Running Scared (Post-kidnapping)

[phantomseige]

[[OOC - some time later; as this is after Leighton and Haven get back; just didn't feel the need for a new thread for a few posts]]

Leighton ran up the ramp and into the cargo bay of the Lenore. Minerva had been true to her word, and one of her men was waiting nearby with the proper codes, authorizations, and the landing spot where the Lenore could safely hide, away from prying Alliance eyes. Leighton now held that information in a small metal briefcase in his left hand.

He hit the button to close the ramp once Haven was in, and then hit the intercom. "Anyone here?" he asked. "I have a present for us..."

[Ari Deschain]

[ooc: I don't know what happened to Rade in this thread, so I played it as if he had left the ship. If that's wrong, I'll fix or delete]

Her mission to find the captain unsucessful, Ari had gone done to the infirmary only to find Haven, Leighton and Rade all missing. As tense and urgent a situation as it had seemed not so long ago, not a one of them had even let her know they were going somewhere. Sure, she wasn't the captain, but one of their brand new crew had just been taken, and now they were all going to disappear on her? Not very tactful of them, because now the mechanic had four people to worry about, and Connor was no where around.

She gave the ship a once-over and determined she was the only one there, unless someone was asleep in their bed and hadn't heard her knocking. Frustrated and a little worried, she headed to the galley. "I need a gorram drink." So, she poured herself something strong and fiery and tossed it back before heading back to the cargo bay. Stationing herself atop the catwalk where she had a good view of the bay door, she rested her gun on her thigh and settled down to wait for someone, anyone, to come in.

It wasn't too very long before the door opened. Steadying herself, she held the gun in both hands and aimed for the entrance as someone walked in. Recognition and then relief registered in her face as Leighton headed for the intercom, and she relaxed her firearm. Haven came in behind him, further alleviating at least some of her worries. Standing, she called down to them, "Where in the hell have you been? I been gorram worried, what with Bella missing an' all! Is Rade with you? Con-...The Cap?" As she spoke, she came downstairs, stuffing the gun back in the waitband of her pants. She noticed then that he was closing the door, and that neither Rade nor Connor was with them. "Well ain't that just shiny?" She muttered sarcastically to herself. "I can't find anyone aboard this gorram ship," she explained, turning from the disheartening sight of the closed door to Leighton and Haven.

[haven]

Haven had followed Leighton back to the ship. She was glad to have the passage, but was now worried about what the captain would think about them going behind his back to Minerva. But it was a fleeting worry that came and went. This was his idea and she would back him. Technically he was her other boss aside from the captain and she would back him up.

She was silent as they got to the ship. Haven was worried about losing her job after just getting it. Though it was for someone who was technically part of the crew, she thought that the girl was where she belonged. Back with her Alliance raised family. She still wasn’t all for the idea of rescuing the girl, but had no choice really.

As she saw Ari, Haven smiled and waved. She gave her a greeting before shooting a look at Leighton. ”We went out to try and help. Sorry for not letting anyone know.” She was a bag full of emotions from calm to angry to worried about her own neck. She had hoped that being on the ship would help keep her away from the ties from this planet, but now she was tied down with the crew’s debt to Minerva. With a clap of her hands she shot a look between the two and sighed. ”I’ll be in the infirmary if you need me.” With that Haven backed from the group and headed up to the infirmary by herself.

[radegrasan]

Rade had been sitting in Bella's bunk, reading her journals. She'd probably kill if he'd do this while she was still there but right now there wasn't any other option. He knew that Bella sent out a wave to her friend Bettie from time to time, so somewhere in these journals had to be written how to get a hold on Bettie. Through her they could get an exact location of wherever Bella was taken and maybe some help liberating her.

Rade was headstrong in this matter. The first friend he had since his friend Pete died, and he wasn't going to let anyone take her. He didn't care if he'd had to shoot up half of Londinium. He was going to free his friend, no matter what the cost. She deserved to be free, and to live the life she wanted for herself.

Right now it would've been also in the captain's best interest to join him in liberating Bella. The other crewmembers seemed eager enough to help, and Rade knew he could on them. But the captain sometimes was too laid back for his own good, and that could cause some trouble along the way. But there wasn't to be made any mistake: Rade was taking the Lenore to Londinium, and it would be in the captain's best interest to cooperate with him. Otherwise the captain would find himself tied up behind some crate on the Eavesdown Docks. Rade didn't care. He was going to free his friend, and he didn't care about anything else.

It was then Rade stumbled upon the thing he was looking for. The number he had to dial to sent a wave to Bettie. Exactly what he needed! He tore out the page from the journal and walked out to find the others, just in time to hear Ari say she couldn't get find anyone.

"I'm right here, Ari." Rade said. "I'm sorry, I was looking for a way to find out where exactly they're taking Bella. I think I might've found just that."

Rade then saw that Leighton had come back. He couldn't wait to find out what Leighton had found.

"Leigh, what did you find out?" Rade asked anxiously. "Did you speak with anyone from Flight Control? Did you find out what ship she's on?"

[phantomseige]

Leighton watched as Haven went back to the infirmary, which had gotten its first use far sooner than the doctor had expected or hoped. He then turned his attention to Rade and Ari.

"Well, I have some good news and some bad news," Leighton started. "Bad news first, uh, well I don't know where she is currently. But she is heading to Londinium. However, the good news is," he held up the briefcase, "a kind, considerate, and yet enterprising black market soul decided to help us out. In this case are the coordinates to an underground landing spot, maps of Londinium, and perhpas most importantly," Leighton paused for effect, "clearance to get in."

He set the briefcase down on the cargo bay floor. "We'll get her back," he added. "I didn't just commit several major crimes and indebt myself to some mob boss just to come back empty-handed."

[connorbeckett]

OOC: again, i apologize for being absent of late. i hope you guys understand.

also, Ari, this post leads you into what we discussed the last time we talked on msn. i hope that idea still applies.

************************************************

"Huh? Wudizit?" Connor asked fuzzily as he sat up straight, still half asleep and with a piece of paper clinging weakly to his forehead. A steading banging had woken him up, though in the way of dreams it had been a herd of blue horses playing bongo drums. And had Ari been singing?

Looking around all bleary eyed, he ran his fingers through his already heavily tousled hair, dislodging the paper which floated lazily to the floor, and wiped a bit of drool off his face. He'd been going over all the ship's papers and specs, things that he needed to become familiar with if the Lenore was going to be a profitable vessel, and amidst the drudgingly tedious task weeks of little rest had finally caught up with him. He'd fallen asleep at his desk, and the pile of paperwork was still mostly foreign to him.

Rubbing his face, he rose and stepped over to the sink and gave his face a brisk dousing with cold water in an attempt to fully wake himself. His face was buried in the towel when he wondered what had caused the banging that woke him up. He vaguely recalled Ari's voice, but he'd not spoken to her in several hours ...

Decisively, he hung up the towel and left his room. Maybe it had just been a silly dream, but maybe Ari had been knocking on his door. He made a mental note to leave his door unlocked from now on as he strode down the empty walkways of the ship. He was approaching the cargo bay when he heard Ari's voice, shouting in what was definitely not a happy tone. Picking up the pace, he wondered what in the Black had happened.

"This can't be good," he muttered.

[Ari Deschain]

Ari rose a hand to Haven in return, but noted the look she gave Leighton. What exactly was going on here? When Haven took off, her suspicion rose and she looked at Leighton, eyebrow raised. Before she could ask for an explanation, or demand one, which was more likely just because she was Ari, a voice interrupted her. Whirling on her heel, she grinned in relief. "Rade! Guess I didn't look hard enough, yeah?" But Rade was already questioning Leighton, and she turned back to Leighton, wondering exactly where he and Haven had been, and what they had been up to.

As Leighton spoke, she crossed her arms and listened. The good news was good news, if they expected to get their crew member back. However, Ari was not stupid. Everything Leighton had possession of was too good to be true. There was a catch, and she pursed her lips tightly, waiting to hear it. When the catch was revealed, Leighton played if off as a joke, making it sound casual that he had struck a deal with a crime boss. Ari's anger was swift and loud as she spat venom at Leighton.

"Tyen shiao duh, Leighton, you must be fong luh, messin' about with a gorram crime boss!" The rage in her voice was evident, and her hands were shaking as she clenched them into fists. It wasn't just anger, it was pain at the memory at what had happened to Ryan Hannigan and Daniel Stoot. "Did you already f'rget the last time we tangled wit' someone like that, and what I had ta do?" He'd been on her crew then, and had to remember how first Ryan, then Stoot had gone missing and how Ari had killed Murdo in her anger. Ari was attached to Leighton because he was all that was left of her old family from the Atlas. Now he'd put himself in danger, and for what? "Do you want ta get yourself killed, Leighton?" She asked more softly, wiping violently and impatiently at her eyes, which were starting to water with tears of fury and frustration.

Then, quite unexpectedly, she turned on Rade. "Did you have anything ta do with this? We coulda figured it out without the help o' some underworld creep, yeah?" Her temper was swift and explosive sometimes, and many accused her of overreacting, but it was only because she cared about her crew that she got mad about things like this. So focused was she on her anger and on Leighton and Rade that she didn't notice the soft footfall of the captain as he approached.

[phantomseige]

"She's a businesswoman," Leighton blurted, trying to defend his decision. "Besides, with our crew, there was no way we were geting into Londinium on our own merits." He handed the briefcase over to Rade before turning back to Ari.

"Trust me, she has no reason to hurt us - it'd be unprofitable. We're going to rescue our girl, snatch some stuff along the way, and if we're not even, we fly a flight or two for her. It may be the start of a good partnership." He paused for a second. "We're going to be okay, I promise."

[radegrasan]

Ari sure seemed mad. And with good reason. Leighton had run off and made a deal with a crime boss without her consent, or that of the captain, whatever that was worth.

Rade took the briefcase from Leighton, but just as he wanted to open it, Ari vented some anger toward him, thinking he had anything to do with Leighton making a deal with a crime boss.

"Whoa Ari, hold your horses!" Rade responded. "I told him to try and find the ship they've got Bella on, not make a deal with a crime boss!"

But then it hit Rade as well. Did Leighton said 'she'? As in female crime boss? Rade knew this could only mean one thing. He had made a deal with her. And they were now officially indebted to her.

"Did... did you say 'she'?" Rade asked Leighton with a certain tone of fear in his voice. "'She', as in Minerva Colt? For rut's sake Leighton, please tell me you didn't!"

Rade's question could've been considered rhetorical. Of course it was Minerva Colt. There wasn't another female crime boss on Persephone. If they were indebted to her, things were bad. Even if they got Bella back, they wouldn't be out of the woods just yet.

[phantomseige]

Leighton looked around the ship. He was definitely outnumbered here, but he felt like what he did was a necessity - that without the pass, they weren't going anywhere.

But, and much to his chagrin, there wasn't anything much to say in his own defense other than that he thought it was for the best, which he wasn't even sure needed saying.

"We'll be fine," he assured again. "Opportunities abound where we're going, and then we're off flying on our own again, possibly with a new contact who knows she can rely on us."

He waited a moment; it was a poor explanation in their eyes and he knew it, but there wasn't much else for him to say. "We should get going," he added at the end, "time isn't necessarily on our side."

[Ari Deschain]

Ari crossed her arms, not wanting to hear what Leighton was saying but allowing him to talk anyway. Her eyes narrowed as he handed the briefcase to Rade, but she didn't comment on it. "We could've found a gorram way on our own, Leighton. We don't need some crime boss gettin' involved!" Rade jumped in then, and she waved off his explanation. "Alright, Rade. So you weren't involved." She turned back to Leighton. He kept defending his position, but just rolled her eyes once and tapped one heavy, steel-toed boot in annoyance. "Look, I wanna believe you, but I can't. Not after what happened with Murdo." Her voice wavered, but only very slightly.

Rade seemed to know the woman that Leighton had dealed with, and his apprehension of that little fact only rattled Ari's nerves even more. She was from Persephone; of course she'd heard of Minerva. However, Minerva was just as wraith-like as Murdo had been. The stories may or may not have been true. Leighton just continued to assure them they would be alright, and suggested they be on their way. Ari spoke under her breath, her voice a growl deep in her throat. "That'd be a great idea if we had a gorram plan, or if our captain even knew about this."

Her anger was fading fast and being replaced by a tired, deflated feeling. She turned on her heel and wandered off. Her mind was reeling with thoughts of Murdo, Stoot, and Hannigan, so she didn't even notice Connor until she walked right into him. Catching him by the arm to hold her balance, she glared up at him as her anger resurfaced, but her eyes were swimming with unspilled tears. "We're in quite a mess, Cap," she muttered, releasing his arm and crossing her arms as she looked back in the direction of Rade and Leighton. Already she was regretting losing her temper, but she hoped they would know her reasoning behind it.

[radegrasan]

"Well now that we're in this mess, we might as well ride it out." Rade told everyone. "Besides, there's no backing out when dealing with Minerva. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. All that matters now is getting Bella back."

Rade put the briefcase on a crate nearby and opened it. It contained entry codes to bypass the Alliance fleet that orbited Londinium, and a route past all the no-fly zones, right into Minerva's hidden smuggler's base in a canyon.

"Well these look legit." Rade said. "I say we take-off and start burning sky."

Rade had noticed the captain there, but he couldn't care less if he was there. And if the captain would even think about not going to Londinium, he had another thing coming. Rade was prepared to mutiny and take the ship himself.

[phantomseige]

Leighton let out a small smile when Rade said the codes looked legit - although the doctor figured they would be; no use selling bad codes on what was largely an I.O.U. Still, hearing Rade confirm his confidence in what he had been given somehow lifted a weight off his shoulder.

But with it came still the acknowledgement of what seemed to be his own screw-up that potentially risked the crew. And without having to vouch for the necessity of the codes anymore - Rade would be able to attest to that fact on his own - it left Leighton with nothing to smile upon, and all the guilt in the world bearing down.

"Well, I'm not needed for flight," Leighton said, "I'll be in the infirmary, packing up for our trip." With those words, Leighton tried his best to silently remove himself from both the entrance of the Lenore, and the disapproval he faced from his actions.