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.

Do we head in to look for survivors?

Shen Jiutai surveys Rae's new jacket, "Have you had that long?, I don't think I've seen you wearing it before."

Rae Overholt: New. Figured I'd hide my back in style.

Shen: Looks good Cap'n... I reckon Paquin has something for all sorts.

Rae Overholt nods.

Xiao Li Marshall: Nice. Didja mug an Independent Vet or somethin'?

Rae Overholt: Well, he was giving me the eye.

Shen Jiutai who is an Independant Vet frowns at Xiao Li's remark.

Xiao Li Marshall: Anybody seen Rol? He on board yet?

Shen Jiutai glances at the door to shuttle #2, "Is that companion gonna show up? Ain't we coming up on that revdezvous?"

Rae Overholt: Haven't seen 'im. How about Li? gabe?

Shen: I think Gabe is crashed out in the longue.

Xiao Li Marshall: Gorrammit. Might as well install a revolvin' door, way people keep comin' and goin'...

Rae Overholt sighs, "Long as Gabe stay's I'm ok with it."

Shen: Can't hardly blame them. Heck everything Paquin has to offer... Did he really do Mime on the street to eat?

Rae Overholt: Kinda what he says.

Xiao Li Marshall: Kinda hard to keep the ship in the air without a mechanic, Cap'n.

Rae Overholt: I agree Xiao li. Might have to learn it myself.

Shen: They say Fireflys ain't that hard to keep up... but it's not like I'd know.

Xiao Li Marshall: I c'n do minor fixes but it ain't really my thing...

Rae Overholt: Well. Let's hope they arent.

Shen: The way Kevin goes on about everything he can do in that shop of his... you'd think we didn't need anyone else.

Xiao Li Marshall: Except that Kevin's always disappearin' too.

Shen Jiutai nods.

Rae Overholt: Maybe we should get one of them tracker implants and put it on them.

Shen: Well, I think I got enough of the rations taken care of for a while, I should be able to come up with a suprise meal or two ya might like.

Rae Overholt: That sounds shiny Shen.

Xiao Li Marshall nods. She tilts her head as she hears clanking and cursing from the general direction of the engine room. "Ah, sound's like Rol's on board after all." She clomps up the stairs and down the hall to the cockpit.

Shen Jiutai checks over the three mystery crates in their hidy-hole before closing it up. She shouts up the gangway, "Everything looks secure here Cap'n!"

Xiao Li Marshall starts flipping switches and grabs the comm. "This is your pilot speaking. I'd suggest everybody buckle up right about now."

Rae Overholt goes to get secure herself "Good Job Shen, buckle up"

Shen Jiutai heads over to her bunk and sits on it, unconcerned, reading a new magazine.

Xiao Li Marshall: Taking off in 3...2...1...

Rae Overholt stares up at the ceiling, wondering what surprises they'll get next.

Xiao Li Marshall pulls back on the throttle and the Raven takes to the sky

Shen Jiutai feels the lurch as the ship's Gravity fights with the moon's gravity, rolling her belly around a bit.

Xiao Li Marshall: Breaking atmo in ten seconds...

Rae Overholt grips the handles of her seat, nails digging in to release some of her pent up anxiety.

Xiao Li Marshall: And we are officially in the black. The pilot has not turned of the 'fasten seat belt' sign, 'cuz we ain't got one.

Shen Jiutai breathes a sigh of relief as Raven soars out into the black, somehow feeling more at home here than on any particular world. She drops the Magazine-sheet and heads up to the Galley. Punching the intercom she asks, "How far out are we Xiao Li?"

Xiao Li Marshall: 'bout five minutes from the renezvous point, give or take.

Shen: "That fast? Hunh, no time to cook anything. for some reason I always get hungry after breakin' atmo." She decides to watch the show and wanders up to the cockpit to gawk out the windows.

Xiao Li Marshall: I work fast.

Shen: I'll say you do. We gettin' there early?

Xiao Li Marshall: I make it a point to show up early. Easier to scout for trouble that way.

Shen: Good plan.

Xiao Li Marshall: Nothin' out of the ordinary on the long-range scanners yet...

Shen Jiutai shifts uncomfortably, "I mean, that Cap'n that gave us this job seemed honset enough, but what do we know 'bout 'im? Did you get a chance to give him the once over?"

Xiao Li Marshall: Seems legit as far as I c'n tell. Either he's who he says he is or he's got a damn good forger workin' for him.

Rae Overholt: And any idea why someone would want us recorded?

Shen Jiutai shakes her head, "Place like that who knows? Prolly lookin' for some kind of advantage over the competition."

Rae Overholt: Shouldn't have gotten much though.

Xiao Li Marshall: I can think of a few reasons. Most of which are marked on our bodes in one way or 'nother.

Shen: Let's hope we're still fairly unknown... not many have seen my Tat.

Rae Overholt: Me either. How the hell did we end up in this anyway?

Shen: Don't look at me, you were the one that took Locum's offer.

Xiao Li Marshall: You'll have to be more specific. We're 'in' a lot of different things right now.

Shen: Good point.

Rae Overholt: Half of us slaves on the run, indebted to a serial killer, nowhere safe in the verse for us?

Shen: There's alot of 'Verse out there...

Rae Overholt: Yeah, all crawling with alliance and dragons.

Shen: yeah..

Raven has arrived at the rendezvous point, and has been waiting for around an hour.

Xiao Li Marshall starts her seventeenth game of Tetris.

Shen Jiutai paces back and forth, bored with the long wait, "Any sign of them yet Cap'n?"

Rae Overholt flips through one of Gabe's books, not really getting why he likes them. "Not Yet Shen. What ya reckon's the holdup? Anything showing on our panels?"

Xiao Li Marshall: "Not so much as a blip. ...wait..." She pauses the Tetris game and leans over toward the comm speakers. "We got a set of headphones someplace?"

Rae Overholt reaches over on the cabinet, flips open a pannel and pulls out a set, tossing it to Xiao Li.

Xiao Li Marshall: "Xiexie." She slips them over her ears and plugs them into the audio-out jack. She frowns. "That can't be good."

Rae Overholt waits, watching her closely.

Xiao Li Marshall: I'm picking up someone else's comm chatter. Real faint, but it sounds like somebody's in trouble.

Rae Overholt 's eyebrows go up. "What? What are they saying? how far out is it?"

Xiao Li Marshall: I can't tell. Any of it. Somebody sounds mad and the other's tryin' to stall, but I can't make out acutal words.

Rae Overholt: Think it could be our party?

Shen Jiutai paces, "Cap'n, this don't sound good, for once I wish Kevin still had those blasted thermopics."

Rae Overholt nods to Shen, "Everyone arm up."

Shen Jiutai nods and checks her magazine.

Xiao Li Marshall looks up abruptly as one of the display screens starts flashing. "We got incoming. Ophelia's just come into sensor range."

Rae Overholt: "The voices you're hearing getting stronger as she comes?"

Xiao Li Marshall: Yeah. Still can't make anything out yet... you want me to pop 'em a wave, make sure everything's shiny?

Rae Overholt: yeah, that'd be good.

Xiao Li Marshall nods, pulls one side of the earphones off so she can hear both comms at once, then punches up the code to open a channel to the incoming ship. "This is Firefly class transport Raven calling the Ophelia... do you read me?...I say again, do you read me, Ophelia?"

Shen Jiutai paces further, "Cap'n I know Kevin would want us to do someting barely within our abilities, but don't ya think it might be better if we laid low to see what's going on?"

Rae Overholt: Fine, but I still want us all armed.

Xiao Li Marshall picks up the comm one more time. "This is the Raven calling the Ophelia. Is anyone there? ...Cap'n? Now the radio chatter's gone dead. This don't smell right."

Rae Overholt curses in chinese, "Well reckon we'd better be prepared for anything."

Shen: Cap'n if this guy is in trouble, perhaps we should go quiet, I mean it ain't like we got ship to ship guns anymore.

Rae Overholt: Let's go dark and watch, see what happens. Fool them if we can then.

Xiao Li Marshall nods and starts powering down the ship's systems. "ROL! We're goin' black!"

<><>Ophelia is now within visual range, she appears to be heading in at high speed, almost as if she isn't intending to stop.<><>

Rae Overholt waits, silent and watching.

Xiao Li Marshall 's jaw clenches.

Shen: She don't look like she's slowing down, is she Xiao LI?

Rae Overholt frowns, puzzled and turns to look for anything chasing the ship, "She being followed? We sure that's her?"

Xiao Li Marshall: Not slowin' down... nothing else on radar... yet.

Xiao Li Marshall: Definitely Ophelia.

Rae Overholt: Did we get her close enough to get any life readings on her before we shut down?

Xiao Li Marshall shakes her head. "That's a neg."

<><>A second ship, black and armed with two rather intimidating looking cannon, appears behind Ophelia, there is no indication of a pulse beacon signal, Raven's active scanners have automatically picked it up and displayed it's speed and heading. It is closing on Ophelia.<><>



Xiao Li Marshall: ...wo de tian a...

Rae Overholt shakes her head and grits her teeth, "Hold tight people. We'll see if there are survivors after its over. We don't have the power to stop this."

<><>As soon as the second ship has closed to within 500 meters, bursts of light appear from the guns and visible tracer rounds fly towards Ophelia, which starts to burn and leak gas into the void.<><>




Xiao Li Marshall 's jaw clenches even tighter.

Rae Overholt: Maybe they'll leave her now.

<><>A few seconds later, there is an explosion, and Ophelia disintegrates before your eyes.<><>




Rae Overholt curses again and covers her eyes a moment. "Hope they didn't see us."

Xiao Li Marshall: Well, fuck. So much for that job.

<><>The predator veers to avoid the wreckage of it's prey, narrowly missing the parts of what was once a well loved and well-tended freighter.<><>



Rae Overholt shakes her head, still watching closely incase they've been discovered.

<><>As the wreckage continues to disperse, the gunboat changes course, and speeds off in the direction of the planet before leaving sensor and visual range.<><>

Rae Overholt: No markings on that other ship? Fit any discriptions you've all heard? Anything?

Xiao Li Marshall: Don't look likely, Cap'n...

<><>From the direction of the wreckage of the Ophelia, a distress beacon is detected, however soon after the signal goes quiet.<><>

Xiao Li Marshall: There was a distress beacon but it's gone dead. Could be just out of power...

Rae Overholt sighs.

Xiao Li Marshall: Do we head in to look for survivors?

Rae Overholt: Let's try. Won't hurt.

<><> As Raven approaches, it becomes clear that there is an escape pod transmitting a weak signal.<><>

Rae Overholt smacks her hand on the control panel, "Yes! Let's get it."

<><>(((Standard rescue protocol allows the rescuing vessel to automatically guide the Escape-Pod in for capture, once they are in close proximity. This was established during the migration from Earth That Was when it was discovered that not all ship-wreck survivors who made it into Escape-Pods could be relied upon to pilot themselves successfully to the variety of different ships that might be giving aid. One unfortunate incident involved a rather enthusiastic teenager who attempted to dock at an un-recommended velocity with an Ark's main reactor core, fortunately the core breach was contained, and the young pilot was the only casualty.)))<><>

Xiao Li Marshall: I need someone down in the cargo bay, please...

Shen Jiutai runs to the gangway, "I'm on it!"

Rae Overholt jumps up and runs down the corridor to the gangplank and cargo area, eager to spot what they have as well.

Xiao Li Marshall grabs the yoke in one hand and the comm in the other. "Okay, Shen, we're doin' a Barn Swallow into the airlock. When I say 'go,' open the outer door, dong ma?"

Shen Jiutai comms back, "Gotchya!"

<><>As Raven approaches, offering sanctuary from the darkness of the black, the wayward pod lingers in space, providing a simple target for Xiao Li to capture.<><>




Xiao Li Marshall steers the ship to within meters of the approaching pod.

Xiao Li Marshall: GO!

Shen Jiutai opens the outer cargo door.

Xiao Li Marshall pushes the ship forward, neatly catching the escape pod in the airlock. There's a loud THUD as it hits the inner door. "Okay, close 'er up."

<><>As the Escape Pod thuds against the inner door of the airlock, Shen hits the red button and the outer door closes. The pressurization procedure is started, and pod drops to the deck as the gravity comes on.<><>

Rae Overholt dashes down the plank to the cargo floor and over to the inner doors. Peering through she looks to see if there's any way to tell what's inside the pod.

Shen Jiutai waits for the airlock to pressurize before opening the inner door..

Xiao Li Marshall locks the console and gallops down the stairs to the cargo bay

<><> A loud alarm sounds.<><>

Rae Overholt: What tha?? Serve me right if that ends up exploding in my cargo bay.

Shen Jiutai walks over to the console and switches off the alarm, looking at Xiao Li.

Xiao Li Marshall freezes in place on the catwalk. "What??"

Rae Overholt breaths a sign of relief and goes for the escape pod, knocking on it she waits to see what happens. She draws her gun, just in case.

<><> A hollow thud comes from inside. <><>

Rae Overholt: Guess they're alive. Let's open 'er up.

Shen Jiutai starts the pressure equalization sequence on the escape pod.

<><> A proximity alarm starts sounding. <><>

Rae Overholt: Xiao Li?

Xiao Li Marshall looks up. "Shit." She gallops up the stairs again.

Rae Overholt nods.

Shen: What the hell is that?

Rae Overholt: With our luck? Terrifying space monkeys. Followed by reavers. No, REAVER space monkeys!

Shen Jiutai shudders at the mention of Reavers. "Cap'n Reavers ain't funny... I lost what was the closest thing I had to a family to 'um."

Xiao Li Marshall 's face falls when she sees the radar screen.

Rae Overholt: Yeah I know. It wasn't ajoke.

Xiao Li Marshall pulls down the comm. "We got the ship that just shot the Ophelia on our tail..."

Rae Overholt: Can we lose them?

Xiao Li Marshall: We can outrun 'em if we start moving now. Everybody brace yourselves!

Rae Overholt braces against the wall of the cargo bay, clinging for dear life.

Xiao Li Marshall is already powering up, and pulls back on the throttle as she finishes speaking.

<><>Not long after Raven has been traveling at hard burn, the pursuing ship is no longer closing distance, but begins to fall behind. Apparently it had expended it's short-duration burst of speed chasing Ophelia.<><>

Xiao Li Marshall: They're fallin' back... gonna keep up the hard burn for another ninety seconds an' we should be home free!

Rae Overholt nods, "Sounds like a plan" :: she grits out through her clenched teeth::

Shen Jiutai stands clutching the Catwalk railing, breathing heavily.

Xiao Li Marshall: "Dropping out of hard burn in 3...2...1..." She eases off and the ship's thrust returns to something more reasonable.

Rae Overholt is thrown forward and lands with a thunk, sliding on the cargo floor. Standing up she dusts her self off and heads back to the airlock. "Guess we should get our guest out now? We sure we lost them?"

Xiao Li Marshall: Got a whole lot o' nothin' on the long-range scanners. Think I'd better stay up here just in case, though.

Rae Overholt: I agree.

Shen Jiutai sighs with relief and goes to help Rae with the escape pod.

<><>Upon opening the pod, a young girl, of about 16 is discovered inside. Apparently of Asian decent, she is unconscious, but appears unharmed.<><>

Rae Overholt: "Damn, reckon she lost her family on that ship?" She leans in and taps her, trying to wake her.

Shen: Dunno, perhaps she was the passenger we were supposed to pick up afterall, I mean our luck has to change eventually...

Rae Overholt: Let's hope so.

Sean M. carries the unconsious visiter to the Med bay.

"Companions don't "bolt", anyway. Companions "retreat strategically"

Shen Jiutai relaxes into the leather chair upstairs at the dive bar that has become the hang-out on Paquin, "Ya know, visiting this place is kinda different than livin' here..."

Xiao Li Marshall shrugs. "I wouldn't know, never been to Paquin before this."

Shen Jiutai reaches for the semi-drinkable local brew, "It was a few years back, but while I was wanderin' after the war... not a bad place, overall..."

Xiao Li Marshall just grunts into her drink

Shen Jiutai stairs at the suds of her beer, "Met Jenna here..." she trails off.

Li Mei walks in and looks at Shen and Xioa Li, "You two look a bit glum."

Shen Jiutai grins briefly as Li Mie enters, "What about you, Paquin been good to you? any good sex?"

Li Mei rolls her eyes but smiles a little, "Paquin has been good ... and the sex is none of your business."

Li Mei: Oh I do enjoy my work ... most of the time.

Shen Jiutai nods to Rae, "Need a drink, Cap'n?" she frowns at Li Mei, "I was just askin', no shame in enjoying one's work..."

Rae Overholt: I could do with a drink, yeah.

Xiao Li Marshall: We got any good reason NOT to feel glum, Cap'n?

Rae Overholt: Can't think of nary a one Xiao Li.

Shen Jiutai wanders over to the railing and gestures to the waitress, "Got a few more up here!"

Rae Overholt looks over to everyone, "Where's Rol? Gabe?"

Shen Jiutai shurgs, "Ain't seen Gabe, not my day to watch Rol..."

Li Mei shrugs, "I just walked in here myself, I haven't seen anyone."

Rae Overholt: Who's that guy? ::she points to Niemack::

Li Mei looks around the room at each of the crew, "So, did anything interesting happen while I was at the ball?"

Rae Overholt: The usual, I got insulted and threatened. So, we got how many jobs lined up? One where we're finishin a run delivering some mysterious cargo. Two more right?

Shen: Well, I guess it's just that cargo to Beaumonde, and the passenger to Newhall..

Xiao Li Marshall: Two definite and one potential, if I heard right.

Rae Overholt: Thats what I was thinking Xiao Li, you ever find out what that thing in my pocket was?

Li Mei lifts her eyebrows, "You got jobs? That doesn't sound like the usual."

Rae Overholt: Hey, we get jobs!! They just dont ever go as planned.

Xiao Li Marshall: 'S a bug. Listening device. I junked it.

Rae Overholt: No tracing it?

Xiao Li Marshall: Set up to self destruct if it was tampered with.

Shen Jiutai gestures to the surly waitress who finally shows up, "Another for me, and a round for these folks, beer OK Cap? Xiao LI?" she glances at Li Mei.

Xiao Li Marshall: Fine by me.

Li Mei smiles, "Tea would be great."

Rae Overholt: Coffee. Ain't that just special.

Shen Jiutai nods at li Mei with a "Thought so" air about her, and the waitress saunters down the stairs. "A bug?"

Xiao Li Marshall: S'what I said, ain't it?

Rae Overholt: S' what she said, aint it? ::grins at Shen:: "What I'm wanting to know is, why are we so important lately that people have to listen in on us? What do we suddenly have?

Shen: Now how does that make sense? who planted it?

Xiao Li Marshall: That hun dan who was tryin' to get us to transport slaves, that's who. Slipped it inta Rae's pocket when they shook hands.

Shen: Ain't that just like someplace like Paquin, everybody's workin' an angle.

Xiao Li Marshall: What do we have, Cap'n? Well, *you*, for one thing, an' *me,* for another. Seems like half the crew is made up of ex-slaves on the run, now.

Rae Overholt: That may be Xiao Li, but in truth, we worth all that fuss?

Shen: I doubt Niska is lookin' for me too hard, after alla this time. 'Just don't wanna go announcing m'self...

Rae Overholt: Can't say I blame you there Shen. I'd prefer not to have one more thing to worry about either.

Shen Jiutai grins at Li Mei, didn't know you were shipping with so many wanted folks, didja?

Li Mei shrugs, "It doesn't matter. Everyone's running from something."

Xiao Li Marshall: "On that note...." Xiao Li turns to Li Mei. "I hear tell there was a certain mining magnate at that shindig..."

Li Mei looks at Xiao Li, "Yes, I believe there was."

Shen: Yeah, the guy said he was Ole' Rohan Wallace...

Li Mei nods, "indeed he was. I'm afraid my attentions were focussed on my client ... I don't know much else that went on there."

Shen Jiutai shakes her head, "Figures we catch up to him when the security is tighter than a..." she looks embarrased, "Well, tight."

Li Mei laughs.

Shen: Wallace and that Miss Small, both lookin' as smug as a cat with feathers stickin' outa their mouths.

Xiao Li Marshall curses under her breath.

Li Mei nods, "Smugness is often common at those affairs."

Shen: Seems like we made a real friend with Miss Small, but Wallace said he's have us blown out of the sky if we ever flew within 100 Km of his place again.

Xiao Li Marshall: Ta ma de...

Li Mei: Do any of you actually want to fly that close to his place?

Xiao Li Marshall: I shoulda been there. If I could get my hands on that bastard...

Shen Jiutai watches as the waitress finally returns with beers for Xiao Li and herself, as well as some tea and rather weak coffee for Rae, "Cream and sugar with that?" The waitress doesn't wait for an answer, but saunters back down the stairs.

Shen Jiutai nods as she picks up her beer, "Asshole had six body guards! Six!"

Xiao Li Marshall snorts a laugh as she opens the beer bottle. "Least he's smart enough to know he ain't well liked."

Shen Jiutai nods and takes a sip.

Li Mei takes a sip from her tea, "Hmm, this is surprisingly good for a place like this."

Rae Overholt takes her coffee and sips it, making a face.

Shen Jiutai sets her bottle down, "Come on Li Mei, at least you can tell us if'n the meals were good, if ya can't talk about the sex?"

Rae Overholt: There was sex? I missed the sex?

Xiao Li Marshall rolls her eyes. "*Companion,* Cap'n. You do recall what that means?"

Li Mei chuckles, "Well ... food was not exactly on the menu, so to speak."

Rae Overholt: What was? Were there strawberries? It was a ball! Was there time for sex?

Li Mei grins, "We left a bit early."

Rae Overholt: ohhhh

Shen Jiutai grins, "Knew it..."

Li Mei smiles, "My client was a bit inexperienced, I needed more time than with most, so we left early. I hate to rush my job."

Shen Jiutai chuckles.

Li Mei laughs, "I do have to say he was a bit of a 'momma's boy', though. I suspect he may be sly and not know it yet."

Rae Overholt lets out a heavy sigh and sets her coffee down, disgusted by it. She turns to poke the drunk guy next to her, "Anyone concerned this guy is out cold here? Especially after we got a bug planted on us?"

Xiao Li Marshall: You want me to search 'im?

Rae Overholt: Yeah. Do that. Was he handsome atleast Li?

Li Mei: Oh yes, very handsome.

Shen: Guess every client has his reasons for hiring a companion...

Li Mei looks at Shen, "Actually, his mother hired me."

Xiao Li Marshall stands and walks over to the drunk man, leans down to listen to his breathing (making sure he's actually asleep), then commences rifling through his pockets.

Shen Jiutai stands and works her way behind the 'passed out' patron, just to be safe.

Li Mei leans back and sips her tea in silence

Shen Jiutai murruers, "Yup, just like Paquin' 'cept now we're the ones riffeling pockets..."

Niemack Saarinen cocks his head back and stares as he grabs the hand.

Xiao Li Marshall yelps in surprise and tries to jump back

Shen Jiutai places a hand on one shoulder, and a blade on the other. "Sorry, 'bout that..."

Rae Overholt leans and smiles all friendly like at the stranger, "Hi there, meet my friends."

Niemack Saarinen turns his head to the side exposing his lone blue eye as his other hand grabs the item "zhat is not yours" pauses and stares to his right raising his eyebrow "some friends"

Li Mei looks over at the commotion, shakes her head and takes another sip of tea

Rae Overholt gives him a shrug, "I like them. What you doing all passed out up here alone?"

Shen Jiutai squeezes hes shoulder, "We ain't takin' nuthin', now just let go of her, and everything will..."

Xiao Li Marshall wriggles loose from the man's grip and rubs her wrist. "Yeah, 's a good way to get robbed."

Niemack Saarinen: "zhought it was apparently a quiet place to sleep off a hang over, apparently not" holds his hand still where it was before cracking his knuckle against his thigh and draping it accross his stomach the other on his knee, turning and seeing a hand on his shoulder not noticing the hand through his layers "mind?"

Shen Jiutai returns her blade to its sheath, "Hangover, eh? 'suppose we owe ya a bit of the hair of the dog."

Rae Overholt shrugs, "Alright then."

Xiao Li Marshall backs away, keeping her eye on the drunk man.

Shen Jiutai returns to her beer, waiting for a response.

Xiao Li Marshall: *muttering* No one breathes like that when they're awake... ain't natural...

Niemack Saarinen brings his leather wrapped hand up rubbing between his eyes biting the corner of his lip

Shen Jiutai places her bottle on the cocktail napkin and spins it, "Sorry, we just can't be too careful, eaves droppers an' such."

Niemack Saarinen turns his head surveying the room turning back towards Xiao Li before looking down at himself, then back up replying "Vell I'm not natural" turns around at the rest then nodding at Shen.

Rae Overholt continues to survey him, "Well he certainly looks drunk. So, where were we? Finding out about the Ball. Were there strawberries?"

Li Mei smiles as she takes another sip of her tea, "No ... but there may have been some cream involved."

Shen Jiutai can't figure out if Li Mei is refering to the banquet or the client, "Mmmm Hmmmm, " she sips her beer.

Rae Overholt coughs at Li's comment before bursting into laughter.

Shen Jiutai follows Rae, beer coming out her nose.

Xiao Li Marshall is too busy staring at the drunk man to respond to Li's comment. She's *that* rattled.

Rae Overholt ends her laughter with little chuckles, hands over her stomach as she watches Li, wondering what else will come out of her mouth. Turning back to Shen she asks, "Whats our finances like now?"

Shen Jiutai reaches for her cocktail napkin, which is woefully inadequite for the job of cleaning herself up, "Well, Cap'n, no body's paid us anything yet..."

Rae Overholt: So coffee is my dinner tonight then?

Shen: We got protien onboard, but yeah, other than that, we're on our own... which reminds me...

Rae Overholt: Well atleast we got a place to sleep.

Shen: If Miss Jadi wants me to keep the books, an' such, I gotta know what everybody gets paid... I mean who's salary, and who's percentage?

Niemack Saarinen stretches his neck to the left and right draping his right hand accross his stomach again near his pistol before leaning his head against the wall, falling back asleep within seconds, his eye still open

Rae Overholt: We're all percentage, or we were till now. I don't think she allots any for salary per say. She gives us a percentage and what we have left after supplies and maitenance is split. Rae Overholt glances over to Nie and shakes her head, "That's just ..."

Shen: I think she said she wants 50% after the expenses, don't leave that much for us, 'cept now that Locum is paying the monthly... I guess transporting the odd crate here and there will be worth it, course we're prolly gonna run into every Dragon in the 'Verse...

Rae Overholt: Yeah, which will be reported to the dragon back in Burnet. Well, what kind of expenses do we have?

Shen: Well, keepin' her flyin' ain't cheap, and the food, ammo, med supplies... the list goes on...

Xiao Li Marshall: Guess if it comes to that we c'n eat the cat...

Li Mei looks over at the Captain, "Speaking of finances, the Guild has been kind enough to provide me with a list of candidates. How much longer will we be here?"

Rae Overholt: Couple days I'm thinking to get things fixed up.

Shen Jiutai pickes up her beer, "At least someone's gettin' some" she mutters as she sips.

Rae Overholt: Ain't that the truth.

Li Mei frowns slightly, "I'm not sure I can make arrangements with any of them on such short notice. But I can try."

Rae Overholt: You wanted to stay here longer Li?

Shen: What did that guy say was the rendezvous date? the 30th? We got some time...

Li Mei shrugs her shoulders slightly, "I do need the business. I would appreciate it it Captain."

Xiao Li Marshall: Yeah, so we stay here drinkin' overpriced beer an' not bringin' in any cash...

Rae Overholt: How long would you like to stay Li?

Li Mei: I think 4 or 5 days would give me enough time to arrange something.

Rae Overholt: Alright then. Maybe we'll get some time to go down to Persephone.

Shen: You're from there, ain't ya Cap'n?

Rae Overholt: Was a time I was a dock rat there.

Shen Jiutai grins, "Who ain't been a dock-rat? some of the best times I had was... well working for my father..." She trails off, "Back before the war..."

Xiao Li Marshall: Hell, spent most of my childhood pickin' pockets at the port in New Baltimore...

Rae Overholt nods, swinging her foot against the couch.

Shen Jiutai grins, "It's a kick, ain't it?"

Rae Overholt: Yeah, it was. Learned a lot in that place.

Xiao Li Marshall: Yeah. 'Specially the food vendors. Ever try ta grab a kebab off a hot griddle without burnin' yourself or bein' spotted by the cook?

Shen Jiutai laughs and looks to Li Mie, "Would you have ever guessed this would be the company you'd keep?"

Li Mei looks down at her cup of tea, now empty, and stares at it in silence.

Ariel LiveOak, Raven's previous companion appears in the bar.

Shen Jiutai glances up, "Ariel!"

Ariel Liveoak smiles. Hello, old friends."

Shen: "Long time no see!!! this is our new companion... Li Mei! How have you been?"

Ariel Liveoak: I've been well, and you?

Rae Overholt: Hello Ariel.

Shen: things are lookin' up, if they ain't lookin to dark...

Li Mei looks up from her empty cup and smiles, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Shen Jiutai grins, "Guess Paquin is the happening spot for alla the companions!"

Ariel Liveoak smiles. "And you. Are you finding the arrangements beneficial?"

Li Mei: The arrangements have begun to be beneficial, yes.

Ariel Liveoak: Ah, good. These things can take time.

Shen: "She ain't talked about bolting yet."

Li Mei grins, "No, but if you guys keep making more enemies, I may have to."

Ariel Liveoak chuckles. "Companions don't "bolt", anyway. Companions "retreat strategically".

Li Mei laughs.

Ariel Liveoak: And gracefully.

Xiao Li Marshall: An' we ain't been *making* enemies. If anything, they've been making *us.*

Ariel Liveoak smiles.

Shen: "What have you been up to, Ariel? ain't seen you, well, since before my 'accident'."

Ariel Liveoak: Rebuilding a life, Shen. There was much from which to recover. Things are good, now.

Shen Jiutai plays with the lable on her beer bottle, "Rebuilding a life, I know that tune."

Li Mei raises an eyebrow at Ariel's comment about rebuilding a life, but says nothing

Rae Overholt glances back to the stranger, she lifts a hand and waves it in front of his eye.

Shen: Things are going well for you?

Niemack Saarinen eye rattles in REM sleep, unmoving.

Ariel Liveoak smiles gently. "There are still things that need to happen, but yes. Generally, things are good."

Shen Jiutai's eyes drift across Ariel's gown, "It looks like!"

Ariel Liveoak smiles.

Rae Overholt: Well, we do have an empty shuttle.

Shen Jiutai glances at the Captain.

Ariel Liveoak: Oh?

Rae Overholt: Yeah.

Ariel Liveoak looks at the captain for several moments with a thoughtful expression.

Xiao Li Marshall: We could definitely use the rent money these days...

Shen Jiutai nods

Rae Overholt: Yeah, we'll make due either way though.

Li Mei looks at Xioa Li with a blank expression, "Weren't you just complaining about the way I earn my rent interfering with your jobs?"

Xiao Li Marshall: I was complainin' about how *staying at this bar* is interferin' with jobs. I'm afraid to leave the gorram building.

Rae Overholt: Well then, head to ship maybe and the rest of us head out looking for more work?

Shen Jiutai looks to Xiao Li, "C'mon, if'n I'm with you, I'd like to see them try to mess with you! I don't care how many, but I bet Ole' Wallace is long gone by now!"

Ariel Liveoak: If that is ...an invitation, Captain... I'm afraid I'll have to decline. For one thing, you already have a Companion on your ship. Any more would be...awkward.

Rae Overholt: Alright then Ariel. Like I said though, other shuttle is empty.

Ariel Liveoak nods, smiling warmly. "I'll remember, Captain. Thank you."

Rae Overholt: "Maybe Li can answer that, Any word on when Wallace was headed out?" She nods her head at Ariel.

Shen Jiutai wonders what it would be like flying a cargo ship full of companions around the frontier would be like.

Li Mei shrugs, "I believe Wallace left right after the ball."

Shen Jiutai walks home a groggy Xiao Li, leaving the companions to go on about the Giuld.