New arrival

[Dani Kingsley]

Since joining the Trinity, Dani had kept mostly to herself. That was just how she worked. She was socially inept, and she also had a constant feeling of not fitting in. It was a strange assortment of people on the crew, and Dani was slowly learning that some of them were rather unsavory. She missed her sister terribly, but she was loving the feeling of flying. It was comparable to nothing else, and even if the ship turned out not to be the one for her she was enjoying just being in control of the ship's movements.

She was out of her bunk and off the cockpit for once, and was making her way towards the galley. Dani, being rather androgynous at times, was wearing baggy black pants and a white shirt with a dark vest over it. She had her hands in her pockets, a toothpick dangling from between her lips. Wandering in, she drew herself a glass of water. Sitting down, she began sipping at it, studying the lines in the table.

[Art Doyle]

"... the nostalgia..."

The words were part of a sentence formed between gritted teeth as Art worked at some repairs, half of him practically inside the Trinity's engine. This was a different look for him, and something the gentleman always preferred to do as quickly and efficiently as possible so he could get out of the overalls, wash up, and get back into something moderately classy. Though, sometimes, Art didn't appear to mind looking like he did back then. Just most of the time it reminded him of too much.

"...I could do without."

One last grunt and the nut was tightened, the mechanic pulling himself free of the jaws of the ship's engine and straightening up with a groan. He wasn't getting too old for this, he'd just been down there a while.

Hands covered in grease, a smudge across his right cheek, Art put his tools aside and headed for the galley. There was a quick look this way and that before he hopped through the threshold, making his way towards the sink. He'd barely even noticed someone was there until he half-turned, almost out of paranoid habit, to see the newest addition to the crew. Art gave something of a charming smile, though a little half-arsed before turning back to scour his hands clean.

"So how're you settlin' in?" He'd ask over his shoulder. Art got on well with anyone-- including the ship's rottweiler-- so it was kinda nice to have him around. Good for other kind of public relations.

And, truth be told, he was always polite to a lady. Unlike the Medic, where he had to watch what he said for fear of getting a visit from her pet. Art always liked a challenge, though.

[Dani Kingsley]

Dani removed the toothpick from her mouth, one end frayed to splinters from chewing at it. The pilot hardly noticed as the mechanic walked in, beginning to hum a little tune to herself as she fumbled about in her pockets. When she looked up finally, he was standing there by the sink with a smile on his lips, looking at her. She jumped, then smiled back a little shyly before he turned back around. "Okay, I think. Art, isn't it?" Out of all the others on the crew, the mechanic was the one that made her the least nervous. He had seemed nice enough from the beginning and very unlike the man she avoided, the one with the animal's name. Her lithe hands went back to searching her pockets, a look of panic contorting her features as she discovered what she was looking for wasn't in them. Leaning down, she scoured the floor beneath her chair and found it. A small metal tube that had fallen out of her pocket and rolled into the leg of the table. She picked it up and sat back up, clearly relieved.

Twisting off the top of the tube, she shook out one of the many toothpicks inside and jabbed it between her teeth. Chewing its tip for a moment, she rolled it with her lips from one side of her mouth to the other, stuffing the tube deep into her pocket. She glanced back up at the mechanic, fingers moving to her water glass. Turning it around in circles in front of her, she studied his back as he washed his hands. "Are you married? I don't think I've talked to you but for five minutes." Dani was incredibly awkward at times, without intending to be. It was clear she was trying to make small talk, yet did not seem to have a clue as to what people talked about.

[Art Doyle]

In all honesty, anyone was perfectly within their own right to be nervous around Wolf. Especially when attending to his weapons in the middle of a crew meeting. Art, however, seemed to adopt this friendly indifference with a lot of people. He'd spent a lot of time around the unsavoury-- worse folk. Cut-throats and the like. None of which compared to the kinds you got under all the finery of Persephone's nobility. Ever since his brief meeting with the young pilot, Art had made it his duty to be the most easy-going one around. Though James' generosity and kindness towards his own might rival that-- not that he wasn't a firm leader and obviously a fair Captain. But Art learned quick that 'if you don't start nothing, there won't be nothing'. Hence his nature.

He was about to respond to the awkward pilot when her words sank in, and a comical confused expression flitted across his face as he regarded the sink a few moments. In normal circles, to ask a man if he was married was like asking if he was available. Art could very well get the wrong end of the stick with Dani, and the fact she sounded so nervous about it almost solidified the assumption she might like him-- well the look of him, seeing as she didn't know much more than his name and occupation. Quickly drying off his hands, and deciding to take the long route to finding out the truth in this one, Art twisted about to lean against the sink nonchalantly, arms folding as he regarded Dani with a thoughtful smile.

"Girls always told me I weren't the marrying kind." He'd pause with a shrug. "And I guess it's always stuck."

For emphasis, Art waved his left hand, as if to signify the lack of a ring on his finger. Though, in this day and age, he'd seen many a marriage not solidified by a band of fancy metal. Still, he didn't pry into why it had been her first question, and kept to playing this whole business pretty cool. Art, since joining on, had longed for a down-to-earth person to have a general conversation with. He had James for boy-talk and sharing a few drinks and old stories. A few more people wouldn't go amiss. Who better than the person he'd be working with more closely around here?

"What about you, Dani? Anyone ever consider you the marrying type?" He very much doubted she was married, but she'd started it with her question. Art was keeping some conversation going. Maybe it'd help her not be as awkward about things.

[Dani Kingsley]

Art was quiet for a short while, and for a moment Dani was worried she may have offended him. She rolled her toothpick back to the other corner of her lips and began chewing on its end. Of course she'd no idea that her words may have been taken as anything other than her botched attempt at smalltalk. Dani was not interested in Art in the way he might have been thinking, though. The only reason she'd attempted to speak to him was because she was interested in maybe trying to become friends, or at least figure him out a little bit.

As he turned to study her, she cocked her head and stared back at him. At his response, she got a bit of a cheeky smile on her face. "You don't strike me as the type to adhere to others' expectations." Another motivation for her to speak to him. He was wrong if he was going to pigeon-hole her as a 'down-to-earth' kind of girl. Dani was spacey and awkward and marched to the beat of her very own drum, though she did tend to keep her feet planted on solid ground in her own way. So to speak.

His question struck her as funny, and she took the toothpick from her mouth, rolling it between two fingers as she grinned. "Evidently not," she flitted her own left hand about for good measure. Truth was, Dani'd never been able to keep a relationship going. She was uninterested in romantic things and even things that happened between the bedsheets. It'd been that way for her since she could remember, and she'd stopped trying to understand it. Maybe love and lust just weren't her things. Maybe she just hadn't met the right man, or woman. In any case, she could hardly even claim at ever even being someone's girlfriend. "Frigid is the word most often applied to me," she said with a wink, rather than the wince one would expect a normal person to deliver those words with. She stuck the toothpick back in between her teeth and shrugged. "I get on alright without an attachment. Never did see the need."

[wolf]

Wolf screwed down the last bolt on the M14 rifle. That was all he could do for now until he found more parts for it.

He had bought it some time ago, knowing it couldn't fire. But he couldn't leave it either, and he was determined to repair it until it was fully functional again.

The type of weapon, the M14, may have been just a copy of the one he used all through the war, but owning one once again made him feel safe, even if it wasn't functional just yet. His own M14 was taken from him when he was betrayed by his own squadmates, shot in the stomach and left for dead.

He carefully wrapped the weapon in a silk sheet and put it on top of a locker in his bunk. Wolf then took a look at the digital clock on his nightstand. 5:01 pm: 59 minutes before dinner, and time for another sweep of the ship to make sure everyone was where he was supposed to be.

He climbed up the ladder leading to the hallway and sealed his bunk door. He could hear voices coming from the galley so he decided to check it out. Breaks were allowed of course, assuming they weren't interrupting the normal schedule.

As he came closer to the galley, he could distinguish the two voices: it was their pilot Kingsley and the mechanic Doyle. The two people who were supposed to keep the ship flying. On break. At the same time.

That wasn't going to fly with Wolf. Clark hadn't expressed his opinion on the matter yet but Wolf's opinion was that those two were never to be on break at the same time. This was slacking in his book, and he was going to intervene.

He walked in the kitchen with a disgruntled face. He was displeased and gorrammit, they were going to know!

"Why is it that the two people who are s'posed to keep this'ere ship flyin' are shootin' the breeze together?" Wolf interrupted them, finding somewhat of a pleasure in doing so.

[Art Doyle]

That was a response Arthur wasn't used to getting, and to be perfectly honest with himself, it was probably close to a first. Sure, he'd known some girls in his youth, maybe. When he was a younger heartbreaker and sweet guy, but in the coming years he'd stuck with the same type of girls. Feisty, flirty and feminine. It wasn't to say he was openly a womaniser or sleaze, but at times it became evident beneath that gentlemanly nature. Not that he'd ever mistreat a girl. Art had just become subjected to a lifestyle that had stuck with him. Self-destructive and full of vices. Safe to say, Dani was something new to him, and would probably teach him a thing or two about his ways. Interesting. The fact she was so open and proud about it jerked a smirk to his lips. Almost semi-awkward in the chuckle that escaped him. So maybe he was wrong?

"Never any major attachments myself. Usually just these..." He felt like he needed to sugar-coat his ways. Like he wanted some kind of respectful working relationship with this woman. "Meaningless encouters, I guess."

With the current women on this ship, Art was certain he was bound to slip up more and get into trouble from his ways. And yet it only made things more fun. Though, he'd rather not ensue the wrath of the Medic. Might not be good for his health. Still, this was going to be an interesting job for the time being, for however long it lasts, and Art was willing to see how things panned out. He'd never worked with a crew before, and the only time he'd had co-workers they were like him. Mafia hitmen and the like. These were former soldiers and 'honest' working people. Not that they weren't like most other crews out there. Taking any job. And speaking of the crew, Art lifted his gaze at the sight and growl of Wolf.

This was going to be fun.

The mechanic regarded the First Mate, and his words. Not a good mood, Art guessed, obviously, and far be it for him to push the other man. He'd make the state of his overalls more obvious to Wolf, not to mention the unknown grease mark across his cheek he'd neglected to notice more than spoke for itself. The First Mate got one of his friendly grins. Never hardly phased by the brute's attitude.

"I'm okay, Wolf. Thanks for asking. How're you?" Because if you can't say anything nice, you pretend to. Not that Art was trying to be insubordinate, here. Maybe to dispel the foul mood the First Mate had going on.

"I've just finished tuning up the engine and tidying loose ends. Everything's under control, Wolf, I assure you." Cue another pleasant smile.

[Dani Kingsley]

Art seemed surprised by her answer, and Dani allowed herself a moment to wonder if she'd been too open with him. However, his reaction had been amusement as well as surprise, so that couldn't be too bad. His allusion to 'meaningless encounters' was not lost on her, but she honestly could care less about the man's sex life. What did that matter in their working relationship here? He certainly wasn't going to get her into his bed, and after the description she'd just given him, he was sure not to even try. So it was of no concern to her how many of these 'encounters' he enjoyed. She shrugged casually, "Not my place to judge you on that. To each their own, eh?" Lifting her glass to her lips, the pilot pulled another sip of water.

That's when the first mate entered the room, spitting anger at them. Dani may have avoided him whenever possible, but it wasn't because she was afraid of him. It was because he was a power-hungry animal prone to meaningless violence and not worthy of his noble name. She didn't fully trust her words around him. She tended to speak her mind, and was sure he'd hear something one day from her lips that would in his mind warrant his own particular brand of gratuitous violence. Unlike Art, who greeted the man's superfluous aggression with humor, Dani simply watched him with calm eyes and waited for the mechanic to be done speaking. When he finished, she cleared her throat and said, "We're on a slow, steady course. There's nothing around us but the black for miles. I would never, ever leave my post unattended unless I was sure we would be fine for a few minutes without my eyes on the stars." Her words were deadpan and completely non-aggressive, her eyes holding his hostile gaze calmly.

She spoke the truth. The ship flew itself, really. Art and Dani were just there to guide it in the right direction and to fix it up when it stumbled. Really, the thought of Wolf actually believing that they both had something to do every hour of the day was ridiculous. Art kept the engine in great working order, and unless they were running into some debris in the black or another ship was nearby, there was nothing for Dani to do but to watch the stars go by. The woman never slacked; she worked hard and was a beam of focus in the cockpit. She had spent all day in the pilot's seat and had just wanted a glass of water; receiving abuse for it was really uncalled for. Removing her toothpick from her mouth, she took another sip, watching the two men mildly.

[wolf]

Wolf let out an annoyed and angered grunt. The mechanic was obviously a smartass. And he hated smartasses. Last person to be a smartass to Wolf found himself to be... well... dead actually. Although there were a few other factors that contributed to that particular man's death. Like making a remark about Wolf's favorite jacket. And boy, did he love that jacket.

However, he wasn't going to take this sort of insubordination. But since he couldn't shoot Art in the leg to make his point (it would make an awful mess to the galley and it was almost dinnertime), he'd have to find another way although Wolf's diplomacy usually involved a whole lot of lead. But he was smarter than most people gave him credit for, and because people underestimated him he was able to beat them at their own game.

"It's not so much how I am Doyle, it's who I am. Which is yer superior officer aboard this'ere boat." Wolf answered the mechanic. "I suggest keepin' yer dumb questions to yerself and to keep that dumbass grin of yer face 'fore I really give ya somethin' to smile 'bout!"

Wolf then immediately turned his head to the pilot, wondering what excuse she was going to come up with for not being in her place. Sure she was being polite in her explanation, but Wolf could feel the contempt she had for him, and how she looked down upon him as a person, something he couldn't stand and wouldn't take from anyone.

"I was lookin' fer you takin' responsibility." Wolf answered the pilot. "Not for yer lame dame excuses. Next time ya notify me when you're outta yer cockpit. The cap'n might not be forgivin' as I am if he finds ya leavin' yer post."

Wolf remembered what they did to soldiers leaving their post during the war. Sure, the official sanctions were mild, but the unofficial ones, not so much. They'd make someone remember the hard way what their duty was, so that the person in question would never make the same mistake again.

"Now you both finish up here and tell Stone to get started on dinner." Wolf continued. "If that lazy good-fer-nuttin' whore-academy dropout thinks she can slack off as well she's got another thing comin'!"

[lnl90]

Stepping lightly out of the infirmary taking care not to trip with her uneasy footing, she groaned slightly rubbing the back her neck, she would defenitly need to avoid confrontation if it would always end that way she thought. Stopping momentrly with a smile as she reached for the railing for the stairs heaved a small sigh and took hold, almost taking the steps two at a time. It had been a long while since she slept in a actual bed, having one of her own would be a joy in itself.

Reaching the top of the flight, stopping again waiting for the Captain, she would throughally enjoy having a space of her own. Meeting eyes with the captain for a breif second to motion her head towards the hall, and smiling as she heard stern and loud voices carrying down the corridor. Voices she hadn't heard before, and one she was familiar with. Spinning on her foot headed down the hall, "Shall I meet the other crew members Captain?" turned and stood at the entrance to an open galley where three people were currently talking to each other. scanning the room taking in the warm color, and the slight uneasyness that filled the room.

A Young man with dark brown hair, and brown eyes leaning cashullay against the sink with a look of dashing playfulness. overalls roughed and dirty more than likely due to tinkering in the engine room, and a little smudge of oil...or maybe dirt she thought to herself hovered on his face. Arms crossed in a stance of slight defense, and of course the one and only charismatic Wolf, glaring and leaning forward arms crossed obviously tiffed about something.

Looking past him she met eyes with a woman, surprisingly to see one, a sense of comfort washed over her, a tooth-pick in her mouth, and water in her hand resting on the table. She smiled at her when she spoke and directed her coming statement. Leaning into the frame of the doorway Captain behind her she spoke with an emphasis "Wouldn't want a hungry animal running around the ship, I'll be sure to get right on it" crossing her arms smiled hoping to break the ice.

[wolf]

'Hungry animal'. Wolf knew that was an insult in his direction. Seeing Riena both angered him yet it in a way it made him happy as well, as his favorite victim was now present, and picking on her would probably cause him to ease up on the others.

He walked over to Riena until he stood behind her. He pushed her on the shoulder, causing her to almost fall over, in the direction of the stove.

"Shut up and get to cookin' ya lazy whore!" Wolf ordered her. "I'll be watchin', makin' sure ya don't poison the lot of us!"

Holding one hand on his revolver, just in case Riena would become rebellious, he waited for her to get to work. If she wouldn't, he'd probably have to motivate her some other way. And one of the oven plates had already given him an idea on how to do just that.

[Art Doyle]

As the barking ensued, Art would take it all with a dose of salt. He knew James well enough to know that the Captain wasn't about to do anything as drastic as Wolf always seemed to do, unless they did something actually wrong. This man was impossible to deal with, and as such, Art wasn't arguing, just nodding as politely as he could and trying desperately to hold his tongue. In recent days the mechanic would've been hard pressed to stop the urge to just kill the man quietly. He figured James wouldn't like a member of his crew dying, though.

There was a small bubble of chivalry rising as Wolf's attitude towards both women caused a bad taste in the back of the mechanic's throat. Something close to bile as the main reason his smile would ever fade to that emotionless mask was the man's unwarranted mistreatment of others. Especially women. Art wasn't one to assume any of them weak or without defending themselves, but he just didn't like seeing it. It was also the same with close friends, mind you. If he had any. Art had more of a chance of gaining some on this voyage than the First Mate, though.

Pushing off the sink, he'd come forwards as Riena was manhandled towards the kitchen area.

"Another new recruit or a prisoner? I can't really tell seeing as Wolf doesn't discriminate." Art asked her, his tone kept bland and lacking his usual humour, should his "smart mouth" draw on more wrath.

If it came down to it, though, and the First Mate harmed this woman more than she deserved-- because it appeared evident she hadn't done much-- Art would probably get a bad case of the White Knights. At the moment, he stood to one side, allowing Riena to pass and get better access to the area. He'd see what James had to say about all this.

[Dani Kingsley]

Dani calmly twirled the toothpick before poking it back in between her lips. "I wasn't making excuses," she said, leaning onto the table as she watched Wolf. "I'll notify you or the captain of my water breaks and any trips I might take to the head from now on." Not a note of sarcasm to her tone; she meant every word. His next words caused her mouth to crease into a deep frown, her eyes narrowing. She looked as if she wanted to speak, but then the woman in question walked in and responded her ownself. Dani tipped an imaginary hat to Riena, very gentleman-like.

Then he shoved her, and called her that word again. Dani's face settled into one of anger once more. It incensed her, the way he acted towards the other woman. Emotion was not something that she felt often, but Wolf seemed very good at drawing out her contempt. The way he kept his hand hovering above the butt of his gun; she'd never seen a man act so cowardly. It disgusted her. Standing up, she watched the way Art tried to awkwardly protect Riena. It was a nice thought, but it wasn't nearly good enough for the pilot. She narrowed her eyes. "Wolf," she called out, voice still calm. "I'd thank you not to call the lady such a disgusting word again, dong ma?"

Her fists curled at her sides. She was unarmed, but that was how the pilot liked things. None of these people, least of all Wolf, knew what she was capable of. She wanted to keep it that way, so she hoped more confrontation would be unnecessary.

[James Clark]

James had been walking around the ship doing sod all in all honesty. He was a very hands on Captain but at the moment there was nothing Captainy to do so he had been laying in his bunk thinking of where too head next. They were Persephone bound as always James favoured the planet for jobs he knew people there. That was when one of Minerva Colt's subordinate's called Darwin contacted him saying that Minerva had a job for him. James told him they would be there in a few days time. This was strange. Very strange indeed. He had done a few jobs for Minerva and it always worried him when he went to her penthouse. He briefly had a relationship with her for a short time. Since then he had only dealt with her Lieutenant's but she wanted a face to face meeting.

Climbing up the ladder he went too the cockpit too ask Dani how much longer until they would be on Persephone. The young pilot was not there neither. Where the hell was she?. Heading down into the galley he saw that most of the crew apart from Doctor Kina were assembled. Sensing trouble James decided to send everyone on their way "We all playing happy family" James asked, eyebrow raised. None of the crew knew about his relationship with her and he intended to keep it that way. "Dani we got a job on Persephone git' us there as fast as yer can" he told the young pilot "Wolf check what we got us in the cargo bay, check up on ammo and what not" the rest of the crew were welcome to stay here. Plus he wanted to know what had happened prior to his arrival. With the two hot heads gone that would be easier.

[wolf]

The captain appeared, dismissing Wolf from the galley. But he wasn't just going to go like that, like a dog being send to his basket. He was a wolf, and wolves go too, but not without growling.

He walked over to Art first, since he was the closest. Stopping at a comfortable distance, so that if the mechanic would decide to be a hero, he could shoot him before he could lay hands on him.

"Most heroes are dead men, Doyle." Wolf said. "Remember that next time you try to be one."

Wolf said it with an icy undertone in his voice. He could kill Art right there and then, without so much as blinking an eye. And without thinking about the consequences.

He then walked over to Dani, repeating the same routine as he did before, although one punch in her face would probably kill the scrawny little girl. So he probably could spare a bullet.

"If you wanna step up, you're gonna get knocked down little girl." Wolf said. "I suggest you learn that lesson now before someone teaches you the hard way. You ever speak up to a superior officer again, and it'll be the last thing you do... dong ma?"

Wolf then walked past Dani. He let his shoulder brush against hers, indicating she'd best learn to get out of his way or suffer the consequences.

Wolf passed James, giving him a quick nod. James was the only person Wolf respected aboard the Trinity after all.

"Skipper." Wolf said as he passed James, and then made his way toward the cargobay to do the task his captain had lay before him.