|
|
Post by alec on Nov 16, 2009 17:20:45 GMT -5
Alec stared at the ship known as the Orlando. It’s the ship his sister, Roxanne, was now employed on. He wanted to get off his dad’s boat. Parent’s kids could only work with them so long before they had to go out on their own. While Alec wasn’t technically looking to go completely out on his own yet, he did leave the ship. His dad wasn’t happy but it was a cleaner leave then his sisters. Hopefully he could patch the family up.
He slung his back over his shoulder and dragged the duffel bag behind him as he approached the ship. He knew why Roxie was there, but wasn’t entirely sure on how long she was going to be out. Either way, he couldn’t chance missing her and the ship. So once he made up his mind, he walked up to the open cargo hatch and peered inside.
There didn’t seem to be anyone around, but Alec was not going to chance exploring the ship and being shot. He walked until he was about in the center of the cargo area and set the bag on his shoulder down.
This ship was bigger than his father’s. His father did some small time stuff, so he didn’t want anything big or flashy. He even transported some stuff for the Alliance so they wouldn’t be on their backs. But he liked bigger. It was much more interesting to run. Especially if something happened.
He opened his mouth and took in a breath. ”Roxie, you back yet mei-mei?” He turned about to look at the landing above him. ”If not Roxie, then somebody?”
|
|
|
|
Post by benbarrow on Nov 17, 2009 7:06:16 GMT -5
"Sad to say I must be on my way. So buy me beer and whiskey 'cause I'm going far away. I'd like to think of me returning when I can, to the greatest little boozer and to Sally MacLennane."
Ben was singing as he flew the mule back to the Orlando. He had said goodbye to George in a properly manner, namely by going on a bender with him. Ben wasn't drunk, yet he felt that he had been drinking, and it made him jolly resulting in him singing an Irish drinking song.
He had also picked up some groceries on his way back to the Orlando. He wanted a hearty meal that night. After all, now all they had to do was go to Beaumonde and take that vacation he had been planning to do.
When he approached the Orlando's cargobay and took the turn a bit too fast, resulting in him flying the mule in somewhat carefully. It was at that moment that Ben noticed a young man had come inside. Ben stepped on the brakes, and barely was able to stop for the young man. He stood up inside of the mule, ready to give the young man a piece of his mind.
"Mei Yong Ma duh Tse Gu Yong!" Ben yelled. "Nee Tzao Se Mah? What are you, Fong luh??? Chai Neow! Don't you know it's dangerous to come into one's ship like that?"
---
Mei Yong Ma duh Tse Gu Yong!: Motherless goat of all motherless goats!
Nee Tzao Se Mah?: You wanna die?
Fong luh: Loopy in the head.
Chai Neow!: Oddball!
|
|
|
|
Post by alec on Nov 17, 2009 12:08:51 GMT -5
Alec sighed. Apparently no one was around. He hoped that Roxie would be back and if not, someone would be here for him to introduce himself to. It was a little frustrating really. He had to be dropped on this planet with barely a goodbye from his father before they had taken off; then he had to find the gorrahm ship without much more than a class and name; now there was no one here. Alec ran a hand over his shortly cropped hair before he turned at the sound of an engine.
Alec jumped back. He could only assume this was the captain. Roxie had described him to Alec and he was safe to assume it was him. Alec couldn’t help but let out a chuckle. ”You must be the captain and no last time I checked I’m perfectly sane.” Alec walked forward cautiously to offer who he was. ”I’m Alec. Roxie’s brother.”
He tentatively moved closer to the mule before he offered some more information. ”Roxie said to come looking for the ship and you if she wasn’t around. I called out to see if anyone was here but didn’t get a response. And then you came back so here we are.”
|
|
|
|
Post by benbarrow on Nov 18, 2009 6:53:42 GMT -5
"Same smart mouth. You're Roxie's brother alright." Ben said as he shut off the mule. He then jumped down and walked over to the man.
"And you're right." Ben said. "Name's Ben. Pleasure to meet you Alec."
Ben walked over to the console for the onboard crane to pick up the mule. He pushed a button so it would come down. He then walked back over to the mule and started securing it.
"Quite the character, your sister." Ben continued. "Good pilot, decent cook... Nice girl too. We have our arguments from time to time but other than that we get along fine. She's a valuable member of this crew. Just eh... don't tell her I said so. It'll go to her head."
Ben finished up securing the mule. He then took the fresh meat, the fresh vegetables and wine out of it and walked back over to the console. He pushed a button to which the crane picked up the mule.
"I don't know if she's back yet though." Ben said. "She had some unpleasant business to take care of in town."
Ben walked over to the man once more. Maybe if he had some kind of skill he'd be able to work his way through, instead of just being a passenger like Roxanne intended him to be. But all in good time, Ben would find that out sooner or later.
"So any idea on how long you're gonna stay with us?" Ben asked.
|
|
|
|
Post by alec on Nov 21, 2009 14:57:24 GMT -5
Alec chuckled a little as he shrugged. ”Well, she had to learn to deal with me so yeah, you could say same smart mouth.” Alec admitted he was a typical big brother and Roxanne learned to stand on her own two feet. He tipped his head in respect to the captain and introductions. ”Likewise.”
He took a good look round the cargo bay at least. Pretty good holding area. While his dad’s ship was good, this was better. He could find plenty of areas that was good to hide things properly. Roxanne was right. This was not what they were used to.
Alec pointed out the things Ben had in his arms. ”Need some help.” He began to follow Ben, but at a respect movement and distance. ”Wouldn’t dream of it. She is my sister after all. Wouldn’t want her holding things over me.” He had a rough and boyish grin that spread across his face as he turned back to the captain. Though he was more a realist, he still had his optimistic side. Something of his sister’s which had rubbed off.
At the mention of where she was he got a little darker though. ”Yeah I know. I offered to go but…I was there that day. She didn’t want me there. Afraid I’d get bombarded with questions.” Alec would make a point of sending his word to the family though. They deserved to know what happened, even if Roxie didn’t agree in that thought process.
”However long you don’t mind having me around. I got pay. Can do some work. Depends on what your needs are I guess.” Alec wasn’t going to impose too long where he wasn’t welcome. All he was really concerned about was keeping his family intact. If he got work along the way, then that was a plus. If he didn’t, well, he wasn’t going to complain.
|
|
|
|
Post by kasha on Nov 23, 2009 12:56:23 GMT -5
Wuh di tyen, ah. Where in the tyen shiao duh is Connor? He should have been here a while ago. It was approaching the mark where she would take off. Connor probably ran into some ma fuhn. Raking her hand through her hair when all she really wanted to do was pull her hair out. Connor had not set up another job for her. He was such a stupid…
The bar maid slammed down her order. Looking up and Ling smiled, paying for the drink and taking the shot down in one. Bleh. Heading out of the shady bar was easy. Finding a ride off this rock was going to be a little more difficult. Connor knew how to get a hold of her when he needed her. The docks would be full of ships coming and going all she needed to do was get a ride someplace. Well not any place, the Rim or at least not Alliance space.
The ship yard was full of commotion. Passing down the aisles with just a pack on her back and a few small bags in her hand, traveling was easy. She was nearly run over about five times just walking around the place. Having your life in hanging in the balance was the way the ‘verse worked outside of the Alliance. No big Sky Plex here.
Stepping up to one of the ships that did not look like it had just been attacked and knocked before peering inside. Guess they didn’t hear the knock. Trying very hard not to laugh at the scene accosting her eyes, she quickly turned and went for another ship. That was one displaying of rutting she did not want, nor need to see, but kids will be kids.
Walking around for a good hour and a half only brought her into contact with three possible ships, two of which were heading into Alliance space, one of which the captain reminded her too much of a Slave trader she ran into. Traveling a bit further, another freaking mule ran past her, driving far too close the wind knocking her back and throwing her into a nearby ship.
“You Gorram! Wei Shian Dohn Woo! Ung jeonj jia Ching Jien Soh! Wond Ba Duhn!” She shouted after the mule.
“Lao Tyen Yeh!” Sighing quiet loudly she checked her head for bleeding before even looking for her bags. “No bleeding at least…” Then she saw her bags the pack on her back was still there, but the smaller bags had been scattered by the mule. “Gorram kids…”
Wuh di tyen, ah. – Dear God, in heaven.
tyen shiao duh – name of all that’s sacred
ma fuhn – trouble
Wei Shian Dohn Woo – Dangerous Person
Ung Jeonj Jia Ching Jien Soh – Filthy fornicator of livestock
Wond ba duhn – Son of a <_<
Lao Tyen Yeh! – Jesus!
|
|
|
|
Post by benbarrow on Nov 23, 2009 13:11:05 GMT -5
"Well, you're in luck Alec." Ben answered. "It just so happen to be we're short a few hands at the moment. Now I heard from Roxanne that you worked as a mechanic on your father's ship, so perhaps taking you on as our new mechanic would be in order."
Just as Ben was about to lay out the rules of the ship, and other information Alec needed to know he felt a breeze of wind coming from the open cargobay door. The breeze was accompanied by the sound of a speeding mule and it was followed by the falling down and cursing of an unknown woman.
Ben walked over and saw a woman laying on the cargoramp, trying to get herself back together after almost being run over.
"Afternoon." Ben said. "Nice of you to eh... drop in. You alright miss?"
|
|
|
|
Post by kasha on Nov 23, 2009 14:59:43 GMT -5
Ling looked up over her head to see a man standing behind her. She had the decency to color a little out of embarrassment. This man had just caught her cursing up a storm at a bunch of kids.
“Sorry about barging into your wagon. Not exactly my intention…” Ling motioned around her, to her less than dignified position. She hoisted herself onto her feet and dusted herself off.
“I have to say some boys just know nothing about flying or riding.” Ling went for the closet of her three bags. Popping open the top she pulled out a mirror she pushed the hair out of her face and checked her eyes. Her eyes did not appear to be glossy. Sticking the mirror back in the bag, she muttered to herself. “At least I am not concussed.”
“Oh sorry that was rude of me. The name is Ling Clark, call me what you want. I am sorry about landed in your ship.”
|
|
|
|
Post by benbarrow on Nov 24, 2009 6:54:33 GMT -5
"Well Ling I'm Ben." Ben answered the woman. "And it's no trouble at all. I'd rather have you search the safety of my ship than to get runover by those racers."
But there was something that got Ben wondering about Ling. First was why a Caucasian woman had a Chinese name, and second how she was able to diagnose that she didn't have a concussion just by looking in a mirror.
"You're able to tell you don't have a concussion just by looking in mirror?" Ben asked. "How exactly does that work?"
|
|
|
|
Post by kasha on Nov 24, 2009 13:49:37 GMT -5
“Well then excuse me, Ben.” She corrected herself. “Oh the mirror, well my eyes do not appear to have a glossy sheen. The fact I could see you and only one of you. Also I could see said eyes in the mirror, which means that my vision not blurred. My pupils appear to be the same size. Although…” Pausing in the middle of her self-diagnosis, she looked straight to Ben. Maybe she was a bit off because really there was no real reason to explain herself to this man.
“I really should not be self diagnosing. If I end up throwing up or getting a head ache, I will retract my initial assessment and say I am concussed.” Tilting her head to the side she twirled and picked up her other two bags. She spun around again looking back to the man.
“My eyes are not glossy, are they? I mean it is possible I am consciously denying the fact I have a concussion and am not seeing the symptoms. That would just put the Ace in the hole for me.” Ling put her head in her hand and sighed staring up at the ceiling.
|
|
|
|
Post by benbarrow on Nov 25, 2009 12:42:20 GMT -5
"Errr... no they look fine." Ben responded. It got him wondering though: was this woman a medic or a hypochondriac? Because a medic was more than welcome, especially since George had left the Orlando.
The woman also looked like someone who could handle herself so perhaps she'd be able to come on jobs as well, just as George did. She looked too young to be a war veteran, but that didn't matter much. Shooting people was something one could learn quickly.
"Judging by your knowledge of injuries I'm guessing you're a medic?" Ben asked. "It just so happens to be we're looking for one at the moment."
|
|
|
|
Post by enoden on Nov 25, 2009 12:54:32 GMT -5
A man stood in the shadow of a building, observing the conversation between a man that he knew was Ben Barrow, and a woman that he could not identify. Seeing Ben, he muttered to himself: "There he is - should I take him down now, or stay undercover for a while?" After thinking it over, the man obviously decided not to "take him down", for he didn't draw the gun at his hip. Rather, he casually moved over to the open cargobay, and stood at the entrance, glancing curiously at the inside. Seeing that there was an opening in the conversation, he spoke up. "Nice wagon; Fireflies are the best. You takin' on passengers?"
Pausing for a reply, the man scrutinized both Ben and the woman, but he concealed his scrutiny with casual glances at the boat, as to allay suspicion. His pause also allowed time for the two to look him over. The man was tall, but not overly so - five feet ten inches or so. He had striking green eyes, and a perpetual smile, or smirk. He looked as if he knew something that others didn't. He carried himself with confidence, and the gun at his hip was always within reach of his hand. He coolly waited for a reply.
|
|
|
|
Post by roxanne on Nov 27, 2009 12:02:15 GMT -5
Roxanne was slow to get back to the ship, but steady if enough. It had been a long talk with Nathaniel’s family. Her eyes were puffy and slightly red from all the crying she had done with his mother. She no longer cried, but rather felt relieved. Now that she had been able to see them and give them back Nathaniel’s things she felt loads better. She had promised to write them more often though and send waves every few months. They said she didn’t have to, wasn’t obliged, but she wanted to. Even if in the future she moved on and got married, she still would keep in touch.
She returned with only a bag of things she wanted to keep. Some letters they had written to each other and pictures. His parents also wanted her to keep his dog tags and the ring. The ring found its usual place back on her right hand and the chain was around her neck.
After she had walked about forty minutes, Roxanne caught sight of the Orlando. Once within a few feet of the ship, she noticed Ben and a couple other people she didn’t know standing in the bay. She walked up the plank and nodded to Ben before she caught site of her brother. Roxanne set the bag of paper items with the bags she knew to be her brothers and went to sit next to him. She immediately found a way to get under his arm and curl against his chest. Her eyes didn’t leave the captain and two new comers though. ”What’s up there?” She didn’t bother to ask how he was or how it went with Ben. She’d ask him that later when she helped him settle in.
|
|
|
|
Post by alec on Nov 27, 2009 12:05:23 GMT -5
Alec hadn’t known that they were looking to hire. Roxie had left that bit out apparently. ”Well I guess we can see how it goes and how we all like each other. Don’t want to go causing trouble.” He grinned a mischievous grin. ”Except for my sister of course.” Alec always had something up his sleeve to torture his sister. It’s how siblings worked.
As other people began to arrive, Alec settled back a moment. He walked a little ways over to the stairs and sat down as he waited for Ben to stop being busy or Roxie came around. He didn’t have to wait long though before his sister came over and landed next to him. Once she found her way to her favorite spot to curl up, Alec rubbed his palm in big strides along her back. She looked like a wreck but hoped she’d be better now.
He drew in a deep breath and contorted his face in thought. ”Well the woman seems to be a medic of some sort and your captain is trying to hire her. This other fella just got here and wants passage. And the captain I think wants me to work as a mechanic.” He slipped that sly comment in there in reference to Roxie not mentioning anything to him. ”Which you could have prepared me for beforehand.”
|
|
|
|
Post by benbarrow on Nov 28, 2009 6:46:47 GMT -5
Ben had noticed Roxanne coming back in and going to her brother. He looked back for a second but somehow the two kids didn't react like he expected them. He had expected more hugs and kisses but instead Roxanne just sat next to her brother and put her head on his shoulder. Ben figured that what happened in town must've been really tough on her, and from the looks of it she had been crying as well.
When he turned back Ben noticed another young man had entered his ship, who appeared to be seeking passage. Normally the Orlando wouldn't take any passengers, but since they were heading to Beaumonde for a vacation Ben figured it couldn't hurt this time. And since Roxanne was in no state to talk to their would-be passenger, Ben decided to do it himself.
"Tell you what Ling." Ben said. "Why don't you think it over for a moment, and you tell me your answer in a minute."
Ben walked over to the young man that was seeking passage and gave him a smile. He had heard his compliment about the ships and it always did a captain good to hear people talk well about his ship.
"Indeed, Fireflies are the best." Ben said. "But mine is superior. My name is Ben, I'm the captain of this boat. Who do I have the pleasure of talking to?"
|
|
