Everyone involved thinks we're bein' as honest as possible then we slide right on past...

Shen Jiutai returns to the cargo bay after helping Dr Luke settle into one of the passenger dorms, "Um, Cap'n? can we talk somewhere where..." She nods aft, " ...he can't hear us?"...he

Rae Overholt: I'm good with that.

Rae Overholt makes her way to the cockpit and turns to look at Shen.

Shen Jiutai follows Rae up the stairs to the cockpit.

Gabriel Keats mutters under his breath.

Rae Overholt smacks Roland's butt as she passes.

Shen Jiutai doesn't smack Roland's but as she passes.

Roland Josephus laughs and follows, along with Gabe to the cockpit where Xiao Li is playing video games.

Rae Overholt: Well, question now is, what do we do about our visitor. I'd like a blood sample taken before we "cure" her or whatever it is we choose. Might be nice to have it for the future.

Gabriel Keats: "Wouldn't that be a mite dangerous?"

Xiao Li Marshall: An' I'm thinkin' we should take blood samples from the rest of us, just as maybe that virus is more contagious than the doc thinks.

Rae Overholt: Not if what that doc said is right and it's only dangerous to her family.

Shen Jiutai nods, then looks a little worried at Xiao Li's suggestion.

Xiao Li Marshall: You willin' to risk your life on that 'if', Cap'n?

Gabriel Keats: "How well can we even analyze that go se. . .?"

Rae Overholt: I just want a vial, frozen or stored just incase.

Shen: "Sean was working on it when..." her voice trails off. "Cap'n, can I make a suggestion?"

Rae Overholt nods, "If he died for it, I don't see why we can't keep a bit. What's the suggestion Shen?"

Shen: Well, why don't we just not tell the little princess what Dr Miles told us, and send her home to daddy, with a nice present from us...in her system?

Gabriel Keats: "Well, that ain't likely to bite us in the ass. . ."

Rae Overholt: Well, considering what I think about daddy, I'm surprised I'm going to say this. I can't let a kid die cause her father's a pigu.

Gabriel Keats: "Oh, Wait."

Shen: Cap'n, this is the kind of opportunity that comes by once in a lifetime...

Roland Josephus: I reckon getting killed only comes once in a lifetime too.

Shen: This is Heir Maelstrom we're talking about, he killed my father and put my sisters into indenture.

Rae Overholt: I know it, and it's the kind that could make us extinct. You think folks won't figure out what we did? That doctor will know at least and she seems a might friendly with the dragons.

Shen: Which Doctor? The one on Hera?

Rae Overholt: That'd be her.

Xiao Li Marshall: "...didn't she *make* the virus ta begin with?"

Rae Overholt: Thats what she said, though how the idiot could think it wouldn't be used as a weapon who knows.

Shen: What makes you think she's a Dragon? Seemed kinda... well white to me.

Xiao Li Marshall: I did some diggin' on the Cortex... she's technic'ly still on Blue Sun's payroll.

Rae Overholt: So, you think we're going into a trap? They couldn't get her in secret so they decided to get us to bring her?

Xiao Li Marshall: Been on leave for a while but who knows where her loyalties are.

Rae Overholt: She was going anyway, why send someone to kill Doc at the clinic?

Roland Josephus: More important... How'd they know we'd be there?

Xiao Li Marshall: Maybe they don't want word gettin' around that this kinda thing exists?

Shen nods, "Perhaps they didn't want us to find out the truth about it..."

Gabriel Keats: "too late."

Rae Overholt: Well, she told us, so I guess she isn't on their side. I'd still like a bit of it, for insurance and possible future dealings.

Xiao Li Marshall: I still don't trust that this is gonna stick to one bloodline. I dunno that much about medicine but I *do* know that viruses mutate over time.

Shen: Look, these Dragons have run rough-shot over half the Border worlds, and now they're even on Burnet! This could be our only chance to get rid of them once and for all... She said it would only kill them.

Xiao Li Marshall: An' you're gonna take her word on that?

Rae Overholt: Only kill those particular dragons, which just makes room for more dragons.

Gabriel Keats: "Recombination." He drops the accent for a moment. "If she gets another virus in her system. . ." He stops. Looks at the pipes. "Right. And why're you so keen to trust her?"

Roland Josephus: Its still a killer... 'sides... won't they just try to off us anyhow... Cause now we DO know?

Shen: Well... who knows what we know? That Dr Miles on Hera... I don't think this new guy has the whole picture... and if that guy with the blue hands killed Sean, I'll bet he'd love to know thee whereabouts of Dr Miles.

Rae Overholt's eyes dart back and forth, watching them all and listening.

Roland Josephus: Well... I'd bet if'n he was willin to kill to keep a secret from gettin' out… He'd kill a few more to keep it getting out further… and if Mr. Blue Hand ain't got the girl yet… he's still lookin'.

Shen: What if he's only trying to scare her home? Ta keep her away from Miles?

Roland Josephus: Thats another one of those big "IF's"

Rae Overholt: I want a sample taken, while she's out. Stored, hidden. Don't let the new doc know. Then we finish our job.

Shen Jiutai nods, "Who can do it?"

Roland Josephus: Thats somethen' else that bothers me... Anyone see Mr. Blue Hands other than the new Doc?"

Shen: Hey wait a sec... didn't she say it degrades? We may not have the luxury of time here.

Shen Jiutai nods to Rol, "We saw him, in the clinic the first time, the new Doc couldn't see clearly who was in the process of wreckin' his lab."

Roland Josephus nods.

Shen: "...and killin' Sean, if he really is dead..."

Roland Josephus: Anyone see him kill the Doc?

Shen: Just the new guy...

Roland Josephus: You figure anyone would want to buy this bug? Bad enough someone would want to kill to be able to sell it?

Shen: If we want to keep it, don't we gotta freeze it or somethin'?

Gabriel Keats nods. "Yeah, or it'll go bad."

Rae Overholt: Yeah. I'd guess so.

Roland Josephus: And can anyone vouch for the new guy? ...more so than say that one gal that gassed us?

Xiao Li Marshall: We're in *space.* Can't we just stash it out in the airlock or somethin' like that?

Gabriel Keats: "We do sometimes use the airlock..."

Xiao Li Marshall: I'm just sayin', it shouldn't be that hard to find some cold storage on this boat.

Shen: Hey, what about the liquid hydrogen?

Rae Overholt: We got that?

Shen Jiutai looks at Rol, "We do have H2 tanks, right?"

Roland Josephus: I got some small ones... just for emergency cooling and the like...

Shen: I'll bet Kevin could whip something up... some kind of flask.

Rae Overholt: I'm betting he could.

Shen: So, who sticks her? not me.

Rae Overholt: Gabe? You reckon you could?

Xiao Li Marshall: Not it.

Gabriel Keats: "You want me to rig somethin' mechanical up?"

Rae Overholt: To draw her blood Gabe?

Gabriel Keats: ". . ." mutters under his breath.

Rae Overholt: Well, I figure being military you got more experience than drawing blood than some of the rest of us.

Gabriel Keats: "Gettin' it drawn..." He shrugs. "Ain't got a problem."

Shen: I reckon we should do it while the Doc is distracted...

Rae Overholt nods.

Shen: What do we tell the kid when she wakes up?

Roland Josephus: Lets just snow her.

Rae Overholt: We tell her the truth. No sense in letting her think we're screwing her.

:::The Comm becomes active, and Xiao Li flips a switch.

:::Li Mei: Come in Raven, this is Li Mei... requesting rendezvous

Xiao Li Marshall pulls down the comm. "This is Raven. Hope your day's gone better than ours, Li."

:::Li Mei: My day has gone well, I'll see you in a few minutes.

Xiao Li Marshall: Patching through coordinates now...

:::Li Mei: Coordinates received. Thank you...

Xiao Li Marshall: So are we still gonna try ta find Dr. Miles on Hera or pass her by?

Rae Overholt: Everyone involved thinks we're bein' as honest as possible then we slide right on past with our blood sample. Yeah.

Shen: Hera is right next to Newhall, ain't it?

Rae Overholt: 'S what she said.

Xiao Li Marshall nods.

Shen: That means we still have, what, a week 'fore we're there, right?

Xiao Li Marshall: Give or take, yeah.

Shen: And didn't Dr Miles say we had 3 weeks 'fore she goes nuclear?

Rae Overholt: So you're saying what? Fly around until its too late?

Shen: I'm just sayin' we ain't gotta do a hard burn, 's all.

Rae Overholt: So, you're saying you'll let a kid die, even though she's said she ain't going to do what her daddy's done.

Shen: "Besides... if that blue-hand guy gets to Hera first.... oh well..." She levels her gaze on Rae, "Look Cap'n, this is a DRAGON! She's just her daddy's kid, they are all alike, and that's BAD!!!"

Rae Overholt: She's a kid.

Shen: "They killed my father, and have my sisters indentured, they'd put you and me in a brothel, and prolly kill Kevin. They run slaves! They are EVIL!"

Rae Overholt: They don't have a reason to right now. That kid might make things different.

Shen: She's just waiting to take over for daddy!

Gabriel Keats: "You know that?"

Xiao Li Marshall: Long as she's on this boat, we're *all* at risk one way or another, Shen.

Shen: Then let's get her to Newhall as fast as we can, fake engine failure, something and land there first! Let her ask Daddy to take her to Hera, perhaps he'll catch something.

Rae Overholt: Why? Why land there first? She isn't contagious to them, yet. Wonder why she keeps fallin' asleep.

Shen Jiutai grumbles to herself behind Rae's back, "He chusheng zajiao de zanghuo, they all deserve to die."

Rae Overholt: I agree. All the ones who have done the things to your family do. I'm not killing a kid for it though.

Shen: Cap'n, it ain't like they ain't killed kids, or worse...

Rae Overholt: She hasn't. Not yet.

Shen: She will.

Rae Overholt: Never know. If she does, we'll deal with it then.

Shen Jiutai grumbles to herself some more.

Rae Overholt: Well then, places everyone?

Shen Jiutai nods and sulks off to the galley.

Xiao Li Marshall turns back to the console, prepping the shuttle dock for Li's return.

Shen Jiutai nods to the new doc, and without a word heads to the galley.

Rae Overholt: Well, hello doctor Hu.

Luke Hu: Good evening... or afternoon. hard to tell in space

Rae Overholt: Settled in?

Luke Hu: Yes. Thank you. I appreciate you all making room for me. I can pay of course once we get somewhere where I can find a bank. Not sure when that will be though.

Rae Overholt: You sure you want to tap into your creds and get us all dead?

Shen Jiutai notices the new Doc busy on the bridge, and nods to Gabe, the two disappear down the stairs.

Luke Hu: I didn't think about that. You think hey can track me doing that?

Li Mei walks on board the bridge and looks around, "Hello Captain." She looks at Luke, "What are you doing here? Where is Sean?"

Luke Hu looks around at others not saying anything.

Rae Overholt: Hello Li... Sean, Sean's gone.

Li Mei: Gone? What do you mean 'gone'

Rae Overholt: "He was murdered," she crosses her arms and looks down.

Li Mei's jaw drops, "What?! What happened?"

Rae Overholt: We're not sure yet.

Xiao Li Marshall: Our new passenger, that's what happened.

Luke Hu: I returned to my lab and found him dead. They jumped me but I managed to escape.

Li Mei: Oh my god

Luke Hu: Your friends were gracious enough to help me escape from my attackers.

Rae Overholt: So. As usual, trouble finds us.

Li Mei pauses for a moment, saying a silent prayer for Sean. Eventually she looks back to Rae, "Captain, I hate to ask this now, but if there is any way we could make a stop on Persephone, I would appreciate it. I need to conduct some Guild business there."

Shen Jiutai returns from below decks with Gaberieit'sl, the two head into the galley and the freezer door is heard opening and closing followed by the banging of pots and pans as Shen starts dinner.

Rae Overholt: I think, if it's a fast one.

Li Mei: Thank you, Captain

Xiao Li Marshall: So long as we don't push our speed we got plenty of fuel.

Li Mei looks around again, "What about the girl ... Dana ... is she still on board?"

Rae Overholt: She is, and we have a limited amount of time to get her where she needs to go.

Li Mei nods, "I see. Well, my business with the Guild shouldn't take too long."

Shen Jiutai produces a few seaweed crackers and pours them into a bowl, setting it on the counter before Gabriel. Kevin walks into the room, and is greeted by the two, "Hey Kevin, I got a project for ya," Gabe says.

Li Mei shakes her head, "I can't believe Sean is dead"

Shen Jiutai oils a pan and starts chopping a few fresh vegetables as the two men drift towards the aft of the ship, deep in conversation.

Rae Overholt: Alright then, to be on the safe side, no contact with our guest except for the doctor for the time being.

Shen Jiutai dumps a few peppers into the hot oil, the aroma filling the closed air in Raven's life support system.

Li Mei smells the aroma coming from the galley, "If you'll excuse me, I am famished."

Rae Overholt: I'm going to pass tonight, you folks enjoy.

Li Mei heads for the galley

Roland Josephus: How far out are we from Persephone?

Rae Overholt: Why don't you go get something to eat Doc.

Shen Jiutai grins as Li Mei enters the galley, "How was the sex?" she asks.

Rae Overholt: You too Rol, Xiao li? You want a plate?

Luke Hu: Thank you

Xiao Li Marshall: You bet.

Li Mei glares at Shen for a moment … then grins, "It could have been worse"

Xiao Li Marshall: We're a few hours out still, Rol.

Rae Overholt: You want to get it or you want me to bring it?

Roland Josephus shakes his head, "I got some things need checkin on with the reactor…"

Shen Jiutai grins at the new Doc, and gestures at the crackers with her knife.

Luke Hu: Thank you.

Shen Jiutai pulls some tofu-like substance out of the cupboard and starts cutting it into small cubes.

Rae Overholt goes to get a plate for Xiao li.

Li Mei looks at the new doctor, "I don't believe I even caught your name?"

Shen Jiutai turns and checks on the rice in the rice-cooker. She grins at Rae as she enters the common room.

Luke Hu: I am Doctor Hu

Li Mei nods at Doctor Hu, "A pleasure. I am Li Mei"

Luke Hu: I wish it were under better circumstances

Li Mei looks down, "Yes. This ship could use some better circumstances."

Shen Jiutai cuts some fish-like protein and puts it in a small bowel for Nigel the cat.

Xiao Li Marshall: "Amen to that." She shrugs and heads for the galley herself.

Li Mei takes a seat at the table.

Rae Overholt: I'd have brought you something Xiao Li, though I can't blame you for wanting to socialize.

Xiao Li Marshall: Eh, I get tired o' not knowin' what's goin' on on this boat.

Rae Overholt nods.

Li Mei nods, "I can relate to that. A lot of things seem to happen when I'm not here"

Rae Overholt: I can't hardly keep up myself either.

Shen Jiutai tosses a bunch of ingredients into the wok and pokes the stir-fry with huge cooking chop-sticks, "So Dr New, where do you hail from?" She asks.

Luke Hu: Hu. I originally lived and practiced in Londinium but recently moved from there.

Li Mei looks over at Dr. Hu "And why did you move, Dr. Hu?"

Roland Josephus: Cap'n? Gonna need a word whenever you get a chance....

Shen Jiutai nods as she stirs the meal with one hand, and pulling something out of the fridge with the other.

Luke Hu: Got bored...wanted a challenge out here in this part of the Verse. Never imagined anything like this happening.

Rae Overholt: How about now Rol?

Roland Josephus nods, "Up to you Cap'n."

Li Mei laughs, "Well Doctor, boredom should be the least of your worries now."

Xiao Li Marshall shakes her head. "We *do* seem to go through medics fast, don't we?"

Rae Overholt: "All right." She turns and heads back to the cockpit. "We got reactor problems?"

Shen Jiutai fills the kettle with water and fires up another burner.

Roland Josephus shakes his head, "Naw nothen' like that.. We'll make Persephone here soon… I figure it'll be best if'n you take on a new wrench."

Rae Overholt: Why's that?

Roland Josephus: Engines runnin' good, and you got enough crew to see her through long as it ain't major.

Rae Overholt: We can't do without a wrench Rol. We done something to run you off?

Shen Jiutai pulls a few bowls out of the cupboard and sets them on the counter, along with chop-sticks and napkins.

Roland Josephus shrugs, "You just keep 'em out on the ragged edge Cap'n... Ain't nothen' against any of ye.. I jest can't spend my time wonderin' who we're gonna run afoul of next. I'd never argue ye in front of the crew… It jest ain't fer me."

Rae Overholt: I can understand that. It ain't exactly for me either. Don't seem I got any choices. Between a rock and a hard place it seems.

Roland Josephus: Persephone's got plenty of wrenches… You'll be able to scare one up easy enough.

Shen Jiutai winces as the kettle starts to whine, she pours it into the teapot, and sets it on the counter, followed by a handful of cups.

Rae Overholt sighs, "I can't convince you somehow?"

Shen Jiutai turns off the heat under the wok, and pulls out the sesame oil and soy sauce, carrying them around to the table. She proceeds to move the bowls, cups and utensils over to the table, and to each place setting.

Roland Josephus glances down at the deck, "Wish you could Cap'n… It's a good ship... Crew's nice enough… grub ain't half bad... I jest figure its better. She's runnin' like a top... You should have some time before you need to see to anythen'."

Shen Jiutai finally brings the wok over and sets it in the center of the table, followed by the tea pot. She gestures to those assembled to 'dig in.'

Xiao Li Marshall does so without prompting.

Rae Overholt: Alright. If I can't change your mind.

Li Mei smiles, "Thank you, Shen. It looks delicious"

Rae Overholt: Might as well go eat then.

Shen Jiutai moves over to the comm and after a brief moment of feed-back, "Grub's on!" is heard echoing throughout the boat.

Roland Josephus shrugs, "I got some things to get done… Make sure you'll have plenty of time to find another one… Sides… Got to get packed."

Rae Overholt nods, "All right then"

Roland Josephus nods once, and turns toward the hatch.

Li Mei pours herself a cup of tea and spoons some food into a bowl

Rae Overholt sighs, turns and heads to her bunk.

Shen Jiutai does a quick head count and pulls out four bowls, one for each person absent and sets aside a portion for each of them.

Roland Josephus nods to those in the galley as he passes through, heading for the engine room.