Getting to Know Each Other

[Lars Engström]

"There is no need to retrieve anyone, lovely or otherwise." Said Lars, who had returned unnoticed. "And Trace, if you could refrain from driving away the one person who can keep this boat flying, I would be much obliged."
Turning to Jordan, he spoke quietly, "As for you, if YOU could try to hold off on stabbing the guy who is going to not fly us into a rock.. I would also appreciate that." He paused, "So what is all this anger about? I would love for you to explain what causes such talk between folk?" He turned and took his seat at the table, and waited for an answer.
When no one spoke, he spoke again in a quiet voice. "Look you two, we just got wind of a job on St. Albans, so we are going to be spending a lot of time together. If I can't trust you two to not kill each other when my back is turned we are going to have issues. Now don't get me wrong, I have no issue with you having your differences, but I won't have you killing each other, is that clear?"
He looked back and forth from Trace to Jordan and then back to Trace.

[Jordan Maxwell]

"I have yet to kill some folk, Captain, I don't plan on startin' today." Was all she said on the matter. She scooped out some food in three bowels and set them down on the table. She collected glasses of water, and some spoons before putting on a pot of tea.

[Trace Kennet]

"I, I didn't mean anything by it..." Trace's voice trailed away as he caught the looks from both of the others. He pulled out a chair on the opposite end of the table from the the captain, and sat sullenly eating his food.
"This is great Jordan, I really like it." He stopped, and turned his attention back to the captain. "Did you say we had a job?"

[Lars Engström]

"Yes, That I did." Said Lars, "I got word that there is a group of Pirates hitting some of the miners. I aim to put a stop to that." He paused to take another bite of food. "Now, I intend to leave sometime tomorrow, so if you have anything you need to do on Osiris before we leave, tomorrow morning is your last chance." He turned to Jordan, "You say we need a new compression coil, but that the one we have will last us a ways longer, right? Will it get us to St. Albans? I don't take well to the notion of floating to the planet. Now, anything else need to be said? or can we get on with this lovely dinner?"

[Jordan Maxwell]

"Yes, Captain it should get us there. I have an old friend over there, might be able to get some cheap parts." She offered a smile and sat back to enjoy her chili.

After their dinner was gone, she arose and checked on her pie. Still needed a few more moments though its smell was filling the common area, she closed the door and leaned on the counter looking at her two shipmates. "How do you plan on stopping these men, Captain?"

[Lars Engström]

"Good, so i assume that you know about the particular, shall we say climate challenges it presents?" He stood up to leave, picking up his bowl. "I have a few more things to take care of, before we can get off the ground. I'm going to take this great chilli with me, now don't you all get up and leave," he said, "I don't want to make you move on my account. Ill wash the bowl after I'm finished. Oh, and Jordan, I am trusting you to explain Saint Albans to our companion from Osiris." He walked back into his office, leaving the other two alone together once again.

[Jordan Maxwell]

Sighing she turned her back to Trace and started doing the dishes. As she washed one, she dried it and put it away. "Have you ever read anything about the planet?" she asked looking over her shoulder. She was still trying to size him up. He seemed younger than her and a pilot. That's when it hit her. "You have never flown off the planet." Said it aloud though she didn't intend to.

[Trace Kennet]

"That's right," Said Trace, "Is that a problem? I mean, I have never needed to leave Osiris before."
This girls was a puzzle, to say the least. She was always saying things and getting worked up over them for no reason.
Sure, it would suck to have your family slaughtered by reavers, and he could understand the anger. But to flip out on him for not leaving Osiris, or knowing about some shiong mao niao excuse for a planet, that was just mean. He decided not to think about it.
"What does the captain mean, unusual weather patterns? Is it something I need to worry about flying through?"

[Jordan Maxwell]

"Hmmm?" She shook her head out of the clouds. "Lots and lots of snow. Sometimes light snow, The few times I have been there we have had a blizzard. The mountains and valleys don't seem to help much. You will want to check weather patterns before going in, but I would call it unpredictable on the best of days. The drifts can be an issue as well.. Nothing is worse then landing on the planet and losing the cargo bay door right off the bat." She offered a smile, her emotions evening out toward him. After all in this juncture, her life was going to be in his hands.

[Trace Kennet]

"Ok, jut snow, snow I can handle." He stood up, and walked over to sit on the couch. "You don't need any help do you," He added as an afterthought. "I can help you with the dishes maybe?"
He wanted this girl to warm up to him, he didn't want to be the reason they got stranded again, and he had a feeling that if things didn't change between them, then she would not be with the crew long.
"Listen, Jordan," he began nervously, "I want to apologize for the things I said, I didn't know you were so upset by reav... by that stuff. But I dont want you to think I did it on purpose. I really didn't mean to hurt you, and well... yeah." his voice trailed away. He squirmed a little on the couch, her silence was getting to him.

[Jordan Maxwell]

She smiled at him and shook her head. "You can wash the pie pan tomorrow it will be a fair trade.." She looked back at the pan she was scrubbing. "Listen, Trace? There are very few things that get to me, and not bein' able to kill those Huen Dahns." She paused again anger forming just behind her eyes. She forced it down then looked at him. "Depending on our fuel I would like to put her through her paces to see how the engine responds under stress."

'Good,' she thought 'talk about the ship, that should make it at least a little easier on the both of you, something you have in common. And you still have a decision to make.' She honestly wasn't sure if she wanted to stay or leave. She wasn't enjoying Trace, but she was going to play nice. She didn't have to like someone to get along.

[Trace Kennet]

Trace was starting to feel more and more comfortable around Jordan, she seemed nice enough. "Do you mean now, for the tests? Because i dunno if the captain is going to be ok with that. He said he wanted to wait until tomorrow to take off. I think he is hoping for one more answer to his ads."
He was a little worried about her motives. Sure he wanted to take the ship for a test flight, but he didn't want to cause any more trouble, not after today, no way.
"What about running those tests tomorrow? Once we are out in the black." He needed her to go along with this, but he wanted to remain calm.
"If you talk to the captain I am sure he will be perfectly happy to let you do whatever you want, and I'll try to fly to your specifications. And I'll definitely take care of the pan."

[Jordan Maxwell]

"Tomorrow is fine." She began rinsing her pan. "I want to make sure if we run into anyone out there, we ain't caught off guard." She began drying the pan slowly. "Those last mechanics must-a left space monkeys in there, it's a mess." She said talking about the parts she had to replace already. The pan was put away and she walked past him toward the engine room.

"You ain't wrong about how you get off them small planets." She said putting her hand on his shoulder as she passed. "Before I forget, Captain said you already chose your bunk?"

[Trace Kennet]

"Yeah, mine is the one closest to the stairs. Every other room is free I think."
Well, he thought as he walked away, it could be worse, she could be meaner. He made his way down the stairs to his quarters, and shut the door.