Maiden voyage

[penny]

"Well I'll have to ask my doctor." Penny said laughingly to Haven. "I'll be sure to make him send you my file."

Penny then turned to Rade and smiled. To her, Haven's question seemed pretty ridiculous.

"Hey Rade, get a load of Social Suzy here." Penny said as she pointed her thumb at Haven. "She ain't from back home huh?"

Rade looked at the ground and shook his head. It was obviously too much to hope that Penny had lost that big mouth of hers in Patrick's absence. He then looked up at Haven.

"What my big mouth 'friend' here is trying to say is that people from our neighborhood hardly go to the doctor's." Rade said. "But she's definately gonna need one if she doesn't start explaining why she's on our boat!"

Penny looked at Rade. This obviously wasn't the boy anymore she knew back home. She knew he had changed since Katie died, and he obviously was edgy with his friend being captured. But him threatening her? That was a new one.

"Alright already!" Penny said. "No need to get so worked up! Chill why dontcha?"

Penny looked into Rade's eyes. He obviously wasn't going to lighten up anytime soon so she figured it would be best to cooperate.

"I'll spill the beans." Penny said. "Just help me up, willya?"

Penny reached her hand out to Rade. He took it and helped her stand up straight. He grabbed her under her arm and guided her to the kitchen where the rest was and sat her down on a chair.

"You know, if your brother finds out about this he's gonna have my gorram ass!" Rade said to Penny as he put her down. "And with him being released this year it's not something I'm looking forward to!"

Penny sighed. If Rade only knew. She took a deep breath before saying anything else.

"Well you don't have to worry about that Rade." Penny said.

Rade noticed the change in Penny's tone. Something was definately wrong with Patrick.

"What do you mean? What's wrong?" Rade asked.

Penny paused for a moment. She thought about Patrick, what he had to be going through at that moment.

"They... Patrick killed someone in prison Rade." Penny said. "It was in self-defense but they sentenced him to life imprisonment."

Rade's eyes widened. He knew Patrick was tough but couldn't imagine him killing anyone. Patrick could rough someone up badly but he just didn't have that killer instinct. Not like Rade did.

"What? How?" Rade asked in disbelief. "How's that even possible?"

"I don't know Rade." Penny said as she shook her head. "But I'm not just gonna leave him there to rot. It's why I came to find you Rade."

Rade knew what Penny meant. And he'd be more than up for it if he hadn't had to deal with Bella being kidnapped first.

"Look Penny." Rade said. "You know I would help you, but we've got a bit of a crisis going on here as well you know..."

"I know!" Penny answered. "I know what's going on. Your friend has been kidnapped, and you guys are going to get her. I can help. And then after you get her back you guys can help me get Patrick back!"

"Forget it!" Rade answered. "Patrick wouldn't allow it, and neither will I. You're coming with us to Londinium, but you're staying on the ship. When we get Arabella back we're bringing you home!"

"To hell with you Rade!" Penny said in anger. "You're not him or my father!"

Rade face froze. So much for trying to do the right thing again. He didn't need this. Not now.

"You're staying on the ship and that's final." Rade said. "I'm outta here. She's all yours guys!"

Rade left the kitchen and headed for the cockpit. Penny got left behind with people she didn't know.

"Gorrammit..." Penny muttered. "Off to a great start..."

[Ari Deschain]

As Leighton struggled with the coffee machine, Ari smiled fondly at him. "Lemme help ya there, sugar." The doc held a soft spot in her heart as family more than the others on the Lenore, seeing as how they'd both come from the Atlas first. She gently pushed Leighton aside and bent over it, squinting her good eye as she studied it. Not thinking to check if Leighton had filled it with water or put in some coffee grounds, she gripped its metal sides and turned it slightly so that she could access the back more easily. The girl was a mechanic, not a cook. She was just starting to fiddle with the back panel when Haven entered. Her question, though dripping with sarcasm and obviously bad-tempered, was only met with a snort from Ari. She wasn't about to argue with Haven about going after a crew member; the mechanic was dealing with a machine, and as such her mind was occupied. "We've got the intel we need, jus' need ta get there," she muttered, pulling the back panel off of the machine and peering inside with interest.

Rade's entrance had a bit more impact on her. As he grabbed Haven and started shouting nonsense at her, Ari pulled her knife and held it steady, the uncovered right eye blazing with rage. "I don't care what she's callin' her, Rade, you've no right to be pullin' weapons on her! You let her go 'fore I slice off somethin' won't grow back, dong ma?" She needn't have worried. Leighton was far more level-headed than any of them, and his words seemed to actually mean something to the hot-headed Rade. Haven slithered out of his grasp on her own, and he let her go. Anger still pulsing hotly through her veins, Ari sneered at Rade as he came up to the machine. "Another stunt like that, I'll be guttin' you like the coward you just proved yourself t'be. Threatenin' an unarmed woman, a crew member no less." She held back from spitting on the floor, sheithed her weapon and walked past him, her shoulder shoving into his arm as she went. She had to get out of the kitchen, away from the tension for a few minutes. As she turned the opposite way at the door and she had an eyepatch on that impaired her peripheral vision, she didn't see the stranger coming towards the kitchen.

Ari had half a mind to find Conner. Somehow the man could always calm her, what with his easy jokes and soft drawl. But before she could even begin to wonder where the Cap might be, there was the sound of shouting from behind her. She turned in time to see Haven running off in the direction of the infirmary, and that was all she needed to see. Cursing under her breath in a couple of different languages, she pulled her knife for the second time and ran back to the galley. There was a woman on the floor, Leighton kneeling over her. Before she could ask what had happened, Rade came forward and threw a glass of water over the stranger. Haven, come back with a gurney and some medical supplies, let out an indignant cry. Ari just stood in calculating silence, watching the scene unfold. As the woman came to and spoke to Rade, even as the woman was helped to the table, Ari stood where she was, eyebrows knitted in consternation, knife hanging idly from one hand.

Finally, she called from the door, not even looking at the woman, "Who do you think you are?" Her voice was quiet, but there was a dangerous undercurrent there. She finally looked up, a gentle tilt of the head as she focused the eye that didn't have a patch covering it on the girl. "You stow away on our ship, when we coulda taken you on as a passenger." The mechanic slowly began walking towards the table, he head cocking as her words became quieter, yet harsher, in her anger. "I suspect you been eatin' our food, as well. Then ya come in here and expect us ta help you?" She reached the table and leaned over it, laying her forearms on the table but laying the knife flat beneath one palm. "Give me one reason I shouldn't throw you out into the black righ' now." She wouldn't, of course, but Penny had no way of knowing that.

[penny]

Penny sighed when the big woman with the eyepatch threatened her. She wasn't even the least intimidated by her, even though she had her knife out. She had seen worse back on Persephone, even men that pointed guns at her. She always managed to escape somehow, it was part of being a thief.

Penny crossed her arms and subtly reached in under her jacket, where she hid her shoulderbelt that holstered her two knives was. She put her right hand on the throwing knife and her left hand on the combatknife. If the woman would try something stupid Penny would cut her up good, maybe poke out her other eye as well. And if things would get really bad, she still had Patrick's Colt 1911 .45 pistol tucked away on her back. Not that she ever had to use it before.

Penny then gave the woman an smirk smile, if only to anger her even worse. She had a feeling no one would even remotely ask her to leave, not when they saw what she had to offer.

"Name's Penny McAllister." Penny said arrogantly. "Honored, I'm sure. I stowed away because I knew my ol' buddy Rade woulda sent me on my merry if I came knockin' on your door. And as for you wantin' to air me out..."

She took her right hand of the throwing knife and reached for her inner pocket. Out came a wad of credits, which Penny threw onto the table, right in front of the big one-eyed woman.

"That's 3000 credits right there." Penny said. "Should cover my expenses for... oh let's say 6 months? Or no wait... considering the quality of your food and the stench around here... better make it 8 months."

To make things even worse, Penny hung back on her chair and put her feed on the table and layed back. Her left hand hadn't budged from her combatknife, and her right hand had found its way back on the throwingknife.

"As for you helpin' me..." Penny continued. "There's plenty more where that came from. I've got a little over 15000 credits back home. I'll pay 5000 when we leave to free my brother, and the other 10000 when he's free and safe."

Penny wasn't bluffing. She had the money. She had acquired it over the years by working as a thief, both by robbing people herself and by doing jobs for several private parties. The money was stowed away in her room, in a hidden compartiment underneath a closet.

"Also, I'll help you guys free your kidnapped friend." Penny said. "I've got... certain skills that could come in handy. And by looking at this sorry bunch, you're gonna need every hand you can get."

Penny took a better look at the woman with the eyepatch. She had seen her before, but she just couldn't place where. She started wondering whether or not she was from Persephone as well.

"So how about it Patchy?" Penny asked. "Do we have a deal?"

[phantomseige]

Leighton sighed as the decks were filled with the unmistakable tension of everyone trying to prove themselves, but it had finally reached the breaking point, and Leighton slowly stood, clearing his throat to catch everyone's attention.

"Look, um, I know I'm new to this whole 'badass criminal' thing, but..." he looked at everyone in the room, "I do know enough about life and enough about this ship to know that everyone should calm down." He walked over to Ari and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Go find the Captain and tell him what's going on. It's ultimately his decision. I'll take care of her in the meantime," he told her before turning to Penny. "As for you, miss, you're in a ship that is essentially unfriendly territory with at least one person who would be just as happy to send you flying into the black as not. We have supplies for the crew, not crew plus one, and let's face it, someone like you most likely does not come across credits legitimately, so it begs the question: if we take your blood money, who's gonna come after it, and thusly, us?"

He stepped a little closer to the girl. "I'm not going to do anything to harm you, because personally, I don't see why I should, nor is it my job here. But - and heed my words well - should you do anything to deserve it, I don't feel my oath as a doctor obliges me in any way to stop anyone on this crew from doing their job. So show a little more respect to them, otherwise you just paid three-thousand for a funeral in space." He gestured back towards the infirmary. "Now if you would accompany me to the infirmary, Ms. McAllister, I'd like to check on your head; make sure nothing got broken or jarred in the wrong way."

[haven]

Haven narrowed her eyes in frustration. Apparently it was a completely different game. ”Ok have you taken any street drugs that we should know about or are allergic too.” She was well aware of what it was like outside of Alliance run planets. But she was a nurse and there were things that stayed with nurses. She began to curse under her breath as she stood up. If the girl wanted something she’d only take the orders from Leighton himself. No need to deal with her bull-nor Rade’s.

Haven rolled her eyes in frustration. What was this help everyone without money day? She figured the pile of crap would help the stow-away but apparently not. For being on a new ship, this was not the best start for everyone. She simply stood back as everything unfolded. Apparently the girl wanted to pay. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with anyone nor this headache. She turned to Leighton and sighed.

”If y’all need me for someone important let me know. As for the girl wanting a pain killer, she can find it herself.” Haven pushed from the wall and headed to her quarters. She was not in the mood to deal with much lunacy. As she found her way back, her body flopped on her bed with the door open. She at least wanted to hear what was going on.

[radegrasan]

Rade was halfway down to the cockpit when he stopped in his tracks. He realized that Penny being on the ship wasn't as much a nuisance as he first thought, but rather a blessing. She had to know-how on bypassing stuff delicately and with her being involved in the plan, maybe the rescue wouldn't be a suicide mission. They might actually had a chance of making it now. Although Rade did try not to think about what Patrick would do to him if he found out he put his little sister in harm's way like that.

Rade walked back to the kitchen only to find Penny in yet another jam, this time with the self-righteous Ari. Rade hadn't paid too much attention to what Ari said to him about pulling a gun on an unarmed woman. He didn't believe in chevalry for starters, and he was of the conviction that there was no such thing as a fair fight. Man or woman, armed or unarmed, it mattered not to him. He'd shoot anyone who posed a threat to him in a heartbeat.

When Ari threatened Penny Rade wanted to step in, but Leighton beat him to it. He listened to what the doctor had to say before saying anything himself.

"Right." Rade said. "No one's venting anyone, especially not this one. Now back the hell away from her!"

Rade let his right hand dangle next to his holster on his right leg, just in case Ari would decide to get frisky with that knife.

"Changed my mind Penny." Rade continued. "You're in, don't make me regret it. Now go with the doctor and have yourself checked out. Meet me in the cockpit when you're done."

[penny]

Penny got a broad smile on her face after she heard what Rade had to say. Finally he came to his senses, it was a good thing it didn't take that long. Although that doctor guy was exaggerating a bit. Blood money? Like the ship they were on was paid with 'clean' money. She started to wonder also if any of them knew about the hidden compartiments on their ship, and that one could get around the entire ship just by going through the crawlspaces.

"Well Patchy, looks like your crew already decided for you." Penny said. "Now why don't you take that butterknife of yours and put it away before you hurt yourself?"

Penny took her hands off her knives and got up. She knew that with Rade behind the giant amazone she wouldn't have to fear anything. He could draw and shoot a gun in half a second, so he had her back just in case Patchy would try anything. She walked over to where Leighton was standing and gave him a smile.

"Well doc, lead the way." Penny said. "Rade, I'll see ya in a little while."

[pit]

Pit had remained quiet. He had eaten. Not made eye contact. He'd let everyone have their little moments of self righteous action, their outbursts and their brazen chest-beating. In many ways, Pit agreed with what Ari had to say. All things considered, the only two seeming to be in agreeance were Penny and Rade. Things went from bad to worse over the time they began speaking, and despite Pit's usually patient nature, there were things that had to be said. Still, he kept his calm. Still, he willed himself to keep out. Even monks had their breaking points.

Finally, Pit couldn't keep it to himself anymore. He set what food he hadn't eaten down, and took a slow sip of his drink before he calmly pointed towards Rade's hand and smiled as pleasantly as he could.

"I'd very much appreciate your hand moved from your weapon."

His eyes cut to Penny, and despite the pleasant smile, his eyes told a very different story.

"And I believe you are not in a position to refer to Ms. Deschain as 'patchy'. I'm quite certain that our friend with the hand near his gun is not the only one capable of some tricks with that cup."

His eyes trailed back down to the food, and he went back to eating. It was as simple as that. A few choice words spoken in a pleasant manner was all he felt was needed. Once the warnings had been issued, most knew the lines which wouldn't be crossed. Besides, he still had a fork next to him, he was perfectly capable of defending himself. There was a book nearby too.

Pit chewed thoughtfully, scratching at his chin in a nonchalant manner. It really wasn't his place to say the things he had, but all things considered, they'd been rather out of line too. His eyes found Ari's, and he gave her a little wink before he let his gaze fall back down to the food.

[Ari Deschain]

ooc: always so much drama, haha. I was hoping this could be a bonding thread between the crew of the Lenore...totally turned into exactly the opposite.
ps- at 5'1, Ari is anything but big.


The mechanic hadn't surived the war by being a fool. She saw the subtle movement as Penny reached both hands into her jacket. No doubt reaching for weapons, but with both hands? Amateur move. It was more obvious than just one, and also made it easier to get her hands tangled if she had to pull whatever she was reaching for out quickly. Penny was also cocky, overly sure of herself. Another mistake: it made her vulnerable. Ari didn't respond to the smirk as Penny had probably hoped she would; she simply continued to glower at her, letting her anger simmer as she awaited a response. The one that came was not what Ari expected. "Gou shi," she muttered, sneering at the stowaway. She really should not have insulted the Lenore. Ari had put her blood, sweat, and tears into this ship and although it was not the newest or most hi-tech ship in the 'Verse, it wasn't dirty, and it definitely was not a piece of luh-suh. Temper flaring up to a boiling point, she straightened up and breathed in deeply before spitting directly on the pile of money. Even Leighton's hand on her shoulder couldn't stop that from happening, much as she liked and respected the doctor. "You have so much money, why don't you find yourself a ship's more to your likin'. Perhaps an Alliance cruiser will do ya fine. I certainly don't want you or your ruttin' money here. You can't buy loyalty."

The woman had the audacity to sneak onto the boat, arrogantly claim the high ground, demand their help, throw money in their faces, and on top of all that, call Ari names? The mechanic was positively livid. "Deal? You come to us up front when we was parked at Persephone, ask us real nice and try to give us the money then, there coulda been a chance we could do business. But now? Choo fay wuh suh leh. And if you ever call me Patchy again?" She slammed the knife she was still holding into the soft wood of the table, leaving it quivering before the other woman. "I swear I'll slice off each o' your fingers and feed 'em to you." She was only lucky Ari was separated from her by the table, or the woman would have a black eye or broken nose. As Rade started firing off on her, his hand ready at his weapon, as usual, she turned on him. "She's in? This ain't your ship, Rade, not by a long shot, and the way I see it you been acting a bit too much lately like it is. I see now why it is Faye wasn't wantin' you on her crew."

Pit spoke suddenly from his seat at the table, and Ari startled just enough so that some of her fire was doused by his simple, quiet words. She'd almost forgotten he was there in the heat of the arguments and events. Ari also heard something quite like an undercurrent to his words, could sense something dangerous in his calm. The man was capable of much more than he liked to let on, she was sure of it. However, his words had reached her, even if they hadn't reached the others. Before Penny stood, Ari turned on her heel and left the room. She didn't trust herself around the woman, or around Rade. Unlike the pair of them, she had scruples, and she didn't like fighting with or pulling weapons on her crew. She would seek out the first mate, since Conner had been sick for a while. The first mate had to know what was going on, had to have a say in the matter.


_________________
- dog crap
- trash
- over my dead body

[radegrasan]

[OOC: I'll make an effort to turn this into a bonding thread yet. And forgiveness please, it's only that I remembered Amy at some point mentioning that Ari was a tall one. Oh woe is me, for I am an ignorant fool. lol =)]

"Well maybe if our captain would show his face every now and then instead of remaining in his bunk all the time I might actually get the feeling I'm working for someone here!" Rade yelled after Ari.

Things were bad. And they were getting worse by the minute. Arabella getting kidnapped had affected everyone, and rather than to stick together everyone was at eachother's throat. Rade knew that he himself had been out of control ever since Arabella got taken. He felt helpless, and there was nothing he could do until they hit Londinium. He hadn't slept since the kidnapping also, which also contributed to his bad mood.

Rade figured it was best to try and save what could be saved. Ari moving away from everyone else presented a perfect opportunity, so Rade went after her.

"Ari, wait!" Rade said. "Just hang on, will ya?"

Rade wasn't too good in making apologies because he never did. But he knew that it was something he needed to change, that he wasn't almighty like he thought he was, and that sometimes other people knew better than himself.

"Look, I'm sorry alright?" Rade said. "It's just that I haven't been myself since they took Bella and to me it seems like everyone else pretends like nothing's happened and like we're going to Londinium on a pleasure cruise."

Rade sighed in relieve for a moment. Somehow apologizing wasn't as hard as he thought it'd be. If only he learned to do it earlier.

"Look, I really appreciate you giving me this job, I really do." Rade continued. "And I know it seems like I'm being some kinda ungrateful mutt at the moment, but really I'm not. You did me a solid and I never forget about people who do that for me."

Rade looked at the ground and then back up again. What he'd give for a shot of vodka right now. Only he promised Bella he wouldn't drink anymore, less the occasion called for it.

"As for Penny..." Rade said. "I know, she can be a brat sometimes, and she's got a big mouth. But I've known her and her brother my entire life, and she's really not that bad. She's on the level, you know? She just needs to be pointed in the right direction. And we really need her if we're gonna bust out Arabella."

Rade leaned with one hand against the wall. He sure hoped Ari wouldn't shoot him down.

"Look, can we just go back to getting along like we used to?" Rade asked. "I really don't need another enemy..."

[Ari Deschain]

ooc: so I've decided it'd probably be best for the Lenore to have a first mate to take charge since Conner is gone, and I've given the job to Gabriel Donovan for now, since the Riley is pretty much nonexistent at the moment. I've emailed him since he hasn't been on in a while and he's agreed to take it on. Should Conner not return soon, we will find a new person to be captain. In the meantime, I think we should play it as if Conner has taken ill and Donovan has control of the ship for now.

Unfortunately for Ari, she did not get far out the door before Rade was upon her. At first she had half a mind to yell at him some more, but it was obvious that he was trying to make peace and she knew she had to give him that chance. She spun around and crossed her arms, listening to what he had to say. "Mayhap we ain't been hangin' around the same crew, but most of 'em that I've seen's been mopin' around since we left Persephone. It's not like we're partying it up, Rade. Some of us can just rein it in better. You also happened ta be the closest to her." Most of the crew had barely enough time to even get to know Bella, Ari not being an exception to that. She wasn't happy Bella was gone, but she certainly couldn't say she was as affected by it as Rade was.

"Look, I get you bein' frustrated at the Cap being missing an' all, but we can't help he's been sick." At his words about them wanting to get along, Ari shook her head with a slight frown. She held back from letting loose a snide comment; in spite of his abrasive attitude, it was obvious the man was trying. The least she could do was the same. "Trust me, there's nothin' I want more, but the truth is, you seem like you're tryin' to make enemies. I don't wanna be on that list any more than you want me there, but you pull a weapon on any member of our crew again, I won't have much of a choice." Her head tilted as her thoughts cast back to the loss of Ryan Hannigan and Daniel Stoot from the Atlas. "There's enough people out there want us dead as it is. If we can't trust each other, can't trust no one. While we're on that ship, keep that gun in your holster and you and me will get along just shiny, dong ma?" As far as Penny goes, it's not my decision what to do with her, but that don't mean I have ta like her."

She held out her hand, a peace gesture, for him to shake. "I'm getting Donovan. He'll be interested in knowin' we got ourselves a stowaway. I want you ta go back in there and sit with Pit for now. Try to let him know we ain't crazy like this all the time. I'll stick my head in the infirmary an' let Leighton know ta bring Penny back up to the galley when he's done with her. That's where I'll bring Donovan when I find him. Shiny?" She left Rade to his own devices, heading first to the infirmary. Leaning in, the mechanic addressed Leighton. "Doc, will you be a luv and bring the girl back to the galley when you're done here? I'm gonna fetch Donovan." She sent a jaunty little salute his way, completely ignoring Penny, and ducked back out of the room.

Her next stop was Conner's bunk. The door was closed, and she rapped on it sharply with her knuckles. "Gabe? You in there?" The door opened and she found herself looking up at the towering first mate. "How's the Cap?" Without waiting for a reply, she shouldered past the large man and into the Captain's quarters. Her gliding fingers touched Conner's hat where it hung on a hook by the door, and then she was standing before his bed. No change. Her shoulders slumped slightly, and she sat on the edge of the bed beside her friend. His condition worried her a lot more than she let on. Slipping her dainty hand into his big, calloused one, she felt his forehead with the other. He had slipped in and out of consciousness a lot lately, and it was hard to even find him awake, let alone in a talkative mood. Today his eyes were closed and his breathing regular, but his forehead was burning with fever. There was the sound of a cleared throat, and she glanced behind her at the first mate. "There's trouble in the galley, sir." Her eyes slid back to rest on Conner's face. " I'm afraid you may have ta crack some skulls."

[radegrasan]

Rade did as Ari told. Not much else he could do. He had a feeling Penny was definately in for it. He didn't know Donovan too well, he had hardly seen him since they left Persephone, so he wondered on how he was going to handle Penny.

Donovan didn't seem like a violent guy, but if he was going to get violent on Penny Rade would definately intervene. For Donovan's sake, because Penny was a hellcat. And also, Rade would have to back Penny up, no matter what. It was all part of an old loyalty he had toward the McAllisters. He had practically grown up with them, both Penny and Patrick. And Patrick had helped Rade out plenty of times in the past, without ever asking anything back. Therefor, Rade would be obliged to help Penny. He hadn't really given thought on helping Penny bust Patrick out because of the situation with Bella, but he knew that he was going to. Penny gave him a choice whether or not he'd help her, but deep down there really wasn't one. He'd help bust Patrick out no matter what. He just hoped his crewmembers would be up to the task as well when that time would come.

Rade walked over to the table and sat down next to the guy he only knew as Pit. He hadn't really paid much attention when Pit asked him to move his hand from his gun, as he was too preoccupied with Penny and Ari.

"Don't worry about any of this." Rade said to Pit. "Just another day at the office..."

[pit]

Pit looked up from his food as Rade sat, a slight stare of apprehension before he gazed back down to the glass in his hand and took another sip. Very clean for what he was used to these days. He set it down with a satisfied smile, his deft finger flicking away a tiny bit of debris on the table.. When Rade spoke, he looked up attentively, a soft smirk appearing on his features as he raised a brow jokingly.

"This is why I avoid office work."

He chewed with a look of deep thought on his face, his head tilting to the side before he pointed a finger towards Rade.

"Rade, right?"

Pit wasn't much for conversation, but he wasn't necessarily rude. In the face of troubled times, some men tend to let their instincts get the best of them. He could tell that Rade had what he considered best in mind for the crew, and perhaps it was for the best. But there was a small part of Pit that still had trouble finding trust in this man.

"If it's not too much to ask, what is your job on the ship?"

[radegrasan]

Rade could see that Pit was the kind of guy that kept to himself. He was a bit too mysterious after Rade's taste, but then again he knew that silent waters were deep. Maybe Pit had some skills that could come in useful when they were going to liberate Bella.

"Yeah, I'm Rade." Rade answered. "I'm the pilot of this boat, which is probably why we haven't run into eachother yet. Normally I keep to myself, remaining in the cockpit and fly the boat. But with things being as humped as they are..."

Rade sighed. He wished he could just relax, if only for a moment. Maybe some more talking would do the trick.

"So what is it you do for a living Pit?" Rade asked.

[pit]

Pit could sense the young man's tension in the air, and sighed as he took a sip of his water. Rade had put himself in a tight position, and genuinely regretted upsetting Ari. Pit could respect that. He set his glass down and nodded, smiling to Rade's mention of how humped the situationw as.

"You need not worry about your friend. I am certain you will be able to help her. For now, try to relax until the time is right for her return."

He smiled pleasantly, and when asked of his vocation, a small smirk pulled at the corners of his lips. The man scratched the back of his head before resting his arms on the table, a low hum to his voice as he thought through his answer.

"I suppose you could say I am a missionary, in a sense. But that's not exactly true. I am not attempting to convert anyone to my beliefs, I am simply seeking to expand my own knowledge and spread the teachings of the Shentao Monastery to those who are in need of enlightenment. In that sense, I am a seeker of justice."

He realized that sometimes he had a cryptic way of speaking, but coming from a monastery, that was simply the way he had learned most things in his life. He thought on the words a moment and went further into explanation.

"I am a seeker of peace as well. And I feel most peaceful out here, I believe. In the 'black', as most prefer to call it. There's something so humbling about it. It's for that very reason I always wished to be a pilot, but I could never remember what all the buttons and dials did. I suppose I was just raised a little more simply than most."

He grinned and took a bite of some kind of packaged bar, chewing with a chuckle as he spoke.

"Sometimes the life out here though is more fast-paced than you expect."