Rae Overholt searches under the table for the fork she dropped.
Xiao Li Marshall paces back and forth in the galley, too restless to stay in the cockpit.
Rae Overholt: "Gal darn, I swear I'm gonna start eating with my fingers!!"
Li Mei looks down at Rae, "Careful … there might be bugs down there.
Rae Overholt looks up, banging her head on the bottom of the table. "OW, Gorramit!! There better not be bugs on our ship!!" She works her way out from under the table, fork in her hand and goes to plop it in the sink.
Xiao Li Marshall: Then it must be gremlins that Nigel keeps chasin' across the ship in the middle of the night.
Rae Overholt reaches up with a hand to rub her neck. "I think we need new bunk mattresses."
Li Mei notices Rae rubbing her neck, "Not sleeping well? You look really tense."
Rae Overholt shakes her head, "No, just, just a little stiff is all." She raises her arms, working them around in circles and then bending them, placing a hand on her elbow and pulling to stretch out her back. She knocks something else off the counter and dives down to retrieve it, chasing it as it skitters along. "Gorramit!"'
Dana Maelstrom rolls over to her back and snores.
Li Mei watches Rae trying to work out the stiffness, "You know, Captain, crawling down there after every little thing is not going to help that stiffness."
Rae Overholt sighs, "No, but unless someone graces me with some grace it seems its my fate tonight." She stands up, placing the cup a little harshly on the counter with a big sigh as she leans over, stretching again.
Li Mei smiles, "I don't know if I have any grace … but I am well versed in several forms of massage. If you like, I think I could help."
Rae Overholt looks up and glances over her shoulder, "How much is it gone cost me?"
Shen Jiutai nods to the doctor during her workout.
Li Mei stands up from the table and shakes her head, "This one will be on the house. No payment necessary. You've done too much for me already."
Luke Hu enters the common room, "Ladies. How are you today?"
Rae Overholt grins widely, "I'm all for it then! Where you need me?"
Li Mei: Follow me, Captain … I have what can pass for a massage table in my shuttle.
Rae Overholt: "Doc. bigger question, how is our passenger?" She glances to Xiao Li, "You're like a long tailed cat in a room full of rockers, what's wrong with you?" She nods to Lena. She bends to tie her laces before following Lena.
Luke Hu: She should be resting and conserving her energy.
Li Mei walks out of the galley, grabbing Rae by the hand as she walks past and leading her to the shuttle.
Xiao Li Marshall: Just don' like it is all. Havin' this kid on our ship with a bug that any of us could catch if that Blue Sun doctor was lyin'...
Dana Maelstrom sighs as she rolls over.
Rae Overholt follows her, startled by the familiarity but shrugging it off.
Xiao Li Marshall opts to go pace down on the cargo bay catwalks instead.
Shen Jiutai glances to the catwalks and grins at Xiao Li.
Xiao Li Marshall: "Wei. You fightin' gremlins too?" She stops in mid-stride, frowning.
Shen Jiutai grins, "Always."
Xiao Li Marshall: "Hold up... think we got a wave comin' in." She flips her goggles down, "Can't tell what it is yet... I'd better go up to the bridge, equipment's better there."
Shen Jiutai stops her katas and walks over to the weight bench.
Xiao Li Marshall heads for the cockpit at a brisk walking pace.
Luke Hu heads to his quarters to change.
Shen Jiutai sets down the weights and heads for the shower.
Luke Hu notices it sure is quiet on the ship tonight.
Dana Maelstrom wakes up from a deep sleep, disorientated slightly she heads towards shower to splash water on her face.
Shen Jiutai shrieks as Dana opens the door to the shower.
Dana Maelstrom drops her jaw at the sight on Shen's back... she steps backwards.
Shen Jiutai yelling, runs to her bunk and emerges with her katana.
In the shuttle Li Mei removes her bracelets and retrieves some fragrant lotions from a chest under the bed
Rae Overholt sits down on a cushion and waits, never having gotten any real massages in her life.
Li Mei smiles at Rae, "OK … I could do this with you sitting there, but I think it will feel much better if you lay on the bed. I promise the sheets have been washed."
Rae Overholt lets out an oddly embarrassed giggle and gets up to get comfortable on the bed, "Suppose that means things come off then?"
Li Mei laughs, "Well, I can't very well work out the kinks in your muscles if I can feel them."
Li Mei: Go ahead and take off your jacket and top. I promise you don't have anything I haven't seen before."
Rae Overholt sighs, rolls on her stomach, wriggles around to reach down to pull off her jacket and shirt.
Li Mei climbs on the bed, straddling Rae. She squeezes lotion into her hands and rubs them together, "My hands are a bit cold. But they should warm up pretty quickly."
Rae Overholt sinks face first into the bed, sighing as Li begins to work stiff tired muscles. Her dragon tattoo stands out loudly on her naked skin, testifying to her dragon run-ins.
Li Mei begins at Rae's shoulders, gently kneading them to work out the tension. She notices the tattoo but says nothing. She works her way down Rae's back, using the heel of her hand to work out the tensest knots.
Rae Overholt turns her head to the side, resting her cheek on her folded hands, "That's nice. Never had one of these before."
Li Mei smiles, "Everyone should have a good massage once in a while. It's good for your spirit as well as your body."
Rae Overholt winces as Li gets to a particularly tender spot, "I'd rather not need them to be honest. 'Think when you get to the point of needin' them, your body and spirit is doing right poorly."
Dana Maelstrom, frightened, runs for the bridge, as she passes the hatchway to shuttle #2 she opens it and dives inside.
Li Mei nods, "Life tends to wear on everyone eventually. Never having any tension would mean you're not living." She hears the door open just as she realizes she didn't lock it.
Dana Maelstrom, out of breath bursts into the shuttle, "Help!!! She's gonna kill me!"
Rae Overholt's head jerks around, wincing as she does so and her neck catches, "What the? Who?"
Dana Maelstrom sees the tattoo on Rae's back and stops cold.
Li Mei leans back, "Why are you bursting in here uninvited?"
Rae Overholt's eyes narrow at Dana and she says coldly, "What?"
Shen Jiutai bursts into the shuttle, Katana drawn, and points it at Dana.
Rae Overholt lifts a finger and points at Dana and then at Shen as she runs in after... Dana and says coldly, "DO NOT MAKE ME GET UP!"
Li Mei puts her hands on her hips and glares at Dana and Shen, "Why the hell is everyone coming in here UNINVITED!"
Dana Maelstrom: Help!!! She's gonna kill me!!!
Shen Jiutai, dripping wet and dressed only in a towel glares at Dana, then sees Rae's back... "Cap'n... she knows."
Rae Overholt: Well, then I say we debate dumping her out the airlock.
Li Mei shouts, "There's already been one killing in this shuttle! There'd damn well better not be another one!"
Rae Overholt: Oh Li, the dyin' will happen out of the shuttle. Don't worry.
Dana Maelstrom looks at the two Tattooed women, "What in the...? You're property?"
Rae Overholt raises an eyebrow at Dana, "I look like property to you?"
Dana Maelstrom stutters.... "Errr no you don't.... but wha??? How??? That tattoo...?"
Rae Overholt glares, "That tattoo was gotten savin' someone's life. Don't mean I'm owned by nobody. 'Specialy the likes a your daddy."
Shen Jiutai growls, "Just let me kill her, and be done with it."
Xiao Li Marshall knocks on the shuttle door. "Cap'n? We got a distress signal comin' in..."
Luke Hu: I heard yelling, is everything all right... what's going on?
Rae Overholt drags the sheets up to cover her chest as Dr. Hu arrives.
Dana Maelstrom looks around as the rest of the crew bursts in.
Li Mei sighs, "Is everyone on this ship going to come in here without knocking now?"
Shen Jiutai: I'll take her to the airlock... there won't be any mess.
Rae Overholt: "From who?" her attention goes to Xiao Li, ignoring Dana for the moment.
Xiao Li Marshall: Dunno yet. I can't get a read on the ship it's comin' from, an' the call doesn't give any details.
Li Mei stands up, reaches over to the cushion to grab Rae's shirt and jacket and hands them to her.
Xiao Li Marshall: It's only a few hours out of our way...
Rae Overholt takes them, doing her best to slip them on without flashing anyone. "All right, slip in closer but anything odd you get us out of there."
Xiao Li Marshall: Funny thing, I coulda sworn it sounded like that hotshot Browncoat pilot from Washtown... what was his name? Vertex?
Luke Hu leaves the shuttle so she has privacy to dress.
Rae Overholt: Vertigo?
Xiao Li Marshall: Yeah, that's it!
Rae Overholt: Ahh diyu, Go see if its him.
Xiao Li Marshall: Will do, Cap'n.
Shen Jiutai: C'mon Cap'n can I just kill her a little bit?
Dana Maelstrom steps back.
Rae Overholt: Lock her in her room.
Shen Jiutai: OK
Xiao Li Marshall heads back out toward the cockpit.
Shen Jiutai: "Come with me... YOU!" She points her sword at Dana's neck.
Dana Maelstrom looks to the Captain, "What?"
Shen Jiutai: She said you're going to your bunk, now move!!!
Dana Maelstrom starts towards the door.... "But.... but..."
Rae Overholt: Don't 'but' me, you just called me property!
Shen Jiutai: I ain't gonna kill you 'less the Cap'n says so... MOVE!!!
Dana Maelstrom sinks, crestfallen, and walks out of the shuttle.
Shen Jiutai follows.
Rae Overholt: "Guess that means the massage is over." She sighs as she drags her coat on and heads back down to the ship, muscles tighter than ever.
Li Mei folds her arms across her chest and sighs, "I'm sorry, Captain. Next time I'll lock the door. I really didn't think that would have been necessary." She follows the others back to the ship.
Rae Overholt: Well, guess my crew needs some manners.
Shen Jiutai takes Dana to her bunk and locks her in.
Rae Overholt makes her way back up to the galley, demeanor somber. "How'd that girl get loose?" She gives the doctor an accusatory stare.
Luke Hu: I have no idea
Rae Overholt: Thought you were keeping her medicated.
Luke Hu: She got her last dose 6 hours ago. Should keep an elephant asleep for a day.
Li Mei walks back into the galley, pulls a chair back from the table and sits down.
Luke Hu: Only thing I can think is that her metabolism is accelerated to burn it off faster. I am reluctant to increase the dosage as it could damage her liver and other vital organs.
Rae Overholt: What would giving her a truth serum do?
Luke Hu: Well, except for maybe her recipe for mud pies when she was 4 likely not much.
******************
Forward in the cockpit, Xiao Li makes contact with the drifting transport ship Hornet.
Xiao Li punches in the code to respond to the distress signal. "This is Firefly class transport 'Raven.' Have received your signal and am en route to your location."
Vertigo Hawks 's voice crackles over the wave, "Mei Mei? Is dat you? Wow!! Da Raven... my old friends!!! Ya gotta help us, dese women is drivin' me nuts!"
Xiao Li Marshall: We're on our way, Hawks. Should be there in a couple hours.
Vertigo Hawks: "Tank de gods!!! It's good to hear your voice again Red!" Vertigo coughs before clicking off.
*******************
Xiao Li Marshall jogs back to the galley door. "Cap'n? Got an update on Vertigo..."
Rae Overholt crosses her arms, then curses as she drops something out of her pocket and has to bend to retrieve it. She crawls under the table yet again, stretching for it.
Li Mei chuckles, "Any more incidents like that, and I think Shen will take care of her liver."
Rae Overholt: "Give me that update Xiao Li." She calls from under the table.
Luke Hu: In her condition any 'truth serum' would make it hard to differentiate between truth and fantasy. We wouldn't know what she says is truth or fantasy.
Xiao Li Marshall: He's got a boatload of passengers and a dead engine. Needs mechanical assistance.
Rae Overholt: "I just want to know if she's going to open her mouth about what she's seen. Any danger around him Xiao Li?" She stands back up, sticking the item back in her pocket.
Xiao Li Marshall: None I can pick up. Permission to send a response?
Luke Hu: I recommend either restraints or confinement to quarters but doing so would lose what little trust we have built in her.
Rae Overholt: Sure thing Xiao Li, on a secure channel.
Xiao Li Marshall nods and returns to the cockpit.
Rae Overholt: I say confinement. You get close to her doc. Find out if she's worth an ounce of salt for trusting.
Luke Hu: I think she is scared of what is happening outside and inside of her.
Rae Overholt: She should be.
Luke Hu: Cant blame her for wanting to get away, but she doesn't know what's good for her OR who to listen to that can tell her.
Rae Overholt: Then you do it.
Luke Hu: What EXACTLY do you want me to do?
Shen Jiutai makes her way into the common room, "She's all locked up... what are we gonna do with her?"
Luke Hu: I am not going to do anything to hurt her.
Rae Overholt: We're taking a wait and see approach Shen.
Luke Hu: Poor girl has been through enough.
Rae Overholt glares at the doctor, "What part of what I said indicated I wanted you to hurt her?"
Luke Hu: I am wanting to be clear on WHAT exactly it is you want done to her. Just so we are crystal.
Shen Jiutai chuckles to herself, "Shoulda seen how our last passenger ended up."
Rae Overholt: "I want YOU to tell her what's good for her and to have her listen to YOU. That's what gorramit!! She gives me trouble or my crew trouble though and I wont stand for it. You make THAT crystal clear to her." She points a finger at him to emphasis her words.
Luke Hu: Alright. I'll will do my best.
Li Mei: Doctor, no one on this ship wants to hurt anyone. Well, maybe Shen. B ut no one else. Just get close to her, gain her trust. You're a doctor, you should be doing that anyway.
Luke Hu: "I had medicated her, I went to catch 40 winks while she was out, next thing I know I am running to shuttle where she is half naked and you all are ready to 'throw her out the airlock,' so you understand if I am a bit defensive in that I have no idea what the hell happened." He glares back at the captain.
Rae Overholt: NAKED? You going blind doctor? Shen and I were the only half naked ones there!!
Shen: She walked into the shower while I was there... she saw my Tattoo...
Luke Hu: My mistake...I averted my eyes and listened to what was said. And again... I DONT KNOW what is going on! Aside from being accused of her getting out. Where did you confine her?
Shen: In her bunk. I guess we ought ta 'splain what alla this means...
Luke Hu: "I'll give her another dose and hopefully it will keep her out for at least 5 hours." He begins to head towards the medbay.
Shen Jiutai watches the doc leave the room... "Or not."
Rae Overholt: What's she doing now? Sulking or sitting scared?
Luke Hu catches part of what Shen had said and comes back in. "What?"
Shen: "She was looking pretty scared when I left her. See Doc, it's like this... both the Cap'n and I were at one time or another branded with Tattoos from the Dragons."
Rae Overholt: Then maybe she's got some sense. Least she isn't pulling the spoiled "I own you you'd better do as I say" bit.
Shen: The Cap'n was captured and marked by a brothel owner... I was marked by her dad, when I was a girl.
Rae Overholt: Well, not s'much captured as volunteered myself for duty.
Li Mei raises an eyebrow at the captains comment, "Volunteered?"
Shen: He has three of my sisters working for his family in different parts of the Hera system.
Rae Overholt nods, "Was trying to get a girl out."
Luke Hu fumbles in his med pouch looking for right tool.
Li Mei nods her head, "I see"
Luke Hu: You know tattoos are not a problem anymore.....I could remove them if you want with this....would only take 3 sessions over a few days.
Shen: "These things are burned in at the molecular level doc, if they could be removed.... believe me it would be gone. And now lil sister there sees we 'belong' to her... And here we are delivering her home to daddy, who'll prolly just lock us away..." She looks to Rae, "Cap'n, this is getting worse and worse."
Rae Overholt: Reckon?
Li Mei: Maybe she could be convinced not to tell daddy?
Shen: Think she'd listen?
Luke Hu: We wont know until we try
Li Mei shrugs, "She did say she wanted out of the family business, didn't she?"
Rae Overholt: Going to have to be someone more persuasive than me doin' it. You know, even if she listens, she could hold it over our heads forever. Make us in her debt.
Shen: Who are you thinking Cap'n?
Rae Overholt: Don't know yet. I'm thinkin' she needs a decent role model. Maybe find a way to spin this thing, so she doesn't want to go home. Drop her with someone decent. Teach her a new life.
Luke Hu: Maybe someone with diplomatic skills and training, like... oh..I don't know... A companion maybe?
Shen Jiutai looks up to Xiao Li, "What was that all about? Did I hear something about Vertigo?"
Rae Overholt: Yeah, we look to have some cargo soon. In the form of people.
Shen: Oh goodie! Let's just have a party, shall we?
Xiao Li Marshall: Yeah. Got a distress call from 'im. Got a dead engine and a boatload o' cranky passengers.
Rae Overholt: Well, we'll want them to stay in cargo area, so we got anything we want hidden locked tight?
Li Mei sigh deeply, "If I must, I suppose I could try."
Shen: How we gonna teach her a new life, Heck, she stands to inherit an empire worth billions!
Li Mei: One she indicated she didn't want.
Shen Jiutai grumbles, "We'll see how long that lasts."
Rae Overholt watches them, letting them talk it out.
Shen: Look, how do we know she ain't just gonna see her dad, get all warm and fuzzy and "Oh I missed you so much, Look what I brought you, two new servants!"
Li Mei shakes her head, "We don't. But what alternative is there?"
Luke Hu: OK, who says YOU two have to be there when she gets dropped off?
Shen: I say we push her off on the closest rock... perhaps Rol was right after all.
Luke Hu: If the problem is that you two think you are going to be taken then DONT go. The rest of us can do it.
Shen Jiutai sighs, "It won't matter... they know us... they hired us... they pay for our gas. If we bolt, then they'll simply wanna shoot us out of the sky.
Luke Hu: well there is another option.
Shen Jiutai listens.
Luke Hu: I can perform surgery...cut out the tattooed skin and then grow you skin back slowly over the areas where the tattoo was. You two would be out of commission for several weeks BUT you would no longer have it hanging over your heads.
Rae Overholt glances to Xiao Li, "How close are we to Vertigo?"
Shen Jiutai grimaces.
Luke Hu: We would have to get to a med center that has the skin growth lattice work so I can custom fit it to your skin area.
Xiao Li Marshall: 'Nother couple hours, Cap'n.
Li Mei shakes her head, "At this point, the tattoos are irrelevant, aren't they? She already knows about them."
Luke Hu: Well if they don't have the tattoos to prove her story then they are off the hook.
Shen Jiutai looks to Rae, then to the Doc, "Well, my Tat is only on my shoulder... Cap'n's is her whole back."
Luke Hu: Well....it would take time.....have to do it in stages.
Xiao Li Marshall is grimly silent... rubbing her hand over the inside of her right forearm.
Luke Hu: But would take months to complete it.
Shen Jiutai nods to Li Mei, "Yeah, she knows... she'll tell."
Li Mei: And I imagine her daddy would believe her, tattoos or no.
Luke Hu: With a virus raging thru her system making her incoherent? I think there would be room for doubt in anything she says.
Shen Jiutai shakes her head.
Luke Hu: Besides she is paranoid about her Father and his 'business' right now
Rae Overholt: Paranoid how?
Luke Hu: Not wanting to go back to it, afraid. She is out of her element and trying to get away from all she has known, so naturally she knows her father is looking for her. I think slight paranoia in likely in her condition and situation. I think our best option is that if we can get your tats removed, then drop her off with Daddy, even if she says she saw them, he is going to see her condition and know she may have imagined it.
Rae Overholt: WE don't have MONTHS to get them removed. We have a week, maybe.
Luke Hu: I gave my best idea under the circumstances. I know we dont have months. I can take care of her shoulder before then, but YOU we have to think of something else. I do have a thought though...
Li Mei laughs, "You have a lot of thoughts, I'm noticing."
Shen Jiutai shakes her head, "Thanks Doc, but no thanks... I've had this thing all through the war, and all it took was one silly shower... but still, I'm keepin' it."
Luke Hu: You have a major problem. Im trying to offer my best ideas for a solution.
Shen Jiutai looks to Rae, "Hell Cap'n, my family, or what's left of 'um are on Hera... perhaps I should just stay there..."
Rae Overholt: Wont that be a bit obvious?
Shen: "I've been hiding from this Hu Don for 15 years... I can handle myself. Well, we'll see, we still have to get her to her precious Dr Miles... Perhaps the quack will kill her for us." Shen Jiutai grumbles and takes a bottle down to the passenger dorm to make noise and terrify the prisoner.
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