Questionable Biddings [OPEN]

[faye]

"You make suren' bring that sister of yours back with you..."

Faye didn't have anything to say to that, so she just nodded and gave a small smile. She didn't want Delilah to be here; she didn't care what Murdo said about her not being a child. She knew Delilah wasn't a child, but she still wasn't about to let her around a psychopath like him. That wasn't babying; that was just being a good sister. Which Faye was.

She was thankful when he released them out to go on the job. As she passed him, she nodded a goodbye, but she knew he wasn't going to pay her any mind until she was back with the money in her hand and Delilah at her side. She turned back to Hannigan and Stoot.

"My ship's right around the corner from here. We can start loading her up first. Looks like your ship is...right next to her. That's a stroke of luck, at least." She drew a deep breath, glad to be back out in the open where she wasn't afraid of being shot. Well...she was less afraid, anyway. "We can get some dollies from that vendor down the street. I go to him all the time when I get jobs; as you saw, Murdo doesn't exactly like giving the proper supplies."

'He can't give my crew adequate supplies to make him money, but he's got the spare coin to give Del rodents?' Faye thought bitterly as they started walking to the shaded stand where they could rent the equipment. "So, how long have you two been sailing together?"

[stoot]

Stoot felt good to be free of Murdo's hut. He hadn't realized the pent-up anxiety that had been building up until he was free of it. He breathed a deep breath of relief to be out of his company, and out of the smell of goat-ass. He now looked to his comrades, grinning once again at captain Faye. She'd been pretty short with Ryan about the proper way to address her. Stoot didn't see a real reason to be so uppity about it; Ryan didn't go around demanding to be called "Captain Ryan", did he? Not even to his own crew. He felt proud of his partner. He was a good captain, he could tell.

"Riley, eh?" Stoot read the name on the side of the ship next to Atlas. He nodded in approval at her ship. It was shiny. He then acknowledged her reference to Murdo, and he took this opportunity to express how he felt about the matter. "Lotta gorram help he is, in't he?" He asked, shaking his head. "How's he get business if he is so touchy, anyhow?" Stoot had been the only one to not watch his step when in the basement, having been completely oblivious to the blood and, without realizing it, stepping in it. The sand had long-since absorbed what had gotten onto his mud-caked boot, but all the same.

"I wonder if that kid's got us flyin' yet," Stoot wondered aloud as he looked at the Atlas in the near-distance. They were nearing the dollie vendor now. "If we're flyin', you wanna come over for some chow, Faye? I'm stuck cookin'." Despite his wording he seemed almost proud of this fact, proud to be doing something useful on the ship. Stoot wasn't known for any culinary prowess, but he had brought some planet-grown food with him in his bag. His mom had told him that he woudln't eat as well for awhile while in the air, so he'd better pack it. He was now glad she had. They would be eating mashed potatoes, baked beans, bread and roast beef tonight. Stoot was excited to surprise Ryan with it.

Hell, perhaps they could make some new allies in this, if he could convince the other captain to come over. She looked the type to be too up-her-pee-goo to think anything but the job, though. He wondered if she'd give him lip about not calling her captain, too. Stoot refused to call someone who wasn't his captain, captain. Hell, he didn't even call Ryan that! She would just have to get used to him being friendly and not formal. Stoot didn't do formal.

[hackanut]

Faye, Stoot, and Ryan made their way on over to the dolly-vendor

"So, how long have you two been sailing together?"

"10 credits a doll-- -- " He turned his attention away from the price signs to answer the fellow Captain. "We ain't technically been sailin' at all -- ship needs some repairs before it'll run for more'n a second.. That boy I mentioned back at Murdo's should have her running by now. That was the plan at least."

They paid for three dollys and got to work, floating them back and forth between Murdo's and the Riley, and were ignored by Murdo all the while. After the Riley had been filled they got to work on the Atlas. Ryan was proud to see his cargo hold filled with some real cargo -- especially some Alliance goods.

"If we're flyin', you wanna come over for some chow, Faye? I'm stuck cookin'."

Ryan smiled, 'Stuck cookin'.' he could tell that meant Danny-boy was genuinely excited about doing so.

"That's a shiny idea Danny-boy! wha'dya say, Captain Murphy? Your whole crew's welcome to join us too, we'll even wait for you to round 'em up."

[faye]

"We ain't technically been sailin' at all -- ship needs some repairs before it'll run for more'n a second.. That boy I mentioned back at Murdo's should have her running by now. That was the plan at least."

"Oh," Faye said softly, raising her eyebrows, but she didn't push it. It wasn't only that they had no experience; one of the cardinal rules of sailing, she learned from experience, is to never take a job without a ship that ran. But, she reminded herself, if the boy was as good as that, and it's running, there shouldn't be any problems. That was a big if.

"If we're flyin', you wanna come over for some chow, Faye? I'm stuck cookin'."

"That's a shiny idea Danny-boy! wha'dya say, Captain Murphy? Your whole crew's welcome to join us too, we'll even wait for you to round 'em up."

Faye heaved up her last crate to take into the Atlas. She thought for a moment, holding it. Despite their lack of prowess, they weren't unpleasant men -- she doubted Stoot had stopped grinning at her since the moment they met -- and she doubted they'd run an unpleasant ship with an antisocial crew. She knew she had to be intimidating as a first impression, but a few hours had passed since their first meeting. She could be civil without being weak, couldn't she?

"I...I think that's a grand idea as well," she said, finally giving the two of them a smile. "And, Mr. Stoot, if you need some help cooking, me sister, Delilah, would probably be glad to help you. She can be very...creative in the kitchen." It wasn't a lie -- Delilah had a tendency, whenever they were in port and stocked up on supplies, to ask for the most outlandish ingredients. But the main thing she asked for was strawberries; Del loved strawberry anything, and, even though she didn't admit it, so did Faye.

[hackanut]

"I...I think that's a grand idea as well"

"Shiny! Should be a grand 'ole time then, eh?" Ryan said, smiling and holding his arms out. "How's about this? I'm gonna go check on Rebel, I need Danny-boy here to stop at the store to get something to drink, and I'll meet you and yours back here in 20 minutes or so, shiny?"

Faye and Stoot seemed to both agree and started on their way. Ryan watched as they both walked down the ramp, then turning opposite directions at the end of it -- Faye going towards her ship and Danny-boy towards the store.

Ryan turned and took one last look at the newly stored cargo in the Hold. It still made him so proud have a job, no-- a purpose, finally. His eyes didn't leave the boxes his whole way up the steps and across the catwalk. Making his way down the corridor and through the Kitchen, he noticed the distinct sound of absolutely nothing happening in the Engine Room.

"Rebel? I ain't hearing a peep from you in there." Ryan commented loudly, getting the plates and mugs from the cupboard. "I know ya don't talk but I'd like it if you'd at least conjure up some engine-like noise for me to listen to."

Not a single sound came from the Engine Room down the hall, not a thing.

"Rebel?" Ryan said, heading down the corridor to the Engine Room, with a little bit more Captain in his voice. "Oh Rebel? Reb--" As he reached the Engine Room he found it empty.

"Liou koe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh bun ur-tze! Jen dao mei!" He immediately turned on his heal and sprinted through the Atlas, finding his way to his personal quarters. As he reached his room he flung open the sliding door and made a quick inventory of everything -- his clothes, the ship registration, his other guns, and most importantly, he needed to make sure his money was still there. He located the box in the second compartment down and quickly opened it. 'tyen shiao-duh' All twelve-hundred credits were still there.

Feeling satisfied that Rebel had simply ran off, Ryan made his way back to the kitchen, continuing his work of setting out the plates and mugs.

'That was damn close', he thought to himself. 'You've gotta be more careful than that from now on.'