In the engine room things were a bit crazy as Wolf and Asher tried to get the systems all back on line. With Asher realizing that he had made a mistake. The gunslinger was so anxious to help and be useful that he did what he thought should do.

“Wolf…get the beacon off…..there’s a set of jumpers in the tool box to fix what I pulled.”

“What do you think I’m doing playing solitaire??" Wolf retorted a little bit peeved

As the kid ran to the box and quickly returned with the clamp-ons. Wolf had already disconnected the beacon by pulling the wires out in the right sequence.

“Here…this’ll bring the line back up... Kora believed in being ready…she’d showed me a lot work’n on the gear..guess I need some more time with wiring.“ Asher said.

Wolf looked up, "Go to it then. You need to reset the circuit as soon as you are done. Back panel, flip the switch with the orange showing. It a safety precaution, so it don't fry you inside out."

Fenris worked as fast as he could to move power into the engines and the flight controls for the new pilot. He could not do two things at once and he knew that Asher needed to fix the mistake in save face in his own mind.

As the ships wild maneuvers finally came back to some semblance of normal, Wolf breathed a sigh of relief. Whoever the pilot had been, Ryan or the girl, he hoped Wyatt kept he/she on. However as to the pilot’s ID his question was answered as the girl’s voice came over the intercom.

“Nice work, boys. This pretty lady’s got some right’n fancy moves. Make’s a girl feel good knowin’ there’s a couple of good men workin’ behind the scenes. Remind me to buy ya’ll a drink once we git back to port.”

Moving to the intercom himself Wolf toggled it to reply.

“I don’t your name *xiao mei mei but you fly like a beautifully **jing Chai shiong-mung duh kwong-run and thank Buddha for that. Welcome aboard as I know the Captain isn’t stupid enough to let you get away.”

(assuming a possible reply)

Clicking off the intercom with a smile Wolf returned to once again checking over the Rocinante’s engines.

*Little Sister
**Brilliant Violent Lunatic

Willow didn't mind flying. She'd had her share of daring moves thanks to Sam's skills in the past, and she'd experienced them here in the shuttle more than a few times, while prepping for an emergency evacuation. It hadn't happened often in atmosphere, with gravity, though, and so the slender Companion tried to not pay attention to the gyrating horizon as various alarms and dials vied for her attention.

The stomach dropping sensation of free fall was hard to ignore, however, and Willow gasped as Rocinante drifted over a house and firepit before the engines roared anew and thrust Willow back into her seat. The ship climbed, the sun dazzling Willow's eyes before a flash and boom from below told her the missiles had found a new target.

The ship levelled off as the klaxon finally fell silent, leaving Willow's ears ringing and her nerves tingling. She gave herself a good shake, laughing a bit at the release of tension and fear before powering down the shuttle.

She made her way to the cockpit, but managed to miss Wyatt's departure, finding the two strangers sharing a grin. Knowing Wyatt would not have left them alone in the nerve center of Rocinante if they weren't now crew, Willow smiled and cocked her head to the side.

"I'm guessing Captain-san's hired you both, given we likely owe you our lives, so welcome! I take it you've heard about shares and room and board? He tell you anything else?"

OOC: Assuming a bemused response in the negative from either John or Tess

Willow rolled her jade eyes and shook her head, the long braid behind her swinging with every motion. "Of course not! Leaves me the not so glamorous details! Well, there's not much. Room and board means just that - we've got bunks and crew quarters and I'll show you around in a bit. You can take your pick of the available quarters and if you both like the same quarters...we'll discuss, " her smile widened.

"I'm Willow Takahara, by the way, ship's medic and, well, negotiator's as good a word as any. Captain-san's got the final word on any job we take, but I do my level best to ensure each trip's profitable, and people just seem to like talking to me, " Willow's nose crinkled as she said that, removing any haughtiness her words implied.

"As medic, however, I'll ask that you come see me once you're settled for a full physical and medical history. I keep all such info confidential, and won't comment on any regrettable tattoos or such, but I do need to know what I'm starting from in the event of an emergency. Board includes medical care, and I'll keep you whole and healthy as best I can. That includes vaccinations for any, ah...shore leave.

Which brings me to my last point before the tour," and here, Willow's demeanour sobered." We're a mixed crew, as you've seen, and it's a small ship that flies for long periods of time. We're all grownups, but jealousies and misunderstandings can fester when a good thing goes bad out in the Black....so if you do come aboard, it's as if you're working with siblings and Aunties... don ma?
OOC: Leaving room for responses but will assume agreement.

"Excellent! What you do on shore leave is up to you, and again," Willow's dimples returned and her eyes twinkled," I can keep secrets and always have a few ideas I can share for stress relief. Shall we take that tour now? "

Rocinante, Common room, The Evening after the auditions
The cortex news feed flickers to life on the screen in the sitting area of the Rocinante all the crew gathers as John sets up the monitor so all can see. Ma has made her famous puffed rice balls with honey and nut clusters and everyone is enjoying the moment, getting to know the new crew members. On screen, a well dress man behind a desk appears with an EMAN symbol behind him. His smile is soothing, his manner professional, and his hair combed within an inch of its life.

“...and while the senator swore that he was not intoxicated, he could not explain his nudity. Back to you Diane.”

Camera switched to a woman in a business suit, blonde hair and a low cut top. Her smile is bright, cheerful and she has a laugh like silver bells.

“Ha ha ha. Well I guess he won’t be invited back next year Tom. Ha ha ha.” She sighs heavily and dramatically, “Our final story tonight is a tragic one. “ Diane face becomes somber and serious, “Successful farmer and local philanthropist, Yardiff Bey was killed today in a Barbeque accident.”

Scene appears behind her showing a smiling Man accepting a humanitarian award.

“Mr. Bey was entertaining guests at his home when a gas leak caused an explosion that killed at least four people including Mr. Bey. For more at the scene, we now send you to Alliance Reporter, Tricia Takanawa.

Camera changes to a scene of an asian woman reporter standing by a yellow tape, far behind her is a devastated house and the signs of a explosion. Uniformed men, local law enforcement, report in the background to an older man in a brown duster jacket wearing a gold star.

“Diane, the police are still trying to piece together what has happened here. The explosion was so devastating, so destructive that it looks like a bomb was dropped on the estate. We have four men confirmed dead Diane and this would have been much higher had it not been for Mr. Bey spending his last moments of life warning his guests and staff of the imminent danger. “

In the background, an alliance patrol led by a federal Marshall has appeared. The Marshall is pointing and gesturing at the sheriff and pushing a Pad-like device into his face. The sheriff takes the device and flings it over his shoulder into the fire.

“Bey’s success was hard won by his own hands as he bought land that was considered barren by most and turned it into a golden land of abundance. Although a highly successful entrepreneur, Bey never forgot his roots and was a big contributor to local charities and events.”

The Marshall is angry. The sheriff tries to walk away but the Marshall grabs him by the collar. The sheriff elbows the Marshall in the head and then turns to land a punch to the gut that doubles him over.

“With no family that we know of, the fate of the farming land will become a hotly debated topic in the Farmer’s Guild meeting. Bey bought the lands for next to nothing back in the days, but now it represents a 10 million credit business of corn and sunflowers.”
The alliance soldiers move to protect the Fed, the police move to protect their sheriff. Soon there is a pitched battle of fisticuffs going on behind the reporter with the older sheriff standing his ground well against younger men.

“No matter the outcome, Yardiff Bey’s presence will be sorely missed in this community. A tight knit community of men who work the land and toil for the food we eat. Back to you, Diane”

Screen changes to the newsroom, focus on lady anchor and her cleavage.

“Thank you Tricia. Truly a sad day for all of Beaumonde, and not just our hometown. Well that is news as we saw it tonight. For all of us at Eisley Moss Action News, we wish you well and may the good news be yours. Goodnight.”

Camera switches to male anchor.

“Stay tuned after the news for an all star cast in The Expendables 400. Goodnight.”

Eisley Moss Spaceport, the next day, late afternoon
There was a bang at the door, a strong hard bang of someone looking for the occupants. Wyatt and Willow were already in the cargo bay discussing future jobs so Wyatt hit the switch to open the cargo bay doors. Asher and Tess look on from the catwalk above, while Wolf, John and Tess turn on the camera in the common room that links to the CB feed. There stands the sheriff that they had seen on the news last night, same brown duster, very similar to the one that Wyatt wears, but sporting a black eye and a few facial bruises. Behind him are four men, farmers you’d guess by the dress. The men all seem rather thin and haggard, but they have a look in their eyes like they have been given hope after a long time without any.

Sheriff smiles a genuine smile as he looks at both Wyatt and Willow. “Good day sir, Ma’am.” He says, “I’m Sheriff Buford T. Justice. That’s right – justice. My Ma always said that with a name like justice, best be a lawman, so here I am, just like my daddy and his daddy before him. But I ain’t here for law business, not with you at least. Would you be looking for hire?”

(assuming an answer of yes)

“Good. Glad to hear. It ain’t a big job, the five of us to Higgin’s moon and then twice as many coming back with us. We can stomach hammocks if you must.”

(assuming some question of details)

“Well you see, there was a man around here named Yardiff Bey. He wasn’t a nice man although you will find folk around here who say differently. Back a few years ago, Bey wanted these men’s land and they wouldn’t sell. They knew a snake when they saw one so they refused despite the price. So Bey had their families taken. Yeah, you heard me right, take in the night and no trace of where. Just a threat that if they didn’t sell for half the price now, they’d never come back. They sold, did what he said and didn’t tell me. But Bey sold their families off as slaves, warning these men that if they stirred up trouble, then the families would meet with an unfortunate accident. You know, I have been a lawman for a long time and I am still always surprised at how men will treat other men for money. Anyway, Bey met with a ...” The sheriff drifts off as if searching for a word but his eyes flash mischievously, “an unfortunate accident the other day – you may have seen it on the news? Gas leak my Aunt Fanny! He messed with someone who could handle themselves. Wish I could shake their hand actually. Anyway. I got the paperwork here that tells me where the families are, and proving their unlawful in-den-ture-ment. If you could fly us there and back, I’m footing the bill and ...well I’d take it as a personal kindness. I know people who wished I owed them a favour, believe you me.”

(assuming a yes. Details are not really important as it is a narrative. The price is basic passengers and who knows, maybe you offered a discount)

Higgin’s Moon, a few days later
The whole crew stands on the gangway of the Rocinante and watch as the men are reunited with their families again, wives, daughters and sons. It is a very touching moment and the Sheriff seems right pleased as well. There was a tense moment not too long ago, where the magistrate had send his lawyer to talk with the sheriff and he was going on about due process and compensations and that kinda legal mumbo-jumbo. But his talk got rather rattled and stilled as Asher and Wolf brought out every single gun that they owned and began cleaning them slowly and carefully within sight of the overdressed mouthpiece. After that, things went rather smoothly.

“Good men you got there.” Sheriff says later to the captain as you are about to leave, “Don’t suppose you’d part with either of them? I could use a deputy.”

(assuming a definitive no from Wyatt)

Eisley Moss Spaceport, one month later
After the return of the farmers and their families, word seems to get out pretty quick and jobs start coming your way. Willow keeps in contact with the four farmers and the sheriff and serves as liaison to the jobs as they come in. They won’t make you rich, by any stretch of the imagination, but it keeps the bills paid. Willow was confident that the team was being scoped out by the farmers, and that a big job was on its way if trust could be established - more than trust really but an acceptance as one of similar minds perhaps. It gives the crew a time to work with each other and get to know as John, Tess and Wolf all learn their way around the boat. John’s medical background gives him a topic of discussion with Willow and his interest in flight suits and parachuting is interesting to some to say the least. Tess is easy to talk to and finds an emotional draw to Ma, as many do once they get past her scars.

After a while, Tess gets a notice from the local post office that a package has arrived for her. She, wolf and John go pick up a rather large box marked with high level security clearance emblems. Tess almost squeals with delight as she reads the message attached to box in an envelope labeled “For Tess and her new ship.”


Hello Quing Ting

Hope you are doing well. I'm fine, but can't say where I am. I heard about your new job so I'm sending you some tech that might help. Don't worry, most were gained legally so it won't cause problems. I got you a military grade Newtech 500's sensor array with dash board, a fusion core backup battery and some EMP protection tape.

These should help with Rocinante “intelligence” and keep your system from being fried. Also I heard your working with a firefly so I'm sending some spare parts.

-Grace

Like kids on Erastide morning, the box is open to reveal presents from Tess’ mechanic friend. Questions of how did she know where to send it? Or where did she get this? Or How did this get pass security? were all answered with a simple, “With Grace, you probably don’t want to know.”


The Dew Drop Inn. Beaumonde, Two months later
The Saloon was a farming guild establishment – managed and owned. It was where farmers went to have a few drinks, and it was where they went when they wanted to do business. The Dew Drop Inn was a “redneck looking” joint but there was no way for Alliance to get a ear or eye inside. Farmers knew farmers and the serving staff were all carefully screened and usually a family member to someone in the guild. Honest working folk didn’t need Feds around telling them what to do. The double D, as it was affectionately known, had numerous rooms, many without windows and well soundproofed. It was for the working ladies, the owners would say knowing if anyone asked, but if they did everyone would soon shut up around them because they didn’t belong here.

So it was that Willow and Wyatt were joined Tess, Sheriff Justice, and three farmers that Willow had spoken with before (Della, Dee-Lar, and Jake) but not for business. They were from out of town – way out of town – Deadwood to be exact. Another man joined them there that Willow had not met before – a small asian man, shaved head with a relaxed smile and a peaceful manner. Jake introduced him as Fu Sheng. Wyatt noticed the little man had a firm grip and his eyes moved like he missed nothing. Willow noticed that the small asian man walked like a great cat, gracefully but always ready to pounce.

Drinks were ordered and brought, small talk was made and then silence fell as you waited for the Farmers to state their purpose. After a few momet, Della cleared his throat and spoke up

“We have a cargo that we like to ship to Deadwood. I ummm well ...”

“Oh gorram it Della!” said Jake, “Just tell them! We’re all business men here.”

(assuming Willow says something soothing to calm the menfolk)

Della smiled, “Yeah. Right. We want to ship 5 tanks of liquid Avri-Grow to Deadwood. Now that’s illegal, by Alliance law that is.”

Sheriff snorted, “Don’t worry about me son. I take care of my people and town and that keeps me plenty busy without keep up with purple belly nonsense.”

“We can buy Avri-Grow, we can even use it on Deadwood but transport is strictly illegal.” Della explained

“Since it can be used as a mix for a explosive.”Del-Lar added, “I don’t have to tell you that you could get ten times the price for this than we can pay you to ship. From the Black market of course.”

“But that is why we turn to you Captain Wyatt and Miss Willow. You have done us rightly and we know you won’t play that way against us.” Jake said. “So you won’t get into trouble, we arranged to transport a bunch of foodstuffs to an orphanage nearby. Fu Sheng is here as a representative from the orphanage.”

(assuming short intro and talk from Fu Sheng about himself and his order)

“We will pack the food crates around the tanks, label the tanks as corn syrup – even put a false top on it in case someone wants a taste.” Della explains, “You take the long way around so there won’t be much traffic. In case you do get inspected, Fu Sheng here will come with you to assure the goods are legit.”

“We are offering 2,500 credits up front if you do this and another 5,000 when you land on Deadwood with goods intact.” Del-Lar pipes up. “Plus we will fuel you before you leave here and after when you on Deadwood. “

*******


Ending here to allow for talking, wheeling and dealing. As to the rest of the crew, Wolf and John might be installing the new equipment and testing it. Asher could be helping, or he might be on the roof of the building across from the saloon (another saloon but with more brothel than beer) keeping an eye out even if no one asked him too.

They are asking you to haul a liquid fertilizer that is stable on its own but if mixed with an accelerant, become a highly explosive substance. Transport is illegal because it is such a tempting target to any dust devil, ex-military, wacko nutbar militia or assassin that they will do anything to get it.

The long way from Beaumonde to Deadwood is 15 days (360 hours) of travel without hard burn. There will be times when you will be completely alone in the black, or as alone as anyone can be.

The newtech sensor array and dashboard will increase Rocinante’s intelligence scare by d2. The backup battery and EMP tape can be used to protect your vital systems from an EMP attack but wrapping all the systems in tape and adding the battery will be months of a labour of love and boredom.

Spare parts list I will provide later. I have to finish this and get going.

Star of Sihnon, 10 weeks after the Dead Run
Jessy Fallon, or Beatrix Kiddo as she was known on the Ship’s Register, was relaxing in a lounge chair near one of the Liner’s spacious pools as she sipped on a fruity drink with a bamboo umbrella sticking out of it. Her shoulder length brunette hair clung to her face from the recent dip in the pool; the white two-piece bathing suit accented her lithe, athletic form.

Several men aboard had not failed to notice the good-looking and obviously wealthy young lady and many had made passes at her. So far she had politely spurned most of their offers, though she had taken several up on a dinner here or there, after all her own funds were running low.

It had cost her more for the fake ID than she had thought. The clothes and luggage she had been forced to buy in order to look the part had also eaten deep into her nest egg. Now two weeks into this month-long cruise and she only had a couple hundred left. Luckily a lot of the amenities were included in the cost of the cruise, but she liked to drink and gamble and that was not included.

So now she used her appeal to the young men here onboard to get a few free drinks and even hang with some high rollers to help her try and rebuild her small fortune. Thus far she hadn’t had a lot of luck there; money always had a way of slipping through her fingers and most of the time it was at a gambling table.

One young man in particular had seemed promising; he was the son of some rich Shipping Magnate on Bellerophon. His name was Rudy Benter and Jessy began to believe that he might be her ticket after this cruise was over.

She wasn’t thinking of marriage, but if she could get in good with this young man maybe she could go with him back to Bellerophon when the cruise was over. She had heard of the elegant estates that floated above the seas on the Verse’s richest world.

Once there she could play the part for a bit and then once her welcome was growing thin she could make off with something of value that she might fence and keep her in this type of luxury for awhile. But, last night all that had changed.

The young man and she had been enjoying a wonderful dinner and drinks and lost a considerable sum of money at the tables, then he had taken her back to his suite for more drinks. Once there he made advances upon her and while she wasn’t beyond using her body in that fashion to get what she wanted, she wasn’t a whore who gave it up over a few drinks.

She was forced to push him off of her and yet he still kept coming, apparently ‘No’ was something he wasn’t use to hearing in his rich little world. He grabbed her and then attempted to take what he wanted, but he thought he was dealing with some rich little lady and not someone trained in a hard life on the streets of a large city.

In the blink of an eye, he found himself on the ground with his arm held back behind him in a straight arm bar which prevented him from moving. He tried to struggle but found it unbelievable that this slim woman could hold him without much effort.

“I said NO!” she emphasized before giving his arm a shove and then releasing it and moving back away from him. She grabbed her Shimmer silk stole and draped it around her shoulders preparing to leave.

The young man jumped up and stalked to her, grabbing her shoulder he spun her around and attempted to strike her with his fist; he missed. She expertly ducked under the wild inexperienced swing and slipped behind him and a delicate yet powerful leg caught his ankle causing him to drop to his knees on the floor.

He started to rise but suddenly he found her behind him holding him by the hair with one hand and a small double sided knife held at his throat.

“You don’t listen well do you?” she whispered menacingly into his right ear, “let me be clear. If you ever touch me again, or even look at me wrong, you Bun tyen-shung duh ee-dway-ro*, I will kill you.”

She shoved him forward to fall on his hands and knees where he stayed this time shaking in fear as he heard the door to his stateroom slam closed behind him.

Out in the hallway, Jessy walked down the hallway a moment, her face showing her anger. Slowly she came to a halt and leaned against the wall, she broke down for a moment her slim frame shaking with emotion.

She was a thief and not use to violence; she had learned how to defend herself with Judo and though she carried knifes she hated to kill people. She would only do so if her own life depended on it, but that fay-fay-duh pee-yen** didn’t need to know that.

She calmed herself, took a deep breath and continued on to her room. Once there she double locked the door, stripped off her fancy duds and took a steaming hot shower as she softly cried letting the water wash away her tears.

Since that night, Jessy had seen him a couple of times and he had glared at her but apparently he took her warning to heart as he didn’t approach her or even speak to her.

So now she planned to sit back, enjoy the food, drink, and attention from rich men and enjoy the last two weeks of her cruise. She would let the future fend for itself; right now she was having way too much fun to think about it.

Shortly after coming aboard Jessy had learned of the Ship’s Vault where guests stored their valuables they didn’t trust in their staterooms. She had been keeping an eye on the security station near the vault and the security guards seemed rather incompetent and quite lax in their duties.

Now since the thought of depending on hooking up with one of these rich men was not so desirable, she was running plans through her head on a way she could make a go for that vault before she left ship. It would have to be just before arrival at the end of the cruise to minimize chances of her capture but she thought she just might be able to pull it off.

Laying there by the pool, she thought about all that had happened to her lately; despite the unfortunate turn of events with the rich man, for once Lady Luck seemed to be on her side unlike usual. Here she was on a fancy star liner, laying by the pool drinking a fruity umbrella drink enjoying the stares of rich men.

She should have gotten off planet before now but never had the dough. But the ticket and money that came to her just as she needed to get off Ariel and start a new life. Perhaps it was more of a blessing than she originally thought.

Here she was on a fabulous cruise, living the high life.

What could go wrong?


(* Stupid inbred sack of meat)
(** Baboon’s a**hole)

Asher felt a bit better when he heard that voice once more come across the comm., “Nice work, boys. This pretty lady’s got some right’n fancy moves. Make’s a girl feel good knowin’ there’s a couple of good men workin’ behind the scenes. Remind me to buy ya’ll a drink once we git back to port.”
When the engine room was secure and Asher made his way to the galley to help Trish make the evening meal. The two extra place settings confirmed the crew had expanded.

Willow ushered the two new members in and introduced the new pilot Tess Zhou and the man he’d met earlier as John Ryan. Ash watch carefully as Willow introduced Trish, he wasn’t about the stand for any disrespect. Ma smiled at him to let him know things were fine.

The dinner conversation was pleasant as they all got to know each other more. Seems that John was the one that got the first missiles off their tail with his fancy tech work before his station lost power. Ash nearly choked when he heard how close they came to being ended by his slip up.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rocinante, Common room, The Evening after the auditions
The crew gathered around the cortex as the news of the evening told of the “Barbeque accident.” It was clear they had gotten away unseen . As the news caster droned on Ash could hardly keep from rolling on the floor with laughter as a confrontation between the local Sheriff and the Alliance Federal Marshall was caught in the background. That local sure seemed to get the best of the Feds.

Eisley Moss Spaceport, the next day, late afternoon
The next day Ash was helping Trish get the trash ready when there was a banging on the cargo bay door. Wyatt and Willow let the local Sheriff and some other men into the cargo bay. The kid got bit worried that maybe they hadn’t got away clean. But as he listened it became clear the Sheriff wasn’t there to arrest them and before long the Sheriff was offering them work.

“Would you be looking for hire?” It ain’t a big job, the five of us to Higgin’s moon and then twice as many coming back with us. We can stomach hammocks if you must.”

Ash was amazed as he heard the story of what a …… Bey was. When he heard Bey sold the farmers families off as slaves it brought the memories of how Adelei Niska and Waylend Gayner had tried to steal his family’s farm. A run to Higgin’s Moon would be one of those “Good” jobs that don’t come around too often.

Higgin’s Moon, a few days later
Ash and Wolf watch from the catwalk as the Sheriff presented his papers to get the farmers family released. Ash got real tired of listening to the lawyer the magistrate had send prattle on about due process and compensations and that kinda legal mumbo-jumbo. The kid had heard the same trash years ago.

Ash looked to Wolf and said, “My guns need cleaned……think I’ll bring um down there where I got plenty of room for all of them.” Wolf seemed to agree. Before long the two toted pistols, rifles and shotgun down to within just a few feet of the lawyer. For next half hour the two cleaned ,clicked, spun and pumped a small armory of weapons as they glared at the lawyer. Didn’t take long for that lawyer to get real reasonable.

As the lawyer left the Sheriff spoke to Wyatt, “Good men you got there. Don’t suppose you’d part with either of them? I could use a deputy.” Asher’s head snapped up, “Sorry Sir, been there,.. done that.. got the holes in my back to prove it.” The gunslinger gathered his toy and took them back his quarters.

It wasn’t much later that the whole crew stood on the gangway of the Rocinante and watched as the men are reunited with their families again, wives, daughters and sons. It is a very touching moment and the Sheriff seems right pleased as well.

Things got real stable for a while, the farmers and folk seemed to have plenty of small jobs to keep the Roc busy. Ash got into a daily routine of practice and meditation with Willow before breakfast. Wolf and John kept him busy the rest of the day. John had him help him as the man learned the boats systems and Wolf kept him going over the wiring or just doing general maintenance to keep the Roc in top shape.

After about two months Wyatt got a message that he Willow and Tess should meet the Sheriff and few farmers at a local place known as the double D. The kid had been around town enough to hear that the Dew Drop Inn was more or less a private establishment. The general public and visitors were guided to other saloons. Ash had found a nice one just across the street. Had some right friendly ladies working there too.

When Asher showed up in his usual rigs Wyatt told him that the invite was just for three of them,” Ain’t no harm in going for a walk with my friends, beside there is some mighty good star watching from the roof of Nell’s across the street.” The kid knew his job and even if this seemed a friendly get together he’d be there for them.

“I don’t your name xiao mei mei but you fly like a beautifully jing Chai shiong-mung duh kwong-run and thank Buddha for that. Welcome aboard as I know the Captain isn’t stupid enough to let you get away.”

Tess grinned at his affectations. It had been a while since she had been called a lunatic, though she took it as a compliment every time it was said.

“Devil made me do it, ghuh,” she replied, “See ya’ll on the ground.”

"I'm guessing Captain-san's hired you both, given we likely owe you our lives, so welcome! I take it you've heard about shares and room and board? He tell you anything else?"

Tess swiveled around and took a rather large intake of breath. She had seen glimpses of this woman around the ship, but hadn’t been this close to her. It was like looking at a beautiful sunshiny day down by a creek, the promise of a secret rendezvous with a lover, and the hint of apple blossoms on the air, all wrapped up in a delicate sari.

A smile spread across her face; it felt good to be so lighthearted after being faced with imminent death. Again.

“Nope. Capt’n’s a rather straight talkin’ man. I figgered worse came to it, I’d just roll a blankie out under Roc’s dash.”

"Of course not!” the woman said, rolling her eyes, “Leaves me the not so glamorous details! Well, there's not much. Room and board means just that - we've got bunks and crew quarters and I'll show you around in a bit. You can take your pick of the available quarters and if you both like the same quarters...we'll discuss,

"I'm Willow Takahara, by the way, ship's medic and, well, negotiator's as good a word as any. Captain-san's got the final word on any job we take, but I do my level best to ensure each trip's profitable, and people just seem to like talking to me, " Willow's nose crinkled, and as she did, Tess’s nearly did too. It was such a sweet reaction to her own words, and it put the pilot’s mind to ease.

"As medic, however, I'll ask that you come see me once you're settled for a full physical and medical history. I keep all such info confidential, and won't comment on any regrettable tattoos or such, but I do need to know what I'm starting from in the event of an emergency. Board includes medical care, and I'll keep you whole and healthy as best I can. That includes vaccinations for any, ah...shore leave.

Which brings me to my last point before the tour," she continued, her tone sobering," We're a mixed crew, as you've seen, and it's a small ship that flies for long periods of time. We're all grownups, but jealousies and misunderstandings can fester when a good thing goes bad out in the Black....so if you do come aboard, it's as if you're working with siblings and Aunties... don ma?”

“Feh chun,” Tess responded, nodding her head. It was a good policy. Not every ship had it, but in her previous experience, it was just easier that way.

"Excellent! What you do on shore leave is up to you, and again," Willow's dimples played across her face as she relaxed again," I can keep secrets and always have a few ideas I can share for stress relief. Shall we take that tour now? "

“Well, Miss Willow, I might’n be takin’ ya up on that tour a little bit later, seein’ as how I better get this girl landed back at port first. Up for discussin’ some stress relievin’ techniques a little later too?” She smiled and winked.

Rocinante, Common room, The Evening after the auditions
Honey rice puff balls? Trish set down one on a plate in front of the pilot, and she delicately bit into it. A moan of pleasure escaped Tess’s lips, and Ma winked at her. The news played in the background, though the light conversation ebbed to a stop at the words,
“Our final story tonight is a tragic one. “ Tess looked up from her second half finished rice ball and frowned, “Successful farmer and local philanthropist, Yardiff Bey was killed today in a Barbeque accident.”

Everything the little blonde newscaster said after that was rather vague, focusing more on Bey than anything else, which was just fine by her. Relief flowed over her as there was no mention of any suspicious activities that the Roc’s crew may or may not have been involved in.

Asher broke out in hysterical laughter so contagious that Tess began to giggle right along side of him.


Eisley Moss Spaceport, the next day, late afternoon
Tess reclined in the cozy little common room with her chipped little tea pot filled with jasmine, trying to understand John’s finer points of life.

“Now wait just a gorram minute. Ya’ll mean to tell me that you willingly throw yourself outta a perfectly good aircraft,” she gestured around the room with her cup, “for fun?”

A loud series of bangs echoed up through the cargo bay. Tess got up and clicked the camera feed on to see what all the fuss was about. Five men stood in the doorway, and though it was a bit hard to discern over the screen, Tess was pretty sure that the man in front was the sheriff they had seen on the news last night.

“How shi sung chung,” Tess remarked sarcastically. She refilled her cup and sat back down, hoping against hope that the sheriff wasn’t here for the events of the previous day. Yeah right.
As it turned out, he was, but at the same time he wasn’t. It was a job. A mighty fine job, considering the circumstances. Reuniting families that been humped over by some trumped up, jo guei lao chien, whom they had the personal pleasure of ‘taking care of’ scot free and clean, and getting coin out of the whole deal?

Shiny.

Higgin’s Moon, a few days later
Seeing though families reunited would stand out boldly in memories for a while to come. So much hurt in the ‘verse, any moment of hope and righteousness was a rare and beautiful gift.

That, and seeing Ash and Wolf turn a purple-bellied lawyer’s knees to jelly by casually cleaning their expansive arsenal.

Eisley Moss Spaceport, one month later
It was nice having a reliable place to base operations out of. Word had quickly spread about the Roc bringing those families back together, and jobs began steadily trickling into their cargo bays. Steady work meant steady pay, and though it weren’t much, it was enough to keep Rocinante flyin’, food in their bellies, and a little bit of extra cashy moneyies in their pockets.

Tess had taken up playing Mah-jong with Ma, working out a system of knocks for different melds of the game. Most of the time they were quiet while they played, sipping jasmine out of Tess’s little blue patterned set. The pilot liked these times the best; just existing, sharing unspoken moments with Ma, being in the ebb and flow of the universe. Occasionally she did get Trish going with old stories about the ranch, reducing them both to giggles as she spoke of bucking horses, stepping in cow pies, and rolls in the hay.

A notice arrived for Tess about a month after working out of the Eisley port letting her know that a package was waiting for her down at the post office. She wandered into the engine room where John and Wolf were tinkering with Roc’s systems.

“Hey there boys. Fancy coming with a lady to pick up some goodies from town?”

The box was bigger than she expected. Truth be told, she hadn’t expected a box at all, and she flicked open the envelope to see who would be sending her such a prize.

She squeaked in delight, “It’s from Gracie!” Her eyes speed over the message, and she said excitedly, “Better git this back to Roc. Might’n be hidin’ summit good, and I can’t wait to see what!”

They deposited the large box in the bay, and Tess hurriedly pried open the top. It was stuffed with more parts than the letter indicated, Tess was sure for some obscure security reason that Gracie had come up with, and her eyes gleamed.

“Look at all these shinies!” she exclaimed, picking up the EMP tape and rolling it around in her hand before diving further into the box.

The Dew Drop Inn. Beaumonde, Two months later
The Double D. The nickname always reminded Tess of brands, but given the nature of the establishment, also made her internally chuckle at the entendre. She didn’t mind the joint at all; folk’s gotta work, and how girls choose to use their bodies was their business.

Speaking of business, the joint was the perfect place to be conducting a bit of their own. Quiet, not many interruptions, and no unwanted folks could just walk in like they owned the place. Tess went along with Wyatt and Willow down to the Double D, meeting the sheriff and four other men that she had never seen before.

“Sheriff Justice,” she said, shaking his hand after Wyatt and Willow had made their greetings, “Always a pleasure.” She clasped hands with each of the men as they were introduced, keeping her face calm as she grasped the last man’s hand. The small asian man had given her a tingle down the back of her neck, neither good nor bad, but just a feeling. Something had flashed briefly in her mind, some fragment of a memory, but it was quickly whisked away. Tess sat down next to Wyatt, ordered tea rather than booze, and waited quietly for the men before them to start talking.

After a few prolonged seconds of silence, then a bit of back and forth bickering from the farmers, the nature of the job finally came out. The involvement of the orphanage was certainly an interesting twist to the plan, hopefully if anyone got too curious they wouldn’t be that tempted by the Roc helping a group of fuzzy wuzzies.

“We are offering 2,500 credits up front if you do this,” Jake was saying, “and another 5,000 when you land on Deadwood with goods intact.”

Del-Lar added,“Plus we will fuel you before you leave here and after when you on Deadwood.”

Tess blew a low whistle, “Fifteen days out in the black. Think ya got enough protein chips fer that, Capt’n?” Her eyes danced and the corners of her mouth twitched as she looked at him.

Meeting and Greeting
“Well, Miss Willow, I might’n be takin’ ya up on that tour a little bit later, seein’ as how I better get this girl landed back at port first. Up for discussin’ some stress relievin’ techniques a little later too?” Tess smiled and winked.
Willow laughed at Tess' response - not the silvery tinkling laugh for clients, the deeper chuckle that came from deep within - and ducked her head sheepishly, cheeks colouring faintly.

"Of course, land Rocinante, by all means. We weren't tucking and rolling anymore; I must have thought we were safe aground," Willow looked up with eyes twinkling.

As the three made their way around the ship, Willow made a point of introducing the crew and pointing out the quarters that were available and those that were taken, as well as telling little stories about the ship and crew to make the two newcomers feel at home.

Rocinante, Common room, The Evening after the auditions
Willow sighed happily as Trish passed around honey rice balls (Willow's favourite!) while everyone gathered around the vid screen. She was curled up on one of the plush pillows from her room, colourful skirts arrayed around her, nibbling fastidiously at the sticky treat to make it last as long as possible, and only paid half attention to the news feed. That is, until the last piece...
Successful farmer and local philanthropist, Yardiff Bey was killed today in a Barbeque accident.”
Willow watched closely as the story unfolded, the news reporter's version contrasting with what Wyatt had later told Willow of the conversations picked up from the comms. It wouldn't have been the first time a crook tried to buy his way into legitimacy, but it could mean trouble for the crew if Bey was mourned by the locals.

As Asher and the others snickered at the mummer's play behind the reporter's oblivious back, Willow worried.

Eisley Moss Spaceport, the next day, late afternoon
Willow and Wyatt were in the cargo bay, discussing the merits of leaving as quickly as possible versus leaving with a paying load when the cargo bay door boomed with the sound of a fist hitting it. Wyatt moved forward and hit the switch to open the door, putting himself between the door and Willow in a way that made her love him all that much more. She peered around Wyatt's protective shoulder to see the sheriff from last night's newscast standing there with four haunted looking men.

“Good day sir, Ma’am.” the man introduced himself with genuine pleasure, not the false friendliness of a LEO on the job, “I’m Sheriff Buford T. Justice. That’s right – justice. My Ma always said that with a name like justice, best be a lawman, so here I am, just like my daddy and his daddy before him. But I ain’t here for law business, not with you at least. Would you be looking for hire?”

Willow smiled despite her worry and stepped out from behind Wyatt to extend her hand, losing it in the sheriff's enormous paw. "We could be, Sheriff - it depends on what you're looking to have us do."

“Good. Glad to hear. It ain’t a big job, the five of us to Higgin’s moon and then twice as many coming back with us. We can stomach hammocks if you must.”

"Higgin's Moon? Pardon me, Sheriff, but we're not prison transport and not many that head that way come back with more people than when they left. It's usually a one way trip."

“Well you see, there was a man around here named Yardiff Bey. He wasn’t a nice man although you will find folk around here who say differently. Back a few years ago, Bey wanted these men’s land and they wouldn’t sell. They knew a snake when they saw one so they refused despite the price. So Bey had their families taken. Yeah, you heard me right, take in the night and no trace of where. Just a threat that if they didn’t sell for half the price now, they’d never come back. They sold, did what he said and didn’t tell me. But Bey sold their families off as slaves, warning these men that if they stirred up trouble, then the families would meet with an unfortunate accident. You know, I have been a lawman for a long time and I am still always surprised at how men will treat other men for money. Anyway, Bey met with a ...” The sheriff drifts off as if searching for a word but his eyes flash mischievously, “an unfortunate accident the other day – you may have seen it on the news? Gas leak my Aunt Fanny! He messed with someone who could handle themselves. Wish I could shake their hand actually. Anyway. I got the paperwork here that tells me where the families are, and proving their unlawful in-den-ture-ment. If you could fly us there and back, I’m footing the bill and ...well I’d take it as a personal kindness. I know people who wished I owed them a favour, believe you me.”

Willow's smile slipped briefly as the sheriff told his tale and she gently extricated her hand from the Sheriff's grip - he'd been holding her hand as if he's forgotten he had it. "Well, having the favour of the local law's never a bad thing for a roving transport, wouldn't you agree, Captain-san? As for getting back your families," and here Willow turned to look at the men behind the sheriff, her arms lifting slightly as if to embrace them," I'm sure we'd be happy to help. What a horrible time of it you must have all had!"

OOC: More later, this was too long to post all at once. I've a sleepy boy to wake and a house to clean before the next wave of Thanksgiving meals.

The Dew Drop Inn, Beaumonde
The trip from Deadwood to Beaumonde had been blessedly uneventful aside from the occasional bouts of worry amongst the farmers – Della, Del-Lar, and Jake – with whom he had travelled and a rather tense couple of hours in which the Haphazard had been boarded and searched for contraband by Federal Marshalls. The Feds hadn’t found anything, of course, but their visit had served to make his friends from the farmers’ guild all the more nervous until Fu Sheng had explained that the visit had provided him with more than a little insight into what he might expect from Alliance agencies should their return trip meet with similar delays. The Kirbys, too, had offered some of their own input in regards to those sorts of situations and the little monk had gratefully accepted them. The remainder of the trip consisted of little more than his daily meditations, assisting where he could with the day-to-day chores aboard the tiny ship, and entertaining the questions of Silas and Bronwyn Kirby’s son, Trip. Yes, all in all, an uneventful and even pleasant trip that, at its end, had left Fu Sheng with more than a little hope that the return trip, with Buddha’s blessing, would go just as smoothly.

Two days later, Fu Sheng still held this hope as he – behind Della, Del-Lar, and Jake – entered an establishment which the locals referred to as ‘The Double D’ to meet the captain of a ship that, it was assured, could meet the requirements of the Guild’s contract. “Quite… rustic,” the little monk noted with a smile, pausing for a moment just inside the threshold to survey the place with a passing glance. He followed along, then, as Jake led them across the tavern to where this captain, along with a delegation of his crew and, curiously enough, a sheriff, awaited them.

There was no hesitation or sense of tension from Jake or the rest in regards to the lawman’s presence, even as greetings – the lovely Asian woman accompanying the captain was apparently the liaison for a previous interaction with this crew – and introductions were made…

“… and this here’s Fu Sheng…”

“Ah mi tah Fo, (Buddha bless you),” he offered with a smile and a bow to each (and a handshake where expected), then tried to make himself unobtrusive as drinks were ordered and small-talk made as the farmers maneuvered into putting the offer on the table.

After some initial spluttering on Della’s part, a rebuke for that offense from Jake, and some soothing words from Willow (which had served to broaden the monk’s own smile a fraction, as well), things continued in a more harmonious manner…

“We want to ship 5 tanks of liquid Avri-Grow to Deadwood,” Della continued, more evenly, now, despite his gaze ticking a bit suspiciously toward the sheriff as he said the next; “Now that’s illegal, by Alliance law that is.”

Sheriff Justice snorted, “Don’t worry about me son. I take care of my people and town and that keeps me plenty busy without keep up with purple belly nonsense.”

Fu Sheng’s smile flickered at that and he nodded faintly at the man’s wisdom.

Della continued on to explain the legalities of the purchase, use, and transport of the Avri-Grow that the Guild sought to smuggle back to Deadwood. Del-Lar, in turn, offered an unneeded explanation as to exactly why transport of the stuff was illegal and what the value of it might be on the black market before Jake assumed the lead, once more.

"…that is why we turn to you Captain Wyatt and Miss Willow. You have done us rightly and we know you won’t play that way against us.” Jake said. “So you won’t get into trouble, we arranged to transport a bunch of foodstuffs to an orphanage nearby. Fu Sheng is here as a representative from the orphanage.”

Fu Sheng stood and, once again, offered each a smile and a bow, this time addressing them properly. “Sung Chuan Zung (Captain Sung)…”

…an honorable man… Fu Sheng sensed, meeting Wyatt’s shadowed and steeled gaze, …but harboring a great pain…
“…Takahara Shao Jeh (Miss Takahara)…”

In everything… above all else… love He nearly blushed when he met Willow’s gaze, directly, but, in that same flickering of an instant, knew how to define the undefinable bit of her beauty that Jake and Della and Del-Lar had mooned over in preparing Fu Sheng for the meeting…

“…Zhao Shao Jeh…”

…Like her captain, the whip of a pilot hid something behind her outer demeanor, though, hers was notably more ‘plucky’ than Wyatt’s, and Fu Sheng couldn’t help but feel a strange kinship to the woman when he looked at her. She was who she was, he sensed, no betrayal of that from her at all, but, there was a single word that he felt, deep in her, somewhere hidden... and he understood when he heard it… …Shadow…
“…Buddha’s blessings upon you all. I am honored to make the acquaintance of such right-minded spirits.

As Jake Shian Shen has already said, I am Cheung Fu Sheng, a disciple of the Zhi Yi Quan… the Order of the Dispersing Fist. We are an order of… ah… I’m sorry,” still smiling, the little monk bowed apologetically, “A lesson on my order’s history is beside the point. Suffice it to say that, through my order, Buddha’s grace has had me serving as a… physical education instructor at the Moriah Gulch Orphanage on Deadwood these past years…”

“He teaches them kids kung fu,” Della interjected, nodding over the rim of his mug.

“He teaches ‘em more than that,” Jake added, swatting at Della, “Now shush. You’re bein’ rude.”

“Jake Shian Shen (Mister Jake),” Fu Sheng continued, not acknowledging the compliments from the farmers, “and the others near us have been more than gracious… more than charitable… to the orphanage over those years and, as such, Buddha’s wisdom has led me to repay some of their kindnesses by offering my services in this venture. Helping to secret a shipment home that will surely benefit us all in the end is the least I might do…”

“We will pack the food crates around the tanks, label the tanks as corn syrup – even put a false top on it in case someone wants a taste.” Della explains, then, “You take the long way around so there won’t be much traffic. In case you do get inspected, Fu Sheng here will come with you to assure the goods are legit.”

“I assure you, Sung Chuan Zung,” Fu Sheng added, “I will be as unobtrusive as I can while aboard your ship and, of course, will gladly offer my assistance wherever you might find it useful.”

“We are offering 2,500 credits up front if you do this and another 5,000 when you land on Deadwood with goods intact.” Del-Lar pipes up. “Plus we will fuel you before you leave here and after when you on Deadwood. “

((OOC: Minor liberties taken with NPC dialogue and such, perhaps some with the “senses” that Fu Sheng gets from Wyatt, Willow, and Tess? If there are fixes needed, let me know… Stopping there for now… Room for interjection/interaction throughout, of course.))

Higgin’s Moon, a few days later
Willow watched from the depths of the cargo bay as the rest of the crew stood on the gangway proper. She'd mentioned to the Captain that there was a remote possibility that she might be recognized by the magistrate, if he'd chosen to intervene in the reunion , and she didn't want to chance having the Guild pulled into their affairs.

These remote planets of dubious social opportunities usually have powerful people as Guild clients, and while Companions choose their clients, apprentices don't. I can't tell you if the magistrate here was a client, nor if he ever saw my profile, but we don't want to risk him recognizing me if we did. I don't know that my negotiating skills are needed here anyway.
Now, as the families embraced , Willow was glad she was far enough back that she could let the tears welling up in her eyes spill down. She'd spent as much time with the farmers on the way out as she could; keeping their spirits up, listening to their stories and looking at treasured photographs, and to see their hopes realized now was almost too much happiness to be held within one silken kimono

Not that there hadn't been tense moments. The magistrate hadn't lowered himself to deal with such a mundane matter, but he had sent his lawyer to talk with the sheriff and there was some protracted legal talk thrown about. Willow was considering how to intervene when Asher and Wolf, bless them both, brought out every single gun that they owned and began cleaning them slowly and carefully within sight of the overdressed mouthpiece. Willow promised herself that both were going to get a good hard hug later.

As the families came aboard and the Higgin's Moon staff moved back from the gangway, Willow brushed away her happy tears and got to work - there were people to get settled, and Willow wanted the chance to check everyone over after their ordeal in the mudpits.

Later, as the families get home and they head back to their farms, Willow collects her share of hugs and fond farewells. She makes sure to get contact information from each of the farmers and follows up on any of the family members that had gotten sick of hurt on Higgin's Moon. The farmers seem grateful, and as a result, Rocinante gets a flurry of odd jobs that keep the ledger in black ink, if only just.

Rocinante Cockpit, just after being hired John and Tess’ grin didn’t last long. It was quickly interrupted by a soft voice welcoming them as part of the crew. Tess swivelled round to see as John twisted in his seat to see who’s interrupted their moment of glee. It was one of the other women he’d seen in the cockpit earlier, but not particularly noticed. She was quite a sight; in point of fact she looked damn fine and stunning to boot. "I'm guessing Captain-san's hired you both, given we likely owe you our lives, so welcome! I take it you've heard about shares and room and board? He tell you anything else?" John’s mouth must have fallen open or something because their pilot got a whole two sentences out before John could respond.

"Supposed I’d meet the rest of the crew and assigned a bunk later actually."

The woman replied likewise to both them and then introduced herself. "Of course not! Leaves me the not so glamorous details! Well, there's not much. Room and board means just that - we've got bunks and crew quarters and I'll show you around in a bit. You can take your pick of the available quarters and if you both like the same quarters...we'll discuss. I'm Willow Takahara, by the way, ship's medic and, well, negotiator's as good a word as any. Captain-san's got the final word on any job we take, but I do my level best to ensure each trip's profitable, and people just seem to like talking to me, as medic, however, I'll ask that you come see me once you're settled for a full physical and medical history. I keep all such info confidential, and won't comment on any regrettable tattoos or such, but I do need to know what I'm starting from in the event of an emergency. Board includes medical care, and I'll keep you whole and healthy as best I can. That includes vaccinations for any, ah...shore leave." She paused slightly before continuing in a more business like tone "Which brings me to my last point before the tour. We're a mixed crew, as you've seen, and it's a small ship that flies for long periods of time. We're all grownups, but jealousies and misunderstandings can fester when a good thing goes bad out in the Black....so if you do come aboard, it's as if you're working with siblings and Aunties... don ma?"

Tess agreed with this, as did John. When he’d captained his own ship he’d had the same policy. Relationships only caused problems when the same people were stuck together for days on end. "Excellent!" Willow continued, her tone relaxing slightly "What you do on shore leave is up to you, and again, I can keep secrets and always have a few ideas I can share for stress relief. Shall we take that tour now?"

"I’ll help with the power-down once we’ve landed, but I’ll take you up on it later." Came John’s reply, just before he stood and, not wanting to appear rude, and held out his hand to shake Willow’s "John Ryan, pleased to meet you." Before returning to his seat and beginning to check all the internal systems were still working after their little near-miss.

Rocinate Common Room, After a ship tour and crew introductions.
Soon after landing Willow had returned to the cockpit as John and Tess were finishing powering down the rection engines and returned the main drive to a docked state. They’d got on with their own introductions as they returned to the spaceport, chief among the topics had been where Tess had learnt to fly like she had and how come he had managed to disarm the first set of missiles and hacked the ASREV comms systems. The tour itself was short enough, the Rocinante not being a massive ship, and had of taken less time had John not been distracted Wolf and Asher in the engine room. They were also introduced to Trish, the badly scared cook. John had to say that seeing her was a shock, he’d seen her performing on Cortex repeats but nobody ever imagines to see somebody they’d seen on the Cortex on a ship out in the border planets. John wasn’t particularly tough, but he’d seen his fair share of unpleasant injuries in the war and Trish’s face wasn’t the worst visage he’d seen. Coming to the end of the tour John, ever the gentleman, gave Tess first pick of the free cabins, taking whatever was left himself.

Having set up a monitor in the sitting area of the Rocinante John settled down with the rest of the crew to watch that evening puppet show, he’d become familiar with the lies the Alliance told after seeing archived news reports on the ‘Unification’ War. It didn’t take long for members of the crew to break down into laughter at the brawl behind the reporter, but John, and Willow, remained sombre. All John could focus on was one short sentence "Mr. Bey was entertaining guests at his home when a gas leak caused an explosion that killed at least four people". Four people were dead, on top of the two piloting the ASREV that had attacked them. Six people had died that day, partly at his own hands. It was a grim thought, and even more forbidding was the idea that more could have been killed if Yardiff was entertaining guests. John didn’t sit through the whole report, he found the laughter and the fight behind the reporter offensively disrespectful. Away from the laughter and in his cabin John busied himself finishing his unpacking.

Rocinate Cargo Bay, the day after the auditions, late afternoon
John and Tess were alone in the common room after an uneventful day, John had spent the vast majority of it compiling a catalog of the new components the Rocinante needed. For such an old ship it was a surprisingly short list, Wolf and whoever had been the mechanic before him had kept her in good condition, but even so John had developed a headache. Sharing Tess’ jasmine tea out of a little shipped tea pot she quizzed him about one of the more eccentric aspects of John’s life. Somehow they’d got to discussing John’s wing suit flying. "It started as parachuting, to wind up my parents." he’d managed to explained "But I actually enjoyed it and wanted to push it further." Tess still couldn’t rap her head around the idea of jumping out of anything. "Now wait just a gorram minute. Ya’ll mean to tell me that you willingly throw yourself outta a perfectly good aircraft, for fun."

"Doesn’t have to be an aircraft, some pro’s jump from skyplexes. I can’t really explain it." John took a sip of the hot tea and tried to think of a way to explain it. "You know when you’re standing on the edge of something and you just want to jump?" John paused for Tess’ reply "Well that’s kinda why I do it. Giving into that feeling… it just feels good. Plus…" But John didn’t get to finish his sentence as a series of bangs reverberated around the ship from the cargo bay. Tess clicked on the cargo hold camera and the pair watched the scene unfurl. "How shi sung chung¡" Tess sarcastically remarked, John’s response to the situation was somewhat similar "Jing chai¡" But as thing unfurled it was soon revealed to be fortuitously fortunate, the sheriff was offering them good work. Work that gave them a chance to do something good. The captain accepted it on the spot and soon John and Tess were in the cockpit with a course plotted for Higgin’s Moon.

Higgin’s Moon, a few days later
Over the few days travel John had become aquatinted with their passengers so was there in the cargo bay watching as the families were reunited. It touched each of the crew, particularly after the slight worry when the magistrate’s lawyer and sheriff argued over bureaucracy and compensation, but the lawyer seemed to become distracted when Wolf and Ash began eying him and cleaning their not unconsiderable arsenal on the catwalk. John didn’t say he cared for this tactic, but it was obvious that they wouldn’t shoot an advocate with a lawman around and it seemed to speed things up.

Eisley Moss Spaceport, one month later
Work had been coming steady for the Rocinante since word had got out that they’d done good. Money was coming in at enough of a rate to keep them flying, but nothing notable happened until a message came in from the post office. A package had arrived for Tess, and her, Wolf, and John went to collect it. Tess squeaked with delight opening the envelope attached to the crate, explaining it was from a friend and that the crate probably contained some goodies. Back in the bay door they quickly removed the screws holding down the lid and Tess slid the lid off the top of a technical treasure trove. She exclaimed delight as she plucked out a roll of what they both recognized as EMP tape before she almost jumped into the box to discover the rest of its contents. Whoever Gracie was she must have both money and a technical bent. The box contained a range of common spare parts as well as a new sensor suit for the Roc and a backup battery. Both him and Tess were of one mind when it came to what to do, over the next two months they installed the backup battery and sensor suit before starting to insulate essential system with the EMP tape. Working together John took the opportunity to get to know Tess better and to ask a bit about Gracie.

The Rocinante, Eisley Moss Space Port, two months later.
Tess, Wyatt, and Willow had been called out to the Double D for a meeting of some sort, and Ash had invited himself as well. John and Wolf stayed behind with Trish and the Roc. John knew of the saloon but had never been inside; it was favored by local farmers and owned by the farming guild so non-guild members were normally banned. John had stuck to a different watering hole himself, one owned by locals and not controlled by a guild, he’s always shunned guilds, even the trade guilds, preferring to go it alone. On the ship he busied himself with the EMP tape. It was important work that needed to be done despite its mind numbing monotony, and although he got on well with Wolf he was also busy with something. Trish he’d taken to avoiding when he could, her scars reminded John of some of the more terrible thing he’d seen during the war and couldn’t help himself welling up when he saw her.

((OOC: If it’s OK with you Celeste I’m thinking in Tess and John’s discussion in the cockpit Tess learns that John was a medi-evac pilot for the alliance during the war and John learns that Tess was a pilot for the independents. They’d both probably learn each other’s opinions about their respective roles, I don’t know what Tess’ opinion would be but John would be slightly disapproving and disappointed if Tess was even involved in combat operation.
¡ is a punctuation mark meant to indicate sarcasm. I’ll probably use it from now on to indicate sarcasm unless anybody specifically objects.))

The Dew Drop Inn. Beaumonde, Two months later
The last few months had gone by quickly, the flurry of small jobs keeping the ship hopping, and Willow negotiating the next deal while collecting payment for the last. The farmers (she was dealing with different ones each time, but there was always previous customers among the group loading or unloading) were shrewd bargainers, but Willow got a sense that Willow could have simply named her price, as long as it was reasonable.

For the walk to the Dew Drop Inn, Willow had chosen her simplest salwar kameez, the red and gold fabric moving easily as she walked, yet she still felt every eye on her as they entered. Farmers and ranchers being the quiet folk most of them were, went back to their drinks and card games quickly enough once they were satisfied the Rocinante crew were welcome.

Willow, Wyatt and Tess were joined by Sheriff Justice and three farmers Willow had done spoken to before while negotiating with other farmers; Della, Dee-Lar, and Jake. They'd each seemed nice enough, but were from far enough away that they'd not hired Rocinante for anything. Until now. Over drinks of tea and spirits (Willow gamely nursing a hideous champagne the Sheriff insisted on getting for her), the three men braced themselves, and Della spoke.

“We have a cargo that we like to ship to Deadwood. I ummm well ...”

“Oh gorram it Della!” said Jake, “Just tell them! We’re all business men here.”

"Jake, honey, " Willow interjected, putting her hand on Jake's arm and eliciting a bashful smile from the big man, "let Della tell us his own way."

Della smiled, “Yeah. Right. We want to ship 5 tanks of liquid Avri-Grow to Deadwood. Now that’s illegal, by Alliance law that is.”

Sheriff snorted, “Don’t worry about me son. I take care of my people and town and that keeps me plenty busy without keep up with purple belly nonsense.”

“We can buy Avri-Grow, we can even use it on Deadwood but transport is strictly illegal.” Della explained

“Since it can be used as a mix for a explosive.”Del-Lar added, “I don’t have to tell you that you could get ten times the price for this than we can pay you to ship. From the Black market of course.”

“But that is why we turn to you Captain Wyatt and Miss Willow. You have done us rightly and we know you won’t play that way against us.” Jake said. “So you won’t get into trouble, we arranged to transport a bunch of foodstuffs to an orphanage nearby. Fu Sheng is here as a representative from the orphanage.”

Willow looked as the small man who'd been silent after an initial greeting stood and bowed to each in turn, greeting them formally.

“Sung Chuan Zung, Takahara Shao Jeh, Zhao Shao Jeh, Buddha’s blessings upon you all. I am honored to make the acquaintance of such right-minded spirits."

Willow found herself shivering, just a little. As peaceful as his smile and eyes were, Fu Sheng moved like a sleepy tiger, his feet planted firmly and his weight perfectly centered. Willow might have been a student on the non-combative martial arts, but here was a clear master of the deadliest skills.

"As Jake Shian Shen has already said, I am Cheung Fu Sheng, a disciple of the Zhi Yi Quan… the Order of the Dispersing Fist. We are an order of… ah… I’m sorry,” still smiling, the little monk bowed apologetically, “A lesson on my order’s history is beside the point. Suffice it to say that, through my order, Buddha’s grace has had me serving as a… physical education instructor at the Moriah Gulch Orphanage on Deadwood these past years…”

“He teaches them kids kung fu,” Della interjected, nodding over the rim of his mug.

“He teaches ‘em more than that,” Jake added, swatting at Della, “Now shush. You’re bein’ rude.”

“Jake Shian Shen (Mister Jake),” Fu Sheng continued, not acknowledging the compliments from the farmers, “and the others near us have been more than gracious… more than charitable… to the orphanage over those years and, as such, Buddha’s wisdom has led me to repay some of their kindnesses by offering my services in this venture. Helping to secret a shipment home that will surely benefit us all in the end is the least I might do…”

“I assure you, Sung Chuan Zung,” Fu Sheng added, “I will be as unobtrusive as I can while aboard your ship and, of course, will gladly offer my assistance wherever you might find it useful.”

“We are offering 2,500 credits up front if you do this and another 5,000 when you land on Deadwood with goods intact.” Del-Lar pipes up. “Plus we will fuel you before you leave here and after when you on Deadwood. “

Willow looked at Tess and Wyatt, getting a subtle nod from Wyatt to continue. "Money's not much to us if we're boarded or blown up," she began smoothly. "And while having a passenger aboard means you trust it's stable enough to transport, how do I know we won't accidentally set it off? What does it take to make it go boom, if I may ask?"

Willow may have seemed to be beginning negotiations, but the slender woman watched each man closely without seeming to. Body language might tell her if they knew more about Avri-Grow's darker uses than farmers should.

Boom...or ka-boom...either way, Wyatt wasn't keen on transporting the ingredients for such effects. Fertilizer was one thing (though Wyatt had been into ranching, not farming, he appreciated the work that went into tilling the earth and was always grateful for fresh vegetables), but if that fertilizer could go putting a hole in the side of Roc; well, that wasn't appealing to the somber captain.

For months they'd been toting everything from grain to equipment for these good people, and Sung wasn't beyond dropping them in the "good, honest folk" barrel, but taking the long way 'round while carrying goods that were illegal to transport–Sam would have been downright twitchy about it, and Wyatt wasn't so keen on just allowing it on his boat even on the say-so of men he'd come to appreciate. So, while Willow began the negotiations as she was more than capable of doing, Wyatt hooked his thumbs in his belt and peered at the men from beneath the brim of his hat; expressionless, and casual.

"I'm all fer slipping things past the purple bellies," Wyatt drawled with a practiced half-smile after they'd answered Willow's questions concerning the nature of volatile acquaintences should the "corn syrup" come into contact with something unexpected. "Question I got for ya is pretty straight forward, Sheriff Justice. It's well-known t' me an' mine that you an' these fine gentlemen got nothing by way of warm an' fuzzy feelings fer the Feds. Buddha knows I'm not climbing int' bed with none of them...well, ever. However, I gotta believe that there are good people on both sides o' the War that got kilt fer being in the wrong place at the wrong time, an' I don't aim t' see that happen again." The image of the smoking crater that had been Yardiff's home popped into mind like grease splashing from a hot frying pan as it had done many a quiet time since he'd witnessed it on the monitor that night after their acrobatic auditions. He hadn't laughed at the antics Justice and his men had played out behind the reporter. He'd stared grimly at the screen and contemplated the deaths of the four people, and the likelihood of whether they'd been deserving of such a fate. When John had left the room, Wyatt had taken stock of that too, and he'd heard the talk about the ship since then. There were mixed sympathies on board Roc, but the fact that this was his family didn't mean there weren't mixed politics that he had to keep in mind should they want to keep flying. Shoving the thoughts back into the black recesses of the chained-up chest he kept such things in, Wyatt allowed the half-smile to turn into a full smile and spread his hands before him.

"People have got t' keep their crops fresh and lively, of that I am positive. If you fine people say this is the way to do so, then this is the way to do so. And we'll take ourselves a little detour into deep Black t' make that happen. Just seeking some assurances is all Sheriff Justice. It's one thing t' cross the Alliance with yer eyes open wide, an' it's another altogether t' do so with shiny rose-colored glasses on while dreaming of the green fields of Earth that Was."

Pre meeting
The new dashboard for the sensory array fit into the control panel like a glove. Wolf and john worked on setting it up, wiring it and calibration. In the end, the unit gave the pilot better ability to detect things in space and from greater distances than before.

The back up battery was a sweet addition, with enough power to run lights, inner ship communication and door locks. But protecting an entire ship's wiring from an EMP attack was - well quite a task. It would take Wolf months to do it alone, and even with John and Asher helping it was a slow task. Wolf had to carefully monitor what had been done and not because the smallest section missed would make the endeavour worthless. Each one of them at some point came back to Tess and asked "Your one mechanic did this for your entire ship? Really?"

Going to the meeting Asher walked alongside Tess, Wyatt and Willow as they headed off to their meeting. It wasn't unusual in Eisley Moss for a young man to be carrying a rifle openly so it didn't draw attention. ,” Ain’t no harm in going for a walk with my friends, beside there is some mighty good star watching from the roof of Nell’s across the street.” The Kid said.

Asher spotted a young girl watching from the side of a general store. She was a pretty young girl, with long red hair, green eyes that would swallow you whole and freckles that were meant to be counted after .... well, you know. She was about 18 years old and she watched Asher go by with a cat's curiosity.
But when he looked back again, she was gone.

But he spotted her again later on, hiding behind a hay wagon and looking at him when she thought he wasn't. It wasn't like Asher hadn't had a girl watch him before

So Asher went into Nell's and the other three entered the Double D. he looked around one more time but his admirer was gone, or at least getting better at sneaking around.

During The Meeting
"Money's not much to us if we're boarded or blown up," Willow began smoothly. "And while having a passenger aboard means you trust it's stable enough to transport, how do I know we won't accidentally set it off? What does it take to make it go boom, if I may ask?"

Jake cleared his throat, "It's stable as water, heck you could put out a fire with it but I don't recommend it. Bit expensive for that. It becomes a problem when it is mixed with a hydrocarbon in liquid form, and then only if you do the right percentage. If you poured half and half with gasoline, you'd only get a pretty flame and a headache from the fumes. Your hydrogen fuel is more dangerous than avri-grow. Think of it as carrying a case full of dynamite wicks. Unless you put them into the dynamite stick, you ain't gonna be hurt by the wicks."

"You need to understand the real reason we can transport this cargo." Del-lar piped up and Della and Jake rolled their eyes and leaned back like they were preparing to hear a sermon they hear a million times before, " Blue Sun owns all the big farms from Greenleaf to Alacrity. They have all the big shots in the guild in their pockets and they don't want no competition. Why else could we buy it, from Blue Sun no less yet we cannot transport it?"

"Okay there Del-lar," Della said soothingly, "These folks don't want to hear no conspiracy theory or any of your mind control mumbo-gumbo. He is right that if we get this stuff to Deadwood, we have a good chance to grow some good crops. The planet is named rightly, the soil ain't got much life in it." he said while fishing something out of his pocket. It was an apple, red, ripe, but quite small - less than half the size of what you'd expect as an apple. "This is the best of my crop this year. Taste mighty fine but there ain't enough nutrients in the soil to make a reasonable yield." he reached out and offered the apple to Willow, "For you. "

Willow's expert eye of reading people saw no attempt to misdirect or lie in these men. If anything, they wanted to be as honest as possible with you. The glances between each other was more assurance that they were not forgetting something.

"I'm all fer slipping things past the purple bellies," Wyatt drawled. "Question I got for ya is pretty straight forward, Sheriff Justice. It's well-known t' me an' mine that you an' these fine gentlemen got nothing by way of warm an' fuzzy feelings fer the Feds. Buddha knows I'm not climbing int' bed with none of them...well, ever. However, I gotta believe that there are good people on both sides o' the War that got kilt fer being in the wrong place at the wrong time, an' I don't aim t' see that happen again."

"People have got t' keep their crops fresh and lively, of that I am positive. If you fine people say this is the way to do so, then this is the way to do so. And we'll take ourselves a little detour into deep Black t' make that happen. Just seeking some assurances is all Sheriff Justice. It's one thing t' cross the Alliance with yer eyes open wide, an' it's another altogether t' do so with shiny rose-colored glasses on while dreaming of the green fields of Earth that Was."

The sheriff looked back at Wyatt with a serious demeanor. "I appreciate your candor Wyatt. I have known these gentlemen since we were kids playing tag in our daddy's back yard. just like their fathers, they just want to grow crops, till the earth and feed the people. They ain't no dust devils. We all fought in the war and we came home wanting to put it all behind us and do what we can. Deadwood is a long away from the alliance eye and not a place for anyone to stir up trouble.

"So let me assure you that what is being told to you is the gospel truth. No one here pulling the wool over your eyes. Let me also assure you that all the paperwork and whatnot shows you are delivering to the orphanage so if the goods are discovered you got what them purple bellies call 'plausible deniability'. Let me also assure you that if some hot shot still puts the shackles on you, I will do my level best from this side to get you out - and that is not something to be trifled with, if I say so myself. So, Captain - do you feel assured?"

(assuming that is yes.)

Asher was glad that he came to watch and even more glad that nothing came to unsettle the meeting in any way. He packed up his stuff to leave but Amber and Honey were asking him if he was gonna stay in such a nice way....


Eisley Moss Spaceport, The next day, early morning
Five skids loaded with crates and boxes of foodstuff around a metal barrel of "corn syrup" are loaded into the cargo bay of the Rocinante. Each skid is approximately 4'WX7'HX4'D, wrapped in plastic shrink wrap and then secured with straps to the floor of the cargo bay. the farmers show up with family and hands in tow to help and as you are getting fueled up and ready to go, the wives of the farmer present many different baked goods to Willow "for the long voyage". There are a few meat pies, some fruit pies, a number of different cakes and tubs of cookies too. They also contribute dried oats, dried fruits, jars of jam and preserves as well.

Asher was helping unload when suddenly there she was again, the red hair girl. She approached him with a ceramic jar that smelled of oatmeal and raisins. She was shaking as she handed them to Asher and only managed to whisper "for you."

(assuming some response like Hello or thank you)

Her confidence suddenly broke and she ran away as fast as she could. A man and woman, her parents by resemblance alone, stood by and watched, shaking their heads.

"You'll never get a man if you don't talk to him honey!" the Mom called out exasperated.

"Well that is not always true dear. Some like the quiet type." the Dad said and was hit across the back of his head for his troubles. "But not any you want to be with though."

Goodbyes are said and the cargo bay finally closes. Tess gets the all clear from the flight control and the crew go about their chores and business while Trish and Willow put away the goodies and decide what has to be eaten soon and what can be stored. There will be a feast tonight for sure, and the protein paste is not invited.

So time passes and the hours become days and the days move on by as you drift through the black. Daily routines are established and you all know that keeping busy is important on a ship but leisure time is also available.

On day three you are stopped by a passing alliance ship and boarded. The alliance has a tram search your ship but they pay little attention to your cargo. they are looking for two fugitive - Simon and River Tan. Not the first time you have been searched for them, but they must have pissed the alliance off sorely.

On day seven you are passing the far reaches of Sihnon and about to head into the long stretch where you will be out of most regular shipping lanes. Tess is in the pilot chair of the Bridge, Wyatt is there as well alongside John who is busy taping up more cables with the EMP tape. Asher is in the common room playing a shoot'em up game on the cortex box while Fu Sheng sits by watching and Trish is busy making up breakfast for everyone. Willow is in the infirmary, running a firmware update on her diagnostic machine. Wolf is in the engine room, making sure all is running smoothly.

Suddenly, the cortex feed is lost. Tess tries a few methods to bring it back but nothing but static. Asher's game becomes a screen of white noise and static. Willow's upgrade is shut down in mid-progress. Without the cortex, you have no long range communication, no access to the outside world. Not a big issue at the moment. The onboard computer has a astro-chart and you can fly for awhile without needing to confirm your location.

John stops fiddling with wires and tries his luck but with no avail. But just then, a minute or two after the feed is lost, Tess cries out and points out into the black through the cockpit window. There is a bright fiery explosion , no more than a blob to your eye. Sensors show a ship in the far distance, large, and with multiple hot spots. Then the short range radio light begins to flash on the control panel and Tess flips it on speaker for shipwide.

"Zzztttzzttztztz.....Mayday! Mayday....Zztztztztz. This is the Star of Sihnon ... zzttzz ... liner...zzztzttzt ...please help."

John immediately adjusted some of the feed and rerouted power to the radio receiver, "Let me boost the signal." he said quietly. The signal was still full of static but the message was clearer.

"This is the Star of Sihnon Cruise Liner. We are badly damaged by internal explosion. Starboard escape pods are lost. There are not enough for all passengers. We need help! In the name of Buddha, God and the 'verse please can someone hear me!!!!"

Star of Sihnon Promenade deck, 8:00 pm Ship Time
Jessy was on her way to the dining room for dinner when the floor beneath her shook for the first time. She managed to stand her ground but other passengers were knocked down to the ground. Then came another shake and even Jessy could not keep her balance this time. It was followed by a loud explosion from beneath the ship. Something was definitely wrong.

Emergency lights popped up out of the floor flashing in sequence to direct people to the escape pods. A feminine voice announced across the ship intercom in both English and Mandarin "Attention all passengers. Please proceed to your assigned emergency exit hatch. " Security guards were running in all directions as the passengers panicked. Another big boom shook the ship and what felt like a shockwave rippled along the starboard side of the ship. The sound was deafening as metal, plastic and ceramic were torn to pieces. Emergency bulkheads slid down to seal up the inner hull and keep precious air and pressure inside the ship.

Jessy started to follow the flashing lights, cursing to herself that luck had changed and all that she had was about to be lost. She was pushed aside by running people and lost her way for a second until she could focus again on the light, but they brought her right to the security station where the vault that she'd been watching stood - partially open. No guards were there and no one was watching in their frighten herd-like state. A few gems? Coins? Anything to help her land on her feet - it would be worth the few seconds it would take ...

The peace that the Black brought Wyatt was akin to being folded in the warm embrace of a loved one after a long journey. It hasn't always been that way. There was a time before the War when A much younger, and much more naive, Wyatt Sung had never dreamed of going off-world for so much more than a brief vacation. He had been content with the dream of a parcel of land, a wife and family, and growing old, tired, and cantankerous while watching the red sun set on the horizon. Now...now the cold dark of the Black was his mistress, and were he too long with the dirt beneath his soles he became edgy, angry, and more likely to cast about for trouble. He recognized this particular demon every time they set to port, and he made such visits as short as possible.

So, here he was, watching Tess out of the corner of his eye while using the other corner to eyeball John. It wasn't that he didn't trust them. They'd been on board long enough to prove their worth. He was just bored, and with boredom came a desire to drink. His options were to socialize, read, browse the Cortex, or pretend to be busy while possibly (subtly) learning something at the same time. That's what had brought him to the bridge; acting busy on the Nav-Computer while trying to learn a few tricks from the crew there, and that's how he ended up rising quick from his seat to lean over Tess' shoulder and stare intently at the scanner.

"John," Wyatt ordered as he watched the read. "Get back on the radio and let them know we're inbound. Skin yer eyes fee something fishy though--reavers, pirates, or the like. Cruise liners ain't prone t' go all fiery like that of their own choosin'. See if'n they can't give us an idea as to why they're lightin' up my sky while yer at it.

"Take us in Tess, only not so tight as t' risk the paint bubbling from the heat."

"Evenin'," Wyatt drawled into the shipwide com. "This'll be your captain speakin'. It looks like we might be Gavin' a few guests fer supper t'night, so let's make preparations accordingly."

Star of Sihnon Promenade deck, 8:00 pm Ship Time
It had been a good day for Jessy; she had enjoyed a day of talking to rich men who practically fought over her attention. They bought her drinks, plied her with fancy foods, and made all manner of promises of gifts to come. She had left them all with no assurances other than she would consider their offers.

She had loved the attention, but she was still a little ‘gun shy’ about putting herself in another position where one of the guys might feel she owes him ‘something’. So tonight she had refused all offers of dinner with any of them and chose to dine alone. Yet she wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to show off her slim athletic figure in an expensive Gold and Silver lamé evening dress she had bought for the cruise.

( Jessy in her evening dress )

She left her stateroom for the Main Dining room carrying only a small matching Gold and Silver clutch purse which contained a few makeup items and a couple throwing knives; one never knew when she might need them. She also had a couple hidden strapped to her body cleverly concealed beneath her dress.

She had just reached the Promenade Deck when the deck shook knocking several people down; only her good agility prevented her from falling. Another more powerful shake came shortly there after and even she was thrown hard to the deck. A loud explosion shook the ship and she looked up from the deck knowing that her bad luck had finally caught up to her.

Emergency lights popped up out of the floor flashing in sequence to direct people to the escape pods. A feminine voice announced across the ship intercom in both English and Mandarin "Attention all passengers. Please proceed to your assigned emergency exit hatch. " Security guards were running in all directions as the passengers panicked. Another big boom shook the ship and what felt like a shockwave rippled along the starboard side of the ship. The sound was deafening as metal, plastic and ceramic were torn to pieces. Emergency bulkheads slid down to seal up the inner hull and keep precious air and pressure inside the ship.

Jessy started to follow the flashing lights, cursing her bad luck that always seemed to find her; she should have known that she couldn’t escape it for long. She tried to make her way through the throng of people running towards the safety of the escape pods when she was shoved hard by a fat man in a suit that cost more credits than she had ever seen. She stumbled and she regained her balance and managed to extricate herself from the throng for a moment to get her bearings.

She noticed that she was next to the security station next to the ship’s vault; the door was partially open and the guards no where in sight. She wondered, perhaps she could salvage something from this yet. She would have to be quick; just a fast peak in the vault to see what she could grab.

A quick look around and she saw that no one cared about her or the vault. She slipped inside the vault and found no one else there. It looked like others had already picked though the valuables; things were strewn about haphazardly. It was probably the security guards, she thought; it is what she would have done in their place.

Jessy found only two platinum bars, worth at least four or five hundred credits apiece, but she could only fit one in her small clutch purse. The only other thing that looked interesting was a silver attaché case she almost overlooked. Snatching it up she tried to open it but found it locked. It had a six digit combination on both sides; this might denote something really valuable was kept inside. She could open it later she thought as she grabbed it up and ran out of the vault; the case in one hand and the purse in the other.

She tried to follow the lights towards the emergency exits and used her superior agility to avoid any further collisions and to help her move through the throng as quickly as possible. She kept her eyes open for anything that might help her get off this ship.