'n
20:22:36 [Shaiyat] you need ya know...jus' have'ta ask,” The pilot gave a quick smile before turning and making a quick bee-line to his room to change his own soaked clothing....and get that shirt no matter how Kasai responded.
20:31:44 Oriana straightened to her full height, which still wasn’t very impressive, but at least made her look more mature, for a few seconds. “I’m twenty three,” she declared. “I can carry my share. And I know a little bit about shootin’ guns.” Her hand briefly rested on Bessie, almost like a loving pat, though the gun was concealed under her jacket quite well. She skittered out of the way of the airlock doors and, noticing the smell of food for the first time, swayed a bit as her stomach complained. Losing some of her confidence, she turned her eyes to Quinn. “I’m good, everyone says,” she told the woman. “Give me a way to prove it, and I will.” At Shai’s motioning, she started forward, but stopped again, unsure whether she should put her things down where she was (as they were wet) or if she should continue following Shai.
20:39:15 Kasai shrugged at Shai's offer. "A shirt's a shirt, though I don't need one. Thanks for the offer though." His mouth began to water the longer he looked the food over, slowly remembering it had been a few days since he had actually eaten. Was it really getting to the point where he went so long without noticing? Sometimes he found that his ways confused even himself. He turned away from the table, determining that would be the best way to hold his appetite until everyone else was ready. He fiddled with the locket for a moment before opening it and looking at the picture. A genuine smile came to his face, and he would have ran a finger over the face held in the locket had his hands not still been wet. He clasped the locket and let it drop back onto his chest. He ventured out onto the catwalk, finally curious as to what the new dinner guest looked like and why it caused Quinn such concern. He smirked and nodded, before speaking to Quinn. "Don't understimate someone because of their size, mon capitaine. [c]
20:39:16 [Kasai] I was a crack shot when I was that size, too." Though he left out the part that the woman was actually a bit older than himself.
20:43:22 Quinn didn't say much as Shai made his suggestion and bounded up the stairs. She shrugged a little, open to the idea of feeding the girl before she got kicked back out to the street. “You can leave yer things,” the captain mentioned, then turned and moved toward the mess. So apparently Oriana had a gun with that gesture of hers, but her explanation was a little lacking. “Good lord,” Quinn commented as Kasai appeared. She figured that, on account of all those scars and decorations, bravado was what he did best. So far he had behaved himself however, and had earned a meal by helping with the clean up downstairs... but that was subject to change. “Don' recall askin' yer opinion, Kasai.” Quinn returned to her seat and mashed butter into her potatoes, added some salt and cut herself a piece of meat pie. “So what's yer name?” she asked the merc if she followed, having not heard it earlier. “And where've you worked? Grab somethin' to eat, fore it all disappears.” When Shai returned with a shirt, Quinn chuckled. <c>
20:43:30 [Quinn] “Thanks Shai... don' wanna corrupt any innocent eyes.” The captain gave Kasai a meaningful look that suggested he put it on.
20:51:33 Shaiyat in truth didn't have many shirts. His wardrobe was scarce enough as it was. He considered going and asking Xin if he owned something more suitable for the man...but finally came across an old navy blue t-shirt with a couple randomly patterned patches sewn one each sleeve. He returned not too much later, his grey flight-suit drier then the last. The shirt was tossed Kasai's way with a smile. If the man put it one or not, the pilot wasn't going to make a fuss over it...he had to at least offer. His single eye slid back to the man's tattoo's...suddenly a bit more proud his own more recently acquired one though it was hidden for now. He'd talk tattoos with Kasai later, for now there was food. He grabbed himself a generous portion of each dish. He wasn't shy about eating, but he did try to save some for the others. He found himself a seat next to the captain, stretching out in a way that left little room for anyone else to sit..saving a seat for Xin, yes. Anyhow, the first bite of potato caused him to give Quinn
20:51:47 [Shaiyat] an appreciative nod. “No one cooks better'n you Quinn....” If need be he'd motion for Ori to sit across from him, still trying to stay friendly despite her abilities being in question. He was just as curious as everyone else. He turned a bit to face Kasai. “You been 'round a bit, huh?” The tone was kept casual, as he still knew very little about the man.
21:01:24 Oriana emptied her arms of her belongings and followed Quinn up to the mess. At Shai’s gesture, she sat beside the captain, and took small portions of everything, feeling rude and intrusive but starving at the same time. “My name’s Oriana Scott,” she told Quinn. “You can call me Ori, though.” She took a bite of potato as Quinn asked after her work experience. “Well,” she said after swallowing, “I worked with a guy named Lance, but he stranded me on Ita Moon after a raid. Managed to hitch a ride here. ‘Fraid I don’t have much experience, I only just left home…” Ori choked a bit, and returned her attention to her food, preferring to listen to the conversation around her. Her eyes rarely stayed on any one thing (other than the delicious food), and after a moment of silence she quietly said to Quinn, “Thank you for the food. And the chance. I wont let you down.” She felt it necessary to promote herself and show she wasn’t the frail girl everyone assumed her to be.
21:11:15 Kasai caught the shirt, and raised a brow at it. "Uh... Thanks." He said in the nicest way possible, only sliding the shirt on when he glanced at Quinn and noticed her look. He sat at the opposite end of the table after taking a small portion of everything. He took a bite and nodded in agreement with Shai. "This is quite the meal. Haven't had strong home-cookin' like this in years." He bowed as best as one could in a chair. "Thank you muchly, mon capitaine." His eyes turned to Oriana, then back to Shai as he was addressed. "Aye." He paused for a moment, considering his words. "Might could say I've been around a bit more than I should for my age." He looked at Quinn for a moment, quickly recalling her reaction when she saw him. He hoped to win her over somehow, as he felt that would be the best way to prolong his time on the Vega. "And you, Shaiyat? You seem to have seen quite your share as well."
21:13:20 [Quinn] “Just boiled 'em, Shai.” Quinn really shouldn't be surprised. The pilot couldn't cook to save his life. He had trouble fixing a sandwich for heaven's sake, and had nearly killed their new rice cooker. She gave him a small, affectionate smile and waved off Kasai's thanks before turning her attention to the girl. She didn't care if the others dug in since the doctor was late, but she continued leaning her chair, waiting for him. Manners weren't exactly Quinn's forte, but that at least had been drilled into her. Plus, she didn't mind eating cold food. She reached for her tea and took a long drink as she listened to what Oriana had to say for herself. At the just-having-left-home bit, Quinn choked a little and sat forward, coughing into her elbow. Oooh boy. As the captain recovered and Oriana ventured on to thank her for the chance, she shook her head a little. “Hold on now Ori, haven' taken you on yet...” she sighed, peering at the girl with a bit of a frown. “Tell you what. Finish yer food, dry out a bit, <C>
21:13:29 [Quinn] 'n when it stops rainin' you 'n I will go outside so you can show me whatcha got. You can shoot what I tell ya, I may hire you.” Quinn felt satisfied to have found a way to let the girl down without being too mean. She knew once she took her outside to shoot something the girl wouldn't be able, and that'd be the end of things.
21:22:01 Shaiyat was busy enjoying his food, not answering Kasai right off as Ori said her peace. None of it seemed to catch his attention much until she mentioned having just left home...Ah. He stopped chewing for a moment...peering over towards Quinn when she coughed. Hmm, well...they could give her a chance. After all, he reminded himself that they'd left home when they were quite young. And if this girl was a good shot it'd be worth having her around. He looked at everyone else's plates...noticing they hadn't taken much. Well, that left plenty for Xin then. His attention went back to the only other man at the table, and he shrugged the best he could without trying to show his discomfort. He truly disliked his past scars most times, but he pushed such to the back of mind. “Yeah. Just good at findin' trouble I guess....what sorta work you do 'fore you came on board?” He threw the questions back on Kas, off of himself if he could help it.
21:28:24 Oriana looked back at her food, blushing furiously. “Oh, no, I didn’t mean to say, I mean, I didn’t think you’d want me right off the bat…” She quieted, and seemed to perk up at the mention of getting to shoot things. “If I don’t hit everything you tell me to, I’ll pack up and leave, and you can have Bess here, too,” she said happily, patting her side with a grin. She’d noticed the reactions to her mention of having just left home, but decided to keep the circumstances quiet for now, and mentally kicked herself for letting it slip. Not a good move. Especially when a job was at stake. Focus, Ori. Excited at the chance to show off, Ori began shoveling what food was left on her plate into her mouth, then turned to Quinn. “Ready when you are, cap’n,” she said cheerily.
21:33:56 Kasai noticed Quinn and Shai's reaction to Oriana, and figured their reaction was more correct than the fact he took it completely in stride. Leaving home while young didn't seem odd to him, hell he was surprised at himself that he hadn't reacted in the same fashion as the others to the fact that she was just now leaving. He didn't appreciate the way that Quinn continued to shrug him off, but he figured it was something he'd have to deal with for however long he actually ended up staying. He poked at his food, noticing that he was eating much slower than the others. He wondered if this was how normal people ate, quickly and in large portions. He offhandedly remarked to the short woman as she perked up towards Quinn. "You still gotta wait 'til the rain stops, mon petite amie." He didn't look at Shai when he finally answered him, his gaze still on his plate. "I..." He paused, again considering his words. "I did a lot of mercenary work. Had to leave home at a young age, and didn't have many other [c]
21:33:58 [Kasai] options. Had even less skills to work with." He looked up at Quinn, his last comment directed at her. "You've seen my aim, and that's why I'm as good as I am."
