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Alliance Private: Your seal is out of date.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.