| Bits and Pieces: Aftermath | |
| Summary: | A group of rogues discusses a failed job, and makes plans for the future. |
| Cast: | Airenei, Ambition, Jared, Swiftfoot |
| Air Date: | 2006.02.19 |
| Cockpit <IND Jackal> |
| ...........................................................................
The hatchway opens up to a small metal platform which overlooks a compact command center. Light filters out from hidden coves, evenly illuminating the bridge consoles. A rainbow of telltales and monitors add a touch of color, breathing life into the maze of metal and machinery. A few steps down, the main terminals are arranged in a rough semicircle, following the curvature of the ship's bow. Twin stations centered beneath the main canopy face forward, while another pair face the port and starboard, situated on either side of the cockpit just before two bulky turrets outfitted with the gunnery controls and targeting computers. The whole space is tight-packed, with little room to move when all positions are occupied. ........................................................................... |
Ambition sulks in the rear of the cockpit as they hit faster-than-light. "Fucking Prussians," he growls. "I'm going to bring down their entire commnet the next time something like this shakes down."
"Aww, don't be sore, babe. Not everything can pan out. At least you know now." Airy says comfortingly. "It's probably my fault anyway, I shouldn't have come along. I'm Maza-born."
Ambition chuckles. "We all are, darling, we all are," he says, adding in Timonese, "Aroosae Sarie'a einu dharna nahlieen dharna einu aden'nar meJai L'lannei elei meJai janeiU janeiU janeiU Nyl' dharna " Ambition rests his back against the rear cockpit wall. "This is not the professional impression I had hoped to leave. I've had some experience with Waldheim's data nets before, but I must confess it was my first time attempting to meddle in person with a communications satellite, coded in another language. I bit off more than I could chew, and I apologize. I consider your contract fulfilled, if the potential benefits of this job no longer exceed the risks for you all."
Swiftfoot snorts and looks over her shoulder at Airy. "Feh. Stop saying that. If you hadn't come along, I don't know if I'd have had the stomach to go EVA, meh?" She chuckles softly, and shifts her gaze to Ambition, nodding at him. "Who in the hell would have thought it would be in some dead language? I'm just glad nobody showed up when the lights stopped blinking." The felinoid faces forward again, eyeing the viewscreen with disdain, muttering, "Fucking Sivad. Fucking Waldheim."
Jared chuckles. "Not so much a dead language afterall, eh?" he asks from his seat, flashing a little smile at Swifty.
"It's not dead, actually." Ambition rubs his forehead and quietly admits, "on Waldheim, everyone speaks German."
"I thought you wanted to stay off Ungastir, Starchaser." Airy says, with a nod in Ambition's direction. "We can head to New Luna, instead. I gotta head back there anyway tomorrow."
Swiftfoot snorts softly, looking at the viewscreen as the ship drops out of FTL. "Well, if I steerr clearr of the Kommissarrs, I should be okay. I just don't want any morre damn questions about that stupid fight I got in last night." She gives a long-suffering sigh, and shakes her head. "Ah well, betterr luck next time, Starrrunnerr," she says, seemingly addressing herself as she places her paws on the controls again, angling the ship toward Ungstir's midsystem.
>> Outside the Ship: Changing vectors, the IND Jackal approaches the Resilience docks.
>> Outside the Ship: "I'll tell the AES people we can try asking them," Kas comments agreeably, shifting slightly to watch the entrance of the Jackal. The young Centauran then begins drifting for the city. "Probably I should go study now," Kas explains.
Jared chuckles softly, "The Komissars are hunting for you, Swifty?" he asks, looking over at the Demarian.
>> Outside the Ship: Aleksei nods at the Centauran. "Good time to do it now. First Shift's starting up and I'm officially on duty now, speaking of which." Al follows the Centauran's movements and sees the Jackal fly in. A sour look comes over Al's face. "Now *that* ship's coming in..that tops off my morning, yes? Probably got in trouble somewhere. Still, glad it's not on Ungstir that the trouble comes from, yes?"
Ambition frowns. "I didn't get on this ship to get involved with local law enforcement," he says to Swiftfoot, tone casual. "Do you anticipate trouble?"
Swiftfoot shakes her head. "Hopefully, they don't have any morre questions forr me. The barrkeep at the Rrockhopperr said something about wanting to get AES off the planet orr something, I dunno. I told what I could without outrright lying, cause I didn't want to end up on the wrrong side of the barrs, meh?" She snorts at the Kommissar's comment from outside, and raises one paw in an archaic, yet effectively obscene gesture at the viewscreen.
"Fuck em. It was a fucking barfight. Happens every night in Hoppers, they're just looking for a scapegoat. I, however, want a damn drink. We'll go to the other bar, if anyone wants to come with." Airy says, getting to her feet and stretching languidly.
Ambition chuckles. "I believe I need a drink," he concedes. "So long as they're not actively out to get your crew and there's no APB on any Timonae on this planet. We all look alike to them."
>> Outside the Ship: Aleksei is standing on the pad looking over the varios ships on the pad. He frowns as he looks over the Jackal, but it's a small frown.
Jared glances over to Swifty, "So we hanging out here on Ungstir for a while then, eh?"
Swiftfoot retrieves her PDA from a nearby compartment, flicking it on. After a moment, she says, "Hell... guys, I'm gonna skip it. I'm sorry... I'm not in the mood, all of a sudden..." she trails off, sighing, sitting in the same old pilot's chair, cradling the PDA and apparently reading one message over and over. Jared's question goes apparently unheard.
Airy moves over to the where the Demarian's seated, leaning down to whisper something in her ear. She squeezes the felinoid's shoulder, then nods to Ambition and heads out of the cockpit.
The mohawked Timonae raises an eyebrow. "Is something the matter?" He asks Swiftfoot, leaning against the cockpit's bulkhead.
Jared looks over to Airy, "Hold up, I'll come along with ya." He says, standing up from his seat.
"Jack's a fucking idiot," Swiftfoot mutters, her ears drooping. "He spent all this time trying to avoid bounty hunterrs, now I get this message saying he's going to the sourrce. Fuck, if I knew wherre he was, I'd go therre in a second." She sighs then. "And that's prrobably why he didn't tell me. Fuck it. If he's alive, it's a rreason to celebrrate. If he's gone... well, I'll need to get drrunk anyway, and stay that way forr awhile." She unsnaps her restraints and stands. "I'll meet you guys therre. I need to get prresentable, meh?"
Ambition nods. "Very well," he says, turning. "May I join you?" He looks between Jared and Airy.
"Of course!" Airy says cheerfully. "But I'm not buying, someone's buying for me. My bag's in the quarters and I don't want to dig for it." With that, she ducks out.
| Crash and Burn Tavern <Resilience: Ungstir> |
| ...........................................................................
Another converted mining equipment storage cavern, this pub is smaller than its more public companion, the Rockhopper. A tight circle of tables and booths has been arranged around a semicircular wedge of stone that serves as the bar's counter. Stools sprout at regular intervals around the counter. Doors lead to the commercial district and the private pad made available to patrons of the pub. ........................................................................... |
Airy heads for a booth after ducking into the bar, glancing around for a brief moment before sliding in, down to the end of the seat to wait for the others.
Ambition follows Airy into the booth, sitting across from her at the far end. "So how long have you been with this crew?" He asks.
Jared comes into the bar a little behind Airy and Ambition and he heads over towards the booth Airy's chosen, sliding in beside her.
"Oh, I'm not actually with them. I came along for the ride, you could say. Technically, I work for an employee of AES at a modification garage on New Luna. It's absolutely gorgeous there. I had my own art studio on Antimone, but I had to sell it." Airy says, smiling at Jared as he slips in next to her.
"That's a shame," Ambition says. "I owned property on Antimone too, once upon a time. Although I haven't the slightest idea what's happened to it. Last I saw it was a factory."
"They'd been wanting to get rid of me for years, I got the property back when it was cheap. The area I was in slowly got better, and they were dying to kick me out." Airy laughs. "You know, I never actually told you my name. Airenei Ryoleli." She says, extending a hand. The first name is a curious one in Timonese, meaning something approximately like 'born unlucky' or 'cursed'.
Swiftfoot pads in from the street, flicking the trailing edge of a snazzy purple cloak over one shoulder. The felinoid spots the trio rather quickly, and makes her way over to their booth. "I figurred I'd find you herre instead of the Hopperr, afterr what I said. So who's rready to get drrunk, meh?" She blinks down at Ambition. "I guess since they'rre togetherr, you get to be my date, meh?" the Demarian quips, with a lopsided grin, sliding into the seat next to him.
"We're not -together-." Airy says quickly, with a frown. "Damn, cat, don't be shoving me into your little boxes, just cause you're in a rush to repopulate your species."
Ambition nods. "I understand. People are always trying to get rid of *me*," he agrees with a conspiratorial chuckle, and shrugs. "Oh, it's no trouble." An arm slides across the booth, draped comically about the Demarian's shoulders. "I don't discriminate."
Jared looks up to Swifty as she sits down, "Hey Swifty." He says, gaze drifting over towards Airy at her comment and he settles back into the booth a little. "S'pose it's probably vodka, eh?"
"I'm not the one that's shoving something into my little box," Swiftfoot retorts, grinning wickedly. "And I didn't mean it like that anyway. You'rre sitting togetherr, meh? Unless you want me to trry to fit my big furry self overr therre with you two, and let ourr esteemed colleague herre have this side of the table to himself, that is." The Demarian turns to Ambition then, and grins, her whiskers bristling. "Fairr enough." She shrugs at Jared. "Whateverr will get me drrunk."
"Bitch." Airy says with a good-natured laugh. "She's just jealous cause she can't screw humanoids without clawing them to pieces." That gets her a funny look from the approaching waitress. "Give me a shot of tequila, a glass of water, and a dryad, please." Airy orders, then waves a hand to the rest of the table.
Ambition pats the Demarian's shoulder and retracts his hand, grinning impishly. "Valsho Sunrise, please," he asks of the 'tender, and raises an eyebrow at Airy. "Clawed to pieces? Some people are in to that."
Jared just settles back quietly while Airy and Swifty playfully bicker with one another. He looks to the waitress, "I'll just take a soda." He says after a couple moments contemplation.
Swiftfoot sniffs with mock-sadness, her ears drooping exaggeratedly. "It's trrue, it's trrue," she laments, putting the back of one paw to her forehead. "Though, you know, I'd bet money that somewherre, therre's someone that's messed up enough to enjoy that kind of thing." She chortles, and flicks an ear at the waitress. "Just brring a bottle of vodka, meh? When on Ungstirr..." she muses, trailing off into a shrug.
"That's the problem with Demarians. They just don't do that well in certain fields. I mean, when was the last time you saw a Demarian stripper? Though I did hear your pornography is getting popular with humanoids." Airy jokes, smirking lightly. The waitress goes to fill the orders, quickly escaping from the rather odd group.
"That was just the one Vollistan. And he was a pretty twisted individual," Ambition says with a smirk. "That's common knowledge. I don't mind giving that out for free."
"They'rre big with the interrstellar villain rracket, orr so I hearr," the Demarian says, chuckling and looking over at Airy, one eyeridge quirked upward. "You show me a Demarrian strripper, and I'll show you a perrson with stock in hairr rremoval prroducts. Oh man, you neverr saw me when I was bald. That, my frriend, was embarrassing."
Jared frowns just a bit, "Hey, I think I'm gonna have to excuse myself. I'm gonna head back to the ship for a bit." He says, scooting from the booth.
Airy looks up at that questioningly, but smiles and nods. "See ya later, I'm probably going to head home, but I'll stop by to get my stuff, yah?" She gives a little laugh at the Demarian. "You, bald? Mazes, now that would have been a sight."
"Well," Ambition says with a smirk, "I guess the thought of Demarian strippers got him a bit too excited." He tilts his head at Airy. "Leaving so soon?"
Jared flashes a little smile to Airy, "Yeah I'll probably see you before you go then. If not have a safe flight back home."
"Night," comes the response from the Demarian, her ears sliding halfway back in confusion. "Hrh, wonderr what's with him," Swiftfoot muses, then shrugs, turning her gaze to Airy, her ears flicking forward again. "Yeah, rright afterr I got turrned back frrom a giant slug into a Demarrian again. Balderr than the day I was borrn." She chuckles softly, shaking her head. "Ah, man, Mika always did know how to get into trrouble."
"I really would have liked to meet her." Airy says regretfully, then rolls her eyes at Jared's departure. "Jack fuckin' warned me, Swifty. He fuckin' warned me, but I didn't listen. He's good in bed, what can I say? Might be best if I just stay away for a while..." she pauses as the drinks are delivered. "Ah well. When it doubt, drink."
Ambition chuckles, nodding his thanks as his drink arrives and he takes a sip. "If this is a time for ladies to catch up, I can excuse myself to the bar," he offers.
Swiftfoot's ears droop at the mention of Jack, and she sighs. "Brrakirr willing, he'll be okay, and all my worrying will be forr naught. If not... well, I'll figure it out," she finishes, her expression going cold. She shakes her head as if to clear it, staring after the Lunite for a moment after the door shuts behind him. "I hope Jarred's okay. I can't afforrd to lose any crrew at this point, meh? I should actually hirre some morre people on." The felinoid mrrls contentedly, twisting the top off the vodka bottle, and pouring herself a glass. "Naw, you'rre okay, chief. It's a drrink between frriends, meh?"
"I think I understand some of where Val was coming from when she dumped him, and let's leave it at that." Airy says, dropping the subject. She quickly takes her shot of tequila, chasing it with water and a sip of the dryad. "I'll get out of your guys' way, return to lounging on the beach all day with Rya."
"That'd be a shame," Ambition says. "I was looking forward to getting the Jackal for another job and having you on board. Another set of eyes always helps."
"What, the grrabby lady?" Swiftfoot inquires, tilting her head to the side. "Say, just tell herr you'rre with me now, and see what she says." The felinoid stifles a giggle with one paw, taking a sip of the vodka after a moment. "Ah, yes, Ungstirr's best." She blinks over at Ambition then. "Hrr. What did you have in mind, chief?"
"I'll hop along for whatever, but I've gotta earn my bread and butter, too." Airy says with a dimpled smile. "I've got a lazy-ass good for nothing brother to support, along with his 'apprentice'. But Rya needs my hands for welding and stuff, and some timmie cap's got a job for her."
"Something a little less abstract than our last attempt," Ambition replies. "I've done some research. It seems some ships have recently lost their masters. They're just crying out for new, more attentive ones. The normal legal process won't facilitate this with the proper expediency, creating a business niche. I suggest we step in to fill this niche."
Swiftfoot chuckles, and whistles softly between her front teeth, leaning forward and lowering her voice. "I think they call that 'grrand theft starrship' arround these parrts, frriend. What, arre you saying we should just fly them off the landing pad?"
"That is quite a lot of words to describe something so simple." Airy says with a laugh. The amusement sounds a bit hollow, though, as she's drifting away from the conversation, a strange expression on her face. She lifts her drink and takes a deep gulp of it, then leans back in the booth, grabbing her left arm with the opposite hand.
"Nobody's too clear on who the new owner is if the old one just disappears," Ambition replies. "If there's a distraction elsewhere on the pad and attention is focused away, who's to know -who- is flying these ships off the pad?" He tilts his head at Airy. "Are you all right?"
Swiftfoot mrrls and nods, scratching at her chin thoughtfully for a moment, then draining half of the glass of vodka. "Sounds like the beginnings of a plan, meh?" The felinoid blinks at Airy, ears flicking and worry furrowing her brow. ooc I hate editing these logs. I'm never sure how much "stuff" to leave in.
"Enh, I'm okay. Just a little pain, it comes and goes." Airy says dismissively, then goes for another swig of her drink, which probably isn't a good idea, considering it's a dryad. "Alcohol numbs it, seeing as how painkillers don't do a damn thing. The ship thing sounds fun, if risky. I'd enjoy that."
Ambition nods. "I know how that is," he says. "Ghost pains and the like." Ambition takes another pull of his drink, and says, "I'm glad to hear you're game. I've never stolen anything that big before."
"Me eitherr, but if you don't know that you can't do it..." The Demarian chuckles, and eyes her half-empty glass. "Hmm. So arre we going one at a time, orr arre we going to find some otherr flyboys to assist us?" The question asked, she drains the glass, and reaches for the bottle again.
Airy's expression freezes, but her voice is casual enough as she replies in Timonae. "nahlieen Nyl' elei elei ces'Edien aden'nar janeiU meJai Sarie'a Airenei meJai Airenei dharna Aroosae ces'Edien Sarie'a nahlieen Nyl'"
Ambition winks. "Airenei" he says. "meJai janeiU elei L'lannei einu elei ces'Edien Nyl' da'aeu Airenei nahlieen meJai dharna Aroosae Aroosae Aroosae aden'nar janeiU Nyl' Sarie'a da'aeu ces'Edien Airenei Aroosae dharna L'lannei" Ambition quietly takes another sip of drink. "I'd prefer to move a multitude at once, but trustworthy talent is hard to find. It may be more prudent to take one good job than botch several."
Swiftfoot snorts at the torrent of Timonese. "Oh yeah? I bet neither one of you have a clue what I'm saying now, do you? " she retorts in Demarese, chuckling. "Two can play that game, meh? All I need now is forr Rrazorr to be herre." She sighs at that last, and falls into a sullen silence.
Airenei relaxes, and gives a little smirk. "L'lannei aden'nar dharna Sarie'a nahlieen elei Sarie'a janeiU" she says teasingly to the other Timonae, then laughs at Swifty. "Stop it with the moodiness, you're here to drink and relax, not moon over Razor like a teenager." she grins, then takes a more measured sip of her drink.
Swiftfoot smirks, and looks away, shaking her head, the beginnings of a growl forming deep in her throat, and her grip on the glass tightening. "Perrhaps I should just go back to the ship, and give you two some time to talk," she says, in clipped tones, voice carefully neutral. Her drooping ears, however, belie her mood as sadness rather than anger.
Ambition chuckles at Swiftfoot. "I'm sorry," he says. "I didn't mean to leave you out of the conversation. Now, the thing about our choice of ships - the most pricey one has a Sivadian registry. This means we'd have the Royal Navy after us if something goes wrong. The next one, I've already hacked in to see her specks. She's very fast. I might want her for myself." He grins.
"The RNS's busy jacking off all over New Luna. They landed a ship there earlier this evening." Airy says absently, shooting the Demarian a worried look. "If you're going to snatch an RN ship, this is the time to do it, I assume. They're not going to New Luna for tea and biscuits, I promise you that."
Swiftfoot snorts and shakes her head. "Don't mind me... just a little off, meh? Job didn't go so well, I've got a fucking suicide note frrom my best frriend, and I have no clue wherre my significant otherr is." She mutters something nasty in Demarese, and pours herself another glass of vodka. "The RNS alrready has a little thing against us, forr brreaking the quarrantine on Waldheim." The felinoid blinks over at Airy, then. "Hrr. You know, you'rre prrobably rright. Therre's some unique opporrtunities in herre forr things like gun rrunning, as well."
"Well then. Let's make a definite plan and do some evil," Ambition says.
"Works for me. I'm headed to New Luna myself, but I'll skiv off if anything gets nasty." Airy says, tossing back the rest of her drink. "I promised I'd be there tomorrow."
Ambition nods. "We'll talk," he says, pulling some ruble notes off a thick wad to cover everyone's drinks, and rising. "In the meantime, I'm afraid I must retire."
Ambition says, "Sarie'a Sarie'a elei meJai janeiU janeiU janeiU Airenei einu"
Ambition smirks at Airy and sketches a bow to both women. "Good night," he says. "lady smile." And with that, the hacker disappears.