You actually live on this thing?

Rae Overholt: Howdy, Captain Overholt.

Gabriel Keats straightens the piles, tries to make them the epitome of order. He chuckles to himself and smirks. “Ruttin' perfect.”

Rae Overholt: You fellas are?

Alliance Private: We've recieved your distress call. What's the trouble?

Rae Overholt: Busted catalyzer. Dead in the water so to speak. You fellas don’t happen to have an extra do you?

Alliance suspiciously looks around the room.

Alliance Private: We're not a parts store Captain.

Xiao Li Marshal watches warily from the catwalk.

Rae Overholt: Tristan, wanna tell them what our problems are?

Sean M. Writer watches Rae carefully, prepared to follow her lead.

Rae Overholt: Well, what aide can you offer us?

Tristan Pennell leans close to Xiao Li and whispers... "That little boat probably has lots of toys we could use"

Xiao Li Marshal whispers back, "I ain't too eager to go stealin' from the folk rescuing us..."

Alliance Private: I need to see your papers of ownership, Captain.

Rae Overholt: Xiao Li, you got them papers? She looks up to her, eyes wide for a moment.

Xiao Li Marshal nods. "One sec, Cap'n."

Alliance Private: I need a crew and cargo manifest as well.

Rae Overholt: Right then, Xiao Li's your woman up there.

Gabriel Keats hears the words "crew manifest" and winces, mutters. "Ta ma de. . ."

Alliance Private: ...and what smells around here?

Rae Overholt points to her. "She'll get you what you need. I reckon you've been in that suit too long, nothin’ smells here."

Xiao Li Marshal ducks back onto the bridge to grab the 'ship's papers. “Got 'em right here, Cap!”

Alliance Private: I'm sure. Until I receive the your information we can just smell each other then.

Rae Overholt: “Sean, you got that crew roster?” She grins at Sean. “Whatever you say Officer.”

Alliance Sergeant: Private.. may I have a word with you.

Xiao Li Marshal hops down from the stairwell and hands the papers to Rae.

Alliance Private: Yes sir?

Sean M. Writer: I have the medical records... I can output a roster... hang on.

Rae Overholt gives Sean a look, "Then you got our roster."

Sean M. Writer: I've got our roster. Shall I...

Rae Overholt takes the papers and holds them out to Sean.

Tristan Pennell mumbles "Roster this "

Alliance Private takes the papers and eyes them.

Sean M. Writer walks back to the sickbay, and calls up the medical records, sending a roster to hardcopy.

Alliance Private: Your seal is out of date. We'll have to site you on that.

Rae Overholt: Is it? Guess we've been stuck here longer than I thought.

Alliance Sergeant sub vocalizes, "Do you recall a warrant for a firefly transport that was found scavenging from alliance property a few weeks back?”

Alliance Private: "I seem to reckon that..."

Sean M. Writer hands the roster printout to Rae.

Gabriel Keats steps out onto the catwalk and watches from above.

Tristan Pennell shuffles uneasily.

Alliance Private: "It's a simple procedure Captain"

Rae Overholt: You fellas have some mercy on us and get us out of here and it'll be the first thing I update when I land.

Alliance Private: "First I think we'd like to search ya and make sure there aren't any surprises."

Rae Overholt hands the roster over from Sean as well. “Go on ahead.”

Alliance Private takes the roster.

Rae Overholt: Gabe, wanna show them the ship?

Tristan Pennell studies the catwalk grating intently.

Gabriel Keats smiles. No, he doesn't want to. But, in the interest of getting off the drift. . . "Sure ah, Captain."

Xiao Li Marshal just watches.

Alliance Private: You actually live on this thing?

Rae Overholt: Yeah, we do. So be kind to her.

Sean M. Writer wonders how long that sedative he gave his patient is going to last.

Gabriel Keats hopes that Lena has the gorram sense to stay quiet

Alliance Sergeant gently lifts the lid of the box and begins sifting through the contents.

Gabriel Keats salutes the Alliance officer. "Where would you like to see, sir?"

Alliance Private: I've made a sweep of the ship. Nothing out of the ordinary. Except the... smell. Like burnt engine oil."

Tristan Pennell whispers to Xiao Li.… "You could distract them a mite...I could peek in and we can see if there is anything .… useful.

Xiao Li Marshal watches Trude intently. Wouldn't do to have any cargo go missing. She hisses back, "No! Are you out of your gorram mind?"

Tristan Pennell grins.

Rae Overholt: Well, I told you we had engine problems. Can't rightly help that.

Gabriel Keats notices the plans of thieving. Hopes that the mechanic is smarter than that. . . or slower than Xiao Li.

Alliance Private: "Y'all seem a might twitchy to me"

Gabriel Keats: "Have you ever been stranded before, sir?"

Xiao Li Marshal: You try spendin' time with these idiots and see how twitchy you get.

Alliance Sergeant: I’d like to see for myself the problem....

Rae Overholt: Tristan, take the officer up to our engine if you could. Be on your best behavior.

Alliance Private: The Alliance provides us with adequate transport I assure you.

Rae Overholt gives him a steely look.

Tristan Pennell: Aye Captain

Gabriel Keats: "Civillians must make due. It puts a lot of stress on the crew."

Sean M. Writer looks around. "Uh... Oh... I'll just head back to my station and double-check the air quality in here...”

Alliance Private: The engine room?

Rae Overholt: Gorram fool, if he give me problems I will beat him with his own wrench.

Tristan Pennell: For the record....I ain't fond of you "Sir"

Gabriel Keats lets out a long, unbroken stream of Mandarin curses under his breath.



Sean M. Writer whistles "la Cucarracha" as he heads back to sickbay.

Tristan Pennell: Sorry Captain

Alliance Private: I ain't askin you to dance son... the engine room?

Rae Overholt lets out a sharp "Tristan! You be nice to these kind officers.”

Gabriel Keats: "I had better sort the rations. "

Alliance Private: "Taking your time?"

Sean M. Writer: Need anything there?

Gabriel Keats leans against the wall, calls out, voice clear, crisp. "That's the engine room right in front of you."

Rae Overholt: So you clearly see our problem.

Alliance Private: Yes i do... you’re flying a chicken coup 20 years out of date.

Rae Overholt: She was runnin fine when we started. I'd thank you not to insult my home. I don’t insult the back water hole you come form.

Alliance Private: touche'

Tristan Pennell: So Private... that's your biggest gun?

Rae Overholt: “Why Tristan, you thinking of collecting?” She turns to give him a glare.

Tristan Pennell: Just inquirin’ Cap'n.

Alliance Sergeant raises an eyebrow "Private? son it'd be in your best interests to keep your gorram mouth shut.

Alliance Private: As I said Captain, we're not a parts store.

Rae Overholt: Well, what can ya do for us?

Alliance Private: "then what do you recommend Sarge?"

Sean M. Writer considers digging out his own gun, but makes no sudden moves.

Xiao Li Marshal: Laotian Ye, Tristan, do I have to duct-tape your mouth shut?

Gabriel Keats mutters to Xiao Li, "I been saying that since we brought him on."

Tristan Pennell: Ai ya... No, I just ain't so politic is all.

Rae Overholt looks at the Alliance Sergeant and Private, her youth showing through. It seems obvious to the two officers that Captain Rae might be a bit young for this job and may be in need of a rescue.

Alliance Sergeant: Hmmm search the entire ship... something doesn’t feel right here.

Alliance Private: You smell it too dont'chya'?

Rae Overholt: “What in the nine hells of china do you two smell??” She gives them both a puzzled look and then sniffs her own shirt, suddenly self-conscious.

Alliance Private smells his own armpits thinking he might've spoke hastily.

Tristan Pennell: Its my whiskey, Captain...he smells my stash. You've been partakin'.

Rae Overholt: Why don’t I smell it then??

Sean M. Writer snorts. "Maybe it's the fact that life support is totally hosed.”

Gabriel Keats: "They're just following procedure, Captain."

Sean M. Writer: "We're rebreathing our own crack-smell, damnitt"

Alliance Private: Well Sarge, are we helping these folk or not?"

Rae Overholt: We'd be mighty obliged if'n you could Officer.

Xiao Li Marshal: That opens onto hard vacuum, sir.

Gabriel Keats: "Rule 45-c, section 11, sub-section A."

Tristan Pennell: vacuum sucks

Alliance Sergeant: I see...

Gabriel Keats manages to remember the correct numbers.

Rae Overholt waits for the verdict.

Alliance Private: We'll se if we can replenish your Atmo from our ship.

Rae Overholt: And our engine?

Alliance Private: We'll see. First things first.

Alliance Sergeant puts his scanner to mouth and sub-vocalizes a few commands.

Rae Overholt: Atmo would be better than nothin’.

Tristan Pennell: It would be excellent Captain...I told you about our feedback loop. He looks a bit sheepish.

Alliance Private: We're hooking up a feed as we speak.

Sean M. Writer shouts from the sickbay. "Sooner is better with the atmo.. we're at dangerous CO and CO2 levels already!

Gabriel Keats: "Sir? Would you mind taking a look at our rations? I've organized them, but would appreciate some shoring up if we're going to be here for a while."

Xiao Li Marshal: Maybe that's what y'all are smellin'?

Sean M. Writer: If we don' get some air , we're all taking a nap.

Alliance Private: we're not a restaurant either. He sticks on a respirator.

Rae Overholt: Well what use are you folks flying around in the black coming to rescue folks if you arent prepared??

Gabriel Keats: "No, but you are obligated to help citizens in need."

Alliance Sergeant: Its not our job to help people who cant look after their engines.

Gabriel Keats: "My tax dollars disagree." He chuckles.

Alliance Private: Responding to a distress call doesn't make us obligated to help.

Alliance Sergeant: Now if you don’t calm down and cut the carry on we'll just leave.

Rae Overholt stands there, perplexed, "What’s it make you obliged to do?"

Tristan Pennell grumbles and shuffles and looks away.

Alliance Private: If you'd have had your official seal updated they might've spotted your problem upon inspection... Atmo transfer in progress..

Rae Overholt: Hard times, been through two mechanics lately, didn't realize they'd neglected it.

Alliance Private: We just can't let you asphyxiate now can we?

Tristan Pennell sighs and relaxes a lot more than he should.

Xiao Li Marshal mutters "Doubt they have a check-box for dumb-ass passengers..."

Alliance Private: This is a not so busy a shipping lane you’re on. I hope you have luck flagging a ride. He smirks.

Rae Overholt: Thats it! Get out!

Tristan Pennell: Captain?

Rae Overholt: You walk on my ship pretending to be heros and insult me and my crew and my home. You ain't got no manners.

Alliance Private: Hey Sarge! The nice lady's askin' us to bug out!

Rae Overholt looks at them both close to tears.

Gabriel Keats walks up behind Xiao Li, appears to whisper something very intimate to her.

Rae Overholt: You act like you're helpin’ by givin’ us some air before you fly off to leave us to rot, I don’t reckon I gotta take your insults as you do it.

Alliance Sergeant radios back to shran "we ain’t leaving yet! One more thing i want to see before we go..."

Tristan Pennell: Small and critical...you gotta have a spare

Sean M. Writer decides this is not going particularly well.

Alliance Private: Here comes the Sarge. He'll reckon things real good.

Gabriel Keats pulls away from Xiao Li, chuckling.

Gabriel Keats walks back into the medbay, speaks quietly.

Rae Overholt: What are you lookin’ for Officer? Something to pillage from us as you leave us dead drifting? As you can see, hard times haven't left us with much.

Sean M. Writer pops up a panel in the sickbay counter, and pulls something black and boxy out. He straps it to his leg.

Tristan Pennell notices a lot of plannin’ and decides he's best suited to not being there.

Xiao Li Marshal looks over her shoulder at Gabe as he goes

Alliance Sergeant: Indeed...

Tristan Pennell: I just need a little catalyzer... we can go on our way after that...

Alliance Sergeant: Private get them there part and we'll be on our way.

Tristan Pennell: You two...you're good soldiers.

Alliance Private: bah!

Gabriel Keats looks around for the bottle of whiskey. Finds it and takes a decent swig.

Rae Overholt 's shoulders drop and she lets out a sigh of relief. “Much obliged officer.”

Sean M. Writer passes the bottle over to Gabriel.

Tristan Pennell looks down at his feet, “Much obliged.”

Alliance Private: Here's your cat-eee-ly-zzer" He hands it to Rae.

Tristan Pennell: Captain?

Rae Overholt takes it and gently hands it to Tristan. She nods at him, "You go get that thing back in."

Tristan Pennell: “Thank you both.” He whispers in the pilots ear as he passes..."we could’a peeked girl"

Alliance Private: Ya know Sarge, I think that smell was me after all.

Alliance Sergeant: Take care... cause we wont be back anytime soon to save youse.

Rae Overholt: Thank Buddah.

Sean M. Writer: Jesus y Maria.

Xiao Li Marshal relaxes the instant the doors close.

Gabriel Keats: "Hell, they sure relaxed their recruitment standards. Ai ya. . ."

Sean M. Writer: Are they clear?

Rae Overholt: Xiao Li? They clear?

Xiao Li Marshal: Almost...

Rae Overholt: Are we good to go?

Tristan Pennell: We are...I'll get it installed right away sir..maybe we can burn 'em a bit as we fire up.

Rae Overholt shakes her head. “They fixed us up, let them go.”

Tristan Pennell tosses the catalyzer in the air and heads to the engine room.

Gabriel Keats: "I oughta’ get Lena out from where I stowed her... Don't. Throw. That."

Tristan Pennell grins as he passes.

Rae Overholt face-palms thinking maybe she should kill him now.

Xiao Li Marshal: I vote we duct-tape Anton t' the wall so he can't go pokin' at things he shouldn't.

Tristan Pennell shouts back "HEAR HEAR!"

Rae Overholt: I almost agree with that Xiao Li. Let's just dope him though. Get those two out.

Sean M. Writer: He ain't going anywhere. He's got so much sedative in him right now, short of a stim shot he'll be down and out for three days. I shot him up before we stowed him.

Gabriel Keats goes, finds Lena, and sees that she's asleep. Laughs to himself and carries her to one of the passenger rooms.

Rae Overholt: Right then, let's strap him to a bed or something and head on to our destination nice and proper like. No more red flags for the Alliance, Xiao Li, you work on a new seal for us eh?

Xiao Li Marshal: Will do, Cap'n.

Tristan Pennell coms to the captain..."All in Capt.....Any time you want to point this bug somewhere, Just tell Xiao Li"

Gabriel Keats: "Got Lena put away in her room."

And the crew settles in for what they hope will be an uneventful journey the rest of the way to Newhall.

I got a bottle, pilot... while we drift may as well be happy a bit.

THE STORY SO FAR:

So, our valient crew takes one more job for Mr. Big, hoping to make it up their last botched run for him. The cargo this time is his niece being sent to an arranged marriage. Off they go, and all goes pretty well, if you ignore the spoiled niece and the oogly Anton. It goes well until Anton does something you cant ignore, and breaks the catalyzer. So, with Mr. Big's fatal warning floating in their ears, they drift in space waiting for a rescue. Surely to Buddah nothing else can go wrong......


Gabriel Keats roots through some of the cargo-bay compartments, muttering to himself in Mandarin.

Xiao Li Marshal sits in the corner, typing away, frowning at whatever she's seeing on her goggles.

Rae Overholt looks around, "Alright folks, we got things to do. Make sure everything we don’t want found is stowed private like, we don’t want anyone who comes to help getting in our business."

Tristan Pennell: I haven't found any replacements, were lost without it.

Sean M. Writer: Our friend here is going to be out a while...

Rae Overholt: How long will the patch to Life Support hold Tristan?

Xiao Li Marshal: Couple of ships in range of the signal, but no one's pickin' up...

Tristan Pennell: Well...I'm feeding raw fuel in a trickle...it will power the grav and atmo for as long as we need it.… if the pilot is careful.

Sean M. Writer: His pupils are dilated and sluggish. I'd say his brain bounced of the back of his skull.

Rae Overholt: Well for Buddah's sake don’t let him die on us. Or go blind, If he does we're blaming Lena here.

Tristan Pennell: If he starts coming to let Xing Lee here know... save the drugs for us.

Sean M. Writer: Oh, it's just a concussion. He'll be throwing up when he comes to.

Lena Lei: Why are you blaming me? You guys beat him up.

Rae Overholt: We're not. She looks at her. “You only wopped him a few times eh?”

Gabriel Keats hauls a couple of boxes to each of the shuttles, stores them neatly and subtly.

Tristan Pennell: The raw fuel is causing a feed back on the Atmo-scrubbers.

Rae Overholt: Can you fix it?

Tristan Pennell: No...but I can keep it running like it is.

Rae Overholt: That's better than the alternative. Keep on it.

Xiao Li Marshal: I better head back up to the bridge, see what's what.

Tristan Pennell: But if Xiao Li hits her big red GO button in the cockpit.… we’re sunshine... you hear that Pilot??!!!

Lena Lei sighs, "Will all of this take very long?"

Rae Overholt: It'll take as long as it takes Lena.

Lena Lei growls and heads back to the galley.

Xiao Li Marshal yells back over her shoulder, "I ain't STUPID, Trish!"

Tristan Pennell follows her to the bridge... but quickly bumps into Lena. “Pardon.”

Lena Lei: I don't pardon anyone... that's up to Uncle.

Tristan Pennell shuffles and looks awkward...oh..i a h...oh"

* * *
Gabriel Keats: "Hey, Doc? You got a minute?"

Sean M. Writer: Yessir. Come on in. Or.. do you need me elsewhere? He's not going anywhere.

Gabriel Keats: "You mind if I borrow some of those there records?" He nods towards the drawers that has the crew's medical records.

Sean M. Writer: Uh.… Well, I think I get your drift. Go ahead. I didn't sign the custody log for them yet. Sean M. Writer grins

Gabriel Keats laughs. "Ain't that fortunate. " He filches most of his record, and a couple of pages from Rae and Xiao Li's.

Rae Overholt sneaks up behind Gabe and pokes him in the side, "What ya doing Gabe?"

Sean M. Writer: Anything I should know about in there before those meet the airlock?

Gabriel Keats: "Ain't goin’ in the airlock." He looks at Rae, face stony. "Yeah, Cap?"

Rae Overholt frowns at him, wondering at the bad mood, "What's wrong with you?"

Sean M. Writer looks at his patient's vitals again.

Gabriel Keats: "Just workin', Rae."

Rae Overholt frowns at him, "Never mind then." *she turns to wander off back to cargo bay and stare at the doors, waiting*

Sean M. Writer: "OK, I've got him stabilized. He's gonna hurt a lot when he comes to."

Gabriel Keats turns to the Doc. "You saying you ain't read these yet?" He sighs, lowers his voice.

Sean M. Writer: “Oh, I did... I just want to know what you're pulling out.” Sean M. Writer grins.

Rae Overholt reaches up and rubs her cheek, contemplating.

* * *
Xiao Li Marshal tries to power up the nav computer.

Lena Lei looks at Tristan, "You, bring me something to drink"

Tristan Pennell: I got a bottle of whiskey in the back.…???

Lena Lei: Perfect.

Tristan Pennell grins...I'll see if I can get a cuppa tea to you without the Captain noticin’. You just wait a sec there … I'll be just a second.

Lena Lei: uh huh

Xiao Li Marshal gets on the comm. "Okay, folks, there's good news and bad news. Good news is we *are* still movin', a bit, thanks to our friend momentum."

Tristan Pennell returns to the galley and starts to quietly pour the drinks into a couple of mugs.


Lena Lei looks at Tristan, "That better be good."

Gabriel Keats mutters. "Lemme guess--bad news is we ain't gonna stop...”

Xiao Li Marshal: “Bad news, even if life support holds, we're like ta starve ta death before we get anywhere.”

Gabriel Keats:“Ah hell."

Tristan Pennell: Here girl.

Lena Lei: Who you calling ‘girl’? I ain't your girl!

Tristan Pennell: “Hang on I gotta yell some stuff.” He shouts: “PILOT!!!! No engines!!!!… sorry.”

Xiao Li Marshal rolls her eyes. "I ain't turnin' the engines on, Trish," she snaps into the comm mic.

Lena Lei takes a sip from the mug, "Ugh, this tastes like luh-suh"

Xiao Li Marshal: “If we're lucky, 'nother ship will pass close at some point. If we're not lucky... well, I hope y'all like long pig.” She shuts the comm off and sighs.

Rae Overholt: What? You know we're lucky! How can you doubt my luck??

Gabriel Keats: "Bizh sway, you two, or I'm like to riddle both of you with holes." Gabriel Keats shouts at Tristan and Lena.

Lena Lei shouts at Gabriel, "I'll shut up when you get me where I'm supposed to be"

Xiao Li Marshal decides to sit in the cockpit for a while, rather than face the wrath of the rest of the crew.

Rae Overholt hollers up at Lena, "Well you can thank your boyfriend ANTON for that missy!!"

Gabriel Keats shudders at the mention of starving.

Sean M. Writer: Well, I never thought I'd envy a patient... but I'm starting to. Tristan, come knock me out.

Tristan Pennell: You didn't really mean that did you?

Sean M. Writer laughs, “Just a little doc humor.”

Tristan Pennell mutters a curse. “Look if he comes to...call me back and I'll knock HIM out.”

Sean M. Writer: Thanks for that. He decides some restraints might be in order.

Lena Lei hollers back at the captain (in chinese), "Go screw yourself!"

Rae Overholt: "DONT you start with me girl, I got a spaceship and an airlock!"

Gabriel Keats: "You holdin' up okay, Lena?"

Lena Lei looks up in disbelief at Gabriel, "Are you serious!?"

Gabriel Keats snickers, "You got a better question to ask?"

Lena Lei: I'm stuck on this piece of junk, what do you think?

Gabriel Keats: "That you're scared." He says this simply.

Xiao Li Marshal shakes her head at the arguments drifting up from the cargo bay. “Next paycheck, I'm investin' in a hip flask.”

Gabriel Keats: "Already got one if you want it Xiao Li. You know I ain't allowed to have it."

Lena Lei glares at Gabriel, but says nothing.

Gabriel Keats: "You're scared ‘cause you think you might die. And this is probably the last place you wanna do it. Am I close to the mark?"

Lena Lei says quietly, "Not even close."

Gabriel Keats: "You wanna talk about it, kid?"

Lena Lei: Not really, you wouldn't understand anyway.

Gabriel Keats: "Guess where I was born."

* * *
Tristan Pennell: I got a bottle, pilot... while we drift may as well be happy a bit.

Xiao Li Marshal: Best thing I heard all day. Pass 'er here, Trish.

Tristan Pennell tosses a little bottle of whisky her way. “So... Trish Huh?”

Xiao Li Marshal unscrews the cap and takes a swig...that empties about a third of the bottle.

Tristan Pennell: I guess if you drink like that... you can call me anything you want.

Xiao Li Marshal: “You can't be assed t' remember my name, so why should I remember yours?” She hands the bottle back.

Tristan Pennell drinks from it and puts it in his pocket, “I know your name.”

Xiao Li Marshal: Then why can't you call me by it?

Tristan Pennell: "p.i.l.o.t."

Xiao Li Marshal: Wrong.

Tristan Pennell: I used to have a girlfriend, you know.… long time back... nice girl

Xiao Li Marshal: *sarcastically* “Good for you.”

* * *
Gabriel Keats tilts his head as though paying attention to something far away.

Rae Overholt sighs and decides to go check on things in the cockpit.

Lena Lei finishes the drink Tristan gave her earlier. She hands the mug to Gabriel, "Get me some more."

Gabriel Keats makes an elaborate mock bow, giving her an edgy smile. "And what were ya drinkin'?"

Lena Lei: I don't know, whatever that guy poured in there.

Gabriel Keats sniffs the mug.

Lena Lei: ...tasted like garbage, but it's having an effect.

Gabriel Keats: ". . . oh hell no, I ain't getting you drunk."
Lena Lei growls, "I'll get drunk if I want to! Get . . . me . . . more"

Gabriel Keats: "Got a bottle hidden in my old bunk." He calls to the cockpit, "All right. How 'bout this."

* * *
Tristan Pennell: Her name was Xing... she was a redhead....

Xiao Li Marshal: Well, my name ain't Xing. It's Xiao Li.

Tristan Pennell: Xiao Li... yeah... I know... Xiao Li... got it... Xiao li.

Rae Overholt looks at Tristan and Xiao Li. "party in here?"

Tristan Pennell: Hey Cap.

Tristan Pennell: We're just getting to know each other's names.

Xiao Li Marshal: Ya want some whiskey 'fore it's gone, Cap'n?

Rae Overholt: Might be nice, thanks.

Tristan Pennell: uh...its sort of gone...Xiao li....

Rae Overholt: Ah well, hopefully there'll be a next time.

Tristan Pennell: Well...not gone really... gone you know. Want some Cap?

Rae Overholt: Reckon so.

Tristan Pennell slowly pulls his bottle out and pushes it to her, “Recon it'll be a long drift.”
* * *
Sean M. Writer pulls down a monitor, and slaps the side of it. "Lovely..." He breaks into a streak of gutter Spanish. "OK, now I gotta play dentist, too..." He pulls two broken teeth from the inert patient's mouth, and does a quick root canal and fill using the limited dental gear. Without anesthetic, obviously.Smells like laser-burnt teeth waft upstairs from the med-bay. “There, now he won't bleed to death out his teeth.…” He pulls the restraints tight on his ward, and locks them down. “OK, you're going nowhere, mister...whenever you do come to. OK, he owes me for dental now too.”

* * *
Xiao Li Marshal: So...

Rae Overholt: “Reckon it might, least wise with that girl on board and Anton down in the bay.” *she takes it and takes a couple of swallows and hands it back*

Xiao Li Marshal: Guess this is good a time as any ta tell us that Raven story, Tristan.

Rae Overholt: Yeah, forgot about that.

Tristan Pennell: Its a big bird...balck right?

Rae Overholt: How 'bout we gather in the cockpit for that story? Galley's too far from it for me. She slaps the com button , "Everyone to the nest for a story. Reckon we got nothin’ better to do"

Xiao Li Marshal gives Tristan a Look. "That all you got?"

Rae Overholt: Think up something better than that Tristan, I don’t care what it is.

Tristan Pennell: … uh... well yeah... who figured we'd get stuck out here??

Xiao Li Marshal: Man, have you ever BEEN on a gorram ship before? We're barely a day out an' you're already out of stuff to do?

Tristan Pennell: I been on real boats girl!!! I can tell you one or two stories!

* * *
Gabriel Keats: "I'll get ya more whiskey if you tell me what's got you so wound up."

Lena Lei stares at Gabriel, "Ok, whatever"

Gabriel Keats waits for Lena to speak, face smiling, patient.

Lena Lei looks at Gabriel, "Well, get me some whiskey! I ain't saying another word till I got a drink in my hand!"

Sean M. Writer takes out a scalpel and a piece of wood, and stars whittling.

Gabriel Keats nods and pours her half a cup, looks at the Doc. "You want some? Seein' as your doctorin's at a pause."

Sean M. Writer: Yeah, sure. I'll take some.

Lena Lei downs the contents of the cup in one gulp and shudders.

Gabriel Keats hands him the bottle.

Sean M. Writer: Not like being sober 's gonna change his condition.

Lena Lei looks at the doctor, "You; leave. I ain't telling this to anyone else."

Sean M. Writer: “Uh... OK... I suppose I could do that.” He stands with his drink, somewhat pissed and mumbles something about manners camp.

Lena Lei leans over and whispers to Gabriel, "Ok, you know where I'm going, right?"

Gabriel Keats scowls, makes a note to scold her afterwards. "Yeah--you're off to get hitched."

Lena Lei looks down and nods.

Gabriel Keats: "That bad?"

Lena Lei: "Well, I don't even know the guy I'm marrying, how would you feel?"

* * *
Tristan Pennell: There was this time... back on Evenstown Drift... I got a spot fixing with a big Alliance cruiser...man she was shiny!! That was back before the war... and it was new and clean...

Xiao Li Marshal listens, looking unimpressed.

Tristan Pennell tosses her the bottle .… “come, sit and I’ll tell you how it ran in there...” He walks over and sits near her. “Xiao Li... it was so amazing! The hum of the compression blocks was just everywhere! and it pulsed with power! I had a little room near the bulkhead...hung my hammock there... there was a little bunk... but I loved the sound you know?

Sean M. Writer slams his drink and stretches out on the couch, irritated.

Tristan Pennell: The workin’ was great...I loved that whirly...but there was this lieutenant... smart ass little.... ended up giving him a poke... and I was back on the ground.

Sean M. Writer listens quietly from where he lies, smirking.

Xiao Li Marshal: ...well. I gotta hand it to ya. You know how to make a story boring as shit.

Tristan Pennell: I got a lot of boredom for you then... cause I like talkin'.

* * *
Lena Lei: "I'm just another one of my uncle's deals.”

Gabriel Keats: "Why don't you tell him to take a flyin' rut, then?"

Lena Lei: "I love my uncle, but nothing gets in the way of business, not even me. So, I'm off to someplace I don't know to marry someone I don't know. And that's why I'm scared."

Gabriel Keats: "Would you rather not go?"

Lena Lei pushes the cup back to Gabriel, "Doesn't matter what I want. Get me another drink."

Gabriel Keats: "Wo de ma, girl. . ." He gives her slightly less than half a cup, and also uses a different bottle. He hopes she doesn't notice this is a bit less strong than the bottle he handed off.

Lena Lei takes the cup from Gabriel, but just stares at it and says nothing.

Gabriel Keats: "It matters what you want. Don't let anyone tell you different."

Lena Lei looks at Gabriel, "Why are you being nice to me? No one else is"

Gabriel Keats: "I been in your shoes. Core kid in a group of roughnecks."

* * *
Sean M. Writer: Well, our patient is going nowhere... unless he's a contortionist too.

Rae Overholt snickers and turns and wanders out to find the rest of the crew. “What can you do to make him pretty again doc?” *she stops as he gives her the information*

Sean M. Writer sighs. "Well, I need to build him a few new teeth... The various hematoma, I can do some work on those...”

Rae Overholt: Can you do it here? I reckon, that boss man sees him we're in for serious trouble.

Sean M. Writer: Looks like he's got a cracked rib or two... I can do most of it. He'll look all pretty, and ache like a bastard.

Rae Overholt: Should you get started now so if we're found, wont raise no suspicion?

Sean M. Writer: I've already drilled his teeth, waiting for the cement to set and drain...

Rae Overholt: I'll stand down there and help you out as I can if you need me to doc.

Sean M. Writer nods. "It'll be no big deal. I'm not a dentist by trade, though... So these fab'd teeth are going to need a little extra polish. Anyhow...” He gets back to cosmetics, removing patches from the various bruises and performing some delicate work on his patient's damaged privates. "Thank god for restraints!”

* * *
Tristan Pennell:I was on the ground for most of the fightin'. The only machines I got to play with were transports. But I'll tell you ...there is some real adventure in all of it....I seen some things...I bet you have too... why not sit and swap?

Xiao Li Marshal: “Yeah, well, why don't you try tellin' some of it?” She doesn't leave the pilot's chair.

Tristan Pennell: I'll tell you about a drift I was at... Reavers had been to it a while earlier...damn what a sight! I still get a bad dream from it now and then...and I’ll tell you about my old man.… how he showed me the way things work

Xiao Li Marshal is expressionless.

Tristan Pennell: “Pass the bottle back.”

Xiao Li Marshal hands it over.

Tristan Pennell takes a long drink...shakes the little bit at the bottom and passes it back to her. “I'll tell you I'm scared of floating out here till we die of no air or radiation poison.”

Xiao Li Marshal: Worse ways t' go. Trust me.

Tristan Pennell: I’ve seen bad ways, there are definitely worse ways. Why are you aboard this boat?

Xiao Li Marshal shrugs. "It's a job."

Tristan Pennell: Its not just a job.… I seen your type... its a place to hide for you.

Xiao Li Marshal: Came t' Burnet chasin' a lead, ended up stuck there flat broke. Someone came along offerin' a job and a way off-world, so I took it.

Tristan Pennell: Chasin’ a lead...now ya see that there.… that interests me....

Xiao Li Marshal: Eh, not so important anymore.

Tristan Pennell: No no...I told you a tale my dear.… tit for tat!!! There was a part to my tale on the big alliance barge... I was not a great follower, you know?

Xiao Li Marshal: Why am I not surprised?

* * *
Lena Lei looks at Gabriel with a look of surprise on her face, "You're from the core?

Gabriel Keats nods. "Bernadette."

Lena Lei: So what are you doing on this piece of go se?

Gabriel Keats: "Core's where I was born. I ain't lived there since I was fourteen. It isn't where you're born that determines who you are. . ." He goes quiet.

Lena Lei lifts her cup and downs the contents, shuddering a bit less than last time. She mutters to herself, "It is for me."

Xiao Li Marshal: Is for me.

Sean M. Writer shouts "It's an adventure!"

Gabriel Keats: "Tell him you don't wanna marry him." He nods.

Lena Lei looks at Gabriel, stunned, "And then what? Starve to death? Or worse? Do you know how pissed my uncle would be?" She stops in mid thought.

Gabriel Keats: "You wouldn't starve. There's work out there for honest folk--and I ain't talkin' that kind of work, either."

Lena Lei: "Wait a minute . . . that would seriously piss my uncle off"

Gabriel Keats: "Exceptionally?" He says that last bit in an imitation of her accent.

Lena Lei grins, "Oh, now this could be fun"

Gabriel Keats: "Now, when you say fun, you don't mean in the plottin'-our-grisly-demise way, do you? 'Cause I might think about taking exception to that."

Lena Lei smiles at Gabriel, "Your job was just to deliver me, right?"

Gabriel Keats: "So far as I understood, we were to deliver you safe and sound. And it ain't like we're not tryin'."

Lena Lei: "I don't know how hard your trying, and I honestly don't care about that right now." She smirks at Gabriel, "You just get me there in one piece. And your part of the deal will be done"

Gabriel Keats: "You gonna be this brave when you ain't liquored up?"

Lena Lei laughs, "Honey, you think I'm drunk? I drink more than this for breakfast"

Gabriel Keats looks a little taken aback. "Didn't know that's how it worked there. Guess things have changed, yeah?"

Lena Lei shrugs, "All I know is Uncle tells the servants to get me whatever I want . . . and they do."

Gabriel Keats: "You know, if you got some useful skills, ain't no reason you couldn't stay here. I mean, assumin' you don't drive the rest of the crew to killin' you first."

* * *
Sean M. Writer: Ok, could you hand me, in that drawer..there should be an anticoagulation agent in some pre-packaged injectors...

Rae Overholt hands sean the required instruments and the needed supplies from the drawer.

Sean M. Writer takes the pack and carefully injects each of the growing hematoma on his patient, then takes an instrument to start carefully drawing off the blood from the crushed vessels. "Working blunt-force vascular damage is a bitch"

Rae Overholt: Reckon so, wouldn't know myself, I just cause it.

Sean M. Writer continues to check for places where there might be hidden damage. He looks at the scan. "Ok, here's that cracked rib..."

Rae Overholt nods at Sean, "What are we gonna do about it?"

Sean M. Writer sighs. "I'm gonna have to do that one the old-fashioned way. We're gonna have to wrap him. At least his testicles didn't rupture."

Rae Overholt: “Thank god for small favors.” She looks sad for some reason despite her words.

Sean M. Writer: “Hey, I could rupture them if you want... hell, he's out cold, I could castrate him. Gender selection? I did a few of those... Back on...” he trails off. “Eh, never mind.” He smiles and pulls out a razor. “Well, ‘first do no harm’ can be interpreted in many ways...”

Rae Overholt watches Sean, wondering if she should help lift Anton so he can get wrapped.

Sean M. Writer puts the razor away. “Here, I'll loosen the restraints... if you can just turn him on his side for a moment, then we can return to our castration fantasy.”

Rae Overholt nods and tilts him so they can start the wrap.

Sean M. Writer prepares a chest bandage to immobilize his patient's rib, He wraps it around the side, then nods to Merasu to lower him again and gingerly lifts from the other side...

Rae Overholt lowers him and then as Sean lifts leans to grab the bandage and pull it tightly around him back to her side before dropping it and lifting again.

Sean M. Writer pulls the bandage back over the other side, and then fastens it. With the heat gun, he tightens it to the appropriate tension. "There, he can still breathe... but he won't be running anywhere fast. OK, now for the nose...”

Rae Overholt nods and watches again.

Sean M. Writer grits his teeth as he pops the lateral nasal cartilage back into place. "Whoa, another hit there and.." He makes a slicing motion across his throat. "Straight into the brain."

* * *
Tristan Pennell: and I knew this one guy...he was so different than the other posers aboard.… he had a way with the tools...and a handy bottle always near by... he was lookin’ for someone...

Xiao Li Marshal raises an eyebrow at Tristan.

Tristan Pennell: “Thought moving in the black would be a good way to look around... if you got a bottle to refill this dead soldier...I’ll tell you about Meagan...” He rises a bit unsteadily. “The bottle is Gone!” He lifts the empty up and salutes it.

Xiao Li Marshal shakes her head. “You really are somethin'.”

Tristan Pennell grins and plops back down...." I am you know"

Xiao Li Marshal: You want a story, Tristan?

Gabriel Keats calls down. "Please do."

Tristan Pennell smiles and looks at her openly, "yes"

Xiao Li Marshal: I'll tell y'a story.

Tristan Pennell: I'm all ears my love.

* * *
Lena Lei frowns, "Skills . . that could be a problem"

Gabriel Keats: "Can you shoot?"

Lena Lei chuckles, "I'm good at being bossy, but you already got a bossy bitch of a captain."

Gabriel Keats frowns. "I'm pretty easy-goin'. . but I'll thank you not to talk that way about the Captain."

Lena Lei grins, "Wasn't meant as an insult"

Gabriel Keats: "You do drive them to distraction. Don't supposed you'd wanna work on a farm with a couple of pretty boys? Course, I don't think they're so much into the womenfolk..."

Lena Lei leans back in her chair and sighs, "Work on a farm? Me?!"

Gabriel Keats is grinning.

* * *
Xiao Li Marshal: Once upon a time, there was a little girl in New Baltimore. Her ma useta’ be well off, but then got knocked up by some back-birth and her family disowned 'er.

Tristan Pennell leans close

Xiao Li Marshal: Then man ran off, leavin' the mama to raise the girl by herself in the slums.

Tristan Pennell: yeah...that's a story I heard more'n once

Xiao Li Marshal: 'Fore long the mama died, an' the girl was left t' fend for herself, sleepin' in dumpsters, pickin' pockets and stealin' from street vendors to get fed. Then when she was ten, a woman came along. Real nice, real personable. Took the girl an' a passle of other street urchins under her wing, bringing them food every day... She promised them a better life. A life of freedom an' opportunity in the new colonies on the Rim.

Tristan Pennell: oh

Xiao Li Marshal: And they believed her.

Tristan Pennell: sure...

Xiao Li Marshal: So the girl, and all the other street kids, went with her on a big shiny ship...

Tristan Pennell: Tight quarters, too I bet.

Xiao Li Marshal: An' when they got to their destination, they were put in a big dark room with a buncha other kids... And they were led off, one by one, and branded with a hot iron. "Nu." "Slave."

Tristan Pennell: Sold to the mines.. I seen that comin'. Were's your brand?

Xiao Li Marshal, without a word, pulls off her jacket and gloves, revealing the brand on her left forearm.

Tristan Pennell: Ai Ya...thats a bad one! I broke rock for a bit...but I was a prisoner.… not a kid in the pits.

Xiao Li Marshal: Wasn't always in the pits.

Tristan Pennell: Yeah...pretty young girls...

Xiao Li Marshal: Me an' one other girl got sent up to the owner's manor house, housekeeping an' such.

Tristan Pennell: That don't sound so bad.

Xiao Li Marshal: Wouldn't be if that's what they really brought us for.…

* * *
Sean M. Writer: He's gonna need some anti-inflammatory...and probably some other painkillers too, just so he doesn't wake up screaming...

Rae Overholt: huh. Poor him

Sean M. Writer pulls out an IV drip of morphine. “This way, we can say he was using, too.” He grins widely. Sean M. Writer injects the drip.

Rae Overholt snickers at the doc, "Crafty fellow aint ya?"

Sean M. Writer: Hey, he fell down a passageway wasted. I'm betting the way his brain hit the brainpan, he's not going to be very coherent anyway. He probably won't see straight for three, four days. Might as well keep him quiet 'till we get rid of him.

* * *
Lena Lei is staring ahead, lost in thought

Gabriel Keats: "So. . .what kinda business does your uncle run?"

Lena Lei shrugs, "I haven't a clue. Whatever business crime lords are usually in I suppose"

Gabriel Keats: "He got any dealins’ with the dragons?"

Lena Lei: "I don't know. I try not to pay attention to who he does business with. Maybe I should have paid more attention, I might know what I'm getting in to... Who am I kidding?”

Gabriel Keats: "You ain't gettin' into anything, remember? You're gonna tell him what for.

Lena Lei:“I'm going to have to marry this guy."

Gabriel Keats: "If you don't want to marry him, then you ain't gonna marry him." He has a stubborn, idealistic look that would probably piss Rae off if she could see it.

Lena Lei: “Ok, but you have to deliver me there, or Uncle will have you all drawn and quartered, or worse. What am I supposed to do after I tell this guy I'm not going to marry him?"

Gabriel Keats: Well, you could always meet up with us, have us take you somewhere.

* * *
Sean M. Writer hears the fabricator *ding*. "Ah, his teeth are ready." He pulls a set of partial crowns out of a fabricator, and grins, looking at his victim, er, patient. He puts the cement on the teeth, and forces them onto the broken teeth by hand, for maximum post-operative discomfort. “There, that should make chewing solids interesting for a while, asshole. Get your teeth broken on this ship, will you...” His work done, his patient sedated for the foreseeable future, and his prospects for anything better to do for the next month or so, pulls out a bottle from the Pharma’ Locker labeled "For Medicinal Use Only"

* * *
Rae Overholt: Xiao Li, what's our position??

Tristan Pennell: Yeah.… that's young...how long were you there?

Xiao Li Marshal looks at the consoles. "Ain't moved much, Cap'n. … 'Bout six months."

Rae Overholt: So, what's the position, got a wave from Washtown sayin’ they might can help us.

Xiao Li Marshal: Fella was interested in Karin more'n me. She was a couple years older, real shuai...

Tristan Pennell: hmmm.....but you have more to this tale...you're searching for someone

Xiao Li Marshal shakes her head. "That's different. Not important anymore."

Tristan Pennell: ah....I will have to fix this boat then..... I need to hear all of it... and I won't do that by sucking vacuum

Xiao Li Marshal shakes her head again. "What I was doin' when I joined this crew is a different story, dong ma?"

Tristan Pennell: Ya...but its a good story I recon... and I’ll trade you for it... we all got tales.… I got a few...and I listen to others....

Xiao Li Marshal: Hmm.

Tristan Pennell: In the end it makes floating out here worth doing.

Xiao Li Marshal smiles a little. "That it does."

Tristan Pennell: We can relate them to each other... and it gets us past that black... that and the whisky.

Xiao Li Marshal smirks.

Tristan Pennell: Is that why your so good looking for news? Looking is a habit now?

Xiao Li Marshal: More'n a habit. S'my job.

Tristan Pennell looks at her..."yeah a job...you keep saying that. My job is making a bug fly...yours is point her at places."

Xiao Li Marshal gives Tristan a Look. "Hackin' is what got me out of that minin' colony. It's what I *do.*"

Tristan Pennell: So you dig for intel? S'a good thing to be good at.

Xiao Li Marshal: Piloting's just my day job.

Tristan Pennell grins. “Whats your night job? ...ya I heard it”

Xiao Li Marshal: ...I just *told* you.

* * *
Lena Lei squints, thinking hard, "Uncle can't find out about that. He'll consider the deal broken."

Gabriel Keats frowns. "See. . .I'm not really the type to make these elaborate plans. I act as I see them, maybe try to stay a few steps ahead. . ." He muses to himself. "You ever met this guy before?"

Lena Lei shakes her head, "No. And from the looks of things around here, no one on this ship is very good with plans."

Gabriel Keats: "If he ain't seen you. . ."

Lena Lei's jaw drops, "He doesn't know what I look like!" She looks Gabriel up and down, "You can't pass for me, though."

* * *
Sean M. Writer locks down his patient's restraints again.

Rae Overholt: Good job doc, you think he really needs restraining though?

Sean M. Writer packs ice on a few of the soft tissue wounds on the patient, particularly around his testes. “Uh... well, you tell me...You want him getting up all caca en la cabeza and doing something else wrong? He pulls the cork out of the bottle, and swigs from it.

Rae Overholt: True, he didn’t need to be that bad off to do it before, don't reckon he'd be any safer now.

Sean M. Writer: “He's of diminished mental ability for at least the next two days.”

Rae Overholt: Guess thats good for us.

Sean M. Writer: “I'd rather have him stuck where he is. Besides, if we *do* decide to do that gender selection on him...” He cackles.

Rae Overholt: True.

Sean M. Writer: I just had a very non-doctorly idea.

Rae Overholt: oh? what's that doc?

Sean M. Writer: Oh, that our patient here could be married off to someone before he regained his faculties... as a woman...

Rae Overholt laughs.

* * *
Tristan Pennell: Lets talk about the Hacks... where'd you learn that trick?

Xiao Li Marshal is distracted by a flashing light on the console. “Hold up a sec..” She frowns at the readouts.

Tristan Pennell: Don't you touch the red go button!

Xiao Li Marshal: “....laotian ye.” She pulls down the comm. "Cap'n? We got incoming!"

Rae Overholt turns to the com and presses it, "Rescue?"

Tristan Pennell looks at Xioa Li inquiringly.

Xiao Li Marshal: We should be so lucky... it's Alliance.

Gabriel Keats: "Ta ma de. . ."

Tristan Pennell: I'll be in the engine room leaking radiation at them...

Rae Overholt sputters out several words in chinese, none of them friendly, "Gorramit who went and messed with my luck! Get that girl hid! Get this one hid too!!"

Tristan Pennell: I told the captain to let me build 'em a cage down there.

Gabriel Keats shouts back down to the medbay. "You really think you could do that?"

Sean M. Writer curses.

Rae Overholt: Don't matter now does it?? Get her hid!

Lena Lei stands up, "Where can I hide?"

Rae Overholt releases the com. “Well Doc, good thing he's sedated, we gotta hide him quick like.”

Sean M. Writer: Where am I going to put him with a morphine drip going on him?

Rae Overholt slaps the com again, "Make sure whatever else we don’t want noticed is hid too!"

Xiao Li Marshal: Cap'n, they're hailing us... do I stall by talking or pretend we're still outta range?

Tristan Pennell: I'd say don't talk to them.

Gabriel Keats: "Lena? Come with me. We gotta get you stowed away."

Lena Lei follows Gabriel.

Gabriel Keats leads her into the hallway with the shuttles.

Rae Overholt: Don't know doc, how high that thing gotta be to work?

Sean M. Writer clamps off the drip, and disconnects it. "Get his legs. Screw it, he's out for a while yet."

Rae Overholt hits the coms , "Talk Xiao Li, play us up as we are, wounded and in need of rescue."

Sean M. Writer: Where to?

Rae Overholt grabs his legs and helps move him to the cargo bay. "Cargo." She walks backwards holding his legs and trying not to trip.

Xiao Li Marshal drops the comm and accepts the hail from the other ship.

Sean M. Writer lugs his "patient" to the cargo bay with Rae.

Tristan Pennell: Such a bad idea...let them think we're dead!!!

Xiao Li Marshal: We don't get parts from somebody, we *will* be dead. You wanna take a chance that somebody else will stumble onto us?

Rae Overholt drops his legs and turns to pop a grate off, showing a small area that Anton can JUST fit in if he's shoved...just right.

Sean M. Writer: Lovely. Hang on... He pulls a sedative out of a med pack pocket and injects Anton

Gabriel Keats uses his foot to open a panel at the bottom of one of the walls. "Here. Get in. The panels got vents, so you ain't gonna suffocate."

Lena Lei mutters, "This is just great" She climbs in.

Tristan Pennell: ah....gods

Sean M. Writer: That'll keep him down for sure. Let's shove him in.

Rae Overholt leans to help shove and arrange his limbs so he fits. She then pops the grate back on and shoves some cargo boxes in front of it. "Let's not forget where we put him eh Doc? Don't want it to start smellin’."

Sean M. Writer laughs darkly. "I've never lost a patient...that way"

Lena Lei shouts, "You best not forget me either!"

Gabriel Keats hands her a sheaf of papers. "Put those behind ya, and, for the love of God, be quiet." He kneels down to close the vent. "I ain't gonna forget ya, kid." He grins. "Promise."

Lena Lei grabs the papers, looking more than a little scared.

Gabriel Keats: "It'll be okay." He slides the panel shut.

Lena Lei mouths silently to Gabriel, "Thanks you"

Tristan Pennell: Maybe I’d best go help them hide things...

Xiao Li Marshal: You do that.

Tristan Pennell: “And do not touch the throttle.” He moves out of the bridge unsteadily.

Xiao Li Marshal: “I'm NOT TOUCHING THE GORRAM THROTTLE. Ta ma de...” She waits for the wave to pick up, practically vibrating with nervousness.

Tristan Pennell stops at the bridge hatch and turns to watch her, quietly.

Gabriel Keats , into the internal comm. "Rae, where do you need me?"

Rae Overholt: *coms back* Somewhere inconspicuous, gathering supplies as if you're worried we'll need them, make it look good.

Sean M. Writer heads back to clean up the mess in the sickbay. Medical waste might not be easily explained...with no patient. He starts feeding dressings and used supplies into the med-waste incinerator.

Gabriel Keats heads back into the Galley, starts taking out some of the non-perishables, starts splitting them into rations. He musses up his hair a bit.

Tristan Pennell holds his breath.

Rae Overholt: *coms* Tristan, you better look greasy and frazzled.

Tristan Pennell: *coms back* “Always Sir!” He heads for the engine room.

The Comm signal reverberates throughout the boat: “FireFly Transport Raven, this is Osprey 312, Come in!”

Gabriel Keats: "Got it." He pauses, and speaks quietly into the comm. "Be careful, bao-be."

Rae Overholt smiles to herself, "Always" and releases the com. “Doc, whats say you head up to galley, with some first aid supplies and heated blankets or heat packs?”

Sean M. Writer: Roger that. He breaks out the first aid kits.

Tristan Pennell can be heard whacking on things and hurting his hands a bit...

Gabriel Keats has already got most of the energy bars sorted into rations, two sets, one for each shuttle. The piles are neat, perfect, a picture of Alliance order. He hopes it'll help.

Rae Overholt stands at the cargo bay doors, trying to stay calm. "Everyone set?"

* * *
Shran3 Yoshikawa: Firefly class ship Raven, we have picked up your distress call. Do you need assistance?

Xiao Li Marshal: This is the Firefly class transport "Raven." Our thrusters are offline due to engine damage, we need replacement parts. We are currently running on minimal life support, but we can't keep it up for much longer...

Shran3 Yoshikawa: We are locking on to your signal. Stand by.

Xiao Li Marshal: Your help is appreciated, sir. *cuts off the transmission*

Shran3 Yoshikawa: Raven, open your main door and prepare for docking

* * *
Xiao Li Marshal cuts off the transmission and grabs the internal comm. "They're comin'!"

Sean M. Writer drops some medkits down on the table. “ OK, lovely...”

Gabriel Keats: "Those actually got supplies in 'em?"

Sean M. Writer looks at him cross-eyed. "What do you take me for?"

Gabriel Keats grins. He is quite obviously having fun with the deception. "Can you lie?" He looks up as he sorts the piles, tilts his head.

Xiao Li Marshal pulls her jacket back on to cover her brand, stuffs her gum and glasses in her back pocket, and tries to look somewhat respectable.

Tristan Pennell sits and remembers his last run in with the alliance.

"Very nice meeting you sir. Everything will be just fine, you'll see."

THE STORY SO FAR:
Shen is lying in a hospital recuperating from a suicide attempt. Doctors say with a months rest she should be fine, though they were right angry we left her there. Reckon they think we wont be paying them for their services.

Brina left us with a tearful goodbye and a promise for work shippin’ Pa's Moonshine. She said we's welcome at the bar anytime she was spinning her tunes. Dropping a bag of coin with Xiao Li, she stated she'd be back for it one day. Maybe she isn't truly gone for good.

Xiao Li is her usual self, angry at all those that are leavin’ but loyal to a fault and stickin’ around herself. Girl's gotta give herself more credit some day.

Good news is, we got ourselves a doctor, from the core no less. We're checking him out as it seems the doctors always have stories that are a little suspect. We also got ourselves a mechanic, claims he's the best in the verse. Vertigo vouches for him sayin’ that he's saved plenty of lives, though the guy seems more bent on flirtin’ than anything else. Going to be interesting to see "Xing Li" straighten him out.

We're still in the rears with Mr. Big cause of his delivery going sour. Buddah knows how we'll make it up and get out of debt. Maybe something will come up.

OUR STORY CONTINUES:

Anton Machin arrives grinning a toothy grin. "Well if it ain't my favorite bunch of space monkeys... 'cept you, Ariel... you ain't no monkey."

Rae Overholt watches the new guy approach, taking measure of him.

Tristan Pennell: We need a gig.

Ariel Liveoak nods at Anton and smiles slightly.

Xiao Li Marshal eyes Anton warily.

Rae Overholt: We'll get a job. Just takes time.

Ariel Liveoak shrugs her shoulders, settling her wraps.

Tristan Pennell: You said there was an "issue" last time.

Anton Machin: A gig? Well then it seems that this is a lucky day for us both. It just so happens that my boss is looking for a capable crew to handle some delicate cargo. I told him I didn't know any capable crew, but that I would ask you guys...

Rae Overholt: Yeah well, that's all done with. We'll work it out.

Ariel Liveoak rolls her eyes, and then covers it by watching a bird go by.

Rae Overholt: And who might you be? Rae Overholt continues to give him the eye.

Anton Machin eyes her. "You're kidding me, right?"

Rae Overholt: Nope, can't say as I am, seeing as I haven’t met you before.

Anton Machin smiles and looks around. "I don't recognize all of you... but your friends here should've told you about me. I'm sure Ariel remembers."

Tristan Pennell: ..he has work....

Rae Overholt shoots Ariel and questioning look.

Anton Machin: In any case, my identity is none of your concern. You want a job or not?

Gabriel Keats looks up at Anton. "Certainly do remember you." He smiles. It doesn't reach his eyes.

Rae Overholt: Might could use some. What's the catch?

Tristan Pennell: he has W O R K

Xiao Li Marshal: So do a lot of people. Some more trustworthy than others.

Anton Machin: No catch. I wouldn't trust you guys with a complicated job again after last time. This is a simple ferry mission. Pick up and set down.

Sean M. Writer quietly sizes everyone up, trying to match the faces with the medical records

Rae Overholt: Ah. You guys. Alright, where do we go?

Tristan Pennell: finally

Anton Machin: The pickup is to be made at my boss's estate. I'll give the coordinates to your pilot.. if you think you can handle the job.

Tristan Pennell: phhpt

Rae Overholt: Reckon we can.

Anton Machin looks around at all the men. "Which one of you is the pilot of that flying can?"

Rae Overholt nods her head at Xiao li.

Xiao Li Marshal: That would be me. And that 'flying can' is named the Raven.

Sean M. Writer rolls his eyes.

Tristan Pennell: and she's NO CAN!!!

Anton Machin walks over to Xiao Li and looks her up and down. "So you're the pilot, huh? I bet you know your way around a joystick..."

Gabriel Keats: "This ain't the time Tristan..."

Ariel Liveoak snorts, covering it with a cough.

The crew of Raven and transport themselves to the Boss’s estate on Meridian.

Itachi Xeno: Raven, get yourself and your lousy gorram piece of shit crew up here.

Xiao Li Marshal: Ain't you cold in that getup, Cap'n?

Rae Overholt: Nah.

Anton Machin bows slightly at the waist. "Boss, this is the crew I told you about."

Gabriel Keats: "Better to see you with." He frowns.

Tristan Pennell: hello Lena

Xiao Li Marshal shrugs. "Your frostbite, I guess."

Lena Lei looks at the crew a little disgustedly.

Itachi Xeno chuckles. "So I can see...sit your lousy ass down and bring your so called 'crew' over here to I can take a look at em."

Tristan Pennell: boss?

Anton Machin gestures for the space monkeys to come over as he goes to take a seat... on the FAR side of the couch from the boss's niece.

Rae Overholt smirks at Lena

Xiao Li Marshal opts to stand

Itachi Xeno: So...this is the crew that screwed the gorram pooch so fracking bad?

Tristan Pennell takes a spot behind and with good visibility.

Ariel Liveoak glances between Anton and Lena, a small smile showing.

Sean M. Writer circles around the back of the group, looking over the customers.

Xiao Li Marshal raises an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

Anton Machin: Yeah... but I already showed 'em what happens if they screw up again, boss.

Rae Overholt sighs, "You got a job or not?"

Tristan Pennell grunts softly.

Lena Lei sighs, "Is this going to take long, Uncle?"

Itachi Xeno smirks. "Don't cop attitude with me woman, else I'll have a job for my boys here to dismantle that flying case of tetanus you call a ship."

Gabriel Keats coughs slightly hands resting near his guns.

Tristan Pennell: Boss?

Itachi Xeno: What?

Rae Overholt raises an eyebrow.

Anton Machin shoots Lena a sour look beneath his sunglasses, dreading the ride ahead.

Tristan Pennell: Not you..she's the boss of us, mate.

Xiao Li Marshal 's fists clench, but she doesn't speak.

Rae Overholt looks to Tristan, "yeah?"

Itachi Xeno: Care to explain to me exactly what happened with the last bit of cargo I trusted you with?

Tristan Pennell looks at Alycia....

Rae Overholt: Looks like someone filched it off a half dead crew member. You'd have to ask them, I wasn't there. Reckon now though I am and you'll either give us the job or you won't.

Ariel Liveoak: “Fairly simple, as I understand it. We were robbed. We got it back.” Ariel Liveoak shrugs.

Tristan Pennell: So that's good!

Xiao Li Marshal: The goods was delivered as promised. What's the problem?

Anton Machin: The goods were delivered with a few items missing. Somebody lost a finger over that...

Itachi Xeno: If you were keeping to your JOB then you wouldn't have had to get it back in the first place. That shit is valuable and I don't take very kindly to people losing my shit and risking it.

Gabriel Keats crosses his arms and looks over the top of his glasses, eyes cold.

Rae Overholt: Well, not enough was missing that we can't make it up.

Itachi Xeno chuckles. "Oh, you'll make it up alright darlin’..." Itachi Xeno eyes her up and down.

Rae Overholt: Don't think so.

Gabriel Keats: "The deal's done. We gonna waste the entire day jawing about it--" He cuts off at Itachi's words

Ariel Liveoak murmurs "oh dear."

Itachi Xeno: Here's how you're gonna make it up... Niece, stand up darlin’.

Rae Overholt turns and looks at her crew, then looks back to the three in front of them. She smirks.

Xiao Li Marshal mutters to herself "Shen hadn't been so yuben de, we wouldn't have this problem."

Ariel Liveoak: What a lovely dress, dear!

Lena Lei stomps her foot, "Uncle! Can we just get this over with? I'm bored!"

Anton Machin looks over at Lena and realizes that she'd be attractive if she weren't his boss's niece... and demanding... and spoiled...

Gabriel Keats puts a hand on Rae's back, traces his finger across it idly.

Rae Overholt turns to look at Gabe, eyes curious.

Tristan Pennell looks at the girl and wonders a bit....

Ariel Liveoak notes the look in Anton's eyes.

Rae Overholt shakes her head once at Gabe.

Ariel Liveoak notes the look in Tristan's eyes as well.

Itachi Xeno: Say hello to my niece captain, you'll be transportin’ her for me...

Anton Machin stifles a yawn as the warm fire and the soft sofa remind him that the boss lives better than he does.

Lena Lei looks at Ariel, "What are you doing with them, anyway?"

Tristan Pennell quickly looks at Xiao li and back to the captain.

Ariel Liveoak smiles. “Traveling, dear. It's a mutually beneficial arrangement.”

Rae Overholt gives the girl a look, "What's your name niece?"

Itachi Xeno: Now, let me make something VERY crystal clear for you darlin’...

Sean M. Writer looks at Lena. He shakes his head, wondering exactly what kind of trouble he's managed to get himself into this time,

Gabriel Keats smirks and walks back behind Tristan and Xiao Li.

Lena Lei sighs, "My name is Lena"

Rae Overholt: I'm Captian Overholt.

Ariel Liveoak smiles. "What a pretty name. Hello, Lena, I'm Ariel."

Lena Lei: Charmed, I'm sure

Tristan Pennell stutters a bit..."I'm Tristan"

Xiao Li Marshal just grunts.

Lena Lei looks away, bored


Ariel Liveoak glances at Tristan and almost giggles.

Sean M. Writer walks over to Keats. "Better check her shots before we let her board," he whispers.

Gabriel Keats nods. "Ain't a bad idea."

Tristan Pennell looks at the doc confused.

Itachi Xeno nods towards Lena. "Lena here is my pride and joy...you're takin’ her to Newhall...to get married." He sighs slightly then continues. "I don't like sending her off like this, but its gotta be done... So let me make sure we're square on something. If ANYTHING, happens to her, someone's gonna be loosing ALOT more than a finger.”

Ariel Liveoak: Oh dear. An "arrangement", then?

Rae Overholt: Got her papers? Rae Overholt stands stock still, arms crossed and a neutral look on her face.

Itachi Xeno: Pffft...papers...

Tristan Pennell looks away fast.

Lena Lei glares at Sean M., "Excuse me?!"

Sean M. Writer: Does she at least have a health record?

Lena Lei: I assure you, I am much cleaner than any of you!

Itachi Xeno: She's up on everything. Thats all you need to know.

Sean M. Writer: I just want to make sure you don't catch anything from the crew, dear.

Ariel Liveoak raises an eyebrow and says nothing.

Tristan Pennell looks sideways at the companion.

Sean M. Writer: Or from the landing workers.

Rae Overholt shrugs a shoulder, "Fine then, where's your stuff Lena?"

Anton Machin mutters under his breath. "She's too mean for a disease to stay alive in her blood..."

Itachi Xeno: Think you can manage something that simple darlin’?

Lena Lei glares at Anton, "I heard that!"

Sean M. Writer smirks.

Ariel Liveoak laughs out loud and quickly covers it with a coughing fit.

Xiao Li Marshal smirks at Anton's comment.

Anton Machin smiles sweetly. "Heard what, ma'am?"

Gabriel Keats laughs. Doesn't hide it.

Itachi Xeno glares at Anton.

Tristan Pennell studies his boots.

Anton Machin: Sorry, boss... It was just a little indigestion. I didn't say nothin’...

Itachi Xeno: Best not have...

Lena Lei crosses her arms, "Are we done here yet?"

Rae Overholt: Yeah, are we uncle?

Sean M. Writer: "Of course, sir, if you're willing to let her travel without the benefit of up-to-date immunizations....I'm not going to be held responsible when she comes down with plague.”

Itachi Xeno: No Alliance...no 'losing' her...no bullshit...easy ride. Think you can manage?

Tristan Pennell slides his hand down to his rausch.

Rae Overholt: Uh huh.

Itachi Xeno: Like I said, she's up on everything. No worries there.

Anton Machin snaps his head around and glares at Tristan. "You wanna reconsider the southern drift of your hand there, son?"

Itachi Xeno: If she ain't than I'm shooting her doctor.

Tristan Pennell: Boss?

Sean M. Writer nods, making a mental note.

Tristan Pennell slips his hand north.

Itachi Xeno: Lena, go get your stuff.

Ariel Liveoak: Do you need any help, dear?

Itachi Xeno: Darlin’...don't make me follow through with what I said...if ANYTHING happens to her...

Rae Overholt nods to Tristan. "It's all OK, everyone's fine. Who you callin’ Darlin?”

Tristan Pennell: I think he meant me Boss

Itachi Xeno: Alright, Sugartits it is then.

Lena Lei: Yes, Ariel, I could use someone to carry by bags down for me.

Rae Overholt stands there wondering what the after-burn of a firefly would do to the walls of this house. “That's more like it. Although I prefer love muffin.”

Anton Machin: You would all do well to remember that the boss here chooses to remain low-profile by hiring an obsolete Firefly, but he can afford to hire a much faster ship... one with teeth. So don't think of screwing this up in any way.

Ariel Liveoak smiles. Tristan? Would you mind helping with bags, please?

Gabriel Keats debates the much less intangible consequences of a bullet through Itachi's head.

Rae Overholt: Oh I'm sure.

Tristan Pennell: Like I should be a porter now?

Xiao Li Marshal contemplates strapping Xeno to the Raven's undercarriage right before breaking atmo.

Sean M. Writer keeps mumbling "first do no harm" under his breath.

Lena Lei motions towards her bags, "There aren't many. Just these 6."

Itachi Xeno: Good. Then I'll see you when you come back Sugartits.

Xiao Li Marshal idly considers doing something nasty to Xeno's bank accounts after this job is over.

Ariel Liveoak calls down the stairs. "Tristan? Anyone? Could use a hand here!"

Itachi Xeno smirks.

Tristan Pennell: that's me right?...sugar tits?

Gabriel Keats heads over to where Ariel stands.

Sean M. Writer rolls his eyes. "Coming up!"

Rae Overholt smirks. "Thats right Tristan."

Tristan Pennell: Where are the bags again boss?

Rae Overholt: Don't think you can miss them. She brought half a cargo bay of them.

Anton Machin looks at Tristan with something borderline between sympathy and contempt as he picks up Lena's bags. "She usually travels with twice that many..."

Itachi Xeno stands up and walks over close to the captain to whisper into her ear.

Anton Machin goes out to wait by the ship... relieved for once not to be Lena's bellhop.

Tristan Pennell: so ...uhm... hi

Ariel Liveoak: Wonderful! Alright, here we go.

Sean M. Writer: OK, let me grab something..

Ariel Liveoak takes a small bag and heads downstairs.

Xiao Li Marshal heads toward the Raven, grumbling about having to wait on this liumang and his pofu niece.

Rae Overholt stands there, face still neutral.

Gabriel Keats snaps up two of the bags without a word, keeps an eye on Lena, smiling.

Tristan Pennell looks for something big

Lena Lei: Be careful with those, they're new. If anything gets damaged, I'm holding you personally responsible.

Sean M. Writer: Oh, I'll be careful.

Tristan Pennell: I'll be careful...I'll be very careful love

Anton Machin smiles at Xiao Li. "So... a little girl like you must have trouble seeing over the control panel. I'll let you sit on my lap while you fly if that'd help."

Rae Overholt waits.

Sean M. Writer hoists up a bag, looking at it to note any pre-existing marring.

Itachi Xeno leans in, his words only a little louder than his breath. "Remember, if anything happens...that sweet ass of yours belongs to me...and your crew will have a permanent stay in the Orbital Hotel..."

Gabriel Keats doesn't respond, heads down the stairs, carrying the bags with a normal amount of care.

Sean M. Writer: Come on there,

Tristan Pennell grabs what he can.

Xiao Li Marshal smiles in a horrible parody of sweetness. "Only if you don't mind not gettin' your 'joystick' back at the end of the flight, sweetheart."

Ariel Liveoak slips nonchalantly between Itachi and the Captain, smiling radiantly, saying "Very nice meeting you sir. Everything will be just fine, you'll see."

Gabriel Keats stands behind Itachi and gives Rae a fleeting, nasty grin.

Rae Overholt looks him dead in the eye, face oddly calm as she whispers right back, "My ass belongs to no one and don't threaten my crew or there wont be enough left for the orbital hotel" She turns and stalks off with a polite smile on her face.

Anton Machin grins. "I like a girl with a touch of fire in her."

Lena Lei looks at her uncle, "Goodbye Uncle."

Sean M. Writer: This bag isn't getting any lighter..

Tristan Pennell struggles under his load.

Ariel Liveoak: What an...interesting fellow. Well, shall we go?

Tristan Pennell: Boss... put the girl in the loading bay and let's go.

Gabriel Keats's muscles are strained, but he doesn't say anything, eyes dark.

Rae Overholt: Yes, we shall, Make sure not to knock over any of his planters when we leave Xiao Li. *smirks at her*

Anton Machin looks at the guys carrying bags and smiles.

Lena Lei: Loading bay?!

Xiao Li Marshal murmurs to Rae, "If he stiffs us on this one, I'm drainin' his credit account. Hell, might do it anyway."

Rae Overholt nods at Xiao Li with a smirk, "long as you can do it quiet like."

Tristan Pennell: Geez boss this is killing me!

Xiao Li Marshal looks smug and heads for the cockpit.

Tristan Pennell watches Xiao li walk up the ramp. “Boss I could put up a few wall over there... make a space for her”

Rae Overholt: Take her stuff to ...*she looks at Lena* Passenger quarters.

Lena Lei looks around the cargo bay with disgust, "You have got to be kidding! This is a ship?"

Anton Machin: She'd fit in one of them crates marked "toxic."

Rae Overholt: I imagine she would, she can't help who she was raised around though can she.

Tristan Pennell looks depressed....

Anton Machin eyes Lena. That's what I said, honey..."

Rae Overholt: Watch your mouths.

Gabriel Keats: "Girl, your uncle said y'had to be safe. He didn't say you had to be pampered."

Rae Overholt: Ship might decide to spit you both out mid flight if you keep bad mouthing her.

Lena Lei glares at Anton,"I am not your honey, Anton!"

Rae Overholt: Everyone upstairs.

Anton Machin: That's the damn truth... ain't -nobody's- honey, near as I can tell...

Rae Overholt: Might as well be relatively comfortable during this haul.

Tristan Pennell grabs a pile of bags and starts for the ramp

Rae Overholt looks closely at the girl, she suddenly gets a mock innocent look and asks her, "So, you cook Lena?"

Anton Machin almost lets out a burst of laughter.

Rae Overholt ignores Anton.

Lena Lei looks at the Captain, You're kidding, right?!"

Tristan Pennell grunts and drops bags.

Gabriel Keats stows the bags reasonably carefully.

Rae Overholt: Why would I kid on that? We lost our cook recently, seems none of us know how. Less'n you want to eat protein bars the whole way.

Tristan Pennell: Its easy girl... hot water and noodles I'll help.

Anton Machin: Cap, she don't know a thing about pots and pans... nor baking. But if you mention pot and -getting- baked.. well, I suspect she's a might better at that.

Rae Overholt: Well, I'm afraid we don’t have that kind of pot. So the other will have to do. Tristan will help her out. Said so.

Lena Lei looks at Anton with hate, "Shut up!"

Gabriel Keats narrows his eyes at Anton's comment.

Rae Overholt looks at Gabe.

Anton Machin bows slightly to Lena. "Yes, ma'am."

Tristan Pennell smiles.

Lena Lei: Somebody get me something to drink.

Rae Overholt: See there Lena? What better way to shut him up than to prove him wrong... course if you can't cook... that's another story.

Anton Machin walks over to Ariel. "What say you and I take a tour of the ship, starting with that little shuttle of yours?"

Gabriel Keats nods towards one of the cabinets. "Can you open a can?'

Tristan Pennell watches the gangster and the companion closely.

Ariel Liveoak seems not to have heard, and bustles to the galley. "Tea would be nice, don't you think?"

Tristan Pennell: Ariel... are you … thirsty?

Anton Machin watches her walk away, but is undeterred.

Xiao Li Marshal pulls down the comm. "This is your pilot speaking. We're five minutes from take-off, so I suggest that certain persons get their pampered pigu strapped in."

Anton Machin: Why don't you let me make that tea for you, lovely? You shouldn't be getting your hands dirty.

Tristan Pennell: You'll be joining us on this trip then?

Gabriel Keats grabs on to a ledge

Rae Overholt: Yeah, the passenger is asking for a drink.

Anton Machin looks over at Tristan. "Yeah... somebody's gotta make sure you people don't screw up."

Rae Overholt nods to Ariel, "Sure thing Anton, I need a word with Ariel anyway."

Tristan Pennell holds the counter tightly.

Lena Lei sighs loudly, "I said I want something to drink! Now!"

Rae Overholt: Strap in Lena.

Gabriel Keats: "There's plenta' drink in the cabinet, if'n you can rouse yourself to walk the five feet."

Anton Machin looks down at the tea and the water coming to a boil, wondering if the ship has any rat poison to add to Lena's cup.

Ariel Liveoak brings Lena a cup of tea.

Rae Overholt: STRAP in everyone!

Tristan Pennell: Boss, let me build a cage in the bay.

Ariel Liveoak: There you go. Just the thing for staring a journey.

Rae Overholt: Don't tempt me Tristan.

Lena Lei smiles at Ariel, smells the tea, "What is this?"

Rae Overholt resists the urge to tell her its Rat tea.

Lena Lei: This doesn't smell like tea.

Anton Machin reads the package the tea came from. "Mo... moli... moleee? Moli hua cha... something with a picture of a flower on it. Drink it."

Lena Lei puts the tea down without taking a sip.

Ariel Liveoak gives a silvery laugh.

Tristan Pennell mutters to himself, “Where are the engines?.. those I understand.”

Rae Overholt: She's not tough enough for the flower tea.

Lena Lei: You drink it. I have better taste than that.

Anton Machin picks up the cup and goes to sit by Ariel. "Fine. I hope you don't get too parched."

Rae Overholt: “Girl, you'll eventually do with, or do without. I'll still get you there in one piece. No nevermind to me.” Rae Overholt straps in.

Tristan Pennell: Captin...I'll be back here banging on stuff. Ready Pilot?

Lena Lei sticks her tongue out at the Captain.

Rae Overholt: “Alright Tristan!” Rae Overholt crosses her eyes at Lena.

Anton Machin looks over at Ariel and then at the Captain. "And I'll be up here banging on stuff..."

Rae Overholt raises an eyebrow but refuses to comment to Anton.

Tristan Pennell: lets get this bug airborne!

Anton Machin puts down his cup and smiles at Ariel. "You'll have to excuse my crude sense of humor. The company back home isn't exactly... refined." Anton Machin looks at Lena.

Lena Lei looks away from Anton and crosses her arms

Rae Overholt: DON'T call my ship a bug Tristan!

Xiao Li Marshal: 7...6...5... 4...3...2...1...

Rae Overholt watches as the tea in Anton's hand splashes and sloshes in its cup, a tiny smile on her face.

Xiao Li Marshal pulls back on the throttle and, with a mighty rumble, the Raven is airborne.

Tristan Pennell: Yes sir!

Lena Lei puts her hands over her ears, "Is it always this loud!"

Rae Overholt: That it is, if it ever goes silent you start worrying cause the only place its taking us is to the crash site.

Anton Machin does his best to hide the pain from the hot tea splashing on his hand for a moment, then decides that the safest course of action is to dump the tea out on the floor beside him, since he can't trust the cup to sit still during takeoff.

Lena Lei: And what is that rattling? It sounds like something's falling off.

Xiao Li Marshal banks into a sharp turn and buzzes Xeno's house just for the hell of it.

Rae Overholt laughs with delight.

Tristan Pennell takes out his tool kit and gets "familliar" with his charge, “Brina did a nice job here!”

Rae Overholt: That she did, don’t screw it up!

Xiao Li Marshal: Breaking atmo in 3...2...1...

Tristan Pennell pops off a cover plate

Xiao Li Marshal: *the roaring abruptly dies*

Rae Overholt: You're cleaning that up Anton.

Tristan Pennell: Oooh... looky!

Rae Overholt eyes the mess on the floor.

Gabriel Keats heads back to the bunk, changes, and comes back.

Lena Lei leans her head back and closes her eyes, "Wake me up when we're there"

Tristan Pennell: Xing Li? is that light on where the Atomo Scrubber Alert is?

Xiao Li Marshal: Ladies and gentlemen, we are in the Black and en route to Newhall. Passengers are free to move about the ship, just stay the hell outta the cockpit.

Anton Machin stands and ignores Xiao Li's instructions immediately.

Tristan Pennell: “Pilot?” Tristan Pennell takes out a huge spanner and starts whacking a delicate device.

Gabriel Keats starts rooting through the cabinets.

Rae Overholt shrugs, figuring if Lena sleeps the whole time things will go smoother. She walks to the galley, picks up a rag and tosses it to Anton. “I'm gonna kill him if he messes up my ship.”

Anton Machin enters the bridge and stands behind Xiao Li's chair. "So... you gotta be up here all alone?"

Lena Lei opens her eyes, "Urggh! I can't sleep here!"

Gabriel Keats grins at Rae. "You want some lunch?"

Rae Overholt calls up to the front, "He ain't alone, I'm five steps behind him. Got that??"

Lena Lei: Isn't there anything to do here! Besides Cooking!

Rae Overholt: That's be great Gabe. No Lena, we got cleaning, of course.

Gabriel Keats: "You read, girl?"

Lena Lei: Of course I read

Anton Machin smiles. "Even better!"

Gabriel Keats starts going through protein packs.

Xiao Li Marshal: “B'sides, I like bein' alone on the bridge. Only bit of piece an' quiet I get on this ship.” Xiao Li Marshal looks pointedly at Anton

Gabriel Keats: "I have plays, if you'd be amenable to readin' 'em. Classics."

Anton Machin reaches out toward a button. "What's that one do?"

Xiao Li Marshal: That's for spacin' folks who go pokin' at my consoles.

Lena Lei looks at Gabriel, "I'm not sure your idea of a classic would be the same as mine. What do you have?

Gabriel Keats puts the mixture over the cooker, frowns.

Anton Machin withdraws his hand and bows. "Miss, I wouldn't dream of poking at your consoles without your consent. But you don't know what you're missing."

Xiao Li Marshal: Shenme?

Tristan Pennell: So...uhm...passenger?

Gabriel Keats: "Chekov. Ibsen. Strindenburg. Some of the later stuff by Mamet, Neil Simon. . ." He narrows his eyes at the mixture, takes something out of a foil pack. "Shakespeare, 'course. Ruttin' hell...”

Anton Machin laughs. "You can't tell me you never get lonely out in the black with only these boys to keep you company."

Tristan Pennell: You have business with the pilot?

Anton Machin: I'd like to have business with the pilot...

Lena Lei raises an eyebrow, "You have Neil Simon? I'm surprised. That's a bit refined."

Tristan Pennell: Maybe when she ain't busy.

Xiao Li Marshal: No. You wouldn't. Trust me.

Tristan Pennell: See?

Lena Lei: Shakespeare is garbage, of course.

Tristan Pennell: Now I got business with her...flying business.

Anton Machin sighs. "Oh I see.. you two are... heh. I beg your pardon."

Gabriel Keats: "Marlowe's better. S'got its place historically, though, don't it?"

Tristan Pennell mutters a cures "nanshung"

Gabriel Keats dumps the contents of the foil packet in, stirs.

Lena Lei shrugs, "I suppose."

Xiao Li Marshal opens her mouth to correct Anton, then closes it again. Let him think that if it keeps him out of her hair. “So whaddaya want?”

Tristan Pennell: I got lights on the Atmo Scrubber Panel.

Gabriel Keats reaches into one of the empty drawers, comes out with a book, tosses it to her.

Anton Machin walks up to the captain. "So you always dress so nice, or was this a special outfit for me?"

Xiao Li Marshal: Yellow lights or red?

Tristan Pennell: And I don't like him... yellow.

Lena Lei looks at the cover of the book, "Which one is this?"

Xiao Li Marshal smirks at that. "Well, you got SOME taste, at least."

Gabriel Keats has tossed her "You Can't Take It With You."

Xiao Li Marshal: Yellow lights mean we got a filter that needs to be changed within the week. We got any spares in storage?

Gabriel Keats looks at Anton. "Do you have a reason for being here?"

Anton Machin: I'm here to make sure that girl... and I use the term loosely... doesn't get lost or hurt on her way to get hitched.

Tristan Pennell: I'll look...call me if he comes back...I can help a bit...not that you need it.

Xiao Li Marshal nods. "Thanks."

Gabriel Keats: "I mean in this room. Breathing my air.'

Lena Lei opens the book and begins to read, "At least someone on this crew isn't completely worthless. Thank you."

Anton Machin shrugs. "I'll go somewhere else then." Anton Machin goes off to that room with the big noisy spinny thing.

Gabriel Keats: "You touch any of the women on this boat, and I will end you." Gabriel Keats doesn't look up from what he's cooking.

Xiao Li Marshal leans back in her chair

Tristan Pennell hurries back to the engine room, “What do you want here?”

Anton Machin looks around. "Oh nothing... I just thought I'd check out where a man like you spends his time. I might learn a thing or two about how to land a girl like that firecracker of a pilot if I understand the man who shags her."

Tristan Pennell: Touch my bug and I'll rip an arm off...

Anton Machin winks at Tristan. "So... how is she?"

Tristan Pennell: She's fine. Go away.

Xiao Li Marshal sighs as her stomach grumbles. Time to brave the kitchen. “Got anythin' cooking or should I forage?”

Tristan Pennell: My friend Brina did good work in here...I’m proud to be able to make this girl go.

Gabriel Keats has something cooking. It looks horrific but smells good.

Tristan Pennell: Something a dandy like you might not appreciate. I have a big wrench too.

Xiao Li Marshal smiles exaggeratedly at Lena. "How's our 'guest' like the accommodations so far?"

Tristan Pennell puts his wrench on his lap.

Gabriel Keats grins as it finishes. It's a bowl of. . . well. . . it's like a very firm bread pudding. It *smells* like chicken and herbs though.

Tristan Pennell: hmm... I stand by my ripping your arm off statement.

Xiao Li Marshal: ...I'm no expert, but shouldn't chicken soup have water in it?

Lena Lei grins at Xiao Li, "Oh, the accommodations are just peachy"

Gabriel Keats: "Ain't supposed to be soup. Soup doesn't have enough energy."

Rae Overholt closes her eyes and sniffs. "Mmmm... heavenly."

Xiao Li Marshal pokes the chicken-bread-thing gingerly with a spoon.

Gabriel Keats frowns. "It should taste all right. I know it don't look like. . . well, food."

Tristan Pennell: Me too... you can go have tea now...

Xiao Li Marshal stares at it for another long moment, then shrugs and starts filling her bowl.

Gabriel Keats has endeavored to make enough for everyone.

Tristan Pennell shouts: Lena! The man here wants tea...do you have someone to show you how to boil water?

Lena Lei looks up from her book, "Is that edible? It actually smells like it might be."

Gabriel Keats: "Only one way to find out, ain't there?"

Lena Lei ignores Tristan

Tristan Pennell: They are a bit enchanting. But I'm not a sharing kind of guy.

Anton Machin: Should this one rumble so much?

Tristan Pennell: I like the rumble...I put it there myself.

Lena Lei thinks for a moment, "Ok, someone bring me a bowl. I'm hungry."

Anton Machin: Well that hardly seems fair. You got the engine all to yourself... the pilot all to yourself. You're a greedy fella.

Gabriel Keats: "If you wanna try it, you're gonna have to get it yourself."

Tristan Pennell: Its our boat mate.

Xiao Li Marshal glances toward the engine room, glad that Tristan is keeping Anton occupied for the moment.

Gabriel Keats: "I'm too busy workin' on dessert."

Anton Machin: You don't know how easily this boat can be made somebody else's if you don't play your cards right, do you? Stow the attitude, mister.

Tristan Pennell: Its the Captain's boat... she can worry about politics.

Lena Lei sighs loud enough for everyone to hear, "Fine."

Tristan Pennell: I worry about guests in my space. She pays me to.

Anton Machin: Yes, well... I'm going to go check on the cargo.

Tristan Pennell: Toodle-oo.

Lena Lei gets up and grabs a bowl and fills it, a look of disgust crosses her face.

Anton Machin takes Lena's bowl. "Thanks for getting me some, dearie."

Tristan Pennell: Did I hear someone mention food?

Lena Lei's jaw drop and she stares at Anton, "Hey!"

Rae Overholt: “Why Anton, what's it going to do? Talk to you? You one of them zen folks, meditate hear voices?“ Rae Overholt smacks Anton and takes the bowl back from him and goes to return it to Lena.

Anton Machin: She didn't want it!

Gabriel Keats: "There's enough for you. Get your own gorram bowl."

Rae Overholt: “Don't start with me!” She points at Anton.

Xiao Li Marshal grimaces at the texture of the chicken-bread monstrosity.

Anton Machin grumbles and gets his own bowl.

Gabriel Keats is going through a large paper sack he brought with him from the bunk.

Lena Lei scowls at Anton, "Jackass"

Rae Overholt frowns at Lena, "Ladies don’t speak like that."

Anton Machin speaks through a mouthful of food. "She ain't a lady..."

Xiao Li Marshal: I'll be glad when Shen's outta the hospital. She's a romantic ben dan, but MAN can she cook.

Gabriel Keats's food should taste surprisingly okay--there're real herbs and bouillon in it

Tristan Pennell: Those lights are gone Xing Li.

Lena Lei: Whatever.

Xiao Li Marshal rolls her eyes. "It's XIAO Li."

Tristan Pennell: oh...did I not say that?

Rae Overholt: MmHmm, Ya hear that? Already made an impression. *she goes to fix her own bowl and sits down to eat hungrily, eyes closed.*

Xiao Li Marshal: No. You didn't. It ain't that hard to get a name right.

Lena Lei sits back down with her bowl, sniffs it apprehensively.

Gabriel Keats: "It ain't gonna bite."

Tristan Pennell: I'll remember.

Anton Machin looks back and forth between Tristan and Xiao Li. "You mean to tell me you're hitting that, but you don't know her name?" He smiles and winks at Tristan. "You space dog... I have a lot to learn from you."

Tristan Pennell: I got, like a problem with names sometimes.

Lena Lei shrugs, lifts the spoon to her mouth and tries the concoction.

Xiao Li Marshal: Or d'you want me to call you 'Trisha' from now on?

Rae Overholt nods to gabe and says around a mouthful of food, "Thanks Gabe."

Tristan Pennell: If you want you can call me Bob.

Anton Machin turns to Xiao Li. "You can call me whatever you like, Ling Ling"

Tristan Pennell: You can be quiet.

Xiao Li Marshal: XIAO LI.

Rae Overholt snickers to herself and waits for Xiao li to start swinging.

Lena Lei looks surprised, and her head snaps around to look at Gabe, "This is actually . . . not . . . horrible."

Rae Overholt: I know your name Xiao Li.

Tristan Pennell: Mister, this is not a cruise ship, mate.

Xiao Li Marshal stands up and saunters over to where Tristan is sitting.

Gabriel Keats grins at Rae's thanks, then comes out with some foil wrapped packages. He hands one to everyone except Anton. "Got real herbs; not that synthetic chemical go se."

Tristan Pennell: Xiao Li is my friend.

Anton Machin: That is abundantly clear.

Rae Overholt: Ooh!

Anton Machin: Oh.... so not lovers? Just friends with benefits?

Rae Overholt takes it and opens it, sniffing.

Xiao Li Marshal makes a show of sitting next to Tristan.

Tristan Pennell: Just friends... and crew mates. Do you have any sense of that?

Rae Overholt sets the bowl down, forgotten and takes a bite of the chocolate, expression heavenly.

Xiao Li Marshal leans close and whispers into Tristan's ear, "I'm just playin' along so that hun dan will leave me be. You try anything funny I'll tear your arms off."

Anton Machin looks around at the foil packets. "Oh, I see how it is... well... you sure know how to make a guy feel welcome. I'm headed down to that companion's shuttle to see if she's got any sweets for poor Anton."

Gabriel Keats: "You get sweets when you quit tryin' to rut with the crew."

Tristan Pennell whispers to Xiao li..."He just bugs me...let me have this moment."

Lena Lei laughs at Gabriel's comment

Anton Machin sneers. "Ain't like there's any other form of entertainment on this ship 'sides ruttin with the crew. I ain't much for reading..."

Tristan Pennell: She's crew too, you know?...The companion. We keep her as a friend too.

Gabriel Keats: "And I will be bringing her hers when she's ready for it."

Anton Machin reads sexual innuendo in Gabe's statement.

Tristan Pennell puts a smallish spanner on the table.

Xiao Li Marshal suspects that Anton would read innuendo in a list of the ship's specs.

Rae Overholt raises an eye brow at Anton, "You askin for some hurting Anton?"

Anton Machin reaches out and touches the spanner. "This thing's greasy. You shouldn't put that on the table."

Lena Lei finishes eating and goes back to reading.

Tristan Pennell: Don't touch my tool, mate.

Rae Overholt reads sexual innuendo into that.

Anton Machin: Don't worry. I don't swing that way.

Rae Overholt snickers.

Gabriel Keats smirks.

Rae Overholt: Why were you eyein’ it then?

Tristan Pennell: Yet you couldn’t help yourself.

Anton Machin smiles at the captain. "And no. I don't reckon I'm aiming for a hurting. Because nobody on this ship is going to do a damn thing to me. I'm the boss's right hand man, and he expects me back. With a report that you were all as hospitable as can be."

Tristan Pennell grabs his tool and stands it upright. “Touch it now?”

Xiao Li Marshal sniggers. "It's so big and hard. You know you wanna get your hands on it."

Lena Lei puts the book down, "I'm bored! How long is this trip?"

Rae Overholt: I don't remember hearing hospitable. I remember hearing, "not lost” and “unharmed” or “alive"

Tristan Pennell: “Yes boss.” He takes his spanner back

Anton Machin glares at her. "You gotta learn to read between the lines with the boss. He values respect as much as efficiency. You like having ten fingers, lady?"

Rae Overholt: Weren't my fingers he was looking at. *she smirks at Anton*

Anton Machin feels a rumble through the deck plates. "I think that engine of yours needs a delicate touch. More than this ham-fisted oaf can manage. Why don't I go take a look?"

Tristan Pennell: I told you!

Rae Overholt: Don't touch my engine.

Anton Machin: Calm down, lady. I know what I'm doing.

Rae Overholt: Why do I think you're boasting again?

Lena Lei looks at her nails.

Tristan Pennell: Stay out.

Gabriel Keats: "It's gonna be a while longer yet. Black gets borin', I know. Why'd you think I got plenty of readin' material?"

Rae Overholt: HEY, better not get boring!

Xiao Li Marshal: I think we got a set of Mah-Jongg tiles someplace.

Rae Overholt gives Gabe a slightly wounded look.

Gabriel Keats: "She ain't got the diversions I do."

Tristan Pennell slips his hand down to his dagger.

Lena Lei: The book is fine, but I can't read the whole trip!

Tristan Pennell: I think the girl is safe here.

Lena Lei: Isn't there anything to DO here?!

Gabriel Keats gives Rae a warm smile.

Rae Overholt: Like what? Go look out a port, see space up close. You think we have nightly vids playin?

Anton Machin takes a step toward the engine room. "Don't you want to get rid of this girl? Lemme just speed up your engines a bit. I work on the boss's personal shuttle all the time. I can handle it."

Xiao Li Marshal: Can set you up with a cortex console if ya want. *mutters* Whatever stops you from complainin'...

Tristan Pennell: Nope.

Lena Lei looks at Xiao Li, "Fine."

Xiao Li Marshal: Okay. Be right back.

Tristan Pennell: Captain, ask the guest to sit.

Xiao Li Marshal heads for her quarters, where her extra hacking gear is stashed.

Anton Machin ignores Tristan's objections and goes back to the engine room.

Lena Lei wines, "And I'm not complaining"

Anton Machin reaches out and points at the catalyzer. "That piece there looks like it ain't hooked up too firm. Let me just give it a shove, and... um... uh oh... shit... was it supposed to break off like that?"

Lena Lei: I'm just used to being treated like a human being.

Rae Overholt: WHAT THE HELL DID THAT PIGU DO TO THE SHIP??

Gabriel Keats calls down to the engine room. "Did I just hear 'oh shit'?"

Rae Overholt reaches out and lays a punch upside Anton's head.

Anton Machin comes back with the catalyzer in his hand. "It's no big problem, people. Just this little part."

Anton Machin sees stars.

Gabriel Keats draws his guns instinctively.

Xiao Li Marshal drops the laptop in her hands on the floor. "What happened? What's 'oh shit'?”

Tristan Pennell: give me that you ..

Rae Overholt: HE BROKE MY SHIP!

Xiao Li Marshal: What the tian xiao de did you DO??

Rae Overholt raises her fist to take another swing.

Anton Machin hands the part over. "It snapped off! It was obviously in need of replacement! Just put in a spare...”

Rae Overholt: “Your boss ain’t gone be happy to find out you broke our ship and possibly got his niece killed!! Stupid lugnut!” She swings at him again.

Xiao Li Marshal growls. "Want me to go over YOU and see what snaps off?"

Anton Machin takes the blow to the side of his head and staggers off to the other side of the table. "Calm down, lady! What is that part, anyway? Looks like something we can do without..."

Gabriel Keats: "We got a spare?"

Rae Overholt: I doubt it, Brina left without stocking up!! What’s the damage Tristan!!!

Tristan Pennell: I have the spare in already.

Xiao Li Marshal relaxes. "Oh thank God."

Tristan Pennell: Captian...trust me here... I rigged it. She did good work...this guys knows squat.

Rae Overholt: How long your rig will hold???

Tristan Pennell: Long enough...let me near him.

Anton Machin: I can't help it if your ship ain't like a new shuttle. This thing probably has vacuum tubes in its computers.

Gabriel Keats: "That ain't gonna solve anything."

Lena Lei looks at the Captain, "Have you guys ever actually flown a ship before?! God!"

Rae Overholt: I swear to BUDDAH, I am going to make you unrecognizable to your momma if you touch another thing in my ship!

Xiao Li Marshal: If you wouldn't FUCK WITH THE ENGINE she'd run fine!

Gabriel Keats looks at Lena. "Actually it was him who broke it." He nods at Anton.

Tristan Pennell: Xiao Li... take it and toss it here...please?

Xiao Li Marshal looks to Tristan. "We gonna make it to Whitehall or do we need to stop somewhere closer?"

Lena Lei looks around, "Looks like this ship would have broke without his help anyway."

Tristan Pennell: Closer would be good.

Xiao Li Marshal plucks the catalyzer out of Anton's hands and tosses it to Tristan.

Tristan Pennell: “Thanks.” He turns and runs back to his baby.

Xiao Li Marshal sighs.

Lena Lei stares at Anton, "And you! Stop helping them!"

Xiao Li Marshal: Okay. I guess we're making a detour.

Tristan Pennell mutters and fumes.

Gabriel Keats: "Here's the think you gotta understand about ships--it don't matter what they look like. So long as people who care about it work on it hard, it'll fly true. 'Course once you get a hwun dan like that in engine room.."

Anton Machin SHRUGS.

Lena Lei mutters, "Uncle always said you were an idiot."

Rae Overholt reaches out and slaps the monitor for an incoming wave*

Tristan Pennell shouts “Someone hit him now!!!!”

Anton Machin: Uncle always said you were a bitch. Actually, that's not true. I always say that.

Lena Lei sticks her tongue out at Anton. “I hate you!”

Tristan Pennell: “Again...Someone hit him?” He struggles to balance the flow. “Captain?”


Xiao Li Marshal hollers back toward the engine room. "Tristan! I can't change course 'less you give me some power!"

Tristan Pennell: Stop sooner.

A giant thunking can be heard as the rigged pieces fly apart and shoot about the engine room, it is obviously a patch job wont do it. A new part is needed. A search of the ship turns up nothing. The engine stops and the crew begins to float dead in space.*

Tristan Pennell takes out his tools kit and starts tracing the network

Xiao Li Marshal: ...Ni tamade tianxia suoyou de ren dou gaisi...

Rae Overholt curses at the engine stopping and the information on the wave.


Cimorene Ronmark: Incoming wave from Washtown.

Rae Overholt: *slaps a button to open up the wave screen* Yeah??

Cimorene Ronmark: Recommendation from Tillery is to "stay up a bit" He has heard some scuttlebut about the shipment you're picking up.

Rae Overholt: Don't got a choice, got a busted catalizer. Thanks for the warning though.

Cimorene Ronmark: And there's an Alliance member who's making noises about arresting the crew. Just a head's up. Any relay back besides the catalyzer issue?

Lena Lei groans, "How long is this gonna take?"

Anton Machin stands still for a moment as the ship goes silent... then breaks the silence by looking over at Xiao Li. "Soo... now that the ship ain't going anywhere... you're not busy."

Tristan Pennell: I can't fix it...

Gabriel Keats: "Ni tamade tianxia souyou de ren dou gaisi. . ." He continues in english. "You stupid ruttin' son of a bitch.."

Rae Overholt turns to give Anton a death glare.

Xiao Li Marshal: Shit. We got ANY power? Life support, even?

Tristan Pennell: Has anyone hit him yet?

Rae Overholt looks to Tristan.

Tristan Pennell: I can get us air.

Rae Overholt: We got the shuttles if all else fails.

Anton Machin: Hey now... name calling and finger pointing will get us nowhere. Any of you could JUST as easily have broken that part if you had gone into the engine room and tugged on it like that.

Gabriel Keats does as Tristan suggests, goes to deck Anton, swinging.

Rae Overholt: Should be able to send out a distress call.

Anton Machin backs up and runs around the counter.

Xiao Li Marshal stares at Anton...

Gabriel Keats: "Except we WOULDN'T have been so FOOLISH!"

Rae Overholt: Lena

Tristan Pennell: Fool

Lena Lei laughs, “Won't do any good to hit him in the head. He hasn't got a brain!"

Rae Overholt looks to Lena.

Tristan Pennell: Hit him again, please.

Xiao Li Marshal suddenly SCREAMS and launches herself over the counter at Anton.

Rae Overholt: You want boxin’ lessons Lena?

Anton Machin: FOOLISH?! You guys are the ones who took a job carrying a spoiled brat and a womanizing gangster halfway across the system!"

Rae Overholt: Might be good incase your new husband ever fusses at you.

Anton Machin gets tackled by Xiao Li.

Tristan Pennell: The pilot has a suggestion for you.

Gabriel Keats: "And you're the one who screwed it up."

Rae Overholt watches Xiao Li beat on Anton.

Lena Lei: I can handle myself

Tristan Pennell grins and watches.

Xiao Li Marshal knocks Anton to the floor and starts wailing on him, screaming obscenities the whole time

Gabriel Keats's accent is completely gone now; never a good sign.

Tristan Pennell: Want my spanner Xiao li?

Rae Overholt: Then go handle Anton.

Anton Machin seems to be perversely enjoying having Xiao Li squirming and punching on top of him, even as his face puffs up.

Rae Overholt: Someone get Xiao Li off him. Lena's going to show us what she's got.

Gabriel Keats walks over and grabs the back of Xiao Li's shirt.

Tristan Pennell: Wait...he still has an unbruised spot.

Gabriel Keats: "He's *enjoying* it... Of course, after that little display with Ariel. . . I suppose we can't be surprised."

Xiao Li Marshal flails in Gabriel's grip.

Lena Lei gets up from her seat, walks over to Anton, "I've wanted to do this for so long!"

Tristan Pennell takes a long broad swing at Anton.

Gabriel Keats: "And beating him--though satisfying--won't solve anything!"

Lena Lei knees Anton in the groin.

Xiao Li Marshal: Let me at 'im, I don't care about the ruttin' job, I'ma kill him!

Rae Overholt: Good girl Lena.

Gabriel Keats holds fast to her shirt.

Tristan Pennell: Captain... Let me get to work back there.

Anton Machin starts laughing maniacally but abruptly stops laughing and gasps for air when Lena kicks him in the groin. His expression goes from one of false bravado to twisted pain.

Xiao Li Marshal 's jaw drops at Lena's attack.

Tristan Pennell grins at Anton's pain.

Xiao Li Marshal: ...damn, girl. I might get to liking you after all.

Lena Lei smirks, and slaps Anton as hard as she can across the face.

Anton Machin lays on the floor rolling around pitifully as his face puffs and turns colors with bruises and cuts. Flowering patches of broken blood vessels mark his body where he has suffered repeated blows.

Rae Overholt steps away from the wave again. "We have warnings from Till not to go into town unless we're crew. Alliance is about looking to arrest folks"

Gabriel Keats's eyes go wide.

Lena Lei crosses her arms and smiles, "Well, at least I'm not bored anymore"

Rae Overholt: Well Anton, enjoy the float. Leave him be. Doc can look at him later. Unfortunately, he wont die.

Xiao Li Marshal reaches back and pulls her shirt out of Gabe's grip. She's no longer *quite* as mad, but she's still panting with rage.

Gabriel Keats doesn't really stop her from grabbing it back.

Rae Overholt: Xiao li, you go work on sending out a distress call.

Xiao Li Marshal nods, still panting.

Anton Machin rolls over on his side and spits out teeth and blood as he coughs. It isn't clear whether the blood came from his mouth or deeper in his throat.

Rae Overholt: Everyone back to your stations, see what we got left, close off areas and conserve air.

Tristan Pennell: I can get us air Captian.… for a time.

Gabriel Keats's face goes calm again. "Cap'n--where d'ya need me?"

Xiao Li Marshal: 'M not... not goin' back to the bridge. I can rig a distress signal from here.

Anton Machin hears Xiao Li but can't protest that a distress signal is likely to attract Alliance.

Lena Lei returns to her seat.

Tristan Pennell mutters and starts pounding things in the engine room with abandon.

Xiao Li Marshal is well aware of that, but what choice do they have?

Rae Overholt: Alright, someone gather blankets and emergency supplies..pick us a spot to hold out.

Gabriel Keats: "Shuttles'll be our best bet."

Tristan Pennell starts flipping open covers and tracing conduits.… looking at Sabrina’s hard work and despairing he let her down.

Rae Overholt: Yeah, someone has to stay to watch for rescuers though. Cockpit or cargo. I'll do it.

Gabriel Keats: "Rae.."

Rae Overholt waves a hand at Gabe. "Go get our stuff gabe."

Tristan Pennell slides close the door to engineering and seals it.

Xiao Li Marshal: Any luck at all, Tris?

Rae Overholt: Find us a heat source wont burn oxygen.

Tristan Pennell: Pilot are you there? yes? good.

Gabriel Keats narrows his eyes. "You ain't stayin' up there cold and alone."

Rae Overholt: We got anything? Life support? We have gravity obviously. Any backup?

Tristan Pennell: I got a few options... he said uncertainly

Rae Overholt smiles at him, "I'll think of you to stay warm. Give me them then Tristan.”

Gabriel Keats: "That ain't gonna cut it."

Rae Overholt: Go Gabe, we don’t have much time!

Gabriel Keats storms off to the bunks to gather supplies.

Tristan Pennell shouts: I got Life Support!!

Rae Overholt: Well, least there's that!

Tristan Pennell shouts: Not much else!

Xiao Li Marshal breathes a sigh of relief.

Rae Overholt: How long will it stay up and running?

Anton Machin hears the sounds of people bustling around him, but can't comprehend where he is or what is going on. He passes out on the cold floor.

Tristan Pennell: I can make it last Captain...if we can get help.

Lena Lei looks relieved, "Does this mean we're not going to die?"

Rae Overholt looks down and calls Anton the chinese version of wuss.

Gabriel Keats: "Lena? Can you take him downstairs, please?"

Lena Lei: Do I have to?

Xiao Li Marshal: That's still open for debate, Lena.

Gabriel Keats: "No you don't. . . but it'll help things along if he don't die."

Rae Overholt: Might as well Lena, but wow, didn't that feel good?

Tristan Pennell: Captain.… please hit him some more... more!

Lena Lei: Yes. Yes, it did.

Rae Overholt: You wanna sell it as you were the one that roughed him up we'll play along. Be right funny to boast about it to his friends.

Xiao Li Marshal grimaces at Anton's blood on her clothes. "Man, I just *got* these pants."

Gabriel Keats walks back in with a bundle of blankets, voice hoarse from shouting.

Anton Machin mutters through his swollen mouth in a half stupor. "ammnd i wantsh to get into thozje pantsh..."

Gabriel Keats spreads two of the blankets on the table, starts rooting the cabinets, throws some protein bars and warming packs on each of 'em

Xiao Li Marshal: Oh Jesus Christ... Gabe, we got life support, for now at least...

Lena Lei gets up and walk over to Anton

Gabriel Keats: "Yeah, well, it don't hurt to be ready."

Xiao Li Marshal: That it don't.

Gabriel Keats: "And I could remove some choice parts if'n you wanted to fit better."

Lena Lei leans down and swings at him again before helping him to his feet.

Anton Machin grunts as Lena hits him then hoists him to his feet.

Tristan Pennell: Ok...life support is stable...we can stay for as long as we need to...as long as we don't move.

Tristan Pennell: Xiao Li... Ai Ya!

Xiao Li Marshal blinks in surprise. Did Tristan actually get her name right for once?

Tristan Pennell: Please don't move us.

Xiao Li Marshal: How the gorram hell 'm I s'posted to move us without engine power?

Tristan Pennell smiles.… just don't try... ok? When I was a boy we used to bring hay in for horses. It was held with wire, that's what I'm using back there. Don't move us.

Xiao Li Marshal: I won't.

Tristan Pennell slumps int a chair, “Is he bleeding?”

Anton Machin is, in fact, bleeding.

Xiao Li Marshal retreats to a corner, pulls down her goggles, and starts working on that distress signal.