Just Looking for a Ride [Faye/Riley Crew]

[radegrasan]

"Nah, we could do with some extra power." Rade replied.

He was right. They barely outran the Esteem back on Whitefall, and an engine boost sure was in order, assuming Faye would allow it.

He then put the bottle on his lips and chugged the full content of it. He wasn't a boozehound nor a drunkard, and he didn't need alcohol in his body to function, but if there was a party or something of the sorts, he wouldn't stop drinking until he was passed out on the floor. Especially if the beer or liquor was free.

He put the empty bottle in the beercrate next to the seat. (Faye insisted on tidyness on her boat). And then leaned backwards in the seat.

"So Echo." Rade said. "What backwater planet were you born on?"

[faye]

"That was so much fun!"

Delilah's excited squeaks were music to Faye's ears, to be sure -- after all, she did love seeing her twin sister happy -- but the happiness was dimmed slightly by the annoyance of having to spend FOUR gorramn hours just walking around Persephone. Delilah enjoyed that; she said it helped her to think, and she liked looking at all the pretty things. Faye, however, thought it a waste of time, while she could be doing things that mattered back on the Riley. She did get some decent information, though, from the people on the street. Information about possible jobs. That was the only good part.

As they climbed up the ramp to the Riley, Delilah rushed forward and skipped through up the stairs and into the actual living part of the ship. Faye trailed behind her, prefering to walk over skipping.

Del danced through the common area on her way to her quarters. She gave the two sitting there a happy wave, thinking nothing of the strange face.

The two would not, however, be so lucky with Faye. As she climbed the stairs and got into the common area, on her way to get a cup of coffee, the sight of an unfamiliar face caught her eye. A woman, with a drink in her hand. If it was physically possible, Faye imagined she'd explode right there.

"Grasan," she snapped instead, that military side coming out in her again. "I'm not sure whether I've informed you of my policy regarding strange women on my ship, so I'll tell ye now: there are to be none."

Faye was incensed, and she thought she had every right to be. What kind of Mickey-Mouse business would people think she was running if she allowed her crew to bring aboard women all willy-nilly? No, she would not allow it. Grasan would get that dock harpy off her ship, so help her God.

[radegrasan]

"Grasan," Faye said. "I'm not sure whether I've informed you of my policy regarding strange women on my ship, so I'll tell ye now: there are to be none."

Bangbangbangbangbangbangbangbang.

Eight bullets found their way into Faye's torso. Rade had gotten up and emptied his revolver into Faye. He then holstered the revolver and pulled out his pistol, and emptied a full clip into Faye's chest. He then pulled out the small sixshooter on his back, and fired six more rounds into Faye's head, just to be sure.

He then put his right foot on Faye's corpse, and his left arm around Echo, who had come to congratulate him. He heaved his beer to the sky, and then chugged the full content of it.

Captain Faye Murphy was dead. All hail captain Rade.

He then stopped daydreaming, and came back into reality, knowing he had to deal with the situation. It's not like he'd ever really shoot Faye, but she always gave him the feeling he couldn't do any good. Even after he outran the Esteem on Whitefall.
His boss was a very strict woman, but she was fair. Unfortunately, she was also a bit quick to judge, and apparently the thought that this strange woman may be looking for work didn't even cross her mind.

Rade stood up. He wasn't going to send Echo anywhere. If anything, he was going to get her signed on or at least get her passage to where she needed to go.

"Captain, meet Echo Maubrune." Rade said. "Echo's a mechanic and pretty handy with other stuff too. As a matter of fact, we were just going over ideas to make the Riley even faster. And it's not like that bum Nico has done much to earn his keep! Have you even seen him around lately, cap? 'Cause I sure as hell didn't!"

[faye]

"Captain, meet Echo Maubrune. Echo's a mechanic and pretty handy with other stuff too. As a matter of fact, we were just going over ideas to make the Riley even faster."

Faye didn't apologize to the woman for thinking her to be a whore -- no, Faye never apologized -- but she nodded at her in a sort of greeting. "Miss Maubrune," she said shortly. "I'm Captain Faye Murphy, leader o' this crew. 'Tis a pleasure, to be sure."

"And it's not like that bum Nico has done much to earn his keep! Have you even seen him around lately, cap? 'Cause I sure as hell didn't!"

"It's odd, Mr. Grasan," Faye commented; the acidic drawl in her voice was trademark military, the kind of tone officers used to put down enlisted men, "that you would say such a thing, seeing as Nico Stone is not listed as our mechanic. He is hired help, to do whatever job needs doin' while he's here."

Extra muscle, in other words. Another person to do the heavy lifting. Of course, she also saw other benefits to having another strong male on the ship -- Faye harbored no delusions of being anything other than a young, small female, and however intimidating she seemed, she knew that against a true crime boss thug, she could very easily be killed.

[OOC: All this is true; Nico was originally signed on as our mechanic, then later switched to hired help when Parker came along. Then Park split, and never came back, so now we have no mechanic. I'm sorry if I told you otherwise, Echo.]

[radegrasan]

"Nico's just a hired help? Why didn't anyone tell me?" Rade thought in himself.

"Wait." Rade said. "If Nico's just a hired help, and I'm an actual crewmember... Does that mean I get to boss him around as well?"

Rade couldn't help but laugh at that thought. If that was the case, he knew a certain thug that was going to clean the waste disposal unit. Assuming he'd come back. Of course it would be better for Rade if Nico would just stay away but then again, knowing his luck, he probably would pop up sometime soon.

"Well, that's good news for Echo here." Rade said. "And for us too. She's a mechanic looking for work, we're a crew in need of a mechanic, put one and one together..."

Rade then cleared his throat. Okay, maybe in a way he was trying to convince Faye, but he had a feeling he'd get another lecture about 'hiring people was only the captain's concern' and what not.

"Ahem... not that I'm telling you how to do your job, captain. Wouldn't dream of it. I'm just... you know... suggesting."

[echo]

Echo stood, grabbing her brown coat and pulling it over her shoulders. Presentation was everything, or so her mum had always told her. Turning, she faced the captain. "Nice to meet you, Captain Murphy. Please, call me Echo. 'Miss' is too pretentious for an old drifter such as myself."

She kept silent, as was best when the two crew members actually began conversing. She'd been a passenger on ships before and the captain and crew were always to be followed. But seeing as the conversation was headin' a bit south, she picked up her bag in one hand, her muscles flexing only slightly. As small as she seemed, Echo was crazily strong.

"It's true, Captain, I'm just looking for a ride, maybe some work if it comes my way. I am good at fixin' things, engines bein' my specialty. Like I was tellin' your pilot, I can pay in platinum, credits, or trade work, whichever you prefer. Should you ask me to work under you, is entirely your call and I wouldn't presume to step forth such an offer. After all, a captain's ship is their life." Echo looked between Rade and Faye. It pained her, having to be so pilot and such, but she knew what needed doing sometimes. "Didn't mean to make waves."

[faye]

"Wait. If Nico's just a hired help, and I'm an actual crewmember... Does that mean I get to boss him around as well?"

It took all of Faye's will not to roll her eyes at Rade. "Grasan, I wouldn't trust you to be in command of Delilah's rat."

Faye supposed she should've felt bad for putting the lad down. However, she found herself strangely comfortable with it.

"Well, that's good news for Echo here. And for us too. She's a mechanic looking for work, we're a crew in need of a mechanic, put one and one together...Ahem... not that I'm telling you how to do your job, captain. Wouldn't dream of it. I'm just... you know... suggesting."

He was on his toes, which meant she scared him -- good. There were some people who obeyed out of respect or love (Brian) and some who needed to be afraid of someone to take orders from them (Rade). She didn't feel too bad about it; they'd grow to like each other eventually, she figured.

The girl called Echo stood up. "Nice to meet you, Captain Murphy. Please, call me Echo. 'Miss' is too pretentious for an old drifter such as myself."

"I'll try, Echo, but I'm afraid I can't make any guarantees, being former military," Faye said with an ever-so-slight smile. 'Old' was hardly an adjective to describe her; she looked Faye's age, younger, even.

"It's true, Captain, I'm just looking for a ride, maybe some work if it comes my way. I am good at fixin' things, engines bein' my specialty. Like I was tellin' your pilot, I can pay in platinum, credits, or trade work, whichever you prefer. Should you ask me to work under you, is entirely your call and I wouldn't presume to step forth such an offer. After all, a captain's ship is their life. Didn't mean to make waves."

Faye raised her eyebrows. "Well, then. It seems already you're better schooled in manners than my pilot. I'll be glad to take you on as a passenger for now, and perhaps work out a place in the crew if I find you to be suitable to the position." Faye smiled. "Welcome aboard."

That 'suitable to the position' nonsense was just that -- nonsense. Mechanics came a dime a dozen out in the black; she wouldn't hesitate to take one on for a trip or two to see how skilled they turned out to be. However, this girl looked...odd. Shady, like. Faye wouldn't take her on her crew until she was sure of her intentions.

[radegrasan]

"Me? Bad manners? If you would have half the manners that I have we could make a living just by ferrying people around the 'Verse captain!" Rade thought silenty.

If inviting someone in and making them comfortable were bad manners, Rade hated to see what were good manners in Faye's book. And where in the 'Verse did she come up with that idea anyway? Didn't he offer Trevor Rienh and Jac Ruishu medical help after the trouble back in the bar? And he had also treated the rest of the crew with the dignity and respect they deserved. Even Nico, seeing as Rade thought that continuously taunting the guy and calling him a worthless thug was exactly the sort of respect Nico deserved. And Rade kept himself to a century old saying, quoted by a 20th century politician called Winston Churchill. It went: "When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite."

He had no problems with discipline, but there had to be limits. And he was afraid that one day Faye would reach his limit. He could handle the stuff she said now, but some of her words were starting to lean more towards bullying instead of 'disciplinary taunting'. Luckily for her he had a very thick skin. But that thick skin now began to thin out slowly.

And Rade knew he was a great pilot. Probably one of the best in the 'Verse. Trained personally by the CAG of the Independent aerial forces. But Faye didn't seem to appreciate that one bit. Maybe his abilities had made him a bit cocky when it came towards flying, but Rade sure could put his heart where his mouth was.

Rade wasn't a bad guy. But he didn't go around and claim the opposite either. Rade was just being Rade, and he couldn't care what people thought of that, given they wouldn't give him any tzao gao about it.

"Yes captain." Rade replied smiling. "I couldn't even dream about being in charge of Delilah's rat, let alone a gorilla in heat like Nico."

He then turned to Echo. He couldn't help but to keep smiling knowing that this beauty was going to be around now for some time.

"Glad you're with us." Rade said. "Welcome aboard. If you need me, you can find me in the cockpit."

He then turned toward Faye and gave her a quick nod.

"Captain."

Rade then left and made his way back to the cockpit. Although to him it wouldn't matter where he went. Right now he just didn't want to be in the same room as Faye anymore.

[echo]

"Welcome aboard."

Those were the only words Echo needed to hear before relaxing. She was always tense around new people. Always sizing them up and scrutinizing before making a decision. She was becoming more and more certain this was a good decision for her.

"Always nice to be welcome," She spoke quietly, not wanting to seem too odd. She knew her behavior was shady, it always was. A sorry way of life, really. Echo got into too many fights this way, and far too many of those had ended in Fed involvement. Partially a reason she had to get off the planet for the moment. An unwelcomed bar brawl had gotten a bit too out of hand. She figured it would be best to lay low from a few of the local crime rings for a while.

Echo returned the welcome and kind words from Rade with a nod and watched him go. He seemed a little ticked off at his captain for some reason or another. Sea dogs like Captains weren't the softest of people. You'd think any crewman would know that. Still, she supposed certain tones and words could wear after a while.

As soon as Rade had left, Echo turned back to Faye and grabbed her coin purse with one hand. "So, Captain, how do you like your pay? Before or after the trip, and which do you prefer?"