Well, if he made it off that ship. I owe him a death.

(((These events take place BEFORE the previous post, while the boat is on it's way to Ezra)))

Rae Overholt sits down on the cargo bay floor with a roll of paper which she swiftly unrolls. "What do we know?" She takes various items and weights down the four corners so the paper stays flat. Then she grabs a marker out of her pocket and waits.

Li Mei looks on with interest, but has no knowledge to share

Rae Overholt looks up at Xiao Li.

Xiao Li Marshall: Well, operations mighta changed since I was there, but I can tell you what it was like before I left.

Gabriel Keats listens intently

Xiao Li Marshall: And I got a bit of info off the Cortex, but most of the records are either locked up tight or just not there.

Rae: What did you get? Something is better than nothing.

Xiao Li Marshall hands a datapad to Rae.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
The Data Pad reads:


“Maldito” is (or was) a Mandell class C transport built in the year 2478 with a gross tonnage of 5000 tons. She has a long series of maintenance records from the Huay Gonne ship works on Persephone. Most notably a persistent problem with the starboard hydrogen storage containers.

“Maldito” is registered to a Captain Weve Ryder, a veteran of the independent forces. He has owned the ship for four years. W. Ryder has done a good job of keeping his name out of official files.

The accident aboard “Maldito” was not reported to the authorities.

Flight plans filed on Beaumond indicated Maldito was heading for the Georgian system, with cargo and one passenger: one Amelia Small.

A profile of Amelia Small appears in a search of ‘Commerce in the ‘Verse’ where she is described thus:
Amelia Small was raised on Ariel, but has chosen to apply her talents to promoting trade and business on the less fortunate and under-developed rim worlds. “I just think there is a lot we can do to help the struggling entrepreneurs bring the far reaches of our ‘Verse out of the darkness in which they have suffered in since the war.” Ms Small is a Golden Circle Fellow, and in her spare time generously volunteers with the Save the Children Foundation which provides shelter and assistance for underprivileged orphans in many Rim cities.

Hacking into the Wallace Mining Consortium business records reveals a Provisional Shipping Manifest from one A. Small Enterprises with a list as follows:
Heavy Earth Moving Equipment (As specified): 5000 credits
Ore Scanning Equipment (As specified): 1000 credits
8 Barrels of Beaumond Wine (Aged 8 to 11 years): 400 credits
Total due upon arrival: 6400 credits
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Rae Overholt looks at the data pad, reading over it. “No list of any other cargo owned by her. Amelia Small was on that ship, but was able to come to us to go fetch her stuff off it. Then some of them made it off. She's one of them.”

Xiao Li Marshall: No shit.

Rae Overholt hands the datapad back to Xiao Li, lips tight and eyes angry. “Seems like the accident might have been an internal failure. Not an attack.”

Xiao Li Marshall: Maybe.

Rae: No other information on this Captain Ryder then. A discription? Anything?

Xiao Li Marshall: Nope. Not even sure that's his real name.

Rae: He was an independent. Hard to believe an independent would traffic in what he did.

Xiao Li Marshall: The *records* say he's an independent. That don't make it so.

Rae: And she's paying us a pretty penny for them scanners and she's only getting’ 1000 creds herself. Interesting. Well, if he made it off that ship. I owe him a death. Ok. So we're delivering it to the Georgian system to the mining colony. Which you knew some about. What can you tell me about that?

Xiao Li Marshall: Well, when I was there it was deep-shaft mining, for copper ore mostly, although they'd take pretty much any ore they could get out of that rock.

Rae: How were the building set up?

Xiao Li Marshall: We ate an' bunked underground too. Could go for weeks without seein' daylight. Only things topside were the ore processors and the facilities for the folks who weren't slaves. And the manor house, of course.

Rae: Any way to pull up some schematics from the cortex? Maybe some sort of building permits?

Xiao Li Marshall: Might be. Can't guarantee it'll fit what's actually on the ground, though. Wallace's makin' himself out to be a legitimate operation.

Rae: What about recruitment posters, any info about their policies, law whatever.

Xiao Li Marshall: They didn't recruit like *that.*

Rae: They'd have to have some way to get some legit business folks there for their cover if nothing else.

Xiao Li Marshall: Everyone I met came in same way I did--someone approached 'em about gainful employment out on the Rim. All of the buyin' and sellin' took place offsite.

Rae: Ok. So we get there. I know my goal. What's everyone elses?

Xiao Li Marshall: ...I dunno. Find Rohan Wallace and strangle him?

Gabriel Keats: "Yours." He looks at her, nods once.

Rae: “Do what we can to cause him problems.” She nods.

Xiao Li Marshall: If it's anything like the old colony, evacuating everyone would take *days.* Some of those shafts were three miles deep.

Rae: Supos'in we don’t evacuate. Supos'in we get rid of the top dogs and let those in the mine run it themselves.

Li Mei: How do you know there's not someone worse who would take over?

Xiao Li Marshall: An' how many people d'you think are gonna wanna stay there?

Rae: So we go in, drop our cargo and take a tour around town. See if there are any spots to hack in remote like to their system. That's true Li. There's got to be ships there so thems that want to leave can. Surely we wont be the only ones arriving.

Xiao Li Marshall: True. I can hack the system. I *learned* how to hack on those systems.

Rae: Alright. Place like that, one button could bring it tumbling down right?

Xiao Li Marshall: If they're as dumb as they were when I was there...

Rae: Let's hope they're dumb as a box of rocks. I'm guessing if they’re getting equipment like this in though, they’ve moved their operation up and are gettin’ bigger.

Xiao Li Marshall nods. "We were minin' by hand a lot of the time."

Rae: Bigger means more people, more people means more security, more security means upgrades and the nature of the business means mean security. You make sure our papers are in order. Things we don’t want showing are hidden, and that we can get out at a moments notice.

Xiao Li Marshall: Will do.

Li Mei: I assume I just need to stay out of your way?

Rae: We might need you to distract some higher ups. But it'd be safer if you stayed put.

Xiao Li Marshall: Maybe you could 'distract' Rohan.

Li Mei smiles, "I can be distracting when I need to be. But I don't want to complicate your plan if it isn't necessary."

Rae: I'm sure there will be plenty to do.

Li Mei: I would hate for you to have to rescue me if I don't prove "distracting" enough.

Rae: There is that.

Li Mei: Besides, he could be sly. You never know out here.

Xiao Li Marshall gives Li Mei a Look. “Rohan Wallace sexed my best friend every other day, and started goin' after *me* soon as her body was in the ground. If he's sly he's got a funny way of showin' it”.

Li Mei: Ah, I see then.

Rae: Well, lets hope he rots for it.

Xiao Li Marshall: He will. One way or another.

Rae Overholt nods. "So, reckon we've done what we can tonight then."

Lotta promises made on that moon. Not a lot of 'em kept.

As Raven approaches the small desolate moon of Ezra, in the Georgia system, home to the mining slave-owner, Rohan Wallace, and base of operations for one Adali Niska, members of the crew gather on the bridge.

Shen Jiutai: "are we almost there?" She points to the skyplex appearing from behind the moon, "Yup, looks like we are"

Xiao Li Marshall nods grimly.

Shen Jiutai: "Do me a favor and steer clear of that, will ya?"

Xiao Li Marshall just nods again. It's a sign of how tense she is that she doesn't sass back at Shen.

Shen Jiutai shakes her head, "I remember the first time I saw that thing... all of the promise and offers of high money..." she drifts off.

Xiao Li Marshall: Lotta promises made on that moon. Not a lot of 'em kept.

Roland Josephus crosses his arms across his chest, and falls silent.

Shen Jiutai: "Hell, I'd prolly still be working for that old coot today if Chen hadn't..." her voice trails off again.

Li Mei looks out at the skyplex, "This is one place I never imagined I'd see up close. I haven't heard good things about it."

Shen Jiutai: "Still, it is kinda pretty, watching the reflections offa’ the Atmo, always did like Ezra, for a dried up rock, it ain't all bad." She glances at Xiao Li, "What I mean to say is... ahem..."

Xiao Li Marshall: "I wouldn't know," says Xiao Li flatly. "I didn't spend much time topside."

Shen Jiutai blushes at her faux pas "Sorry, I... um... sorry."

Xiao Li Marshall gives Shen a flat look, then turns back to the controls.

Shen Jiutai, looking for a distraction, dials in the Cortex News.....

::: And this just in... the settlement of Serenity Landing on the fourth moon of Athens has been destroyed in a tragic explosion...:::

Li Mei's mouth opens in shock, her hands come up to her mouth as she gasps, "What!? Oh my God, no!"

:::Cause is unknown, and there appear to be no survivors:::

Xiao Li Marshall: ...you gotta be kiddin' me...

Roland Josephus pales slightly, and shakes his head, looking down.

Shen Jiutai looks at the shocked look on Li Mei's face... "Know people there?"

Li Mei stands frozen in shock for a moment, then tears begin to well up in her eyes, "No, the guild ... all of them gone? It can't be possible!" She slowly nods, as she tries to gain control of her emotions, "Yes, I am . . . or was a member of the companion guild house there. Did they say there were no survivors?"

Shen Jiutai nods and turns off the speaker.

Xiao Li Marshall: Said there *appear* to be no survivors. That's what they said about Wallace's minin' operation, too, and look what happened there.

Li Mei: me discretely wipes the tears from her eyes, hiding the pain and fear she feels, "The guild is resourceful. I am sure some of them managed to escape in time."

Shen Jiutai tries to comfort Lei Mi in an awkward way, "I'm sure."

Li Mei: "I'll need to send a message to the guild in Sihnon. If anyone survived, they will know."

Xiao Li Marshall silently reaches over and starts up a message screen, then nods to Li Mei

Roland Josephus: Well ...if'n they didn't.. Sounds like they got a new head of the guild there.

Li Mei looks at Roland in disbelief, "Heads of houses are not my concern at the moment. The existence of my friends is."

Roland Josephus shrugs, "Just sayin’ is all... You could be the only one left."

Li Mei leans over to Xiao Li, "A simple message will do. Just send this ... "Did anyone survive?"

Xiao Li Marshall 's fingers fly over the keyboard as she types out the message and sends it to the appropriate address

Li Mei smiles, "Thank you Xiao Li"

Xiao Li Marshall just grunts in acknowledgment

Shen Jiutai points out the window to a spot below the atmosphere, "Is that the Mine?"

Xiao Li Marshall frowns at it. "Could be. Only saw it from this vantage point the one time." She frowns at it again. "Could be... Thinkin' we should turn the thermoptics on 'fore we get any closer."

Gabriel Keats: "So, let's check it out and get it done, yeah?"

Xiao Li Marshall: I will when someone gets OVER THERE to turn 'em on.

Li Mei focuses her attention on the actions of the crew, distracting herself from worrying about her friends in the guild.

Gabriel Keats ambles to the panel, looks at it as though it's some kind of ancient artifact. "Which one I gotta push?"

<><><> The Boat rocks through the re-entry sequence, the crew having to hold on to pieces of the bridge, when they are close they are hailed on a Radio frequency<><><>

:::Welcome to Wallace’s Mining Consortium. Please turn control of your helm to our Spaceport Command.:::

Xiao Li Marshall concentrates on the controls, ignoring the comm.

:::Welcome to Wallace's Mining Consortium. Please turn control of your helm to our Spaceport Command.:::

Xiao Li Marshall: "Somebody wanna shut that gorram thing off?" says Xiao Li without looking away from the viewscreen.

:::Welcome to Wallace's Mining Consortium. Please turn control of your helm to our Spaceport Command.:::

Xiao Li Marshall: Fuck you.

:::Welcome to Wallace's Mining Consortium. Please turn control of your helm to our Spaceport Command.:::

Xiao Li Marshall: I'm serious! Someone shut it off, I need both hands to drive!

Shen Jiutai walks over to the console and turns the volume down.

Softer: :::Welcome to Wallace's Mining Consortium. Please turn control of your helm to our Spaceport Command.:::
Xiao Li Marshall: You guys might wanna get ready for whatever it is you're plannin' t' do...

Shen Jiutai: are we planning anything? I thought we were delivering the goods...

Roland Josephus: If there’s another plan.. Someone better be lettin’ me in on it.... Right quick..

:::Welcome to Wallace's Mining Consortium. Please turn control of your helm to our Spaceport Command.:::

Xiao Li Marshall sighs. "Fine, if it'll SHUT YOU UP."

:::Welcome to Wallace's Mining Consortium. Please turn control of your helm ..... ::: Fritzzzzzzz::::::<<

Xiao Li Marshall grumpily turns over control

<><><>Raven is guided to a heavily fortified spaceport with guard towers, two rows of fencing with canine patrols in between, it looks as though Raven is landing inside prisoner-of-war camp from the middle of the 20th century. Visible beyond the wire fencing are the mines, a small town of barracks, mine tailings stretching on for miles, and at the top of the hill, rebuilt on the same spot it occupied before the war, a new, larger, swankier residence of one Rohan Wallace<><><>

Xiao Li Marshall stares at the mansion, teeth clenched.

Shen Jiutai takes note of the fortifications, "Looks like they learned a thing or two since you escaped.

Xiao Li Marshall: Mm.

:::Pleased be advised that for your safety, all ships landing at WMC will be required to adhere to the following regulations:
*While docked at WMC Spaceport all ships will be subjected to a Land Lock until cleared for take-off by Spaceport Command.
*All visiting personnel should remain onboard, or in close proximity to their vessels while docked at WMC.
*Any personnel leaving the Spaceport compound for authorized activity will be required to register with Spaceport Command and receive passes for re-entry to the spaceport
*No firearms are allowed at WMC. Please store any firearms securely onboard.
*Visitors are not allowed to have unsupervised conversations with WMC employees below the rank of foreman.
*No vessel shall give passage to any WMC employee without the express permission of WMC or Spaceport Command.
*Any vessels found to be in violation of these edicts will be confiscated and their crew will be re-assigned to the human resources division of WMC. We thank you for obeying these simple safety procedures, and hope your stay is enjoyable.:::

Xiao Li Marshall 's jaw clenches tighter at the mention of "human resources"

Shen Jiutai hits the comm, "Cap'n, you hearin' alla this?"

Rae Overholt: No, must be getting glitches on my end.

Shen Jiutai: well, we're about to land... you might wanna see this...

Rae Overholt: Yeah? What am I going to see?

Shen Jiutai: Well, it looks like a prison, 'cept we're landing inside 'a it...

Rae Overholt: Well then, remember not to drop the soap when we're inside.

Xiao Li Marshall: I'm not goin' in there.

<><>Raven lands at the Wallace Mining consortium, the spaceport is heavily guarded, apparently they learned a thing or two from Xiao Li’s escape all those years before. The ship is automatically placed in Land-Lock as soon as she has landed. <><>

Rae Overholt: Well, what do we have to do to override the land lock?

Roland Josephus: Give 'em what they want so they'll let us go?

Rae Overholt: That so?

Xiao Li Marshall: I *might* be able to break through it b'fore they found out I was tryin' to hack it...

Rae Overholt: Too bad I'm not in much of a giving mood. What's our other option? Xiao Li can you work on that?

Rae Overholt: You think on it, someone else go out and see what's out there.

Shen Jiutai heads down to the cargo bay... followed by the Cap’n.

Rae Overholt stands there, waiting by the doors with her arms crossed.

Shen Jiutai steps outside to face a couple of large men, "Um, Hello"

Rae Overholt eyes the men from inside the cargo bay doors, arms still crossed.

Shen Jiutai: "I believe we have some goods destined for you.."

Whip Cracker looks out over the nose of the hovertruck. "You.... are the captain of this....vessel?"

Rae Overholt: That'd be me.

Whip Cracker nods, motioning the smaller of the women aside. Without waiting for her to move, he signals the driver ahead. “This'll do.”

Rae Overholt: You folks expectin us?

Whip Cracker looks at the one that identified herself as captain, not choosing to dignify her question with an answer.

Rae Overholt: Shen, I say we go back in and lock her up. I don’t know these fellas and I don’t know they're trustworthy. Might be they's about to steal from us.

Shen Jiutai: "Uh, Cap'n? OK"

Rae Overholt replies in a deadpan voice, "Fine Shen."

Shen Jiutai pulls a weapon and aims it at the Foreman. "Can I help you sir?"

Castel Arctor 's hands go to his side weapons

Rae Overholt: No weapons Shen. We just go back in and lock 'er up.

Shen Jiutai holsters her gun, "I'm afraid I must ask you to either leave or state your business rather clearly.

Whip Cracker's lip curls in an easy sneer. "You can put that toy away before you end up havin' it removed from your spleen..... "

Shen Jiutai smirks, "Like you even could"

Rae Overholt: Boy, I don't think you want to be rude to me with what I'm carrying.

Castel Arctor 's eyes narrow.

Whip Cracker looks to Castel. "Fine. Let 'em carry it some place else."

Castel Arctor: "Yessir”

Shen Jiutai sighes, "Look, um sir, we risked our lives trying to get this here cargo to you folks..."

Rae Overholt: When the lady whats sent us on this mad hatter trip gets ready for us.

Shen Jiutai: I think whomever ordered it might be a bit put out if it is a complete loss...

Whip Cracker frowns, looking to the henchman. "Run back to control, find out who ordered this go se and why I wasn't informed."

Shen Jiutai looks to the Cap'n, "You want me to deal with this jerk?"

Xiao Li Marshall shifts restlessly in her seat on the bridge.

Rae Overholt: Ain't worth my time. He's so low he doesn't even know what's coming into his house.

Whip Cracker's eyes drift back to the shorter of the women, tilting his head. "For someone that's aimin' to do business, you're a might tetchy. We've drawn no weapons or made no insults.... you might wanna do likewise your you can put yourself back in the black."

Shen Jiutai sighs and walks to the hatchway, "Look Mister, perhaps we got off on a bad foot... this is a part of the Maldito cargo."

Whip Cracker pauses at the mention of the name, his eyes narrowing. Flatly, he states, "You're a month late."

Rae Overholt: That's because your original ship is dead. Boy, they really don't tell you anything.

Shen Jiutai: Look this here is ten out of the twelve crates, you can inspect them if you like, the rest is a loss...

Whip Cracker: They tell me what I need to know. This cargo'd been written off.

Rae Overholt: Well, guess you got lucky. Nice to know cargo like was on that ship's written off so easily. She looks at him, eyes dark.

Whip Cracker repeats. "A MONTH late... what were we supposed to think... and now you're tellin' me two's gone missin'?"

Rae Overholt: I would think, if its a month late, you'd be buyin’ me a drink for bringing you even one.

Shen Jiutai: Why don't you just take a look, it was supposed to come here, we salvaged it off of the wreck it was on, two of the crates were destroyed by scavengers.

Whip Cracker: For all I know, it's ten cases of paperwork for me to flll out... don't be thinkin' I give a crap, lass... cause I don't.

Shen Jiutai: We were hired by the owner, she sent us to deliver it to you, she said you needed it. I don't know much about this gear, but you wouldn't have ordered it if you didn't need it...

Whip Cracker begins to inspect the boxes, despite his skepticism. He looks around the hold for a crow bar once his visual inspect is done.

Rae Overholt: Ah, he don’t need nothing Shen. He's happy long as he's got someone under him to drive the hover-truck. Don't make him no never-mind if they don’t get stocked up in the offices and med labs and science labs. Whoever uses this stuff.

Whip Cracker finds a suitable piece of metal to start towards the crate, but once he's close enough to look for a place to pry, he notices the release catch. He smiles over at Shen and hands her the crowbar. "We won't be needin' this."

Rae Overholt rolls her eyes.

Whip Cracker slips his finger beneath the tamper seal and pops it free before throwing back the lid. He whistles low and says, "It's a..... hrm.… “ He looks to Shen, "What is it?"

Rae Overholt: Well, you wouldn't need to know that would ya? You don't care after all.

Shen Jiutai: Those are ore scanners... you do have someone who knows how to use this stuff, don't you?

Whip Cracker smiles, "Might help to know if you be expectin' much of a price for it... but ore scanners... yeah... I was just testin' to see if you know what ya had." He nods seriously. "Good answer."

Rae Overholt: Price was already agreed upon. By the lady we're here to see. Mind having her trot on out to visit with us?

Whip Cracker dusts off his hands and stands, looking at the other boxes. His gaze lingers a moment before it settles upon the captain. "You hold tight...." he says, then walks to the corner of the hold and speaks softly into his headset. He finishes up his conversation, looking to the cook and captain. "You stay put... someone'll be here soon enough to settle with you.... might be a good time to cough up them other two boxes as well.” He turns and walks off.

Rae Overholt glares at his back.

That woman has a lot to answer for.

Shen Jiutai: Well is anyone hungry? I'm going to make a pot of udon.

Li Mei: I'd love some.

Xiao Li Marshel: Yes please!

Kevin Cliffe: Sounds good!

Kevin Cliffe watches over the sensor array, looking over the passive with just enough active to find what they're looking for without looking like an electromagnetic flare to pirates, scavengers, Reavers, or the Alliance.

Xiao Li Marshel leans on the console, boredly.

Kevin Cliffe: Hopefully the magnetometer should twitch...or the geiger...

Xiao Li Marshel looks over her calculations again. "This *should* be the general area... 'less she got knocked off course."

Kevin Cliffe: Huh...I could try upping our radar, we might be able to get away with that.

<><>Long range sensors indicate something in close proximity to the coordinates given to Xiao Li<><>

Kevin Cliffe: Or not...Xiao, try nudging us...ten degrees up, fifteen starboard.

Xiao Li Marshel: On it.

Kevin Cliffe picks up the intercom... "Cap'n, got something."

Xiao Li Marshel: Cap'n, I think we found our derelict.

Kevin Cliffe: “I got a return on nav radar, and it's metal. Good one. Want me to ping it with active to check it out?” He eyeballs the distance on the holo, sets up a narrow beam millimeter wave, aims, and manually triggers a pulse...then back comes the return and... “You seeing this, Xiao?”

<><>As Raven comes within scanning range, thermal and electromagnetic scans indicate that she is a lifeless hulk<><>

Kevin Cliffe: Whoa...

Xiao Li Marshel: Yeah. No indications as to what put 'er on the drift...

Kevin Cliffe: Zero on kirlian, thermal, geiger's barely ticking, EM's only reading the reflected light...

Xiao Li Marshel: She'll be in visual range in a minute or so.

Kevin Cliffe: Cap'n, she looks like a ghost ship from the sensors... Either the reactor's got better shielding than anything out there or that thing is dead in space.

Rae Overholt: Speculation on what could do that to a ship then?

Roland Josephus lets out a long whistle, "Wonder what the salvage on her is?"

Xiao Li Marshel: Coming into visual range...

Rae Overholt: Well, long as it isn’t dangerous I say we take what we want.

<><>When Raven is close enough for a visual, a Mandell Class C transport (About twice the size of a Firefly) is seen floating in a small debris field. A large explosion has ripped the starboard containment plate off and all of the shuttles are missing.<><>

Kevin Cliffe: Holy crap...

Xiao Li Marshel: Gaoyang zhong de guyang... Cap'n, you might ought to see this...

Kevin Cliffe looks over the damage trying to figure out what could have caused it...

Rae Overholt runs up to the bridge and looks out the front of the ship. "For the love of, Anything else on radar? No other ships??"

Kevin Cliffe: “Well at least we know your calculations were right Xiao...and why the ship wasn't where we want it...” He examines the nav radar and all passive sensors for any other ships...

Gabriel Keats: "We gotta get suited up?"

Xiao Li Marshel: Looks like.

Kevin Cliffe: Yeah...that's a fusion core and those things don't explode unless something really goes wrong...

Rae Overholt: Think it was outside or inside?

Xiao Li Marshel: Even if there's atmo inside, I wouldn't wanna breathe that.

<><>Upon closer inspection it is apparent that the main cargo doors have been forced open, with evidence of small explosive charges having been used. The Cargo Bay is de-pressurized.<><>

Kevin Cliffe: Looks like it's been raided too...

Xiao Li Marshel pulls the ship closer, slowly. “Shit. This could be a bust after all.”

Rae Overholt: If anything’s left it'll be the locked down stuff. I'm thinking she knew it would be like this.

Kevin Cliffe torques up the gain on the passive sensors...this is looking really iffy already...

Rae Overholt looks a little disgruntled.

Xiao Li Marshel: Please tell me there ain't any life signs on board...

Rae Overholt: Doesn't look it.

Kevin Cliffe eyeballs the thermal and kirlian readouts, trying to see if there are any life signs on board...“Thermal and kirlian negative. She's a hulk as far as I can tell.”

Gabriel Keats: "Kirlian. Ain't that a bunch of go se?" He swallows. "I ain't going on that thing unarmed."

Xiao Li Marshel: I ain't goin' on that thing period.

Rae Overholt: You dont have to Xiao Li.

Kevin Cliffe: Looks like whoever did this tried to self-destruct with the reactor underpowered.


Kevin Cliffe: Otherwise there'd probably be vapor...

Rae Overholt: We get one volunteer to suit up and check it out. If nobody's keen I'll do it.

Roland Josephus: Lessn’ they weren't trying to self-destruct...

Kevin Cliffe: Anyone else want to try to run the tac board? If so I'll go.

Rae Overholt: Who else can? She grins, "Could always have our companion go in and charm whatever might be left out."

Shen Jiutai: I'll go on over Cap'n, ain’t the first or last time I'll be takin’ a walk in the black...

Rae Overholt: Alright Shen. Suit up, keep radio contact.

Shen Jiutai heads to the cargo bay and opens the EV suit locker.

Kevin Cliffe: Cap'n...if you don't mind running without nav radar, I can turn off active. Less noise for people to find.

Xiao Li Marshel: "We did test the suits for leaks, right?" Xiao Li asks no one in particular.

Rae Overholt: Suits are good.

Gabriel Keats: "I ain't got a problem goin' in, if'n you want backup Shen."

Shen Jiutai: Thanks Gabe.

Gabriel Keats starts suiting up in the cargo bay near Shen.

Rae Overholt: No Kevin, I want you searching around us for whatever made that hole so it don’t make one in us.

Kevin Cliffe: I can do that with passive better. We'll see them first before we even give them a scent.

Rae Overholt: “Fine.” She heads down to the cargo bay to keep an eye on Shen and Gabe as they suit up incase they need any help.

Kevin Cliffe starts killing active, torquing up passive gain...with less noise, anything sneaking up on them should have a hard time avoiding them...plus, worst case scenario, they can always pop thermoptics...

Xiao Li Marshel stares at the ship, motionless except for her jaw working as she chews her gum.

Kevin Cliffe: Xiao...remember that pirate raid when I blew up my ship?

Xiao Li Marshel: You think I'd *forget*?

Gabriel Keats straps his guns on the outside of his suit.

Rae Overholt leans over and blows a kiss at Gabe's facseplate. "Be careful."

Shen Jiutai looks at Gabe's piece, "That thing got an O2 feeder?"

Kevin Cliffe: If this was a scuttle, it was a pretty poor one.

Roland Josephus: Well there ain't no tellin’ what happened.. Least ways not from here.

Xiao Li Marshel: Hm. Think someone's tryin' to make it *look* scuttled?

Gabriel Keats: "Used to. Ain't tested it in ages. Alliance issue."

Shen Jiutai secures the helmet to the suit and hits the pressure button.

Gabriel Keats: ::winks at Rae through the helmet::

Roland Josephus: Well .... Can't think of a reason someone'd care to drift out in the black with no air, heat, or O2."

Kevin Cliffe: If a ship like that self-destructs there's shrapnel and vapor. I really don't like this...

Rae Overholt nod and does her best to keep the worry off her face.

Shen Jiutai: "Shall we?" She gestures towards the airlock.

Gabriel Keats: "No time like the present..."

Rae Overholt nods at his words and is unable to keep the surprise and pleasure off her face.

Kevin Cliffe: Shen, Gabe, keep an eye out for things that go boom.

Shen Jiutai moves to the airlock door, and opens it for Gabe.

Gabriel Keats follows, keeping his eyes on the ground for the moment.

Kevin Cliffe does a tac watch over the sensors...it ain't foolproof, but no sensor suite is, and he's going to make sure they have a hard time sneaking up on them...

Shen Jiutai steps into the airlock behind Gabe and secures the hatch.

Rae Overholt watches the lock close then dashes up to the bridge, "You guys got them?"

Kevin Cliffe checks the thermal passive and the transponders...

Gabriel Keats: "Well, this sure as hell ain't a five star place.…”

Kevin Cliffe: Got them, they're reading.

Shen Jiutai starts to hit the buttons that will take the airlock through it's decompression sequence. "Your suit giving you green lights?" she asks.

Gabriel Keats: "Yeah. I ain't having a problem. Just don't like the fit."

Kevin Cliffe: Just say the word and I can refit your suit for you, Gabe.

Shen Jiutai hits the big red button that vents all of the air out of the lock.

Gabriel Keats listens to the rushing of air, starts moving towards the door, preparing himself

Shen Jiutai: "Guess it's too late for some taylorin' Kevin...”

Gabriel Keats swallows at the silence that follows.

Shen Jiutai prys open the outdoor hatch.

Kevin Cliffe: It's not too late unless there's a big honkin' hole. And Gabe's still breathing, right? Gabe...stop holding your breath, you're scaring me.

Rae Overholt: You ain't comfortable Gabe you come back in.

Gabriel Keats continues to hold his breath for a moment, then laughs.

Roland Josephus: You all let the man work.. He's got enough to do without listenin’ to us jabber.

Shen Jiutai playfully slaps Gabe on the shoulder, with the result of flinging him hurling towards the floating hulk. She then jumps after him.

Kevin Cliffe: Relax, Gabe, if you end up on the drift, with these sensors, I can find a millimeter screw at three thousand klicks. We'll find you alive.

Xiao Li Marshel just keeps watching, silently

Gabriel Keats was trying to freak Kevin out. "Shen?"

Shen Jiutai: "Yeah?"

Gabriel Keats: "Preciate it if you didn't do that again."

Shen Jiutai: "OK"

Kevin Cliffe keeps sweeping the sensors, and also the transponders (suit trackers). “Ever done an EVA, Xiao?”

Xiao Li Marshel: Nope. And I don't intend to start now.

Gabriel Keats grabs hold of the ship as he hits it.

Rae Overholt: What'd you do Shen??

Shen Jiutai: "Nothin' Cap'n"

<><>Peering inside the Cargo bay, several pieces of large earth-moving equipment are secured just inside the door, still tied down and still intact. Obviously to large to fit through Raven’s cargo door, and perhaps too big for whomever had visited the wreck before.<><>

Gabriel Keats: "Well, that sure ain't useful." He starts looking around the usual hiding places, calm, methodical.

Kevin Cliffe: It's a good skill to learn. Maybe sometime the Cap'n'll let us drill in the cargo bay. Just turn the grav off. Hey, do those suits have helmet cams?

Rae Overholt: What you guys see? Don't look for cargo first, look for danger.

Shen Jiutai pulls herself inside the cargo bay, "Right."

Shen Jiutai: "See anything Gabe?'

Gabriel Keats: "Bunch of machines. Ain't anything we can use."

Kevin Cliffe: Maybe something somebody can use. What kind of machines?

Shen Jiutai: "They're all too big to fit in our bird.

Gabriel Keats: "The kind we ain't gonna fit on board.… something interesting over here... I'm gonna take a closer look."

<><>Towards the rear of the Cargo Bay there are several high-tech cases, all secured to the tie-in points with locking cables. At the end of the row someone has attempted to blast through the locking tie-down point with the result being a cluster of destroyed cases and portions of scanning gear floating throughout the hold.<><>

Xiao Li Marshel: Could we take 'em apart and bring 'em in in pieces?

<><>Long Range Proximity Sensors indicate another ship approaching, but still a long way out<><>

Kevin Cliffe: Contact!

Xiao Li Marshel: Shit.

Gabriel Keats: "This look fancy."

Rae Overholt: You guys hurry up in there and get out,

Gabriel Keats: "Dollars to donuts this is what'll fetch a price."

Rae Overholt: I'm going to get suited up and get out there to help them. It'll go faster.

Kevin Cliffe tries to get a course fix on the ship...and try to get anything from the passive...engine signature would help if they're close enough or loud enough...

Shen Jiutai pulls herself over to the tie-downs, "What was that combination?"

Xiao Li Marshel says the combination into the comm.

Rae Overholt rushes down, suits up and goes to help out Shen and Gabe. 'Hustle guys!'

Shen Jiutai: "Thanks," she fumbles with the lock.

Gabriel Keats gets ready to grab as many of the cases as he can.

Xiao Li Marshel: They headin' our way, Kevin?

Kevin Cliffe: That's what I'm trying to find out...

Shen Jiutai: "Yup, it worked." the first tie comes loose and She pushes a box at Gabe, hoping he'll catch it...

Gabriel Keats does, smoothly, as though he knew she was going to throw it.

Rae Overholt slowly makes her way to Shen and Gabe and takes as many cases as possible, looking for a manner to connect them. She finds a floating cable and begins to string them together so she can float them back.

:::.…….. spark.……..Radio communications.………...spurt.…….fizz.……...:::

Xiao Li Marshel looks nervously at Kevin. "Should we pick up? Or just pretend we ain't here?"

Kevin Cliffe: Cap'n's call...otherwise we hold.

Shen Jiutai undoes the second cable.

Rae Overholt: If you don’t have time shut her down and find some large debris to float by and hope they dont see ya.

Gabriel Keats follows Rae's example, starts gathering along the cable.

:::Firefly Classssssssssss.……...ort this.……...fied Reclamations.………. please identify.……………. provide salvage license number and registra.…………….:::

Kevin Cliffe: Oh ta ma de...

Xiao Li Marshel: Ta ma DE.

Gabriel Keats: "What? "

Kevin Cliffe: Cap'n, Unified Reclamations.

Xiao Li Marshel: Cap'n we got U-Rec on our pi gu!

Rae Overholt: “Get them papers ready Xiao Li. Make sure they're believable.”

Shen Jiutai ties some more crates together and goes for the last lock...

Xiao Li Marshel starts typing frantically, cursing a blue streak the whole time.

<><>As the last case is removed from its storage place, a small, dirty and worn rag doll floats free from behind it.<><>

Gabriel Keats starts moving everything he can grab to the cargo bay, then looks at the doll, face going stricken.

Kevin Cliffe looks at the sensor panel..."ta ma de...we were running gray, they knew we were here, or the ship was here, or they have some damn good sensors."

Rae Overholt feels the hair on the back of her neck rise. "I'm not liking this, lets double time it and get out!!"

Kevin Cliffe looks for locations on the ship...if he can get one, he wants shooting solutions just in case he has to arm and fire...

Gabriel Keats impulsively grabs the doll.

Xiao Li Marshel: Almost...

Roland Josephus: "Answer 'em but break it up.. Like we're having trouble receiving.. Soon as the they get aboard.. lets make ready to move...

<><>As Rae moves from the back of the cargo bay, a reflection catches her eye, she notices a port-hole on a hatch leading back into the ship.<><>

Rae Overholt spots a reflection and moves towards it, still feeling the hairs on her neck raising.

Shen Jiutai bundles the final crates and heads towards the exit, "Cap'n? something wrong?"

Kevin Cliffe: Unified Reclamations.… they're pretty much criminals, right? *grabs the comm and tries to get that sweet spot on the send-squeal button*

Roland Josephus: They ain't buddhist...

Xiao Li Marshel twiddles a few dials to gum up the signal, then punches the ship-to-ship comm.

Shen Jiutai: "Cap'n?"

Kevin Cliffe: "Contact...unable....*clicklyclicky* can't read...*clickyclicky* say again?"

<><>Peering through the port-hole requires shining her light inside, where she sees, behind the hatch over a half a dozen bodies floating in the pressurized cabin behind.<><>

Rae Overholt swears in chinese and turns back to the others. "Out, get out, I don't care if we get it, everyone out!"

:::Firefly Class Transport, the Mandell Class C transport is beyond the statute of limitations for legal owner recovery. You are engaged in an unauthorized salvage operation! Please power down your engines and prepare to be boarded!:::

Rae Overholt looks again through the glass, looking for signs of injury.

Gabriel Keats: "Cap?"

Kevin Cliffe: Cap'n, I think they want to board us. We got options.

Xiao Li Marshel: Qingwa cao de liumang...

<><>As she shines the light closer she sees that the bodies are those of children between the ages of 8 and 11, all in ratty urban clothes some are still wrapped in the blankets they were using to fight off the cold as they froze to death within the compartment.<><>

Shen Jiutai: "Cap'n?"

Rae Overholt: Back to the cargobay!

Gabriel Keats hustles to where Rae is.

Roland Josephus: Not with crew in the black we don't... Where are they?

Rae Overholt turns off her light and spins, blocking the window.

Xiao Li Marshel: You THINK they want to board us??

Kevin Cliffe: Roland, I mean our special tricks. I ain't talkin' about leaving crew behind. I'm talkin' about not being boarded.

Shen Jiutai pushes off and barrels out of the dead ship, rocketing towards Raven, towing crates in her wake.

Rae Overholt looks past Gabe, trying to keep her mind blank. "We're running out of time. Let's go."

Gabriel Keats looks at her, narrowing his eyes.

Rae Overholt shakes her head at him, eyes wide a moment.

Gabriel Keats starts hauling ass back to the ship, carrying what he can.

Kevin Cliffe: Cap'n, how much time do you need to recover to the lock?

Rae Overholt: “We're coming back now Kevin.” She turns and takes one last look, anger showing on her face before she makes her way back to the Raven with her own crates in tow.

Shen Jiutai spins as she nears the airlock, and allows the boxes to slam into the bulked, she then flings the door open and pushes the crates inside.

Kevin Cliffe: Permission to tell the U-reds to piss off?

Xiao Li Marshel reaches for the yoke, tensed and ready to go to hard burn at Rae's word.

Gabriel Keats keeps even with Rae

Roland Josephus: Easy Hoss.. Lets not tip our hand early.. Secret to good card playin’...

Kevin Cliffe: Why I'm askin' the cap'n, she's the one playin'.

Roland Josephus: Send 'em some more gibberish.

Shen Jiutai exits the airlock again to help her crew-mates as they near the ship. "Kevin, the Cap'n looks a little shook up..."

Kevin Cliffe clicks the comm again..."stop sign! Banana peel! flashlight! Dinka dinka dinka..." “That gibberish enough?”

Roland Josephus nods, "That will work.. They're trying to figure that out right now."

Rae Overholt enters the airlock and waits for the doors to close and pressurize so they can head in and lock down. “We don't want to be here. Can we make it if we burn?”

Gabriel Keats enters the airlock with Rae and grabs on to the wall.

Kevin Cliffe: Is everyone alive?

Gabriel Keats: "I ain't."

Shen Jiutai closes the hatch and the gravity comes back on.

Xiao Li Marshel: Not funny, Gabe.

Kevin Cliffe looks at the sensors trying to get the ship configuration... to see if they can outrun if they burn...

Kevin Cliffe: Right, so two crew and one zombie.

Gabriel Keats: "Just 'cause Shen ain't made the coffee yet don't mean I'm a zombie..."

Shen Jiutai: "I say we get the gorram hell out a here!!!""

Rae Overholt gives Gabe a haunted look before turning away. "Can we make it?"

Kevin Cliffe: They're hot but they're heavy, my guess is we can out-burn 'em.

Xiao Li Marshel: Ready to go on your word, Cap'n...

Rae Overholt: Go!

Xiao Li Marshel guns the throttle, “Everybody hang on!”

Gabriel Keats waits for the airlock to pressurize as he grabs tight to a railing.

Kevin Cliffe hadn't armed the guns, but he makes damn sure that there's no power to 'em...'cuz they need it all for this burn.

Xiao Li Marshel: Rol, get your ass back to the engine room, I need all the power we got!

Rae Overholt holds tightly and braces, trying not to rocket into Gabe and Shen.

Gabriel Keats grips the doll he grabbed.

Xiao Li Marshel: Roland, I mean NOW!

Roland Josephus: You want me to get out and push.. You got full power... use it...

Kevin Cliffe checks proximity sensors.

Shen Jiutai finishes the sequence and opens the hatch.

Kevin Cliffe: Rear window clear on my screen, Xiao...

Xiao Li Marshel: Don't wanna count on that...

Kevin Cliffe: Right...

Shen Jiutai pulls her crates into the bay, then removes her helmet, "What's wrong Cap'n, you look white as a ghost." She says as she helps Rae with her crates.

Rae Overholt tumbles into the cargo bay after Shen and makes her way to the side and attempts to remove her suit.

Xiao Li Marshel: And no cover either... Kevin, can we risk the thermoptics?

Kevin Cliffe: We can if we slow down.

Roland Josephus: Well first question is are they givin’ chase?"

Rae Overholt stands there, helmet under her arm and looking grim.

Shen Jiutai starts to help Rae out of her suit, glancing at Gabe.

Kevin Cliffe checks proximity for ANY ships... "sensors say we're clear."

Xiao Li Marshel hits the comm. "Cap'n, Kevin says we're all clear. Permission to cut speed?"

Rae Overholt: Not yet.

Gabriel Keats: 'Yeah, Shen?"

Rae Overholt sets the helmet carefully aside and lets Shen help her out of the rest of her suit.

Gabriel Keats takes off his helmet.


Kevin Cliffe: Hope we don't eat all our plasma on this burn...

Rae Overholt curses again.

Xiao Li Marshel mutters under her breath, "C'mon, girl, you can do it..."

Rae Overholt: That woman has a lot to answer for.

Gabriel Keats: "Bao bei?"

Shen Jiutai gathers Rae's suit up and carries it to the locker, she then goes and starts helping Gabe who is already mostly out of his suit.

Rae Overholt: What do we know about that ship? I want whatever info you got pulled up on it Xiao Li. Soon as you cut speed. Anyone see any identifiers on it?

Xiao Li Marshel: Can I slow down now?

Kevin Cliffe tries scrolling back the sensor buffers...

Rae Overholt: Yes.

Kevin Cliffe: Transport for hire...

Xiao Li Marshel pulls back on the throttle. They're no longer at hard burn but are still going faster than average.

Kevin Cliffe: Commercial registry.

Rae Overholt: Find what you can about the last to hire it. Has to be a trail. Has to be.

Kevin Cliffe: What about our cargo?

Rae Overholt says a rude word followed by "the cargo."

Kevin Cliffe: I'm more interested about what it is and where it's going than how much we got. Like, what the hell we almost got humped for.

Roland Josephus: Looked like Terraformers...

Rae Overholt: I'm more interested in who almost got us humped.

Roland Josephus: Earthmovers... big ones.

Kevin Cliffe: Colonists?

Roland Josephus: Could be.

Kevin Cliffe: So the secured cargo...

Shen Jiutai: "What did she say about the lables?"

<><>The shipping labels on the cases read: “Wallace’s Mining Consortium, Ezra, Georgia System”<><>

Shen Jiutai takes a deep breath... "Ezra..."

Kevin Cliffe hauls ass down from the bridge and to the cargo bay...

Xiao Li Marshel puts the ship on autopilot and leans over to the Cortex console.

Rae Overholt: What's all that tell us folks?

Kevin Cliffe: Cap'n, permission to open one of the cases? Maybe get a clue as to what we got ourselves into?

Rae Overholt: Careful.

Kevin Cliffe looks over one of the intact cases, looking for any locks...digging a penknife from his pocket, carefully probing and looking for tripwires...

Shen Jiutai: Careful, we don't want them claiming we damaged the goods!

Kevin Cliffe: gah...Shen...I'm trying to be precise here.

Shen Jiutai shuts up and looks at her feet..."Um, Cap'n... if'n we're going to Ezra, there's something I gotta tell ya..."

Rae Overholt: Spit it out Shen.

Kevin Cliffe opens the case..."ta ma de..."

Shen Jiutai swallows, "Well remember how I told ya I was workin' for Niska when I killed Chen?"

Rae Overholt: yeah

Xiao Li Marshel fidgets restlessly in her seat.

Shen Jiutai: "Um, well.. he was too..."

Rae Overholt: What, he was too what??

Xiao Li Marshel heads down the stairs into the cargo bay. "Kev, I figger if they were chasin' us we'd know it by... now..."

Shen Jiutai: "Working for Niska"

Kevin Cliffe: I've seen configurations like this in class...this is a high-resolution excitation ore scanner.

Shen Jiutai: "It's kinda the reason I went to ground."

Xiao Li Marshel trails off as she sees the insignia on the lid of the crate Fionn has opened.

Kevin Cliffe: Wait, Niska? Hang on...where have I heard that before?

Xiao Li Marshel just stands on the catwalk, staring, face white as a sheet.

Kevin Cliffe: Xiao, what is it?

Rae Overholt: Ok, everyone. Someone better fill me in on what exactly is going on and why you all look about like I feel right now.

Xiao Li Marshel: Can't be... no... he's *dead,* dammit, he has to be...

Kevin Cliffe: Who is?

Roland Josephus crosses his arms across his chest, and glances from person to person as they speak.

Xiao Li Marshel his hyperventilating, clutching the railing hard enough to turn her knuckles white.

Rae Overholt: Who has to be?

Kevin Cliffe: Xiao, what's the matter?

Kevin Cliffe: Xiao, LOOK AT ME!

Rae Overholt runs up to Xiao li and kneels down, looking at her, "Calm down Xiao li. Tell me what's going on."

Shen Jiutai looks to Xiao Li, glad to have the distraction from her own bombshell.

Xiao Li Marshel shakes her head, still hyperventilating.

Kevin Cliffe has a feeling that priority one is to get her to calm down before asking questions...

Xiao Li Marshel: That's--he's--he's DEAD. The colony went up in smoke, he can't be still--

Rae Overholt: Well, maybe someone is using his name. Who is he?

Kevin Cliffe: Xiao... Xiao, clear your head. Take a deep breath, okay?

Xiao Li Marshel takes a deep, shuddering breath, then lets it out.

Shen Jiutai: things begin to dawn on Shen, "I think I know Cap'n."

Xiao Li Marshel: Wallace. Rohan Wallace.

Kevin Cliffe: That's better... Who's he?

Rae Overholt looks to Shen. "Want to fill me in on this Rohan Wallace?"

Shen Jiutai: the Hudon that 'owned' her.

Rae Overholt nods, “Take it this is a slavery moon.”

Shen Jiutai: Parts of it are, yeah...

Xiao Li Marshel: But it can't be. Whole colony got razed to the ground at the end of th' war, he CAN'T have made it out...

Rae Overholt: Yeah, reckon thats what was on that ship then.

Kevin Cliffe: Slaves?

Xiao Li Marshel sags to her knees on the catwalk.

Kevin Cliffe kneels down beside her...

Rae Overholt puts an arm around Xiao Li and leans her head on top of hers and rocks them.

Xiao Li Marshel tenses at her touch, then relaxes into her, crying softly

Kevin Cliffe: No...wait a second. That sensor's a high-res scanner. Why would you put that kind of hardware in the hands of someone you were using rather than paying?

Xiao Li Marshel: Not again... he can't still be doing it... it's not f-fair...

Rae Overholt: Reckon we'll do our best to stop him this time Xiao Li.

Kevin Cliffe: What was he doing?

Rae Overholt: Slavery.

Kevin Cliffe: “That much I got.” He tries to keep from saying that through gritted teeth...not impatient...but the look in his eyes isn't fear, its rage.

Shen Jiutai: what did you see over there Cap'n?

Rae Overholt: “The rest doesn’t matter right now.” She shakes her head at Shen, "The usual. Dead space."

Shen Jiutai nods

Kevin Cliffe: Gorram slavers.... Brand new earth-movers, brand new survey sensors, all they need are the bodies. Looks like someone's going for a startup operation.

Rae Overholt: Well let's not help them out.

Kevin Cliffe: I vote we shut them down.

Rae Overholt: We'll see if'n we can.

Xiao Li Marshel swallows hard and pushes away from Rae. " 'm okay."

Roland Josephus: And the mice decided to bell the cat... Shut who down? How many? Where? And ain't we got some cases to deliver?

Kevin Cliffe: So our client was selling hardware to a slave colony, then?

Rae Overholt: Or our client is the slave colony.

Roland Josephus: Now how do we know that?

Kevin Cliffe: Maybe we need to do some research. We've got some clues. And this is new hardware, maybe we can look up the serial numbers. Plus the ship, the registry, all that stuff. See who are targets are before we start picken' em?

Xiao Li Marshel: I'll start diggin'.

Kevin Cliffe: I'll help. Guns ain't gonna be much use until we know where to shoot.

Xiao Li Marshel: And if that liumang is still alive and running slaves, I swear I'll slit his throat myself.

Kevin Cliffe: We find him, I'll be sure you have the knife.

Rae Overholt nods and releases Xiao li, standing. "Well, let's get working, we don’t have much time."

Kevin Cliffe: Anyone want any armoring done, gun-work, make a list.

Shen Jiutai: "Cap'n, when Niska put that sky-plex around Ezra, after the war, I think he got heavily involved in the local industry..."

Rae Overholt nods, listening.

Shen Jiutai: "We might not want to go in there guns-ablazing"

Rae Overholt: I agree, sneaky has always suited us.

Kevin Cliffe: Xiao, you going to be okay?

Roland Josephus: What about the contract we already took money for?

Xiao Li Marshel rubs her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt. "I'll live."

Rae Overholt: Well, we have two weeks till we get back in distance of anything. We got time.

Shen Jiutai: And I kinda want to avoid calling attention to myself while we're there, Niska ain't exactly the forgivin' kind...

Kevin Cliffe: Niska... does he have anything to do with the dragons?

Shen Jiutai: I think he eats Dragons for lunch.

Kevin Cliffe: I've heard the name before. But that's about all I've heard.

Shen Jiutai: He rules the Georgian System from his cat-bird's seat on that sky-plex... and he has had the need for some assassins off world as well... that's what I was...

Kevin Cliffe: What's his business?

Rae Overholt: Anything twisted

Kevin Cliffe: How twisted?

Rae Overholt: Not much is beyond him.

Kevin Cliffe: Like Shan Yu twisted?

Shen Jiutai nods.

Rae Overholt: Yeah. Like Shan Yu twisted.

Kevin Cliffe: Okay, so, avoid if possible, then... Although I don't know about you, but if he tries to do to me what the Dragons did... I wonder if he has a belt that I can take as a trophy...

Rae Overholt: Well, take whatever you like as long as you can take your life with you.

Kevin Cliffe hopes the others know that he wouldn't try anything so outlandishly stupid...but he would not be a pushover. He'd had enough of that.

Shen Jiutai thinks back on her days working for Niska, “Chen and I were a great pair, man, the stuff we did in the war... if only he'd kept his pants on around other women...”

Xiao Li Marshel: I'm... gonna need a few minutes alone...

Rae Overholt: Well, let's all get started then.

Kevin Cliffe: On it.

So am I wasting my time or do we have a deal?

Shen: I think Nigel's hungry...

Kevin Cliffe: Either that or something got away from him. What is Nigel wrestling with? I hope we didn't get ourselves a bipolar cat.

Shen: Has anybody found any half eaten rats yet?

Kevin Cliffe: Not until I checked the forgace. Whew, what a smell...

Xiao Li Marshal: He left me a 'present' under th' port console last week, too.

Kevin Cliffe: Thank buddha for duct bypass systems and ventilation, or I'd never have cleared out my machine shop.

Shen: Oh hey, Kevin or Roland, that reminds me, do you think one of you could make him a cat-box?

Roland Josephus: Sounds like he already has one...

Kevin Cliffe: Sure, it'll take me about fifteen and a piece of sheet metal.

Shen: I've already picked up some litter, I guess he can come and go for now, but in the black....

Kevin Cliffe sets to work...and there's the high whine of a capacitor charging as the laser smithy warms up... “Little canned air to clear the cat hair off of the plate...and...”

Shen Jiutai winks at Xio Li, "He don't fool around, does he?"

Kevin Cliffe: *buzz as he cuts the sheet metal down... “Hey Shen, what do you think? Powdercoat or anodized?”

Shen Jiutai thinks a minute, "Which is easer to clean?"

Kevin Cliffe: “Either one, really, but anodized looks shinier.” *sounds of hammering* “Ain't like making anything precise... Hell, give me a week and I could even make a self-cleaning job. Take me a while for parts, though...” *wham wham wham*

Shen Jiutai smirks, "Heck, next time you're bored on a long trip..."

Kevin Cliffe: “Maybe.” *wham wham wham* “Oh look, another dead rat.” He turns up the forgace and gets the forge part heated up, and does some more work on the metal to get it to shape...more to the point, to hammer down the sharp edges so Nigel doesn't cut himself

Shen: I guess he has been earning his room afterall.

Kevin Cliffe: “Yep. Making sure the rats...”*wham wham wham* “don't chew on something...”*wham wham wham* “we need...” He turns off the forgace and turns on the electrocoater, setting up an anodizing bath...adding a little reagent here, metal solution there, putting the clips on, and setting the timer. “It'll be a few to finish coating... It's coating as fast as it can, Nigel... Hey Shen, you ever wake up with the cat in your bunk?”

Shen: "On Whiteall we had a cat..." She stares at a spot on the wall, then looks down.

Kevin Cliffe: Oh...

Xiao Li Marshal: I never do. But cats ain't so good at climbin' ladders.

Kevin Cliffe: Guess it's a hazard for living in the machine shop. Usually he's got his paw up my nose to wake me up. Well better be careful, I think he's learning the ductwork really well. Welcome aboard Raven. In the event of a sudden change in cabin pressure...well we'll all be dead, since this is hard vacuum.

Sean M. Writer: Hey, all.

Xiao Li Marshal: Where the hell you been, Sean?

Kevin Cliffe: Sean...you've got a pet, I see?

Sean M. Writer: Yes....though I don't know how space-worthy he is.

Xiao Li Marshal: You might wanna keep an eye on that bird, seein' as how we just got a cat...

Kevin Cliffe: I think the cat's content to hunt the ductwork, and besides, that raven's too big.

Li Mei ducks as the bird flys near her head

Kevin Cliffe: Nice trick.

Sean M. Writer whistles and the bird returns to his shoulder.

Kevin Cliffe: Does he have a name?

Sean M. Writer: Poe. What else?

Kevin Cliffe: Nevermore, Edgar, Allan, or if it's a female, Lenore...

Sean M. Writer: Or Huginn or Munnin, or... Yeah. Well, he's monosyllabic.

Kevin Cliffe: Fortunado, amontillado, maelstrom...

Sean M. Writer facepalms.

Xiao Li Marshal: Well, we won't hold that against 'im.

Kevin Cliffe: *sounds of a sprayer...then...*

Sean M. Writer: I promise he won't leave droppings on anyone.

Kevin Cliffe: Does he eat dead rats?

Sean M. Writer: That he does.

Li Mei laughs, "I would't have expected to see an Edgar Allen Poe fan out here."

Kevin Cliffe: “I'm more into HP lovecraft, but Poe's a good read.” He returns with an anodized metallic red cat box... “Well that's done.”

Xiao Li Marshal: Lao tian ye, Kevin, why not get it monogrammed while yer at it?

Sean M. Writer: Me, I prefer Gogol myself. But I have an affinity for bad bird puns.

Shen Jiutai grins in approval, "Wow! First class!!!"

Kevin Cliffe: Hey, I wanted to make it easy to clean. The coating is as nonstick as I can make it. Plus I wanted to remove the sharp edges so the cat doesn't cut himself. Beyond that, it's just sheet metal and laserwork. I could monogram it though if you really want me to...though it's hard to monogram when we just have one initial.

Shen Jiutai grins, "OK, now where are we putting that thing? Engine room?"

Roland Josephus chuckles, "RIght... Not if you want to keep that cat for long.”

Kevin Cliffe: Yeah, the last thing we need is the cat caught in the induction rotor.

Xiao Li Marshal: I'm thinkin' the lounge by the infirmary maybe?

Kevin Cliffe: Actually in the corner on the cargo deck would probably do it. Out of the way, easy to clean, and the smell will get vented off easy. Plus there's the bomb bay for...easy disposal.

Xiao Li Marshal: Heh. So we can drop cat shit on the next folks who try to stiff us?

Roland Josephus: Cat's.. now birds.. Not tellin’ what we'll be breathin’ in before its all over.

Shen Jiutai laughs. “Remember that gorram parrot?”

Xiao Li Marshal: There's good money in black market beagles, I hear...

Sean M. Writer: Well, he's had all his avian flu shots.

Kevin Cliffe: Hey, it works all around. Ravens are usually scavengers. We have rats in the ductwork, the cat eats the rats and saves us from system failures. The raven eats the leavings from the cat.

Kevin Cliffe: Though I don't think one cat can accumulate enough excrement to stop a reaver. Maybe if we trained him to hock up hypervelocity hairballs...

Sean M. Writer: He also reduces the amount of medical waste I have to flush out the airlock.

Shen Jiutai makes a face, “Doc! that's gross!”

Gabriel Keats stalks onto the catwalk, wearing dark glasses, hair mussed.

Kevin Cliffe: Hey gabe.

Li Mei looks around at the crew, "I don't believe I've met all of you yet."

Xiao Li Marshal: Heh. Just thought of somethin'. We're on a Firefly, named "Raven." Oughta rename th' bird "Firefly."

Shen Jiutai giggles

Sean M. Writer: Not a bad idea.

Gabriel Keats mutters something incoherent at Kevin. It might be good morning. . .or it might be a Mandarin insult. It's a little hard to tell.

Shen Jiutai looks to Lena..."That's the Doc, and this is Kevin."

Firefly caws.

Kevin Cliffe: We met, actually, in town.

Sean M. Writer: A pleasure.
Li Mei nods, "Yes, we did. The doctor I haven't met yet. A pleasure, I'm Li Mei."

Firefly pecks at a piece of lint on the Doc's t-shirt.

Sean M. Writer head-bows respectfully toward Li Mei.

Shen Jiutai fidgets and mumbles something about this becoming an ark.

Li Mei smiles, then looks up at Gabriel, "And you are?"

Firefly mumbles something about this becoming an ark.

Gabriel Keats crosses his arms, attempts a smile. It's a little wan. "I'm Keats. Pleased t'meet ya."

Xiao Li Marshal resolves to teach the bird as many dirty words as possible.

Kevin Cliffe: Rough night, Gabe?

Gabriel Keats: "If'n my night concerns you, Kevin, I'll make sure to let ya know."

Kevin Cliffe: Didn't ask for details, sir, not going to.

Gabriel Keats: "Ruttin' hell." He glares at the mechanic, convinced that he's somehow adjusted the cargo bay lights. Were they always this gorram bright?

Roland Josephus shrugs, "Least you can see now."

Shen Jiutai looks up at the person standing on the cargo-bay ramp. “Looks like we got company.”

Miss Small stands at the door to the ship, looking curiously inside, "Excuse me but who owns this here ship?"

Xiao Li Marshal pops her gum noisily.

Sean M. Writer coughs into his hand something sounding like "the bank"

Shen Jiutai looks to the stranger, "I reckon you want to talk to the Cap'n. Cap'n ain't here."

Gabriel Keats: "Y'can talk to me. I ain't the Captain, but I'm good enough."

Miss Small gives a gentle shrug of her shoulders, "I need to talk to someone who has the ability to fly this boat and is interested in making some money."

Xiao Li Marshal: That d'pends on who ya ask, Gabe.

Sean M. Writer nods toward Keats. "New title : Good Enough.”

Shen Jiutai stifles a chuckle.

Sean M. Writer: I need to check some gear in the infirmary.

Gabriel Keats: "You got a job for us?"

Miss Small walks on into the ship,"I just might, that is if you have the ability that I need."

Gabriel Keats: "What do you need done, honey?"

Kevin Cliffe watches the client closely, trying to get the measure of her...always paid to be careful, of course.

Miss Small lets her eyes move up and down the man in front of her, "Well first off I need you to not call me honey. You can call me Miss Small."

Gabriel Keats: "Pardon. Miss Small." He sounds genuinely apologetic. "What can we do for ya?"

Miss Small gives the man a warm smile, "Well since you know my name don't you reckon it would only be polite for you to tell me yours?"

Gabriel Keats: "I'm Keats." He extends his hand, looks at her expectantly

Sean M. Writer busies himself having Firefly, as the raven has been dubbed, chase the laser pointer around the infirmary.

Roland Josephus stays quiet, and crosses his arms across his chest.

Miss Small lets her hand rest against his for just a moment, "It is a pleasure to meet you Mister Keats. So do you have the authority to point this ship where it may need to go?" She looks around at the others as she says this.

Gabriel Keats: "That'd be the pilot's job, physically speaking." He nods at Xiao Li. "But she ain't going anywhere 'less me or the Cap's says it's so"

Miss Small laughs, "Well then I guess it is you that I need to speak with. I have some items that were aboard a transport ship. However, this ship broke down before my items could reach their destination. You think this may be something you could help me with?"

Gabriel Keats: "You got cashy money?"

Shen Jiutai fidgets on the catwalk.

The Doc idly flips the laser pointer around the bay, giving the raven targets to fly at.

Li Mei watches the exchange between Miss Small and Gabriel with interest, wondering where the ship might be headed to.

Xiao Li Marshal eyes the bird. "He better not mess on any of th' bridge consoles or there'll be hell to pay."

Kevin Cliffe thinks this sounds like baiting pirates, only what's the bait? Still, he files the thought away...

Miss Small nods, "I have a small amount I can give you now to get to the transport ship. Though if you accomplish this job I assure you the pay off will be great. I am willing to give you a share of the money that will be gained by the sale of this equipment."

Xiao Li Marshal: What sorta equipment will we be pickin' up exactly?

Sean M. Writer looks at the potential customer and thinks about what kind of equipment a woman in a red strapless dress would need.

Miss Small: Oh just some scanning equipment and other high tech items. I assure you it is all worth a small fortune from the place it is to be delivered to.

Gabriel Keats: "Hmm. How small and how substantial we talking?"

Sean M. Writer bores of the sport with the laser pointer, and figures Firefly has gotten enough of a workout for the day. He whistles, and the bird returns.

Gabriel Keats winces at the whistle, mutters. "Yi fu de shan yang wu zhuo de zhuo lie er zi. . ."

Miss Small smiles at the man, "It will be well worth every bit of trouble for you and the rest of the crew here. More money then I am sure you have seen in some time. There are other items on the ship but I only want you to get the expensive machines."

Kevin Cliffe: Are we going to be making the delivery?

Miss Small: One dozen small crates, and it's worth 1000 credits, you and the crew can keep 30%.

Sean M. Writer: So I take it this is a salvage mission.,

Firefly loudly croaks.

Miss Small nods, "Yes you will be delivering the items and the location for the delivery is upon the crates. You would not only be doing me a service but the rim worlds as well. These are items that are in much need to them. I try to help out where I can."

Gabriel Keats: "Altruistic. 35%."

Kevin Cliffe still feels a little uneasy, but then again, complications happen. And uneasiness is better than complacency.

Sean M. Writer: "There's the small matter of where the crates are now... Is the ship, say, inside a breathable atmosphere at the moment?"

Firefly emits a series of caws, filling the silence.

Gabriel Keats puts a hand to his temples, growls at the noise.

Miss Small shrugs, "I am not sure of that. I don't know the condition of the ship or the exact location. I just know the general area you can find it at."

Kevin Cliffe: And that is?

Gabriel Keats: "You have a job, and you ain't even got a description of where it might be?" He arches his eyebrows.

Sean M. Writer laughs a dark laugh. "Fantastic. EVA."

Kevin Cliffe: How about course data? or the make of the ship?

Miss Small shrugs, "I know the general location. Isn't that good enough? The ship broke down about a month or so ago and has been drifting about for some time. I just want these items recovered. If you don't think you can do this job I can always try to find someone else."

Gabriel Keats: "Ain't a problem. Just need to know how much to ask for. 35."

Sean M. Writer: Ok, let me go check to see if we've got anyone not rated for an EVA... He raises his hand. "One."

Xiao Li Marshal: If ya give me th' course an' date of departure I can find it. Trust me.

Kevin Cliffe: If needs be I can handle an EVA.

Miss Small sighs softly, "Well since it would take me more time and trouble to hunt down another ship, "I'll give you 35 %. I however will not give any more details until I know you are going to take the job."

Sean M. Writer snorts.

Kevin Cliffe hopes he doesn't have to if someone's needed at the tac board...

Sean M. Writer wanders back to the infirmary muttering "certain death, certain death..."

Firefly croaks, "certain death"

Shen Jiutai looks at the new Doctor, "I been going out side for a long time, Mr."

Kevin Cliffe: Xiao, if we find it, you think you can handle a hard dock?

Miss Small looks the man over in front of her, "So am I wasting my time or do we have a deal?"

Sean M. Writer: "Not the EVA..." He laughs.

Xiao Li Marshal: Did it when we were goin' after Blaze, didn't I?

Sean M. Writer: "Taking a job not knowing what you're picking up...that's the certain death."

Gabriel Keats: "You got a deal."

Kevin Cliffe: And with me damn near in the way on Gaia's Hope, too. I don't doubt it.

Sean M. Writer: "Just so happens I like certain death. Keeps me busy"

Kevin Cliffe: Well, hopefully we'll be able to make the dock. Or else we'll need to make a hard seal.

Roland Josephus: If we find it, and if it aint' been salvaged already.

Miss Small breaks into a smile, "Well good Mister Keats." She reaches into the top of her dress and produces a sheet of paper to hand to Gabe, "This here is the general location of the ship and also the combinations to the locks. All the equipment is secured and you will need these combinations to release the tie downs."

Gabriel Keats takes the information. "Thank you, ma'am." He nods once, sharply.

Miss Small laughs and reaches in for a small pouch, "Here is some money to get you where you need to go as I promised. Inside the bag you will also find the instructions of where to deposit my portion of the money once you have completed the delivery."

Gabriel Keats: "Got it."

Shen Jiutai mutters, "Hope there ain't no Unified Reclamation in that part of the sky..."

Xiao Li Marshal leans over Gabe's shoulder, trying to get a look at the information on the ship.

Gabriel Keats passes it to Xiao Li without turning around.

Xiao Li Marshal frowns as she looks the sheet over.

Miss Small looks over at Shen, "I hope not either. I hope you can get this equipment before scavengers."

Xiao Li Marshal pulls her goggles down and starts typing, calculating a flight path

Kevin Cliffe takes a look at the page...trying to get an idea of a course track. He thinks a bit...where would they be drifting to, and what kind of hazards would they possibly run into? At least of the Alliance or Reaver variety...

Miss Small looks around the ship once more,"Is there any more? If not I do have some other business matters that need to be seen to."

Gabriel Keats: "I think we're shiny, Miss Small."

Kevin Cliffe: So Xiao, what do you think? Anything particularly nasty on the way?

Miss Small turns to head out of the ship, but stops before she is all the way out. She turns around and looks at the crew member in the orange shirt (Roland), "You ever kick that one off the boat you be sure and let me know." Without waiting for a reply she walks on out.

Xiao Li Marshal: Well, it sure ain't Purplebelly territory, I can tell ya that...

Kevin Cliffe: True, but around the fringes, we'd best keep an eye out for a lone cruiser. Damn things are worse than roaches. Hmmm...how about scavengers?

Xiao Li Marshal: Nothing *particularly* nasty there, anyway. Nowhere near Reaver space, no known crime syndicates or the like.

Xiao Li Marshal: This might actually be easy money for once.

Kevin Cliffe: Never such thing when I was on Hope. All I can say is gao se happens, but we can hope that you're right. Um...is Ms Mei okay to know about the ship's special hardware?

Xiao Li Marshal: Plus, she only wants the expensive stuff back. Might be able to make some coin on th' rest of it.

Kevin Cliffe: True.

Li Mei sighs, "This doesn't sound like a trip that will bring me closer to any new clients."

Xiao Li Marshal: Not 'less you like sexin' dead folk, no.

Li Mei grimaces, "The deceased are definitely not on my client's list"

Shen Jiutai grimaces, "You are one morbid girl, Xiao Li!"

Kevin Cliffe: Yeeeeah...um...right.

Roland Josephus shrugs, "Its liable to be picked over anyway...Least we got travelin’ money... "

Kevin Cliffe: We might get lucky. There is a lot of black out there. But still...I'll run a check on Raven's teeth and tricks in case we need 'em.

Xiao Li Marshal gives Shen a Look. "Death's a part o' life. You were an assassin, you oughta know that."

Shen Jiutai grins, "Heck sounds like our luck might be turning!" She knocks on wood. "Yeah, but I don't just go thinking about nekophilia... or whatever that fancy word is.”

Li Mei frowns, "Well at least your luck is turning."

Kevin Cliffe: Think of this as an investment, Li Mei. If we pull this off, it'll give us some breathing room and room to range.

Shen: Ya never know, there might be a rich guy on that moon waiting for his new toys...

Li Mei: It may give you breathing room, but if I am not able to meet with clients, I may not be able to pay my rent on this shuttle.

Shen: Ya payin' it anyway, ain't ya?

Kevin Cliffe: Speaking of which has Nigel been bugging you at all?

Li Mei: Bugging who?

Kevin Cliffe: Oh our cat gets all over the place, just be careful, we don't want him shedding where it's really not welcome.

Li Mei smiles, "It's quite allright. I love cats."

I was hoping to enquire about renting one of your shuttles.

Kevin Cliffe: Anyway, Roland, the captain says I can show you the cool stuff...which is probably necessary given that you might find it anyway.

Shen Jiutai looks a little grumpy, "I hope I don't have to cook for it or nothing, But if it eats the rats, instead of you usin’ my galley to cook ‘um, I guess I like him..."

Kevin Cliffe: Well hopefully we'll run out of rats.

Roland Josephus arches an eyebrow, "Well sounds like somethin’ else I'll have to fix... You better show me then."

Kevin Cliffe: “I hope not, but, better you know about it. I'll give you the specs as soon as I can.” He pulls up a floor panel, revealing a conduit that's not part of the standard firefly design...slightly thinner than the plasma conduits that would feed the turbines port and starboard.

Xiao Li idly scratches Nigel behind the ears.

Kevin Cliffe: That is the ventral feeder conduit for a set of 10mm paired rotary barrel plasma cannons.

Roland Josephus nods slowly, 'How are they cooled?"

Kevin Cliffe: I put a few mods on the coolant compressor, so it uses the same lines as the reactor core magnets.

Kevin Cliffe: There's a second conduit for the cannons on the dorsal side.

Roland Josephus: "That means the reactor is going to run hot if you fire them up... Less coolant, plus that line is liable to heat up, and it runs next to the coolant lines...Who put it in?

Kevin Cliffe: Sabrina and I did. And the system's set up to increase coolant flow. The reactor ramps up too to produce more plasma and feed more power, so the guns will work and the turbines don't lag. Xiao rewrote the software and we checked the arming process, no problems.

Roland Josephus kneels down, and looks at the conduit, and shakes his head, "I don't like it hooked to the reactor lines......I guess we could insulate those two lines, and see about getting a bigger coolant reservoir....

Kevin Cliffe: That'd be a good idea. The fact that it runs as is means that doing that would give us a better safety margin.

Shen Jiutai relaxes into her seat and looks to Xiao Li, "So, anything exciting happen while I was stuck on Meridian?"

Xiao Li: Other than an asshole passenger pullin' out the compression coil and leavin' us driftin' for a day an' a half, you mean?

Shen Jiutai looks up in suprise, "Passengers? On the drift? Sounds like perhaps bein' stuck with a grumpy Sabrina wasn't all that bad..…”

Xiao Li: I still think we shoulda killed that hun dan when we had a chance.

Shen Jiutai: And who exactly was this Hu-dan?

Xiao Li: Fella name of Anton Machin. Escorting Xeno's niece off to an arranged marriage on Newhall.

Shen Jiutai looks ashamed, "Oh, you met Xeno and Anton, I guess I must have left you guys with some unfinished business."

Xiao Li raises an eyebrow. "You could say that."

Kevin Cliffe: Anyway the weapons are concealed when not in use.

Roland Josephus: "What it means is... if you guys up front have to fire those guns... The coolant system for the reactor won't blow up, and kill us all with a containment breach.”

Kevin Cliffe: This is a tokomak type core, it won't blow unless you deliberately make it blow. But yeah...the system's tested and hasn't blown us up. There are a set of blow-vents for the conduits, just in case.

Roland lets out a long breath, and thinks for a moment, "Alright I can get the lines insulated without a problem... Think you can fabricate a tank big enough to hold the extra we'll need?"

Kevin Cliffe: Something that big isn't easily fabricated...I can salvage something, and maybe we can hide the extra line to make it look like spare fuel.

Roland Josephus shrugs, "Doesn't much matter.. If they know what to look for.. It won't fool 'em, and if they don't.. They won't know what they're looking at."

Shen Jiutai blushes and finds the buckle on her jacket very interesting, "I reckon I owe you all some apologies."

Xiao Li: I reckon you do.

Shen Jiutai stops fiddling and looks up, "I guess I was only thinking about myself." She pauses, "I'm sorry. I'll try to make it up to you somehow."

Xiao Li just nods, gazing levelly at Shen.

Kevin Cliffe: Oh, you haven't seen the neatest part yet. Full suite of sensors, plus extras, enough for targeting and...some neat tricks. And yeah, they might find it IF they knew what to look for. Heh heh heh... Under here... are the extra breakers, so if we do need to cut power to the special hardware, we have the main, dorsal, ventral, and thermoptic buses... Here, I'll show you the other neat thing.

Roland Josephus rubs his chin, "Hmmm Well .. I can set some relays....Run the controls circuits through the buss... If you get it programed... You can turn it off from a console.

Shen Jiutai diverts her eyes, "This boat, and this crew... I thought it was just Sabrina, but it's not... after being on Meridian for all of those weeks, well, I don't know how to say this, but I feel like I've finally come home again."

Kevin Cliffe: That much we've got worked out already, right Xiao? The control systems?

Xiao Li: Most of it, yeah.

Kevin Cliffe reaches up under a panel and pushes a button, flipping some holograms into existence over the display...the copilot's chair now seems more like fire control. He then lifts up a floor panel... “A second Quan-Tec mainframe. Just like the one the nav computer uses. Except this one is dedicated. It's the nerve center for a thermal-optical active camouflage system.”

Roland: "And I guess thats hooked to the reactor as well.

Kevin Cliffe: Nope. Standard power draw.

Roland: What kind of power usage are we talking about?

Kevin Cliffe: Well, the draw is usually low, 500 watts. When we run it, we turn on the emergency lighting instead. The emergency lighting draws less power, but more importantly, it's easier for the camo to work with.

Roland: 500 watts to hide a whole ship?

Kevin Cliffe: Yep. It's basically a wraparound hologram...two, actually. One in the visible spectrum, the other in infrared. Under the right conditions we're really hard to find.

Roland Josephus nods, "As long as they dont' scan us..."

Kevin Cliffe: Yeah. That's the big problem. I'm thinking about trying to make an active jamming system...but the problem with that is it makes too much noise.

Roland Josephus nods might as well hang a sign out that says, "Here we are" if you try jamming.

Kevin Cliffe: “If they use active scanning, we have to really hope they don't point it in our direction. And what's worse, the fed operators are well-trained. I'd like to try to avoid running the active camo around them. They might still pick up trace emissions from the reactor. But if we're far enough away, we can drift by. Outside of the feds, we don't need to worry. Pirates, Reavers, crime syndicates...” He turns off the fire control systems, and it looks just like a copilot's console all over again.

Roland: Prolly be better to shut down, and make like a hole in space... less you move the better... The less the computer has to adjust the hologram for what’s behind you.

Kevin Cliffe: Exactly. Drifting at constant velocity, it can easily handle. Standing still, it can easily handle. Slow maneuvers, we blur a little. If we're jinking, running with engines hot, we blur a lot. And if we use the guns, the system can't hide the muzzle flare. The weapons we have could put a hole in an alliance cruiser, but that same cruiser could then gut us stem to stern in a heartbeat with a plasma projection tube.

Roland Josephus shakes his head, "Be like throwing a turnip at a tank..."

Kevin Cliffe: Not really. Like I said, the guns are effective. Just that the alliance has weapons that are MORE effective, and they have ships full of people trained to use them. I'm almost worried you haven't asked the obvious question.

Roland Josephus shrugs, "What’s that?"

Kevin Cliffe: How I know all this.

Roland: Well that ain’t really any of my business.. Somethings it’s better I don't know.

Kevin Cliffe: Most of the rest of the crew knows already. But I won't force it on you.

Roland Josephus nods.

Kevin Cliffe: Let's just say there are things that I'm not too proud of, and one day I decided I'd had enough, and that's why I'm here.

Roland: Why yer here ain't none of my concern either.. Don't monkey around with the engines or the reactor, and we'll get along fine.

Kevin Cliffe: Hey, I don't monkey around with the things that keep me breathin' out in the black. I helped keep 'em running once or twice. But they're your engines now, and you don't need me stickin' an extra hand in where it won't do any help. So we're cool.

Roland Josephus nods, 'Good."

Kevin Cliffe: And I think it'd be better if we both work on the weapons where it concerns the feeders, because we're going to need to stay on the same page, right?

Roland Josephus nods, "Well I need to know what kind of power drain all these extra systems will have... I don't much care about guns, or holograms, or sensors.. I care about CO2 scrubbers, and reactor containments, and little stuff that keeps us breathin’…”

Kevin Cliffe: If you've got a cortex reader, I'll run a copy of the stats.

Roland: You guys run a full load test on all of it?

Kevin Cliffe: Yep, though we may need to do one again. It's been a while.

Roland Josephus nods, 'Well landing pad on an alliance controlled work prolly ain't the best place to start one."

Kevin Cliffe: Yeah, particularly if the test doesn't repeat the results of the last one. Last one ran fine. If the blow-vents trigger top and bottom and they decide to get anal...

Roland Josephus nods, and glances around, "Any other nasty surprises thats going to throw my specs off?"

Kevin Cliffe: Yeah. The rats. Always the rats. Although now that we have a cat that should be taken care of. We have, or had, a nest of rats in the works somewhere. We lately insulated and sealed off as much of the soft spots as possible. The feeders, both the weapon and the turbine feeders, are sealed, but the little bastards keep finding SOMETHING to chew on. Hence the cat. He's already bagged a few.

Roland Josephus: Goram rats? Can't you spray or something?

Kevin Cliffe: We tried that. Hell, I think we even tried opening the ship up in hard vacuum.

Roland Josephus just shakes his head.

Kevin Cliffe: At least this time we have a crew-mate that can get into the tight spaces and get the little pieces of gao se.

Roland Josephus winces, "I can't imagine."

Kevin Cliffe: The only other thing that could is a prototype that I was working on...the Patchbot. It can get into tight spaces in the event of a hull breach and detonate a foam canister, The foam expands, hardens, and plugs the hole.

Roland Josephus nods slowly.

Kevin Cliffe: Can't use it though...the foam is standard issue hull patch, but the bot still has trouble running in the tight spaces between the armor hull (just standard ship plating that keeps the micrometeors and radiation out) and pressure hull.

Roland Josephus: Temporary fix anyhow... You're still on the clock

Kevin Cliffe: Hm?

Roland Josephus: That foam will do you for awhile... But it ain't a fix.. Sooner or later.. it will fail.

Kevin Cliffe: Yeah, it's only until we hit atmo anyway. Especially if it's ventral...then we really need to ramp up the engines to offset the burn-through.

Roland Josephus nods, "Well lets hope we don't have to worry about that."

Kevin Cliffe: Always good to think ahead, though.

Roland Josephus nods, 'Ayup."

Kevin Cliffe: Ah well. Well, if you need any parts machined I can see what I can do. Ooh, also the ventral feeder supplies a furnace I have in my room. I'll get you the power draw on that. It's actually quite minimal, because it doesn't vent plasma, it circulates it and returns the gas to the reactor.

Roland Josephus nod slowly, "Fair enough...We're gonna need that coolant tank... Built or salvaged one."

Kevin Cliffe: I'll go raid the junkyard. Think the main compressor will give us enough push for a pressure test?

Roland Josephus: The pressure shouldn't be a problem... The extra coolant won't add enough weight to tax the pump very much... But it will give us some extra cooling for the reactor.. Just in case you get to shoot those guns.

Kevin Cliffe: Hey, like I said, we checked the weapons. The system will run on the coolant we've got if we need to. But...hey, it still makes sense.

Roland Josephus nods, 'Thats why you guys pay me."

Kevin Cliffe: That it does. 'sides, if we lose coolant, and find ourselves in a position where we need to fly AND shoot still...meh.

Roland Josephus nods, “Then we're hurtin.”

Kevin Cliffe: We lose coolant, the magnetic containment fails. Without containment, the plasma expands and loses density. No density, no fusion. No fusion, no power, everything shuts down. Not a good situation when we've got Reavers breathing down our necks...

Roland Josephus: "Well that pretty much goes without sayin..

Kevin Cliffe: Or if the coolant goes when we go to full burn...

Roland Josephus: It shouldn't... Unless something else is burning it up that I don't know about.

Kevin Cliffe: Like I said, you'll get full stats. Actually I meant more along the lines of a coolant leak, like a ruptured or damaged line.

Roland Josephus nods.

* * *

Shen Jiutai glances over to Xiao Li, "Well, I guess I'll go see about that cat food an’ litter... and I think Cap'n wanted some hot chocolate."

Xiao Li nods

Shen Jiutai: Need anything else?

Xiao Li: Nothin' comes to mind just yet. I'll let ya know.

Rae Overholt stands in the cargobay. Thinking.

Shen Jiutai nods and heads for the stairs. “Hey Cap'n, I'm headin' in to town..”

Rae Overholt nods. "What you going to get there?" She spots Xiao Li and nods. "Going to town too?"

Xiao Li shrugs. 'Might as well. It's that or listen to the boys talk shop all day.'

Rae Overholt: Anything particular you going for?

Li Mei: Excuse me, are you Captain Overholt?

Rae Overholt looks up at the fancy stranger. "I am. What can I do for ya? Needing passage somewhere?"

Xiao Li: *please* tell me you ain't got an escort.

Rae Overholt lets out a laugh and pokes Xiao LI with her elbow.

Li Mei smiles, "Yes, I was hoping to enquire about renting one of your shuttles."

Rae Overholt's eyebrows go up in surprise. "Well, haven’t rented a shuttle before. Xiao li? What's the going rate for a shuttle now days?"

Xiao Li raises an eyebrow, looking from Rae to the strange woman and back again. “I'm thinkin' maybe... 20 a week?”

Rae Overholt: Well you heard the pilot, 20 creds a week.

Li Mei frowns, appearing to run numbers through her head. “It sounds a bit steep, but I suppose it might be acceptable.” She hastens to add, "But at that rate, I would have some conditions."

Rae Overholt: What would those be? I'm not much of a tea maker myself and my crew aren't so good at being servants.

Li Mei smiles a little too sweetly and says, "I can manage brewing tea, and I have no need for servants."

Rae Overholt thinks back on their bratty passenger. "What would you like then?"

Li Mei: I only ask that none of the crew enter the shuttle, unless I invite them in, which I assure you is unlikely.

You: Well I don't have a problem with that. Don't rightly let them enter my cabin either.

Li Mei: I also need to know that I will be able to be near planets where I can conduct my business, and not be afraid that you will strand me there.

Rae Overholt gives her an odd look. "And leave one of my shuttles behind? Don't think you need to worry about that"

Li Mei nods, "I apologize, it's just that I've had some . . . unfortunate turns of events before, and I want to make sure they aren't repeated."

Rae Overholt: I imagine I can understand that. We'll do right by you. Won't we Xiao Li?

Xiao Li: If she pays we'll do right by her, sure.

Li Mei smiles, "Then does that mean we can do business"

Shen Jiutai approaches, "We takin' on a renter?"

Xiao Li: Could be.

Rae Overholt: Now, do you have anything we need to know about? No dragons after you? No Alliance? Clients gone mad?

Xiao Li: Ain't allergic to cats, are ya?

Li Mei hesitates, "No, definitely no dragons or Alliance issues. And I absolutely adore cats."

Rae Overholt: You sound a little like you're hedging. What story you leaving untold?

Li Mei looks offended, "I'm not hedging anything,"

Rae Overholt: “Alright.” She gives Xiao Li a look. “What might be your name?”

Xiao Li nods knowingly at Rae.

Li Mei: Oh, excuse me, I should have introduced myself. I'm Li Mei, And I know your name, but the rest of your crew . . .?

Rae Overholt: This here is Xiao Li, our pilot. That over there is Shen our..cook. Kevin our tactical officer and Roland our mechanic are on the ship... Gabe... he's missing today but he's my first mate.

Xiao Li: We also have a medic, at least in theory...

Li Mei bows her head slightly, "I'm pleased to meet you"

Rae Overholt: Well, the men folk might be able to help you get your things in.

Shen Jiutai looks to the Captain, "I'm goin' up the hill, I guess I could lend a hand..."

Li Mei: That would be most helpful.

Rae Overholt: Thank you Shen. Xiao Li, you up for it? I can go get the fellas? Where were you staying Li?

Li Mei: My home is just up the hill, behind the market.

Xiao Li rolls her eyes and lets out an exaggerated sigh. "I *guess* so."

Rae Overholt: Alright then. I'll be right back.

Li Mei: Thank you all so much.

Rae Overholt: Roland?

Roland Josephus grunts from behind his coffee cup, "Cap'n?"

Rae Overholt: Got a moment to help lug our new ‘what seems to be companion’s’ stuff to her shuttle? Everyone here is lending a hand.

Roland Josephus coughs, and lowers his coffee cup, "We got a companion on here? Why don't ye jest take the mule?"

Rae Overholt frowns, "knew I hired you for a reason... Still."

Li Mei nods, "That will be fine, thank you. I will see you all shortly, then."

Shen Jiutai nods.

Li Mei heads up the hill to her house.

Rae Overholt: We'll take the mule

**Xiao Li, Shen and Rae board the mule and fly up the hill to meet Li Mei at her current Washtown residence.”

Li Mei points at a large, but not huge trunk, "Most of my things are packed in this trunk. The rest I have in my bag, which I can carry"
Rae Overholt: “Okay.” ::she sighs and goes to lift a corner:: “C'mon ladies, the men chickened out on us.”

Shen Jiutai walks to the trunk and takes one end.

Li Mei grins, "Men usually do"

Shen Jiutai bends her knees and waits until the other end rises then lifts the trunk.

Rae Overholt: “He can unload it.” She looks a little less than happy as she begins to work towards the mule with the luggage.

Xiao Li is... supervising. Yeah, that's it.

Rae Overholt glares at Xiao Li as they shove the trunk onto the mule. "You get to offload as well"

Shen Jiutai heaves the trunk into the mule, "Guess I need to get to the store now."

Li Mei: I will pick up the rest of what I need the next time we're near a . . . more civilized world. I love this moon, but it lacks in shopping facilities.

Rae Overholt: See ya Shen. You need me to come back with the mule for you?

Li Mei: “That won't be necessary. I need the exercise anyway."

Rae Overholt: How about you Shen?

Shen Jiutai: Yeah, I figure I might as well lay in enough supplies to last a while in the black, you got the creds on account at the store, right?

Rae Overholt: Yeah.

Shen Jiutai: OK, then just come back in, say half an hour.

Rae Overholt nods.

Li Mei nods, "I will see you all then"

Shen Jiutai wanders off to the store.

***Rae and Xiao Li take the mule back to the spaceport as Li wanders down the path.***

Xiao Li clambers into the back of the mule to lift one end of the trunk

Li Mei hears a cat somewhere and looks around for the kitty.

Rae Overholt yells out, "ROLAND GET YOUR KEESTER DOWN HERE TO CARGO AND HELP UNLOAD"

Roland Josephus: You ain't got to hollar.. I heard ye.

Xiao Li: Where's Kevin?

Roland Josephus: Ain't my day to keep up with the man... He ran off ...something about the junk yard...

Li Mei looks at Roland, "You must be Roland. I'm Li Mei."

Roland Josephus glances over to Li Mei, and back to Rae, "Where you want all this stuff?"

Rae Overholt: Starboard shuttle.

Roland Josephus nods once, and moves toward the MULE reaching for two of the bags.

Rae Overholt: The one big trunk. Xiao Li will help as she didn’t earlier. Li can get the other.

Li Mei: Yes, thank you, I can manage this bag, it's just the trunk I need help with.

Xiao Li: Okay, Rol, you get that end, I'll get this one...

Roland Josephus shrugs, and reaches for his end of the trunk. He lifts up on the handle, and blinks a bit in surprise, before dropping his other hand to the task.

Xiao Li hauls upward with all her not-very-much might. Hey, she got hired for her brains, not her bulging biceps.

Rae Overholt chuckles.

Li Mei looks around the cargo bay, "This is nice. Much larger than it appears from the outside."

Rae Overholt: Firefly's are the best out there. Not much to look at, but they'll go forever with a good mechanic.

Roland Josephus just grunts, and hefts up on the trunk, moving toward the stairs.

Li Mei nods, "A ship is only as good as her crew."

Xiao Li: Hey hey hey slow down...

Li Mei stares at Roland's biceps, "And it looks like you have a fine crew"

Xiao Li struggles to keep her end of the trunk up.

Rae Overholt: A fine crew that was absent earlier..

Roland Josephus winces, and slows down for the woman. "Hurry up will ya.. I got a dozen things to get done before we can lift off.…”

Li Mei follows Roland and Xiao Li to the shuttle.

Rae Overholt: So, companion. Guild trained then? What brings you out here?

Li Mei stops, turns to look at the captain, "Yes, I am a member of the guild. I came out here originally because life in the core was beginning to bore me"

Xiao Li: Well if you weren't so busy gabbin' at Kevin you coulda’ done it all already...

Li Mei: "Unfortunately, locating suitable clients out here has proved more difficult than I thought."

Rae Overholt: Well, you shouldn't be bored out here.

Li Mei smiles, "I don't doubt that."

Roland Josephus just shakes his head, 'I can't help it if the man is long winded... Think you can make it up the stairs?"

Li Mei: "I need more . . . mobility, to conduct m business out here. That is why I contacted you about the shuttle."

Xiao Li eyes the stairs warily. "Think maybe you should take the bottom end for that."

Rae Overholt nods, "Sure, aughta do you good then. Make things easier for you"

Li Mei: "I certainly hope it will"

Roland Josephus slowly sets the trunk down, and nods once, "Fair enough.. Lets switch."

Rae Overholt: “For the love of Buddah.” ::she dashes up the stairs and takes hold of Xiao Li's end to give her a hand:: "Let's move on then."

Li Mei giggles at the crews struggles with the trunk, but attempts to hide the giggle.

***Somehow, they manage to wrestle the thing up to the catwalk with only minor injuries sustained***

Rae Overholt comes back down nursing a bruised shin and heading back for the mule to go get Shen.

Xiao Li limps toward the galley, muttering curses under her breath.

Roland Josephus calls after the to injured women, "… Sorry..."

Li Mei heads towards the shuttle, "If you will excuse me, I'll go unpack my things"