', regular transport inspections will be reinstated quite soon, Ms. Miles..."

Commander Chesnokov nods

Commander Chesnokov: Well, since it would appear our numbers are few, we should establish patrol routes, with coverage extending as much as we are able, to the port.

Sgt. Otsuka: yes, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov grins.

Commander Chesnokov: Right. Well, let's go take a look at the new office, then.

The two Alliance officers enter the new UAP sector office.

Commander Chesnokov: plenty of visual range, which is good.

Commander Chesnokov: Office is looking good.

Sgt. Otsuka: yes, Sir. I'm a bit surprised there's so few wanted posters.

Commander Chesnokov: May want another chair or two, now that I think of it. As well as one where we might... question.. suspects.

Commander Chesnokov: Oh, I have no doubt that will change.

Sgt. Otsuka: We may need cells at some point.

Commander Chesnokov: Yes. Which may call for a redesign, somewhat, of the office...
Sgt. Otsuka grins.

Commander Chesnokov: Not that the cells should have to be all that big...

Commander Chesnokov grins.

Sgt. Otsuka: just enough space to stand, I would think, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov smiles, nodding. "I like your way of thinking."

Sgt. Otsuka: I try, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: Alright, Sergeant. While the orders are processed for potentially new cells, and whatnot, let's have a look at the downtown grid.

Sgt. Otsuka: Okay, Sir.

The officers exit the Whedon Tower in downtown Downing.

Commander Chesnokov: Sly Willie's, eh. Something tells me this place is going to cause us more than a little concern. Glad it will be easy to keep an eye on.

Sgt. Otsuka: I heard there could be some dancing.

Sgt. Otsuka: Have heard rumors that some who work there could have some...... connections.

Commander Chesnokov: Oh..? Would be interesting to find out what kinds of... connections they have. In the meantime, let's see if we have any of our regular moles who we can put to good use around here.

Sgt. Otsuka: I'll get on that, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov nods.

Commander Chesnokov: Ok. Blue Sun seems to have gotten themselves firmly established.

Sgt. Otsuka: Yes, Sir. An operative works out of the building.

Sgt. Otsuka: Blue hands.

Commander Chesnokov nods.

Commander Chesnokov: I see. Would be interesting to meet this Operative. Then again, not sure I want them that close to our business...

Sgt. Otsuka: It's a small planet.

Commander Chesnokov: This is all too true...

Commander Chesnokov: well, let's have a look, then.

They enter the Minear Building.

Commander Chesnokov scratches his chin thoughtfully as he reads the signs.

Commander Chesnokov: Eight floors... Lot of space...

Sgt. Otsuka: 10 if you count the roof helipad.

Commander Chesnokov: And no easy way to monitor that, because of how high up it is.

Sgt. Otsuka: we'll need at least one vehicle.

Commander Chesnokov: Agreed.

Commander Chesnokov: Good to know the hospital is here. How many on staff are Alliance?

Sgt. Otsuka: don't know yet, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov nods.

Commander Chesnokov: Knowledge is power, Sergeant. And I want us to be holding the upper hand when we need to be.

Sgt. Otsuka: Yes, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov nods.

Commander Chesnokov: We can better inspect this place in the next few days. Take our time with it. For now, I want to get a general layout of the area. Although, it is interesting to see that name... Niska...

Sgt. Otsuka: I've heard some things about him.

Commander Chesnokov: As have I. Unfortunately, while it is enough to raise suspicion, it's not enough to detain him for questioning.

Sgt. Otsuka: Usually, only other criminals seem to need to worry about him.

Commander Chesnokov chuckles softly. "So I have heard..."

Commander Chesnokov: Still, a potentially dangerous man. I prefer to keep an eye on the dangerous ones, even if it is only out of self-preservation.

Sgt. Otsuka: of course, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: Well, may as well take a look at the medical facilities while we are here...

They enter a clinic with only a few beds.

Commander Chesnokov: They must be waiting for the rest of their equipment to be delivered. Coming along nicely, though.

Sgt. Otsuka: should we check the rest of the city, Sir?

Commander Chesnokov nods. "Aye, I think that is a good plan."

Sgt. Otsuka: Down market area, I believe, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov nods.

Commander Chesnokov: Going to become a haven of illicit activity...

Sgt. Otsuka: I heard the prominent business owner here does have a handle on a lot of that.

Commander Chesnokov arches an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Sgt. Otsuka: she owns this building over here. She also has an office on some border moon.

Commander Chesnokov: Anyone we know?

Sgt. Otsuka: Name of Naismith Miles, I believe.

Commander Chesnokov nods.

Commander Chesnokov: Can't hurt to run her name through the Alliance database. See what we can learn about Ms. Miles...

Sgt. Otsuka: Yes, Sir.

Sgt. Otsuka: we can take the transport to the docks, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: Of course.

The officers take the quick transport to the Eavesdown Docks.

Sgt. Otsuka: There used to be an abbey here.

Commander Chesnokov: I remember seeing one in the initial reports I read...

Sgt. Otsuka: We'll have to come here to check on ships coming in.

Commander Chesnokov: Aye.

Commander Chesnokov: Wonder what happened to it. People don't generally tear such places down...

Sgt. Otsuka: No idea.

Commander Chesnokov: Persephone Cargo, Incorporated, eh? What do we know about the owner?

Sgt. Otsuka: though, I heard that one Shepherd that was here was involved in the Miranda Wave.

Commander Chesnokov: What?

Sgt. Otsuka: The company? Solid sort. Seems above board.

Commander Chesnokov: Good. So, we had a Miranda-related Shepherd here...

Sgt. Otsuka: he never came back after he left. died on some backwater moon.

Commander Chesnokov: Interesting.

Commander Chesnokov nods.

Sgt. Otsuka: That's all the detail the record has.

Commander Chesnokov: No point, I suppose in making a fuss over it, if he's dead.

Sgt. Otsuka: No, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: Right. Want to meet the owner of the cargo outfit, find out how often we get transports in.

Sgt. Otsuka: I'll check on that, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: We definitely want to step up the patrols on those dates.

Commander Chesnokov: If traffic out here gets significant enough to warrant it, I may consider stationing a regular post out here. We will see what happens, however.

Sgt. Otsuka: The locals won't like that.

Commander Chesnokov: Well, what the locals like or dislike is secondary, when it comes to the security of these docks.

Sgt. Otsuka: Yes, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: They will learn to live with it.

Sgt. Otsuka: Could be interesting, Sir. There’s a strong independent sympathy here.

Sgt. Otsuka: Yes, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: Well, I suppose they need all the sympathy they can get, given how the War ended...

Sgt. Otsuka chuckles.

Commander Chesnokov: They pitted their views against the Alliance's strength. Now, they are scattered, and the Alliance is stronger than ever. That stands for something.

Sgt. Otsuka: Yes, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: Alright, Sergeant. Anything we miss, that you can think of?

Sgt. Otsuka: No, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: Right. Then let's head back to the office, make some calls, see what we can find out about a vehicle, and maybe look into those cells.

Sgt. Otsuka: Yes, Sir.

Sgt. Otsuka: I think there's someone else, here, Sir.

The officers head to Downside and see someone in one of the shops.

Commander Chesnokov: I had that feeling as well, Sergeant.

Sgt. Otsuka: That's business person I told you about, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: Ahhhhhhhh, indeed.

Commander Chesnokov: And you would be Ms. Miles, I presume...?

Naismith Miles: That's me.

Naismith Miles: And what kind of connections do you require?

Sgt. Otsuka: We just moved into our office at the Whedon Tower. Getting the lay of the land.

Sgt. Otsuka: Making sure that everyone understands the law.

Commander Chesnokov smiles. "What kind of connections can you provide, Ms. Miles?

Naismith Miles: I understand the law, and how it can "facilitate" business.

Commander Chesnokov: Indeed.

Naismith Miles: I run a legitimate Transport company, registered on Persephone, and Osiris.
Sgt. Otsuka: Do you also have an office on Burnet?

Naismith Miles: Yes. I pick up a side trade in luxury goods from the border regions.

Naismith Miles: exotic foods inbound, industrial goods outbound. Everyone wins ((smiles))

Commander Chesnokov: I do not question the validity of your Transport business, Ms. Miles. Although I might be curious as to what you mean by way of "industrial goods"...

Sgt. Otsuka: and "exotic foods"

Commander Chesnokov nods.

Naismith Miles: The border worlds are in need of farm equipment, tools, source boxes.

Commander Chesnokov nods.

Naismith Miles: And they grow all multitude of foods that are hard to find on the core worlds. Spices, like Ginseng from Hera.

Sgt. Otsuka: They are indeed.

Naismith Miles: All QUITE legitimate I assure you.

Commander Chesnokov: I see. And these industrial items all come from legitimate sources, I am certain...

Naismith Miles: I also broker transportation, I have connections with a variety of ship owners.

Naismith Miles: Of course, all due bills of sale and export fees on file in the Cortex.

Commander Chesnokov: A woman of such diverse talent... I am surprised you don't employ any security personnel.

Commander Chesnokov: Of course.

Sgt. Otsuka: Then you won't have a problem when we reinstate regular inspections.

Naismith Miles: Who says I don't employ security, Officer Chesnokov.

Commander Chesnokov smiles. "That would be Commander Chesnokov, Ms. Miles. And I see no one else here with you now..."

Naismith Miles: I have little need of it here on Persephone, you fine gents doing such a good job and all.

Sgt. Otsuka resists the urge to look down to see how deep it's getting.

Naismith Miles: Sorry Commander. I contract the muscle when I go to the rim.

Commander Chesnokov smiles, glancing around the room. "Of course. Well, regular transport inspections will be reinstated quite soon, Ms. Miles, although I am afraid I cannot specify when. Until then, you seem to be doing well for yourself. I do hope this continues."

Naismith Miles: Well officers, I don't know about deep, I don't usually carry fresh fertilizer.

Naismith Miles: That's fine, gentlemen, please stop by my office, in the building next door any time.

Sgt. Otsuka: We may be doing that. You'll be seeing more of us in the neighborhood.

Naismith Miles: I look forward to it.

Commander Chesnokov: We will, Ms. Miles. You can continue to count on our presence.

Naismith Miles: Shiny.

Commander Chesnokov: Good day, Ms. Miles. Sergeant...

Naismith Miles nods.

The officers leave the small shop.

Naismith Miles mutters.

Naismith Miles: Mei gatshu nai-ing mu

Naismith Miles: tiang mu

Naismith Miles: shaun nai mu

Commander Chesnokov: Interesting woman.

Sgt. Otsuka: Very, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: Think I will want to keep an eye on her as well. If nothing else, something tells me it won't be boring...

Sgt. Otsuka: I don't like being bored, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov chuckles.

Commander Chesnokov: Nor do I, Sergeant.

Commander Chesnokov: Companion Training Hall, eh? Least we know we won't have any problems there.

Sgt. Otsuka grins.

Commander Chesnokov chuckles. "Alright, so we have at least two in the downtown grid who are worth keeping tabs on."

Sgt. Otsuka: Yes, Sir.

Sgt. Otsuka: I volunteer to inspect the House, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov chuckles. "Authority granted, Sergeant. Try not to have too good of a time at it..."

Sgt. Otsuka: Aw, Sir.....

Commander Chesnokov: Ah, hell. Guess they are in training for a reason there. Likely they could use the practice...

Sgt. Otsuka tries not to smile too much.

Commander Chesnokov: Be thorough, and give it all you've got, Sergeant.

Sgt. Otsuka: I will, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov grins.

Commander Chesnokov: Carry on then, Sergeant. I am going to wander a bit, before I head back upstairs.

Sgt. Otsuka: Yes, Sir.

Commander Chesnokov: And yes, if you have time and inclination, conduct that sweep of the Training Hall at your leisure.

* * *

The commander leaves his office and sees his civilian boss.

Paine Chesnokov: Governor! Always a pleasure to see you.

Gov. Woodhen: What's going on, Commander.

Commander Chesnokov: Took a tour of the downtown grid, as well as the docks with my Sergeant. So far, things look easily manageable. May have some requisition orders to process, however.

Gov. Woodhen: Not a problem. Just let me know what you need.

Gov. Woodhen: It's good to have some real law getting established here again.

Commander Chesnokov: Of course. Aside from a vehicle, and perhaps some cells, I was considering a small arms store, for emergencies. Otherwise, I will let you know as we encounter a need. And it feels good to get established.

Gov. Woodhen: I'll see what I can do on those, Commander.

Commander Chesnokov nods. "Of course, Governor. And should you need anything, we are here, at your disposal."

Gov. Woodhen smiles. "Very good to know, Commander."

Commander Chesnokov: Well, I will let you continue with your business, Sir. Should you need an escort, send me a wave, and I will come, personally.

Gov. Woodhen: I'll probably need that on any state visits to other moons. But I may be taking you up on that.

Commander Chesnokov smiles, nodding. "Of course, Governor."

Maybe we can get Typhoid Mary here off our boat while we're at it.

Dana Maelstrom grumbles at being taken to the Clinic, "Really, I feel... I ... I'm fine."

Rae Overholt: Yeah, sure. We want to make sure the rest of us are.

Sean M looks to Dana, "Now we discussed this before, that story you gave me about 'coded DNA' doesn't make sense, I want to have you checked out." He nods to Rae, "I know this place, I'm pretty sure they will be able to tell us what's going on."

Rae Overholt nods. "What should we do first Doc?"

Shen Jiutai glances between Sean M, Dana and Rae, then back to Sean, "They better, I hope she ain't catching..."

Xiao Li Marshall hangs back, staying as far from Dana as possible.

Dana Maelstrom shoots Shen a dirty look, "I ain't catching!!"

Li Mei: We don't know that.

Sean M nods.

Dana Maelstrom pouts.

Sean M walks up to the counter, looking for any sign of life in the clinic.

Rae Overholt goes to lean against the wall, watching it all.

Sean M wanders to the hallway, "Hello? Is there anybody here?"

Rae Overholt: Don't reckon it's a good sign when a clinic's this quiet.

Xiao Li Marshall: Nobody breathe in too deep.

Shen Jiutai nods.

Rae Overholt can't help but give Xiao Li an amused look.

Dana Maelstrom fidgets.

Sean M reaches behind the counter and picks up a Datapad, "Well, at least I can register you..."

Li Mei looks around the room, "What kind of a clinic has no chairs in the waiting area?"

Xiao Li Marshall: One that can't afford 'em?

Sean M walks over to confer with Dana as he fills in the form.

Li Mei: I would think a clinic here could afford them.

Xiao Li Marshall: 'parantly they can't afford *doctors,* let alone chairs.

Rae Overholt: Unless 'n something has happened and we dont know it yet.

Shen: I've been in bus-stops with better accommodations.

Rae Overholt: Long as they got what we need I dont care. Might be Sean here can fix us up for free if'n nobody's here to object.

Li Mei shrugs, "Maybe they aren't used to having sick people on Beaumonde"

Shen Jiutai giggles.

Xiao Li Marshall: Or there could be a plague goin' through that killed off the doctors...

Dana Maelstrom looks worried. After some consultation she gives Sean M a dirty look, "I said my occupation was 'student'!"

Sean M: "Riiight,... Student it is."

Li Mei chuckles, "I was a student once."

Rae Overholt smiles at Li. "how'd you like your studies?"

Shen: Heck, ain't we all 'life students'?

Xiao Li Marshall snorts. "Ain't an occupation 'less *they're* payin' *you.*"

Shen: Perhaps her Pa is payin' her.

Li Mei smiles at Rae, "The studying was fine. Some of the exams I could have done without."

Shen Jiutai snorts.

Rae Overholt nods. "Maybe you could give us some manners classes."

Shen Jiutai grumbles, "My manners are jus' fine."

Rae Overholt: 'Bout as good as mine.

Li Mei laughs, "Most of you do just fine."

Rae Overholt straightens and kicks the wall, "Sean? You going to slip back in the back see if anyone's here? It's too quiet I dont think they are. Reckon they went to eat?"

Xiao Li Marshall: What, all at once?

Sean M nods to Rae and wanders over to, and down the hallway, "Heeeeeloooooooooo!"

Rae Overholt shrugs a shoulder, "Well some shop folks close stores to all eat."

Xiao Li Marshall flips down her goggles and runs a search to see if there are any alerts for plagues or Reaver attacks in the Beaumonde area

Dana Maelstrom wonders why the captain of a cargo ship would be running a finishing school.

Sean M knocks on a door, "Hello!!! We got someone here in need of medical attention!!!"

Rae Overholt figures she could always do with something to keep her busy.

Shen Jiutai walks up to Rae, "Cap'n, I know Sean kinda rushed us here, but shouldn't we unload those crates as quickly as possible?"

Dana Maelstrom watches as Shen calls Rae "Cap'n"

Rae Overholt sighs, "I dont guess we're going to die in the next three hours whatever it is. Sure Shen. Let's do that."

Shen: "I mean we don't know what's in 'um..."

Li Mei leans over and whispers to Rae, "Does this mean I can stop pretending to be you?"

Rae Overholt nods to Lena, "Guess so. My cover was blown. Too bad I was having fun."

Dana Maelstrom looks at Lena with a newly appraising eye, "I thought so."

Xiao Li Marshall: No offense, Cap'n, but you really should let us in on th' joke once in a while.

Sean M guides a doctor to the waiting area from the back hallway.

Rae Overholt: Aw Xiao li, that takes the fun out.

Xiao Li Marshall: For whom?

Li Mei: For her.

Rae Overholt: For me.

Sean M gestures to Dana, "This is the girl... She's had some pretty sophisticated things done to her."

Dana Maelstrom looks at Luke Hu, then blushes.

Luke Hu: What seems to be the problem here?

Sean M: I think we need to do a full spectrum anaylisis, I can help you... she left Osiris with something strange in her system...And she seems to be constantly passing out.

Luke Hu: Takes her sunglasses off and looks in her eyes. After a few seconds he shakes his head.

Dana Maelstrom squints as Luke Hu examines her.

Luke Hu: Lets get her in the back exam room.

Rae Overholt watches the exchange, taking a blade off her belt and beginning to clean her nails with it.

Dana Maelstrom nods and follows Luke Hu.

Sean M follows.

Rae Overholt: So, boxes.

Luke Hu: All right. Tell me everything form the beginning. When did you first notice something wrong

Shen: Yeah, do we know how to find those guys?

Rae Overholt whispers, "Think we could sneak them through a scanner find out what's in them?"

Dana Maelstrom: Well, I was transporting this thing in my blood... and I need to get it home to my dad.

Luke Hu: I see. You normally carry things in your blood?

Dana Maelstrom: Well... it was a special assignment...

Luke Hu: nods

Shen Jiutai eyes the newcomer.

Luke Hu: Alright. Take your clothes off and put on that robe there. and I'll go get the scanner ready.

Dana Maelstrom does as the doctor says.

Kaito Yoshikawa looks around the room searching for Dana Maelstrom

Luke Hu knocks on the door.

Rae Overholt looks to the stranger with the gloves. Her eyes then dart to the others near her. She whispers when he is out of range, "I think we got a problem"

Luke Hu: Are you ready?

Shen Jiutai edges to the hallway, "Uh, Sean... tell the Doc we got company."

Xiao Li Marshall has gone pale at the sight of the man in blue gloves.

Kaito Yoshikawa: You there. Have you seen a woman by the name of Dana Maelstrom?

Xiao Li Marshall: Gorram right we've got a problem...

Li Mei: Oh no, this is not good.

Dana Maelstrom, upon hearing Kaito's voice goes quiet.

Luke Hu: Sorry . No I haven't. And please check in with the nurse up front. This is the patient area.

Rae Overholt: Someone get out back and snatch her out a window.

Xiao Li Marshall: Not it.

Kaito Yoshikawa: I see.

Shen Jiutai edges over to watch.

Luke Hu: If you will excuse me please. We are very busy today and I would like to get home before midnight.

Rae Overholt: Hey. Can we get a doctor out here? I've been waitin' forever.

Luke Hu: Have a good day sir.

Kaito Yoshikawa: It's always a good day with Blue Sun.

Luke Hu nods and smiles

Shen Jiutai shudders.

Luke Hu knocks and steps into exam room and closes the door. "Alright lets see here...." He pulls out sedative hypo and eye flash light.

Rae Overholt watches the Blue Sun blue gloved feller wander around.

Li Mei moves back up front to see if he's leaving.

Luke Hu shines light in her eyes back and forth and watches pupils dilate.

Rae Overholt: "Don't guess we're going to get a doctor anytime soon," she says for affect and watches the others.

Xiao Li Marshall hissing under her breath: "Where the hell is Kevin? He's the one who knows about these hun dans..."

Luke Hu: "Alright... now, before I take you to the scanner room, do you have any metal implants? They can throw the harmonics off in resonation chamber."

Li Mei whispers to Xiao Li, "You think he's going to notice all of use staring at him?"

Rae Overholt's hand drifts idly to her pistol at her thigh.

Sean M.: "Look Doc, I've given her a bit of a checkout, the only thing puzzling me is this blood-work, I could only do so much onboard our Firefly."

Luke Hu nods. "Just going through the standard questions step by step. We dont want a metal rod to flash fry her muscle." He winks "Just kidding"


Sean M: "Yeah, I got ya... do you mind if I do some blood work in your lab? I'll tell you the whole story..."

Luke Hu: "Alright. I am going to give you just a little sedative so you can relax. The chamber takes about 5 minutes for a full scan and you have to be absolutely still. You'll be awake .... you just seem a bit tense." He adjusts lowest dosage in hypo.

Dana Maelstrom rolls over and sleepily looks at Luke Hu.

Luke Hu: places on arm and injects, "There we go. Alright, lets go this way."

Shen Jiutai folds her arm, "I guess this could be a while."

Rae Overholt: So, two of you go unload that cargo? Li and I will stay here.

Xiao Li Marshall grumbles a little but heads out toward the ship.

Rae Overholt: We'll holler if we need you, and you too.

Shen Jiutai nods, "We contact the 'receivers' yet?"

Rae Overholt: You'll need to do that Shen. We got a bit sidetracked. Use the mule. Let Xiao li transfer.

Li Mei: I can stay for a while longer, Captain, but I will need to leave soon for an appointment.

Rae Overholt: Alright Li, if you need to go I'll cover it here.

Shen Jiutai nods and follows Xiao Li.

Luke Hu: notices how sluggish Dana is. He checks hypo and verifies it is lowest dosage. "Stay here on table. Let me get the portable unit."

Sean M: She's been passing out a lot.

Luke Hu: "Alright now." He sets portable scanner down. "Lets see what we got here." He begins scanning Dana and adjusting the settings on the main box. "What, may I ask, is she transporting in her blood?"

Dana Maelstrom looks suspicious, "None of your business."

Sean M: She says it's a code, in her DNA.

Luke Hu: "AH....DNA encoding. I see. I was scanning for nanite-particle residue. Hmmmmm....." He looks intently at scanner.

Rae Overholt paces back and forth between the waiting area and the room, listening when she gets close but not staying long so she can keep an eye out for the stranger.

Luke Hu adjusts a knob. "So how long have you been pregnant? Looks like 2-3 months now."

Dana Maelstrom's eyes go wide, "WHAT???!!!???"

Li Mei raises an eyebrow having overheard the doctor.

Luke Hu: "OH! Wait" He hits side of scanner box. "Never mind."

Rae Overholt lets out a giggle.

Luke Hu: Just a little gas built up in you.

Li Mei rolls her eyes

Dana Maelstrom looks to Sean M, "Who is this guy?"

Luke Hu: Well I see no viral loads in your blood....no bacterium traces..... Blood chemistry is......slightly odd......but nothing not with the range of near normal. Hmmmm..... Have you gone for a long stretch without a full nights sleep before or during the time you began 'carrying' your cargo?

Sean M: Yeah, I think if we took a closer look at...

Luke Hu: Closer look at ...?

Sean M. ...The blood ... here and... here, I'd like to isolate that... can I use your lab?

Dana Maelstrom: I seem to be sleeping all the time, actually...

Luke Hu: Let me go check some reference material and show your friend here the lab. Labs back here Doctor.

Sean M follows Luke Hu to the back...

Dana Maelstrom grumbles and starts to pull her clothes back on.

Luke Hu: I need to research some conditions in my office. Feel free to let me know if you need anything.

Dana Maelstrom calls down the hall, "Can I go now Doc?"

Luke Hu: Yes. I'll help you back to your ship

Rae Overholt: Mind if we double time it?

Dana Maelstrom pulls on her boots and tosses the robe away, buttoning her jacket, she emerges.

Luke Hu: Your friend is using the lab for a while and it will take two of us to get you back. Alright. He takes Dana's arm and walks her out

Rae Overholt: No, sorry, thanks for the help Li. Got a hot client?

Li Mei smirks, "Well, a wealthy one anyway." She smiles and nods, "I'll see you all back on the Raven tomorrow."

* * * * * * * * * * *
Rae manages to drag the sedated Dana back to the spaceport, and onboard Raven.

Shen Jiutai nods to the Captain and closes her data pad, "I just messaged our contacts, they should be here soon."

Xiao Li Marshall: First thing that's gone right all gorram week.

Shen Jiutai nods, and pulls a crate from it's hiding place.

Rae Overholt: What'd they say? You guys pulled it all out for them yet?

Dana Maelstrom quietly stands in the corner and observes.

Xiao Li Marshall sighs. "I gotta get me a hip flask."

Shen: "Well, it's just the address that Morganna Wynnitfrye gave us on Paquin, but there was somebody there. Said they'd be right down.

Dana Maelstrom's ears perk up at Morgana's name.

Rae Overholt spots the look on Dana's face, "what?"

Shen Jiutai glances at Dana, "You know her?"

Dana Maelstrom shuffles a bit, "Er, yeah... she's my cousin."

Shen: Greeeaaat! Glad to know we're working in a family business.

Xiao Li Marshall: An' maybe we can get Typhoid Mary here off our boat while we're at it.

Rae Overholt: Yeah Dana. What do you think about that?

Shen Jiutai moves out of earshot of Dana, "Cap'n, how long I gotta make nice with these Hu-Dons?"

Rae Overholt shakes her head at Shen, not sure she has an answer for her.

Dana Maelstrom: Actually, Rae... I guess since you're the Captain, I should ask you... can you hook me up with the Doctor from Osiris that said she had important information for me?"

Rae Overholt: Well Dana, can you pay me for it?

Dana Maelstrom: Can you get me a secure Wave link to an address I have?

Rae Overholt: It's possible.

Dana Maelstrom looks sheepish, "I don't suppose we can start a tab?"

Rae Overholt: Not good practice for us to do that.

Xiao Li Marshall: We ain't runnin' a charity here.

Shen Jiutai turns as the call-buzzer at the gangway hatch buzzes

Rae Overholt continues to watch Dana, sure Shen has this well in hand.

Morganna Wynnitfrye appears outside the hatch.

Shen: "Cap'n, I think this is them." She opens the hatch and lets Morganna Wynnitfrye inside.

Rae Overholt: Alright. You want to go say hi to your cousin Dana or do you want to fix some tea upstairs?

Dana Maelstrom beams as Morgana enters the ship. "Morgana!"

Morganna Wynnitfrye: "Dana? What are you doing on this boat?"

Rae Overholt crosses her arms, waiting to see how Dana handles this, a slight smile on her face.

Dana Maelstrom: "These nice folks here..." she says with a sideways glance at Rae, "are helping me get home!"

Morganna Wynnitfrye "Your father has been worried sick about you!"

Dana Maelstrom looks at her boots.

Rae Overholt: Then I guess he'll be happy as a pig when we get her home.

Morganna Wynnitfrye "Captain Overholt, ThankYou for looking after this cargo," she gestures to the crates, "Had I known you had such special passengers... well, what can I say..."

Rae Overholt nods at Morganna, "It's our job after all."

Morganna Wynnitfrye hands Rae 200 credits, "Here, this is for the crates. And I take it your next stop is Newhall?"

Dana Maelstrom clears her throat.

Rae Overholt: "Something like that," she takes the credits and puts it in her pocket. "Guess we should get moving though, what with a timeline and all. You let us know if'n we can do anything for you again."

Morganna Wynnitfrye: "You can be assured I will... but wait." She removes the necklace from her neck and hands it to Rae, "Here please give this to Mr. Maelstrom, as a sign of my honer."

Rae Overholt takes the necklace, her eyes darting to Dana, "Alright. Not like it takes up much space. Sure."

Morganna Wynnitfrye also hands Rae another 100 credits, "And this is to help keep Dana comfortable, with my regards,"

Rae Overholt walks to Xiao Li and holds out the necklace and then takes the creds from Morganna once again, "Sure do appreciate it. Thanks."

Morganna Wynnitfrye: "I shall leave you to your tight schedule, Dana, please remember me to your father."

Xiao Li Marshall takes the necklace hesitantly, wondering what the hell she's supposed to do with it.

Morganna Wynnitfrye gestures to six heavily muscled bodyguards that enter and remove the crates without a word. "Thank you again, Captain Overholt,"

Rae Overholt: Not a problem.

Morganna Wynnitfrye leaves.

Rae Overholt looks to Xiao Li as soon as Morganna has left with her musclemen and steps close to whisper.

Dana Maelstrom looks to Rae again, "Um, this is the cortex address.. about that wave?"

Rae Overholt: Xiao Li, can you set her up on a private line?

Xiao Li Marshall nods knowingly at Rae, then looks to Dana. "Come with me, I'll get you set up on the bridge."

Shen Jiutai gestures that we should listen in.

Rae Overholt nods at Shen.

Dana Maelstrom: It doesn't have to be private, I might forget something.

Rae Overholt: Alright then I'll come with you.

Xiao Li Marshall leads Dana up to the cockpit, careful not to actually touch her.

Dana Maelstrom follows the two to the cockpit. She hands Xiao Li a slip of wrinkled paper with an addy on it.

Xiao Li Marshall leans over the copilot's console and types out the address, along with a handful of other commands that flash by too quickly to see properly. She then steps back and gestures to the copilot's seat.

Sarah Miles responds to the wave, "Ni-How"

Dana Maelstrom grins at the screen "Dr Miles!!!"

Rae Overholt leans back against a cabinet on the bridge and listens, staying out of screenshot.

Sarah Miles: Dana, How are you feeling, is this a secure line?

Dana Maelstrom looks to Xiao Li questioningly.

Xiao Li Marshall: Secure as I c'n make it.

Sarah Miles: I heard that, I hope you're with friends.

Dana Maelstrom nods, "Yeah, I guess you could call them friends of the family."

Sarah Miles: Good, listen, you need to meet me on Hera, this is very important!

Dana Maelstrom nods slowly, grins, "Hera, that's right next to home..." She passes out in the co-pilot's chair.

Sarah Miles: Dana? Dana? Hello?

Rae Overholt leans over the out cold Dana and speaks to the doctor, coming into view the first time. "Doc, you mind telling us why she keeps blacking out?"

Sarah Miles: Well, yeah... I guess I should tell you... she said she trusted you. She can trust you, right?

Rae Overholt waits, fingers tapping absently on the back of the chair as she does.

Sarah Miles: What I have to say is important, but dangerous information... Dana is carrying a specially modified virus, that targets her family's DNA, in a short time, it will no longer be dormant, and eventually it will kill all of her relatives.

Rae Overholt: "Does she know this???? How do we get it out of her??" She asks thinking maybe it wouldn't be so bad to leave it in her. "How do I know we can trust you anyway?"

Sarah Miles: Since you are friends of her family, you must know how important it is that you bring her to me, I can save her, and keep her family safe.

Xiao Li Marshall 's mouth tightens into a firm line, but she has no other reaction.

Sarah Miles: I haven't had the chance to tell her this yet. You must tell her when she wakes.

Rae Overholt sighs, "Alright, Hera. What else do we need to know?"

Sarah Miles: nothing else, except that if you aren't related to her, there is no danger.

Xiao Li Marshall: How close of a relatives are we talkin' about here?

Rae Overholt: How easy can her family catch it?

Sarah Miles: The genetic string that the virus is targeted to is pretty narrow, I'd say, perhaps second cousins... Well, it is airborne once it becomes awake, so fairly easily.

Rae Overholt: How do we know when its awake?

Sarah Miles: Out of all the things I did for Blue Sun, I never thought I'd see my own work perverted into a weapon.

Xiao Li Marshall lifts her head. "Why the ruttin' hell were you *engineering viruses* for Blue Sun?"

Sarah Miles: She still has about 3 weeks left, so you need to come straight here.

Rae Overholt: Alright. Guess that's all we need to know then. Anything else we need to tell her?

Sarah Miles: "I'll tell you all of that when I see you... what?.. I must go." The wave goes blank.

Rae Overholt turns to look at everyone, "You guys believe that?"

Xiao Li Marshall: I believe that she's dyin'. The rest of it? Dunno.

Rae Overholt: Maybe Sean will have more information.

Dana Maelstrom snores

From the cargo-bay below, there is a pounding on the hatch. Leaving Dana in the cockpit, Rae, Xiao Li and Shen decend the catwalks again.

Shen Jiutai opens the cargo bay hatch to the incessant knocking. "Doctor? Where's Sean?"

Luke Hu: I'm afraid I have terrible news. Someone killed your friend in my offices, and I believe they are after me.

Shen Jiutai's jaw drops open.

Luke Hu: I dont know who they are or why they are doing this.

Rae Overholt: Dead??? How??

Xiao Li Marshall: Ta ma de...

Rae Overholt: Then why do you think they're after you?

Shen Jiutai closes her mouth, and quickly darts outside.

Luke Hu: I found him in my lab. He was dead. I didn't have time to see how. Someone jumped me and I ran. They tried to shoot me, but missed.

Rae Overholt: Did you get what he was working on?

Luke Hu: I lost them and came here

Rae Overholt: Did you get what he was working on before he was murdered?

Shen Jiutai quietly and quickly surveys the docks, looking for any followers.

Xiao Li Marshall: This guy... he wouldn't have been wearin' blue gloves, would he?

Luke Hu: Please. "I didn't get a look at him. I did grab what your friend was working on. Not sure I got all of it though." He holds it up and looks at them.
Rae Overholt: What can you tell us about it?

Luke Hu: First, take me off this world and I will look it over and tell you all that I know.

Rae Overholt nods, "Best we be leaving anyhow. Xiao Li, Take us out."

Xiao Li Marshall sprints for the stairs to the fore corridor

Shen Jiutai darts back inside, "Looks like he wasn't followed."

Xiao Li Marshall pilots Raven up into the smoggy sky of Beaumonde, and towards the safety of The Black.

Li Mei shakes her head, "I don't think you've thought this through, girl."

Shen Jiutai pulls down the comm, and after a little feedback announces: "OK, we have some 'Seafood' Udon ready in the Galley, for thems that's hungry."

Li Mei heads for the Galley, "Ooh .. yummy."

Rae Overholt sets down the gun she was cleaning and climbs out of her bunk, heading for the galley.

Shen Jiutai produces a bowl and ladles Li Mei some soup.

Li Mei takes the soup and smiles, "Thank you."

Shen Jiutai stirs the udon, deeply inhaling the aroma, "My Ma taught me how to make this."

Li Mei sits down at the table and tried the soup, "Mmm. This is good. Your mother must have been a good cook."

Shen Jiutai ladles another bowl for herself, and joins Li Mei at the table. She grins, "She's be glad to hear that." Shen Jiutai nods to Xiao Li, "It's on the counter, help yourself."

Xiao Li Marshall just grunts and heads for the soup pot. "Don't s'pose our passenger's awake yet?"

Shen Jiutai shakes her head, "I dunno, I've been cooking," she looks at Li Mei.

Li Mei shakes her head as she takes another sip of the soup, "She was still out when I headed up here."

Shen Jiutai slurps an Udon noodle and glances at Xiao Li, "The Cap'n make up her mind where we're headin'?"

Xiao Li Marshall: Persephone. Figure we can deliver our cargo at least.

Shen Jiutai nods, "Good, I always liked Persephone."She watches as Rae enters the galley and makes a face at the noodles. "You don't like the Udon, Cap'n?" She looks concerned.

Rae Overholt shakes her head and continues to eat her noodles, "Like 'um jus fine. Specially when I dont have to cook them."

Xiao Li Marshall mutters through her mouthful, "If taftes fine to me."

Shen Jiutai sighs a sigh of relief.

Li Mei nods as she finishes her bowl, "This is better than my mother's. Of course, she was only ever good at burning toast."

Dana Maelstrom's eyes begin to flutter, and as they open she sees the concerned face Dr. Sean. After a brief once over and a few questions, Sean finally succumbs to Dana's assertions that she's "OK but hungry." He shows her to the galley.

Rae Overholt looks up to spot the young girl, "Looks like our visitor is up."

Shen Jiutai looks up to see Sean escort Dana into the Galley.

Xiao Li Marshall 's eyebrows go up as Dana enters. "Well, look who's up an' about."

Li Mei looks over at the young girl, "How are you feeling?"

Dana Maelstrom grins at the roomful of new people, "I'm fine, thanks for asking, that nice Doctor you have told me I'd get my questions answered up here..." She moves to the closest chair and sits down.

Xiao Li Marshall: I think we've got a few questions for *you* first.

Li Mei leans back in her chair and just listens

Dana Maelstrom looks from face to face, "Um, I guess I should thank you for picking me up..."

Rae Overholt nods, "That you do, want to tell us why you were out there?"

Dana Maelstrom: "Is the Captain around?"

Rae Overholt points to Li, "That'd be her."

Shen Jiutai raises an eyebrow.

Xiao Li Marshall blinks at Rae, but says nothing.

Li Mei remains in the same position in her chair, her expression not changing

Dana Maelstrom grins at Li Mei, "Well, I owe you my life, Captain...?"

Rae Overholt smirks as she continues to eat her noodles, acting like she doesn't have a care in the world.

Li Mei smiles, "You're welcome. Now who are you?"

Kevin Cliffe looks at the new arrival...after the last one, he has an urge to get into his pressure suit. Just an aversion to being gassed.

Shen Jiutai gestures to the counter, "Have some Udon... Oh and where are my manners, Are you hungry Miss...?"

Dana Maelstrom stands and walks to shake Li Mei's hand, "Dana Maelstrom, and you are?"

Shen Jiutai stands and starts preparing two more bowls of soup, leaving a chair for Kevin.

Li Mei pauses a moment, then take's Dana's hand, "You can call me Li."

Xiao Li Marshall, while Dana is distracted, shoots Rae a 'What are you planning and why aren't I in on it?' look.

Kevin Cliffe: Thanks anyway... not too hungry. Actually I was wondering how we were doing on reactor fuel and propellant.

Rae Overholt gives Xiao Li a shit eattin' grin and shrugs before going back to her noodles.

Dana Maelstrom shakes Li Mei's hand firmly, "OK, Captain... Li it is... It's a miracle you were there... unless... were you the ship we were supposed to meet?"

Li Mei: So, Dana, what were you doing on that ship?

Dana Maelstrom: We were supposed to do a deep space transfer... How they knew where to find us I have no idea.

Li Mei nods, "Yeah, that would have been us you were supposed to meet up with."

Dana Maelstrom: Captain Able assured me only he and his old friend knew the coordinates...

Xiao Li Marshall: Old friend?

Dana Maelstrom: Are you Captain Able's old war buddy?

Li Mei raises an eyebrow, "And his old friend was ...?"

Rae Overholt ' eyes dart to Xiao Li and she gives her a look, wondering if the listening device had something to do with this.

Dana Maelstrom: I don't remember his name... but you don't exactly look like you've seen a tour of duty.

Li Mei chuckles, "Looks can be deceiving. I've probably seen more action than anyone else on this boat."

Rae Overholt chuckles into her soup.

Dana Maelstrom grunts, "Well.. OK, mind if I ask what ship we're on?"

Li Mei: She's called The Raven

Shen Jiutai picks up the Com, "Rol, you hungry, Kevin says he ain't and I got some soup up here." She takes a bowl and places it in front of Dana.

Dana Maelstrom: Raven? I thought this was a firefly...

Kevin Cliffe: "Raven. Like the trickster spirit of the Northwest US from Earth That Was." (whew)

Dana Maelstrom: Did you guys happen to come to Newhall a few months back?

Rae Overholt looks to Li, wondering how she'd handle this.

Li Mei: Uhh .. this is a firefly. What's that got to do with the name?

Roland Josephus over the com: ...........Who made it?

Dana Maelstrom: Well, my brother.. Lum... well, Nigel wrote me about his "marriage"

Shen Jiutai coms back, "I did, and it's my mom's recipe!"

Rae Overholt: What'd he say? ::she asks around a noodle::

Li Mei shrugs, "We've been lots of places."

Dana Maelstrom: He said you guys pulled a fast one on Sadi... he said he never laughed so hard!

Roland Josephus: Alright.. Give me a minute.. I have to close things up back here.

Rae Overholt: How'd we do that?

Dana Maelstrom: "Let me see... what did he say... no, I think he said it was the bodyguard, sent him swimming!!!" She chuckles. "But he did definitely say it was the Raven, and there was this cute guy on it..."

Shen Jiutai snorts.

Rae Overholt snickers, "See any cute guys? Kevin here maybe?"

Li Mei looks at Kevin for a moment, then shakes her head, "Nope. No cute guys in sight."

Shen Jiutai suppresses a giggle.

Rae Overholt winks at Kevin.

Kevin Cliffe shrugs....

Xiao Li Marshall rolls her eyes.

Rae Overholt turns to Dana, "You look a little nervous, you doing ok? Guess getting blown up will make you nervous though."

Dana Maelstrom eats a few noodles ravenously, nodding her head at Rae's comments.

Kevin Cliffe: Didn't come here to be cute. *he smirks*

Li Mei grins, "Good. Let the cute ones be boy whores."

Dana Maelstrom looks up expectantly at the mention of boy whores.

Roland Josephus makes his way to the galley from the engine room, and sits at the table.

Rae Overholt: Well? Whats got you all so nervous? Other than being blown up.

Shen Jiutai nods at Rol and places a bowl of Udon in front of him.

Kevin Cliffe: I guess being blown up would make someone pretty nervous. That and it might kinda hurt.

Rae Overholt: So why'd they blow you up?

Roland Josephus picks up the bowl,. and starts to eat without a word to anyone.

Dana Maelstrom looks to Li Mei, then to Rae, "I think it might have been the Tigers, did they see you?"

Rae Overholt: Who are the tigers?

Shen Jiutai shoots Rae a look, "Another Triad."

Dana Maelstrom shoots Shen a look. "She's right."

Rae Overholt: We going to have bears next?

Xiao Li Marshall: *deadpan* Oh my.

Shen Jiutai diverts her eyes from Dana.

Kevin Cliffe: Great. Does this mean I can get more vests to add to my collection?

Shen Jiutai sits on the counter, "There are the White Cranes, the Black Hands, the Dragons, the Tigers, every kid knows of 'um."

Rae Overholt shoots Kevin a look. "This here is Mr. Maelstrom's daughter. Dragon representative for Newhall."

Dana Maelstrom blushes, "Well, yeah, I guess... wow I never thought I'd hear it put that way..."

Rae Overholt: What'd you think it'd be put like?

Dana Maelstrom looks serious, "Captain Li, it's important you take me to Liann Juin, in the Persephone system,"

Li Mei: And what way would you put it, Dana?

Dana Maelstrom: I guess I never really thought of it...

Kevin Cliffe sighs..."right. Open mouth, insert foot."

Xiao Li Marshall raises an eyebrow. "Thought we were s'posed to take ya to Newhall..."

Dana Maelstrom: I mean, I never wanted to follow in Daddy's footsteps...

Li Mei: Does Daddy know that?

Dana Maelstrom looks to Xiao Li, "Well... I can't go home, not just yet."

Rae Overholt: Who's going to pay for the gas for this here trip?

Dana Maelstrom looks to Li Mei, "I guess that's why I ran away."

Kevin Cliffe: I guess I can relate to that.

Li Mei nods, "We're not a charity transport service, Miss Maelstrom"

Roland Josephus just grunts and set his empty bowl aside.

Dana Maelstrom looks to Rae, "Oh, Heir will pay, he'll be so proud when I show him what I've gotten for him..."

Rae Overholt: What's that you're getting for 'im?

Dana Maelstrom: "Well, I have it actually, " She points to her arm, "Right here, in my blood..."

Li Mei squints her eyes a little, "For someone not wanting to follow in Daddy's footsteps, you seem awful eager to please him."

Dana Maelstrom looks back to Li Mei, confused, "Well he is my Daddy... and I think he'll be soooo proud of me..."

Rae Overholt: What do you have in your blood? Something catchy? And we dont fly on dreams, hopes and promises. We fly with cold hard credits.

Dana Maelstrom looks a little uncertain, "Well my daddy will pay you, of that you can be sure, but I'm not sure I should go on blabbing."

Rae Overholt: Why? What are we gonnna do about it?

Dana Maelstrom: Well, I just came onboard, how do I know you're who you say you are... I mean I've heard of Raven before... but can I trust you?

Xiao Li Marshall: I'd say you ain't got much of a choice, have ya?

Shen Jiutai clears her throat, "You can trust us girl, we're on your team, ever hear of Locum Tenens?"

Kevin Cliffe: I'll lose the vest before we make port, then. Don't want to antagonize anyone.

Dana Maelstrom grins, "Cousin Locum?"

Shen Jiutai nods, "He's payin' the bills on this boat." She glances at Rae.

Rae Overholt shrugs and puts her bowl down on the table, leaning back in the chair.

Xiao Li Marshall stands up. "I should prob'ly make sure we're still on course..."

Dana Maelstrom grins, "Well, then I guess you're in the family!!! Wow!! I didn't expect Asa would have used family boats..."

Li Mei looks at Rae, then back at Dana, "You still haven't told us what's in your blood. I think we have a right to know what you brought on board our ship."

Dana Maelstrom: "Anyways, I'm carrying something in my blood that will make us more powerful, and strong, but don't worry, it's in my DNA, it's not catching.

Rae Overholt: That so? Don't make you nervous with foreigners hitching a ride on your ladder?

Kevin Cliffe: "Wait, huh? Something in your DNA that will make us more powerful and strong?" He has no idea what the hell is going on but it sounds like alliance meddling...

Dana Maelstrom shakes her head, "No, these are professionals, Blue Sun, on Osiris! I stole this from them!"

Rae Overholt: hmm.

Li Mei rolls here eyes, "Oh yeah, Blue Sun... very trustworthy"

Roland Josephus: This is getting worse, and worse.

Li Mei nods

Dana Maelstrom: They were sending me out to the rim with this well... test of the technique...

Kevin Cliffe: The human genome has three billion base pairs of code...lots of places to hide information.

Dana Maelstrom looks at Kevin, "Exactly! I jumped ship and started heading home, Daddy will be soooo proud!"

Kevin Cliffe: What kind of information?

Dana Maelstrom: Well, if I understand it correctly, any fetus treated with the sequence I'm carrying will grow up to be a superman! But the information will degrade before too long...

Kevin Cliffe: Oh this is so not good. What would happen if it were introduced into a full grown adult?

Dana Maelstrom steadies herself on the table, looking pale.

Rae Overholt: Kid, if that information is degrading, what do you think will happen to you?

Li Mei leans forward in her chair, "Now .. let me get this straight. You've stolen something very important from the most powerful corporation in the verse .. and you're bringing those stolen goods to your Daddy ... attracting the attention of said corporation, and you think he'll be pleased?"

Dana Maelstrom looks back at Kevin and clears her head, "Sorry, I kinda get dizzy from time to time..." She looks to Li Mei, "Yeah! They won't know where I went, and He'll have something to make him stronger!!! He'll be soooo proud!"

Kevin Cliffe: Oh ta ma de...it sounds like something the alliance would do.

Li Mei shakes her head, "I don't think you've thought this through, girl."

Kevin Cliffe: Does our doc have the capacity to take and freeze tissue samples?

Dana Maelstrom looks concerned, "But Dr Miles said I should see her first..."

Roland Josephus just shakes his head.

Li Mei: Who's Dr. Miles?

Dana Maelstrom grins, "She's this nice lady at the clinic, before I left she slipped me a piece of paper with a Cortex address on it..."

Roland Josephus: I don't think she's the only one ain't thought things through.

Dana Maelstrom: "She said lives were in danger, and that I'd been lied to..."

Li Mei: That I don't doubt.

Kevin Cliffe: No kidding... How close are we to Persephone and how much fuel can we spare?

Dana Maelstrom: She needs me to meet her on Liann Juin. She's going to save the worlds!!!

Li Mei rolls her eyes again, "Yeah .. of course she is."

Shen Jiutai looks to Gabe as he enters the room, and nods to Dana, "Her brother said something about a cute boy... " she murrmers so that only Gabe can hear.

Kevin Cliffe: "Hang on..." He stabs the com button..."Xiao?"

Xiao Li Marshall looks up and grabs the comm. "Wei?"

Kevin Cliffe coms: How close are we to Persephone and how much fuel do we have?

Gabriel Keats looks at Shen, eyebrows raised, and tilts his head

Xiao Li Marshall: 'Nother day or so, and we got just enough fuel to get to Newhall after that. Why?

Shen Jiutai grins at Gabe and offers him a bowl of Udon.

Kevin Cliffe coms: "Stand by..." "Cap'n...I'm not sure about what she's carrying, but we're in the dark here. I think we need the doc to look her over and also consider the possibility of speeding this trip up."

Gabriel Keats: "M'not ruttin' hung over." And he takes the Udon.

Roland Josephus just shakes his head.

Kevin Cliffe: I hope I'm just overreacting, but I'd like to plan ahead a bit.

Rae Overholt looks to Li, "Well cap'n. what do you say?"

Gabriel Keats takes the bowl and starts eating it slowly, eyes flickering over everyone in the room. He finally settles on staring at a place about two inches above and to the left of Dana's left ear

Li Mei shrugs, " I don't know. We still have a lot of unanswered questions. What do you think?"

Dana Maelstrom looks over to Gabe and slides her chair away some, confused.

Roland Josephus: Look... She's right folks... One of the most powerful companies in the verse is after her.. And they got enough creds to hunt us down for as long as it takes..... Then there's her Pa... She's made herself sick with somethen'.. If we're lucky.. If we're not.. It'll kill her.. Then her Dad will be after us... We know how forgiving that clan is.

Rae Overholt: I think we should get the doc to look at her, take a sample of her blood, then we should get her to a clinic see if they can't get it out of her before it kills her and her daddy kills us for her stupidity.

Dana Maelstrom shoots Rae a dirty look, "I'm sitting right here!"

Rae Overholt looks back at her, "Good, hope ya learn somethin'."

Roland Josephus: All this for a vague amount of credits that we might or might not get.... Even if we do deliver her.. and she survives... Who's going to tell Blue Sun we handed her off?

Xiao Li Marshall drums her fingers on the dashboard impatiently.

Dana Maelstrom: Besides, I'm not so sure I should let you take some of my blood...

Li Mei: So what do you suggest we do, Roland? Eject her into space?"

Roland Josephus shrugs, "That ain't' for me to decide.....But I say she gets off this boat quick, and we forgot we saw her."

Kevin Cliffe: Frankly I think we'd better figure out what we're dealing with. *he looks at the girl* you might be carrying something that's killing you.

Gabriel Keats grins and closes his eyes, puts a hand to his temples.

Rae Overholt watches Gabe and then Dana, waiting.

Gabriel Keats: "Couldn't hurt."

Dana Maelstrom looks towards Kevin with his last remark, slowly stands and makes her way to the comfy chairs next to the galley, where she collapses in a heap. "I'm just going to sit here for a bit..."

Kevin Cliffe looks to Shen... "get the doc." He looks to Rae..."Orders?"

Shen Jiutai nods and wanders to the stairs and yells down to the sickbay, "Sean!!!! Kevin wants you!!!"

Xiao Li Marshall pulls down the com again. "Mind tellin'' me what I'm standin'' by *for*?"

Li Mei Leans over to whisper to Rae, "Next time you want to pretend I'm the captain, how about if you give me a little warning."

Sean M. grumbles something in Spanish and puts away the vid he was watching, slowly making his way upstairs.

Rae Overholt shrugs, "I've saids my peace."

Kevin Cliffe coms: Yeah. We're going to see if we need to put the pedal to the metal.

Xiao Li Marshall coms: ...lovely.

Li Mei: This is still your ship. What we do next is your decision.

Kevin Cliffe: How fast do you want us to get her to a clinic, ma'am?

Dana Maelstrom slowly and gently drifts off to sleep.

Rae Overholt whispers back to Li, "Thats no fun."

Li Mei whispers back, "No one ever said it was supposed to be."

Gabriel Keats looks at a point between Rae and Li. "We should be all right." He shrugs. "Don't think she's nervous. Don't know we've got aught else we can do."

Rae Overholt: You didn't get anything Gabe?

Gabriel Keats: "She ain't nervous. Got a sense of entitlement a mile wide, but. . .she ain't runnin' scared, and I don't think she means to harm."

Kevin Cliffe: Cap'n, should we go for hard burn?

Rae Overholt: We should be 'bout there shouldn't we? Do we need hard burn?

Sean M. appears at the Galley, "Hard Burn? Why?"

Roland Josephus: Someone want to explain to me how this all turns out good for the Raven?

Kevin Cliffe: Another day or so, Xiao says.

Rae Overholt: OK then. She looks to Li again, "You enjoyed it."

Sean M. goes to check on the unconscious Dana, then helps himself to a bowl of Udon as Shen watches.

Kevin Cliffe: All right...

Li Mei grins at Rae, "Maybe a little."

Kevin Cliffe coms: Xiao, you said we were a day our so out from Persephone... we need to cut that time down.

Xiao Li Marshall coms: How far down?

Rae Overholt nods to Li, "Might be nice if you keep on with it. And if I hide out on duty so to speak."

Kevin Cliffe coms: "Depends. How fast can Raven fly in a medical emergency?" Kevin Cliffe already has a fair idea of that answer, but he knows Xiao Li can do it in a heartbeat...

Shen Jiutai stands and goes around the table collecting the empty bowls.

Roland Josephus: Anyone? Even a little?

Li Mei nods and sighs, "Ok, but I need someway to talk to you. I am not making any decisions"

Xiao Li Marshall coms: I can get 'er there in five hours, but we'll be runnin' on fumes by the end...

Rae Overholt: Well Roland, it seems we dont have a choice. Six one day half a dozen another. Unless you can offer me a solution, stop complaining.

Li Mei: Roland, I don't see anyway this turns out good. I think it's too late for that.

Roland Josephus: Like hell we don't have a choice.. We find a place to set down that has transport, and we leave... Hope the blue billion folks that are chasing her.. IF she's telling the truth dont' find out it was us.

Kevin Cliffe: Cap'n, Xiao says we can floor it but we'll be pretty dry in the tanks if we do.

Shen: "And what would our BOSS say about dumping his DAUGHTER!!!???!!!"

Rae Overholt: Then we take our time. I'd prefer us alive, and dying in space wont do us any good. Neither will having no gas to get to our next spot.

Kevin Cliffe: "Aye." He coms: "Maintain heading and speed..."

Xiao Li Marshall: Roger that. Any other orders?

Kevin Cliffe: Negative.

Dana Maelstrom settles into her sleep comfortable with the notion that she is safe.

Scared of something. . .smile like the crack of dawn. The storm. Like you said. The Maelstrom...

Shen Jiutai sits on the catwalk, watching Rae work her biceps.

Gabriel Keats watches as well. He seems vaugely lost in thought.

Rae Overholt sits there, doing mindless curl after curl trying to drown out all the thoughts going through her head. She glances up at Gabe and gives him a half smile, not quite ready to be all cuddly yet.

Rae: So, Whats on your mind Gabe?

Xiao Li Marshall deciding that their pursuers are most likely long gone, hits the autopilot and heads for the cargo bay.

Shen Jiutai heads towards the sickbay to look at the sleeping guest.

Gabriel Keats: "Bad feeling... Ain't like I've never had one before."

Rae: You always have a bad feelin'. Why you got one this time?

Gabriel Keats: "Hell if I know."

Rae: You wanna see if that girl knows why you have one when she wakes up?

Gabriel Keats: "Spect she's got somethin' t'do with it. S'an awful lot've trouble for one girl."

Xiao Li Marshall: Wei. Any change in our sleepin' beauty yet?

Rae: Not yet.

Shen Jiutai grunts from the sickbay, "Still out."

Rae: I'm guessing she's goin to bring us quite a bit of trouble.

Xiao Li Marshall leans heavily on the catwalk railing. "An' that's different from our normal state of affairs how, exactly?

Li Mei nods, "That seems to be a pattern around here"

Gabriel Keats: "This time maybe we see it comin'? Who the ruttin' hell knows..."

Rae: Well, you folks'd be awful bored if things started runnin' smooth.

Gabriel Keats: "I do believe you're right."

Li Mei raises her eyebrows, "No .. I don't think I would."

Rae Overholt grins at Li, "GIve it time."

Shen Jiutai goes into the sickbay to get a closer look at their guest.

Xiao Li Marshall: Bored, maybe, but at least we'd get PAID once in a while.

Rae: Yeah, that part aint so shiny.

Li Mei shrugs, "Well Paquin was at least profitable for me."

Rae: Let's all go gander at her huh? Atleast it'll be funny to watch her have that "AH" minute when she wakes with us all starin'.

Gabriel Keats: "Maybe we'd have employers that weren't qingwa cao de liumang..."

Shen Jiutai moves around the unconscious girl, looking closely at her.

Li Mei follows the others into the sick bay

Gabriel Keats looks at Li with a courteous smile. "Same here." He heads towards the sickbay.

Xiao Li Marshall hangs back, watching over everyone's shoulders from outside the medbay.

Rae: Any markins on her?

Gabriel Keats tilts his head as though listening to something.

Shen Jiutai scans her face, then lifts her right hand, looking for marks or rings.

Gabriel Keats: "Glad I'm not her..."

Sean M. fusses in the corner, "And just what are you doing?"

Shen Jiutai looks up sheepishly, "Uh, nothin', just looking for..." her voice trails off as she lifts her left hand, turinig the fore-arm towards her.

Rae: What? What is it?

Xiao Li Marshall goes pale.

Gabriel Keats: "Watchin' her. Take it steady doc. Don't blow anything up."

Shen Jiutai goes quiet and places the girl's hand back, then 'shhhhushes' the others as she leaves the Med bay.

Rae Overholt waits, arms crossed.

SeanM "haurramps" and fusses with his charge as he watches Shen leave.

Gabriel Keats: "Girl's right scared..."

Rae: Imagine she should be, someone tried to kill her.

Shen Jiutai gestures to the girl and nods towards Gabe, "Not only that... she's a Dragon."

Rae: SHE is a dragon?

Gabriel Keats: "And so. . .and forgive me if I'm oversteppin' my bounds. . .but why in the ruttin' HELL is she on the ship?"

Rae: Shoulda left her pigu.

Gabriel Keats: "Hm...s'not what she's scared of, though. "

Rae: Well, that's odd then. It's what I'd have been scared of.

Shen Jiutai: Well, the mark on her arm... shows she's a dragon lord, or I guess at least the child of one.

Rae: At her age, lets hope its child of one. She'd be pretty nasty to be an actual lord.

Roland Josephus just shakes his head.

Xiao Li Marshall: Hm. Child of a Dragon loard... you think we can use this t' get some leverage?

Gabriel Keats: "Yeah. We get leverage. We get a few hundred clicks off, and then, bam, we're humped."

Li Mei shrugs, "That seems like asking for more trouble."

Rae: Yeah. Seems we get our leverage by making sure she's well and alive and taken care of. Maybe make them so happy they treat us well.

Shen Jiutai nods.

Shen Jiutai: "Where we s'posed to take this kid?"

Roland Josephus: Does it matter? Long as she ain't seen on this ship?

Rae: Well, are we even sure its this kid we were supposed to get?

Gabriel Keats: "S'pose we jes wake her up and ask her. I mean, ain't like any of us have a better idea."

Rae Overholt nods.

Roland Josephus: Who you reckon is after her?

Xiao Li Marshall: Y'mean besides us?

Rae: Rival faction of dragon lords?

Shen Jiutai grunts and sits down, "Well, do I have ta be nice nice to sleeping beauty when she wakes up? I mean, so what if she was prolly in Kindergarden when they disposed my dad."

Rae: You have to play stupid when she wakes up.

Roland Josephus shrugs, "Could be.. point is.. They'll be after us soon..."

Rae: Well let's hope they didn't pick up our trail Roland.

Gabriel Keats: "R--cap'n? D'you want to be in there if'n we wake her up?"

Rae: I want you to be in there.

Gabriel Keats: "That's a ruttin' given." He grins widely.

Rae: Won't hurt for me to be in there too. Sure, I'll babysit.

Gabriel Keats: "Less'n she sees yer back."

Rae: I got my back covered.

Xiao Li Marshall: I should prob'ly be up on the bridge in case Daddy comes callin'...

Rae: Might be god to keep an eye out Xiao li. For the others and daddy.

Shen Jiutai: Where were we goin?

Gabriel Keats: "Doc? You mind maybe pushin' her some adrenaline? Or whatever the goshui ya use is to wake up them that ain't awake."

Xiao Li Marshall: Beaumonde to drop off our crates, then to Newhall.

Sean M. "I wouldn't advise it, she may have a concussion."

Xiao Li Marshall: See if I can't get in touch with the folks on Newhall we were s'posed to meet, let 'em know there was a little accident.

Gabriel Keats sighs. "Well, that's just ruttin' great..."

Rae: We've got time.

Xiao Li Marshall heads up the stairs to the upper deck.

Gabriel Keats: "We get the kid of some dragon hwun dan. . .and, made, she's a gorram vegetable..."

Rae: Well, let's hope she aint no vegetable when we get there or it'll be even worse.

Li Mei sits down, "Doctor, do you think she'll come around?"

Sean M: There's really no way to tell... her vitals are good... she's just out... she had to be awake enough to launch that Escape pod."

Gabriel Keats: "Well, that's shiny for our future survival."

Rae: She aint playin possum is she?

Sean M: Nope. Was there anything else in the escape pod, any loose items?

Shen Jiutai shakes her head at Sean, "I didn't see anything."

Rae: Not that I saw. You guys see anything? I heard a rattle though.

Li Mei: Could she have been drugged?

Sean M: It's likely.

Shen Jiutai: But who would drug someone and shove them in a pod, while not getting in themselves?

Gabriel Keats: "Someone who cared more 'bout her life than theirs."

Shen Jiutai: Good point, that mark says she's a Lord.

Li Mei: Ok, but why drug her?

Rae: Could it have been her father that did it?

Gabriel Keats: "Yeah. Them Dragons're real self-sacrificin'."

Shen Jiutai: Newhall, did Xiao Li say Cap'n? Didn't you guys go there while I was laid up?

Rae: Yeah, was one of the places we hit.

Shen Jiutai: Didn't that Locum guy say he was sent to Burnet from Newhall? What was that other guys name? The one doin' the sendin'?

Rae: I'm having some difficulty jogging my memory. Heir. Yeah. Heir. That guy. Was, yeah I guess he was a dragon lord.

Shen Jiutai supresses her rage. "Heir? Could it be the same guy?" her voice trails off.

Rae: IT would be my luck. our luck.

Shen Jiutai: "He didn't call himself Storm or somesuch? Tempist? ...what was it?" She taps her fingers "...Whirlpool?"

Rae Overholt smirks, thinking of a few words she'd have chosen for him. "Storm might have been it yeah"

Li Mei: I thought it was Maelstrom?

Rae: Yeah, that'd be it.

Shen Jiutai: Maelstrom! Yup, that's the guy! Cap'n, may I please kill this kid?

Rae: As much as I'd like.

Gabriel Keats gives Shen a look.

Rae: Not until we find out what's going on. Jadi knows we botched that job so I dont want her to get wind somehow of us murdering his kid.

Gabriel Keats: "It's a ruttin' kid. We ain't killing her."

Shen Jiutai pouts. She looks at Gabe with a cold eye, "If you had seen what this girl's Pa did to kids on my world..."

Gabriel Keats: "Then I'd be like to put a few bullets into *him*. Ain't her fault who her dad is."

Shen Jiutai sulks, knowing Gabe to be right, but not willing to agree.

Rae: C'mon folks. Cheer up. We might get paid for this.

Gabriel Keats: "Pay is good."

Rae: Ok, so at this point, we got someone possibly related to Maelstrom, mystery boxes and possibly a black ship on our tail after this girl.

Li Mei looks over at the captain, "Oh, captain, before I forget .. I've received word from the Guild on Beaumonde."

Rae: What did they say?

Li Mei: They are requesting my ... assistance. It seems they have a bit of a backlog.

Rae: Well that's good news for you isn't it? Where do you need to go first? Shuttle working ok since you last flown it?

Li Mei shrugs, "It could be good news or not. It all depends on who the clients are. Whether they need me or not, I won't accept a client I don't feel comfortable with. The shuttle seems to be fine, but it doesn't have the range to get there, does it?"

Rae: No, but once we get there, will everything be within reach of the shuttle for you? Or will they want you to go offworld for some appointments?

Li Mei: I'm not sure ... so far all they have told me is that they would like my help. I don't know who the potential clients are.

Rae: Well I hope they're all to your liking.

Li Mei smiles, "So do I."

Shen Jiutai grins at Li Mei, "Do they ever want to 'take you away from all this'?"

Rae: So we get there and you should be ok with the shuttle. Who wants to find papa?

Li Mei grins at Shen, "Sometimes they do. But they usually want me to be little more than a sex slave ... and that I won't do."

Shen Jiutai raises an eyebrow, "Really? then why were there those ropes on your bed when we got the shuttle back from that Fan kid? Don't try to pretend you only tie THEM up!"

Li Mei laughs, "Oh, well ... there is a difference between playing a slave and being one."

Shen Jiutai smirks, "Riiiight!"

Rae Overholt's head swishes over to Li and Shen. "Should I be hearing this?"

Li Mei looks at Rae and smirks, "I don't know ... that depends on what you're into."

Rae: "Well I dont reckon I'm into anything lately." She crosses her arms and looks rather sulky.

Shen Jiutai giggles at Rae's discomfort.

Li Mei: Sorry, Captain. Would you like to borrow my rope?

Rae Overholt throws her hands up, "Why? My boyfriend left me"

Li Mei: To punish him?

Gabriel Keats turns a rather admirable shade of crimson.

Rae: "Hmm, tempting." She turns to eye Gabe.

Li Mei chuckles

Gabriel Keats: "I prostrate m'self before ya, Cap'n," he deadpans.

Li Mei: I have a whip too ..

Shen Jiutai carefully doesn't mention the 'other things' that were scattered around the shuttle.

Rae: A whip would be good.

Gabriel Keats bows deeply, the crimson gone, half-smirking.

Rae: So Gabe? Picking up anything interesting?

Gabriel Keats raises in one, smooth motion. Tosses his hair back with a flick of the head. "She's scared of somethin'. Demons?"

Rae: Personal demons, we'd know about that.

Gabriel Keats: "Scared of something. . .smile like the crack of dawn. The storm. Like you said. The Maelstrom..."

Rae: Scared of her father?

Gabriel Keats: "Don't know. . . It's all jumbled. Think it's separate. He's happy, I think." His rim accent is gone. "Something positive."

Rae: Yeah just like he was happy to marry off his gay boy to the new sex toy for his boys.

Gabriel Keats: "You asked for what I saw. You contracted for it. It's what I see."

Shen Jiutai shrugs, puzzeled by the Mystery of Gabe's visions, "Well, anybody hungry? I'm starvin'."

Rae: Food would be good.

Li Mei: I'm famished. What's for dinner?

Gabriel Keats: "Not hatin' that idea." He shakes his head as though clearing it

Shen Jiutai heads towards the gangway to the Galley, "I'll see what we got." She speeds her ascent as the thought of distraction compells her.

Dana's Journey

She felt cold as she huddled out of the rain. Pulling her jacket tighter around her waist she shivered. She knew she was underdressed for this type of weather, but hopefully she would be out of it soon, she thought to herself. She fidgeted as her eyes scanned the crowd that managed to press into this place despite the weather.
Dana Malestrom was looking for someone she'd never met, a complete stranger, but someone like her. Someone she knew should be here. Someone who would help. Someone else in her clan. It amazed her how the rain barely slowed things down. 'It must rain here a lot,' she mused as she watched an old man on a bicycle threading his way through the chaos. A young man passed her, carting his luggage, eyes wide at the scene, he looked fresh from the frontier. She wondered how long he'd last.
Eventually her eyes fell upon a figure across the way, sheltering under an overhang where he could survey the entire docks, a position similar to her own. Soon he looked at her. His smooth face bore the tattoo of the Dragons. He was an ally. His jaded eyes lingered on her for a second, then resumed their vigil.

Relying on her kinsmen was the last thing she pictured herself doing when she set foot on Osirsis six months ago. She allowed herself a small chuckle as she thought of the day she stepped off of the transport into the bright sun. In retrospect, she must have looked like that young farm-boy that just passed. For a moment she was there on that day, the cleanliness of a core world, the affluence. She had run away from home to make a name for herself, to find her place in the 'Verse, to prove that she could be more than merely her father's daughter. Of course it wasn't long before she was just another beggar haunting the fringes of the black-out zone, living hand to mouth.

Crossing the square towards the stranger whom she hoped would soon become her savior, she reflected on what a menacing countenance could do for maintaining respect and obedience. The Dragons have always assisted with trade on the border worlds, and the rim, finding suppliers for the merchants, and merchants for the buyers. Facilitators for those that might not be able to establish their own client base, willing to look beyond the tight restrictions that the Alliance might impose upon free trade. As she moved forward she felt the dizziness return, for a moment, then subside. 'Not now, please not now' she thought as she paused to regain her balance.

Asa glanced at Dana as she paused in the throng, his face impassive. She obviously presented only a minor threat, if any at all. Her stance betrayed that she had martial training, but her mind was clearly dealing with some internal conflict, some force within her that she was suppressing. As she came closer he hoped it was not contagious. Watching her approach he kept his expression unmoving, and when she made eye contact he was as still as a statue. Dana made a small gesture with her fingers, then pulled back her left sleeve, enough to show the small tattoo on her fore-arm. Asa's eyes shot to Dana's forearm for a second, then he nodded and spoke into his comm-link. Another Dragon would soon arrive to take up his vigil. Asa took off his jacket and draped it over the shoulders of the soaked, shivering young girl. The young girl who bore the mark of a lord. They left the New Baltimore Docks, and the appalling weather.

The word on Osiris was that a quick way to make some silver was to give blood at the local clinic. Soon it became routine, and Dana visited as often as they would allow her. After a few weeks, a friendly man appeared at the clinic and talked to Dana as she was hooked up to the IV. He informed Dana that the Medical Academy was looking for subjects for an upcoming study, most of which were probably going to be a control group, simply housed and fed in their luxurious facility, and treated the same as the real test subjects. It meant three weeks of a clean bed, hot showers and warm meals, in addition to pay. "That's right," the researcher informed Dana as his eyes lingered on Dana's forearm, "we'll pay you to simply be our guest for a few weeks." It was an offer Dana couldn't refuse. And now, while soaking in her first hot bath since leaving Osiris, she was convinced that it was the smartest choice she had made in her life.
The time in the clinic was pleasant enough, she had a room with a bit of a view of downtown, there was a cortex server and a gym. The meals weren't bad either, all she had to put up with, after the initial examination, was a series of injections and the constant monitoring. Oh, and the sessions.
Dr Miles was this nice woman that met with Dana every afternoon to talk. Dr Miles explained that the sessions were to see how subjects responded to the drugs they received, so she patiently but persistently bombarded Dana with questions to establish a 'baseline', although they didn't seem to be about her health. "Where did you grow up? Did you have any close friends as a child? What kind of activities did you excel at? What was your favorite class in school?" At first Dana was reluctant to reveal much about herself, but Dr Miles did not press when Dana did not want to respond, and she put Dana at ease with her easy and relaxed manor, so unlike most doctors.
Eventually Dr Miles broke through the shell, and Dana opened up, telling about the pressure to be strong like her father because someday she would have to take over for him, and how it seemed like her whole life was planned out for her, and she had to run away. She only mentioned that she felt she had to leave the family home on Newhall. The island they lived on was too confining, she said.
She never mentioned the fact that her father had built an empire in the underworld of the Hera system, using the chaos after the war to establish business connections with some of the seedier purveyors of contraband, drugs and slaves. He would make an offer, and if they refused, they would find something they cherished 'accidentally' destroyed, or, if there was someone else willing to cooperate operating in the same market, the accident might be of a more personal and permanent nature.
Dana always did like the times they brushed on genetics in school, and she pretended that biology was her favorite class, even though she would often stare out the window waiting to get out of there, and to the dojo. Dr Miles seemed quite happy to talk about the test Dana was involved in, and everything she mentioned about it always left Dana asking more questions. Dana came to learn that the Medical Academy was experimenting with encoding a person's genetic sequence, their DNA with information that could be retrieved later. The process would only re-sequence a small portion of the genetic code, but it was of a temporary nature. After a few weeks, the natural genetic code would reform. What would be encoded? Well, all sorts of things, possible genetic mutations, for example, or data that could be moved from one place to another without detection by the most sophisticated scanning devices. A single drop of blood to the receiving party, before the encoded information degrades, and the message is delivered. Dana never thought to look at the explanations she was given with a critical eye. This was the Medical Academy, at the cutting edge of science, and people like Dr Miles wore white smocks and spoke with authority about such things. Besides, why would such a nice lady lie to her anyways?
When the three weeks were up, she was taken to an office where Dr Yoshikawa, the man that found her at the blood bank told her the experiment was a success. He marveled at Dana's youthful stamina and the compatibility of Dana's genetic code to the technique they were refining. He also asked if Dana had any plans after leaving the clinic, and if she might consider 'field testing' the process. He offered more pay, and a comfortable berth on a passenger ship to the frontier. She would, if she desired be given a round trip ticket.
Dana accepted the offer.
As she was being prepped to receive the injection that would begin to alter her genetic code, Dana was given a lot of forms to sign. Non-disclosure forms, hold-harmless forms, the list went on. In the process of dealing with the paperwork, Dr Yoshikawa left Dana alone in his office with a tablet containing her file. She snuck a peek. The code they were imposing on her own was a template for enhanced human abilities. If she understood things correctly, an embryo treated with this code would grow up to be more than human. This was big. Why they were sending her to the rim with this template printed in every cell of her body, she had no idea, but it was clear that this was no simple experiment. She immediately thought of her father, and how proud he would be if she presented him with this.
As she was packing what few items she owned for the journey, she was supprised by a visit to her room by Dr Miles, who wished her a safe trip. As she was leaving, she discretely placed a slip of paper in Dana's hand. It contained a cortex address and the simple message "Call me!" She stuffed it into her pack and quickly forgot about it.
The trip on the transport was uneventful, Dana spent her days working out and planning how to jump ship and get home to Newhall. A dizzyness would sweep over from time to time, causing her to stumble on the treadmill, or stop her kicking the punching bag. She suspected there would be a welcoming committee on Beylix, and wondered what they needed uber-men for on that god-forsaken rock. Jumping ship was merely a matter of walking down the gangway when it made it's first stop on Jiangyn. She cursed at the rain as she disappeared into the crowd of the New Baltimore Docks.


"I hope you're comfortable in there, I've got some dry clothes about your size coming, my sister Kamiko is on her way." Asa said from outside the door. Asa was an up and coming Dragon, at 25 he had already become in charge of the New Baltimore docks, a responsibility he took very seriously. Asa wasn't directly related to the head of the Jiangyn Dragons, the mark on his face there as a constant reminder of his oath of loyalty. He had to be sure that whomever this young thing soaking in his tub was, she would speak highly of his courtesy and professionalism.
Dana eventually emerged, sheepishly wearing Kamiko's sweats. Asa smiled as the two girls explored his kitchen, and as they found it only contained tea, he suggested a delivery. After a warm meal and a cup of sake, Asa patiently waited for Dana to tell her story.
Dana explained that she carried within her something very important, something that would give the Dragons a great advantage, and she needed contact her father, Heir Maelstrom. Asa arraigned a
secure wave, and as Asa and Kamiko watched, Dana was reunited with Heir via video link. Heir expressed gratitude to Asa, the finder of his wayward daughter, and asked him to find quiet transport for her back home to Newhall.
Asa was so excited about the opportunity to please a Dragon lord from the border worlds, that he enthusiastically found a ship and made the arrangements using an admirable level of discretion. When everything was set, he came home and informed Dana and her new friend, Kamiko, of her itinerary.
What nobody in Asa's apartment knew, however, was that Kamiko's new boyfriend was a member of a rival gang, the Tigers, and the new bracelet he had given Kamiko was in fact a listening device.

The journey from Jiangyn to Paquin aboard the cargo boat Ophelia was quiet and unremarkable. It isn't until Dana is repacking her belongings as the boat is nearing the rendezvous for the final leg of her journey, that Dana came across Dr Miles's note and cortex addy. Using a private terminal that Captain Able kindly provided, she contacted the good doctor. Dana was pleased to see Dr Miles face again, but the happiness soon faded.
"I had hoped you would have contacted me much sooner, there isn't much time. You must come see me at once! Lives are at stake! Your life is at stake! What you are carrying is very dangerous, and the academy and Dr Yoshikawa have misled you!" The doctor's words confused and alarmed Dana. "Thank the heavens you are returning to the Border worlds, before you go home, you must see me. I will make my way to Beaumonde, contact me at this address when you are near, it is very important that you see me!"
The conversation is cut short as the link is severed, stuffing the paper in her pocket, she emerges from the Captain's cabin to find the crew in a high state of anxiety. They are being followed, and the other ship is demanding Ophelia to power down and hand over their passenger. "Me?" she asks no one in particular, as Captain Able orders a hard burn. Bracing herself from the sudden acceleration, Dana reaches for the closest hand-hold, a latch to an escape-pod hatch.