Fantasy Starborne - Open

[Zazz]

Cal snorted at the bird woman's retort, and gently took the injured limb. The blaster had unfortunately gone through muscle and singed several feathers, but at least it hadn't severed and bones. "You got lucky," said Cal, as Shen (and Rhea?) left them be.

The blonde held the top of the wing with one hand. "Hold still, this will probably hurt." She scrunched her nose a little and carefully plucked out the damaged feathers. "I didn't catch your name," she said, attempting a mild distraction.

Once the broken feathers lay around them, bloody and burned, the healer got to her knees. "Okay... I'd rather our fancy compass boy didn't know about this particular hidden talent just yet, so let's maybe keep this covered up for a bit after." Calliope placed a hand over the gaping hole and explained, "You'll feel a.. a weird prickle, like your foot was asleep. Just try not to move."

Cal focused her energy on the muscle. She knew she'd need a solid sleep after this. She recalled her training as a girl, when she would learn to mend various animals. It always broke her heart to see them flopping around in pain. It wasn't until she was older that she realized just how they had come to be that way.

Beneath her hand, Larassa's wing muscle slowly crawled over itself, growing and changing and repairing blood vessels. She held the wing steady with her other hand. As the muscle closed up, looking healthy and new, small feathers began to sprout from their new follicles, dark red at first, then as they grew longer their colour settled like all the rest. Finally, Calliope withdrew her hands with a heavy exhale. She couldn't help but rub her face as a yawn came through.

 

[Hazmat44]

Killerie took a full eight seconds to process what Anna said before she realized she was serious.

Bunk equaled bed equaled room partner equaled companionship equaled friends. Anna was telling her she wanted a sleepover. A sleepover!!! She'd never been to a sleepover. She'd slept, in someone else's lab, that one time, but she'd never been invited to sleep there! It was way more deliberate - and besides, she wanted to talk specifically about engineering! Not just bombs! Well, bombs were great, but it was nice to talk about something other than bombs, and Anna knew a lot about engineering too, so what else could they talk about?

She paused for a moment as she realized she'd been doing a little wiggly dance of excitement. Immediately embarrassed, she stopped moving and tried to pay attention to the conversation. Charlie wanted drawers when they mentioned beds - wait, he was kind of like a liquid! Could he sleep in a drawer? Could he morph his... well, he hadn't yet. Maybe it was something else? Charlie didn't have any luggage, after all.

Regardless of all of... that, which she was still ecstatic about, Elnaril had food! And it smelled....

...She didn't really know any words to describe how it smelled. 'Good' didn't seem adequate.

Skittering over, she eagerly asked, "Is that for us?"

Naberius SilverFlight TheSpeck

 

[Naberius]

Elnaril had just finished plating the rest of the feast he'd wanted to prepare for his new allies when Killerie drew closer. He smiled and nodded, waving a hand at the counter which was now burdened by dozens of plates of different kinds of foods he was familiar with. From classic dishes most people knew about to delicacies from different worlds, he'd spared nothing in order to give them the best experience he possibly could. Meat dishes, fish, vegetable platters and fruit cups, and even a few small fluffy cakes covered in lemon cream.

"Of course it is. Everyone please, enjoy as much as you can stomach. And if we run out well, there are plenty more supplies left to satisfy. I just hope it's good enough for everyone. I'm not exactly sure what allergies people have so I tried to vary everything so that people could enjoy themselves."

He smiled wider than ever before, seeing the excitement his cooking could bring out in others as he set about washing the utensils and cookery he'd used to prepare the meal. Letting them all enjoy themselves first and foremost, contenting himself to savoring the left overs after everyone else had had their fill. It didn't matter to him, so long as his new friends liked what he could prepare for them and the crew walked away with smiles on their faces and full stomachs.

 

[Hazmat44]

Killerie sniffed at a few of the plates, trying to identify some of the foods placed upon them. Most of them were either made of meat or vegetables. Rocks and metals were notably absent, and although the plates were ceramic she doubted they were meant to be food.

After a moment's indecision, she settled on a chunk of carved meat that smelled like he'd... almost lit it on fire? It was a difficult scent to identify, but she went for it regardless.

Dismissing the scorched smell, she tossed the meat into her mouth. Whatever it was from, meat was meat, and once you'd had one kind, you'd them al-

Killerie came close to passing out, stumbling briefly and almost stepping on Elnaril's foot.

Whatever she'd just put into her mouth... there was no way it was meat. Rats were a little stringy, but they did what they were supposed to do. They were food. They fed Killerie. That was it.

This was not food, or at least not by the definition she'd labeled it under during her year and a half of life. It was solid and chewy, with a dense texture and a slight give at the edges. It was buttery on the top and crispy on the bottom, there were hints of other, foreign tastes crouched behind the all-encompassing savor of meat. This went far beyond food. Rats weren't even in the same... same universe as whatever this was.

It took Killerie a moment to realize she was crying, which confused her. She wasn't sad! Why was her body reacting like that?!

A great rumble thrummed through her lower sections, emanating from her stomach, and she nearly panicked. She'd almost forgotten just how hungry she was - when was the last time she'd even eaten anything?

Oh right, she realized vaguely. On the ship that brought her to Imperialis. For some reason that felt like it'd happened months ago...

Turning to Elnaril and trying to wipe the tears off her face with a nearby towel, she held the empty plate aloft and asked, "Do you have any more of that?"

Naberius SilverFlight Spoiled Bread TheSpeck

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Larassa Sovna	Nickname: Raven
Race: Khoelian	Home Planet: Khoeli
Occupation: Bounty Huntress	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (20/20 Normal, 1/1 Grappling), Twin Daggers

Larassa shrugged nonchalantly in response to the woman saying how she had gotten lucky. It was not her first time experiencing a lucky break, though she was certainly relieved to hear that in regards to one of her wings. If she ever lost the ability to fly, Larassa knew she would spiral.

At the woman's warning, Larassa instinctively tensed, but picking out her broken feathers was more akin to a stinging sensation each time one was removed. Larassa flinched the first few times and then focused on the woman speaking instead.
"Name's Raven. You?"
Larassa had no qualms with giving up her nickname in the bounty hunting world, but was mindful to keep her true name to herself. Thus far, the only person who knew her real name besides whoever she left behind on her home planet was Alaric.

The woman then confirmed Larassa's suspicions and she took a deep breath to help herself focus on sitting still for the healer to do her work.
It was one of the strangest sensations Larassa had ever felt. Despite how the woman had described it, Larassa could not quite place it in her own words. Her curiosity became overwhelming and she glanced sideways to see her own muscles reknitting themselves. Instead of feeling disgusted by it, Larassa was enthralled.
By the time the woman was done, Larassa was sitting there flabbergasted with her jaw slightly agape. She quickly recollected herself when the woman was done and tentatively stretched her wing out to its full length. It did not even hurt, merely felt a bit sore. Larassa was impressed.

Hearing the woman yawn, Larassa folded her wing in front of herself so it was within easy reach. She then pulled out some bandages from her kit and covered up where her wound had been, though she could not quite reach the outside of her wing. Showing the woman what she had done to fake her still healing wound, Larassa then held out the meager supplies for the woman to copy on the other side of her wing.

Larassa was still waiting for the woman to reply with her own name, but she could tell that such a feat had taken a lot out of her.
Flickering one of her ears, Larassa said gruffly, "I 'preciate it. Never had the pleasure of meeting one of your kind before."

Zazz

 

[Saturn_moon]

At Calliope's insistence, Shen took his leave after a bit of a fuss. She was starting to learn that their Captain had a penchant for flair and dramatics. With a quick nod at the other two, she deposited the first aid kit on the ground figuring Calliope would have more use for it than she did, and hurried after Shen as he made his way to the galley to join the others.

Making their way down the narrow, enclosed, corridors below deck, Rhea's weight was exceptionally prominent. While Shen, almost a head taller than she, slipped by silently and elegantly, his brocade coat swishing behind him, the floor boards creaked with every step she took.

"I no longer belong to the Van Ecks. I was purchased from the family by Evergreen Corporation 1 year, 3 months, and 8 days ago... and as of 1 hour and 17 minutes ago, I am now in your service." She took out the slip of paper tucked in her coat pocket and held it up to his face. Stamped at the top of the page was the official Evergreen Corporation seal, and below that, written in cursive handwriting, it read:

Received from the honorable Captain Shen, - "I didn't know your full name and had to make do" - I, Mr John R. Williams, Comptroller of Evergreen Recycling Management, notes to the value of five hundred gold pieces placed in my custody, in exchange for the purchase of item 2048 - The Responsive Humanoid Emulator Assistant 9000 at an agreed upon price of one thousand gold pieces to be paid in full six months from today.

"You can keep it if you like. As for what I can do, I was programmed to be a personal assistant and in dire situations a bodyguard. I can do your finances, keep track of inventory, clean, and cook. Although the last has yet to yield positive results. I can also sort recyclables." As they approached the galley, her olfactory senses picked up smells, while not entirely familiar, that reminded her of the fancy dinners Van Eck used to host for his clients but also the food stalls at festive markets. The young elf boy hadn't been lying when he said he was a good cook.

SilverFlight Lioness075 Zazz

 

[SilverFlight]

Shen drew back with a "hmph", putting his hands up in surrender.
"Fine then, let the boxer play surgeon. It's your wing after all."
He left the kit and turned, brocade coat flaring with the movement. He raised his voice so Alaric could hear him from the wheel.
"I'll expect you in the mess when you're done. I suppose I should make a formal address at some point, get this motley crew pointed in the same direction."

Lioness075 Zazz Saturn_moon andujarprime

~*~*~

As he made his way down the steps, Rhea trailed him, offering a bit more to the mystery that was her presence on the ship. He turned when he heard the price.
"Hefty a um as that may be, I somehow doubt that it the full extent of your worth."
Nevertheless, he took the paper and scanned the print himself. "Why would these nobles relinquish such a gift to a recycling plant?"
Shen thought for a moment, and seemed to come to a conclusion at the bottom of the stairs.
"I want to know precisely how you can be identified. Barcode, serial number, encrypted coding reference. Then you will be standing at my desk in the captain's quarters in precisely five marks' time." Saturn_moon

The mess hall held most of the crew already, and Shen watched their faces as they tucked into the food provided by their timid young server.
Anna took her first bite and her face lit up.
"This is better than anything I've had in the palace!" Whatever she said next was lost to her shoveling down the rest of the plate as fast as she could.
Her strange red...pet, was seated right beside her (Shen thought that a bit unsanitary), licking the remnants of his own meal.

"Well, guts and talent then." Shen tossed at Elnaril as he leaned on the divider. "Seems you serve well as a galley cook. I just might not dump you on the nearest rock to fend for yourself."
Shen helped himself to a plate and tasted the food. He paused with the spoon still in his mouth, and then very slowly drew it out and chewed.
Anna watched the emotion dance across his face before he finally reined it in.
"It'll do." He said finally, and continued to eat as he took himself off to one of the mess tables a little further away.

"Meeting when you're all finished stuffing your gobs." He waved his spoon at them vaguely, and that was the last thing he said until his plate was clean.

Hazmat44 TheSpeck Spoiled Bread Saturn_moon Naberius

 

[Zazz]

Blinking away the sleep in her eyes, Calliope took the supplies from Raven and began to cover the back of the would be wound. "I'm Cal. We're not ususally let very far from the Imperial military, so I'm not at all surprised." With the healed wound covered, she glanced over at the creature in the hat at the wheel. She didn't even have the energy to make sure he'd also keep her secret.

Picking up Shen's mostly unused med kit, Calliope stood and swayed. "Definitely time for nap. Ah, I guess it would be suspicious to miss out on a meal."

 

[TheSpeck]

Charlie waited for a moment while others went for the food being served. It did look delicious, and smelled like nothing he'd ever smelled before, but he was hesitant to go for the messier foods. Charlie went over things in his head, and decided that the best choice would be whatever that green thing was since it looked dry.

As Charlie approached the dish he realized it looked like some leaves piled together with tomatoes, some other vegetables he didn't recognize, and some sort of bread... That looked... Hard? He plucked one of the leaves off of the plate, and squeezed it with his hand, the leaf disappearing after he opened it again. It didn't taste very good.... It tasted like... Like what he would imagine a leaf to taste like. Maybe this leaf was just particularly bitter?

Charlie moved on to something else that looked like a rounded, light colored bread with some sort of paste on it. This one was a bit messy and too big to absorb with his hand, so he took a slice and retreated to a corner. He took a small piece off the bread and squeezed it, the food starting to dissolve in his hand. He sat in shock, not moving at all.

Why was this bread so good?

Taking the whole slice he pressed it up against where his chest would be if he were human and let the whole slice start dissolving, not really caring about being secretive anymore. "This bread is really sweet! Your so good at cooking Elnaril!"

He had no idea the bread was actually called cake.

Naberius

 

[Naberius]

He was taken aback by the outpouring of positive responses to the meal he'd prepared for them. Elnaril wasn't so used to being complimented for much of anything and tried to hide the large, shy smile the attention brought with it. Swept up in actually being not only useful but appreciated for his work. Even Shen seemed to enjoy the food and a feeling of relief washed through him realizing he'd be allowed to stay and ride home was almost enough to send him sagging to the ground. He grinned, waving a hand at the heavily burdened counter stacked high with plenty of leftovers.

"Eat your fill, there's plenty of everything to go around. Sweets, meats, and treats of all varieties. I spent a few years testing recipes not just from my world but from a few others too that I was able to trade for."

He smiled again as everyone tucked in, and when everyone was seated and enjoying themselves, filled a small plate of his own and sat back behind the counter in the kitchen to give everyone space, choosing to eat alone out of habit.

 

[Hazmat44]

Killerie had never had food like this before.

She'd thought the meat thing was good (apparently it was called beef), but there were so many other tasty things she'd never seen! Everyone seemed to be enjoying the food just as much as she was. Even Charlie was eating, although he was just sort of...

Killerie looked a little closer. Charlie appeared to be placing food inside himself, food which promptly began dissolving the moment it entered his body. Killerie's mandibles slowly spread open a little as she watched, trying to figure out how that worked. Where were his organs? Did he have any? If not, how did he...?

Killerie abandoned the line of thought with a wiggly shrug. She was an Engineer, not an Architect, and certainly not a biologist. If Charlie wanted to dissolve foodstuffs inside his body for... well, no immediately obvious reason, that was up to him and she would support him fully!

She tossed the food into her mouth, reducing it to scraps with a few vicious bites. Looking around the room, she found Elnaril standing back from everyone and decided to give him a little company. There were a few questions she wanted to ask him, anyway.

Telekinetically picking up a few random items she hadn't sampled yet, she walked around the counter and stood next to him. She was going to have to partially break her promise to her best friend... but if it was for the sake of one of her other best friends, it was probably okay. Leaning over, she quietly asked, "Are you okay? I've only had one friend before today, but I'd still feel really bad if she left me behind. Do you want to talk about it?"

Naberius TheSpeck

 

[SilverFlight]

Anna finally sat back with a satisfied sigh. "I hadn't eaten all day. I needed that."
"Zaaark." Zark copied her motion perfectly, his tail coiled about the stool for support.
"I couldn't eat another bite." Anna waved the offer of more food off politely.
"You truly have a gift Elnaril."

"All right then!" Shen called from the back of the mess.
"Now that you're all fed and happy, gather round. We have a long way to go, and the empire is not going to make it easy. We'll have to work together on this ship if we're to get to our destination in one piece."
Anna frowned, and gave those closest to her a worried look. Shen had made no attempt to hide the fate that awaited her once they arrived. The thought scared her, but, she was here now, and there wasn't much she could do about it.

"We'll need expertise: sails, navigation, piloting, engine maintenance, lookout, gunnery, and of course, galley hands, you can't expect one small lad to cook for an entire crew day in and day out by himself. Now, any volunteers before I hand you work?"

Anna set her jaw. "I'll work the engine captain, and Zark can understand most things, he can follow orders, and he's a good climber too he can help with the sails."

Shen nodded. At the back of his mind he thought leaving the kidnapee in charge of the most important element of the ship might be a bad idea, but it wasn't exactly like they were swimming in technical skill with this lot, and there was something about the girl that simply radiated honesty, it was a stark contrast to his prior picture of Imperials.

"Anyone else?"

Naberius Saturn_moon Zazz andujarprime Hazmat44 TheSpeck Spoiled Bread Lioness075

 

[Zazz]

Calliope entered the mess kitchens just as Shen was giving out jobs. The blonde filled a plate with steak and some strange looking vegetables, piling it high, and loudly claimed a seat. She stuffed her face with food and closed her eyes in bliss, letting the first mouthful be devoured before addressing the others.

"What's the plan for these guys?" Cal asked, jabbing her thumb in the direction of the sleeping guards and crew from earlier. "I can move 'em, but I need to know where to."

The healer took several more large bites. "Damn, this is good." She shoveled the rest into her face, until the plate was clean and a food coma started to settle in.

 

[andujarprime]

As the ship made its way peacefully and swiftly through the cosmos, Alaric decided to see where everyone had gone off to. He was sure at this point, a briefing on the next phase of the job would be needed. He did need a destination after all. He had watched from his peripheral as Larassa was patched up. A medic on board was definitely going to come in handy. A short while later he followed her below deck.

Entering the mess, he steered clear of the food. He wasn’t particularly hungry just yet. But he was curious, he had walked in as Shen was offering up jobs onboard. He loudly cleared his throat. The action sounded garbled, wet, and sticky. He realized his rebreather was on. Force of habit when piloting. He never could be too prepared for toxic atmospheres. He pulled his breather down, it was hidden in the folds of his scarf and cloak. “Ahem, I don’t think anyone would object, or complain if I continue to pilot my, err, our ship. I just need a destination! Been a long time since I’ve had a proper navigator! Oohh, this is going to be exciting!!” He paused and looked around at everyone assembled. A bright smile and a gleam in his eyes. “By the way, where ARE we headed Shen? And just what kind of a mess have we gotten ourselves into? The guards, I can deal with. No problem, typical Imperial tactics. Standard, right? BUT A BLASTED WRAITH??!!”

He took a deep breath and a step back. Turning to face the wall, two hands massaging his temples, the other to splayed down out to his sides. “Breathe, Ric, breathe. Keep cool, keep getting paid. The job ain’t over, an if ya see one again. Ya can just think of it as cutting the competition.” Alaric whispered to himself loudly for a few moments before turning back around. Mischievous smile back on his face. “Sorry bout that! Crisis averted! Anywho, yes I will remain pilot! Who would like to help navigate?! Someone who’s possibly done this before? Who can get a good view of the skies, and can read star charts and plot points? And can, but preferably WON’T try to abscond with my physical person and leave me stranded at the top of the crows nest with the rope cut…” He looked around, now unsure if she had been down here to hear it. “Or anyone who would like to help, really. No preferences, really.” He finished with a chuckle.

SilverFlight Lioness075

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Larassa Sovna	Nickname: Raven
Race: Khoelian	Home Planet: Khoeli
Occupation: Bounty Huntress	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (20/20 Normal, 1/1 Grappling), Twin Daggers

Larassa followed Cal's gaze to Alaric and said, "Don't worry 'bout Al there. Surprisingly enough, he can actually keep his mouth shut when he wants to."
Seeing Cal sway on her feet, Larassa instinctively reached out, but stopped herself when Cal regained her balance.
Sighing, Larassa said, "Ay, probably for the best that you make an appearance. Even if just for show."

As they both made their way below deck, Larassa grabbed herself some of the food the elf boy had put together for the crew. She dug in ravenously, having worked up quite the appetite during the recent scuffle. It was definitely going to be a major bonus to have a proper chef with them.
Then Shen began to take charge, listing off what they would need to assist with on the ship.

Focused on the food in front of her, Larassa continued to eat while the others spoke up first. She was not surprised when Anna declared she would work on the engines. Given how knowledgeable she was about the ship, this made the most sense.
Cal mentioned the sleeping guards and Larassa glanced over at the poor individuals wrapped up in this chaos. She was curious what they were going to do with them, but figured there was no real rush to sort that out for now.

Al soon joined them and Larassa stepped aside to lean up against a wall. Her wing ached when she sat in seating that was not entirely designed for someone such as herself.
Listening to Al's rambling, Larassa smirked and walked right up beside him before slapping him on the back and exclaiming, "Don't you worry there, Al. I'm quite the skilled navigator."
Pausing, Larassa then glanced at Shen and added, "I can help with the sails as well. This ain't my first time on a ship."

Zazz SilverFlight Naberius Hazmat44 andujarprime Saturn_moon

 

[Saturn_moon]

While the group filled their stomachs, Rhea kept quietly to a corner watching them. The concept of meals was always fascinating to her. It had less to do with the meal itself but the act of eating together. She had come to notice over the years that whatever conflicts or problems people may have, in the presence of food - especially good food - many things could be put on hold. It served as a form of respite and watching the crew now, she got that same feeling.

When Shen began listing out roles, she waited for most to claim their duties before softly chiming in. "I am perhaps most helpful as a galley hand although with some guidance I can help with the sails if needed." She paused considering how else she might be helpful. It was after all what she was built to do. Help. "My visual system can also be optimized in low light situations so I am happy to run lookout at night."

andujarprime Hazmat44 Lioness075 Naberius SilverFlight TheSpeck Zazz

 

[TheSpeck]

Charlie waited a while as everyone took jobs, thinking of what he could do. He wasn't the best at navigation, he had very little experience, and it seemed like there were enough people already volunteering for that job. He also didn't have much experience with high tech engines so he probably shouldn't offer his help there. He thought of something eventually and waited for the others to stop speaking before he did,

"I can clean really well! And make weapons! Probably not as good as Killerie, since she made a bomb, but I know how to make other things like daggers, so I guess I can do that." Charlie said cheerfully. He could do other things, but it was best if he stuck with what he knew how to do. He had been cleaning for years on other ships as he made his way from planet to planet, so he had plenty experience with that.

"Also I can run lookout in the morning if needed, I'm good at looking at stuff!"

SilverFlight Hazmat44

 

[Naberius]

He'd never been praised before, for anything outside of his usefulness as a distraction and punching bag for his so called 'school friends'. It was enough to have the tips of Elarnil's ears burning red right along with his cheeks as he stood there not quite sure what to do with himself. He'd come out from behind the counter as everyone was finishing up their meal and started to collect dirty dishes to wash, and couldn't hide a small yet shy smile.

"It's just a hobby I picked up. I'm glad people enjoy what I'm able to provide. But I'm not so sure it's deserving of praise."

As Shen gathered everyone around, he placed the assembled dishes and cutlery back in the kitchen sink for later, and stood near the back of the group as he spoke. Others listing off their abilities and how they could help, while he just stood there. He didn't feel like he really had a place to belong amongst the crew of a ship so much, just some, in his mind, minor cooking ability. And yes that was enjoyable to have around but he wasn't so sure it was entirely necessary, and was sure if he wasn't there someone else could easily step up and fill the role.

"Unfortunately I'm not really good at much aside from the cooking...and solving small puzzles. I speak several languages and know a bit about ancient ruins and exploration but other than that I don't really have anything to offer..sorry.."

He withdrew into himself again, trying to will himself to shrink into nothingness or turn invisible. In his eyes, he was giving them more and more reason to just toss him on the nearest rock to save themselves the bother, and figured if the idea of being paid by his parents wasn't an option he would have been left behind already.

 

[Hazmat44]

Killerie nodded helpfully, volunteering, "I can help with a lot of things, but I like working on technology stuff. I'd be happy to help with whoever needs it."

She paused briefly, processing something. The short human - Rhea, if she remembered correctly - had said something rather odd. Visual system? Did she mean her eyes, or was there some sort of invisible visor she was wearing to help with her sight? But she hadn't noticed any...

With a frown, she focused on the ever-present buzz lurking in the back of her mind, constantly alerting her to the presence of undiscovered technology. It lit up instantly, insistently thrumming through her skull. Rhea didn't have a visor, and she didn't have any tech on her, so that meant-

"Are you made of tech!?" Killerie abruptly screeched, antennae lashing about in shock.

Saturn_moon SilverFlight

 

[SilverFlight]

Shen nodded with approval. It seemed like they could actually make this work.
"Well, I think that about does it. Elnaril, you have my permission to draft Rhea whenever you need another hand in the galley, you're good at puzzles you say? Then you might work with the princess here to figure out why her mother wants her dead."

Anna's expression fell. The food and company had made her forget about that. Shen didn't seem to notice.
"Killerie can be in charge of the gunnery, provided she promises not to blow anything up on the ship. Charlie, you can help her when you're not on lookout. Alaric shall be our pilot, and Raven our Navigator."

Shen turned to Calliope, the only one who did not volunteer. "I want you to help me with combat training. We'll need everyone to be able to hold their own should we be unfortunate enough to encounter other pirates on your journey. Between your hand to hand and my fencing skill we should be able to whip this pathetic lot into shape."

Anna's eyes lit up at that.
"You're going to teach us how to fight?!"
Shen jumped, startled by her enthusiasm. "W-well, most of us...do tell me exactly how teaching our hostage to fight is in any way a good idea!"

Anna seemed crest-fallen.
"I suppose it isn't, but I've always wanted to learn! Ever since I was little, but my mother would never let me practice with the guards. Please let me learn!"
Shen gritted his teeth, then made a face, it seemed he was quite at odds with himself. All the while Anna held his gaze.
"Argh! No! I will not teach you, and that is final."

Shen rose, plate in hand.
"The meal was good. Thank you galleymaster. Alaric! Set a course for the Kedarian system, heading 215-348. Someone take first watch, someone else bring our guard friends to the brig. The rest of you, you're off duty until further notice."

With that Shen stalked off, leaving Anna and the others at the table behind him. Anna huffed, then, she turned to Calliope in hopes that she might be more accommodating than their grumpy captain.

*~*~*

Shen had decided to brood. He was very good at brooding. He chose to brood on the top deck, at the head of the ship, standing, arms behind his back, glaring out onto a sea of stars. The Cat's Eye Nebula stretched beside them, a sprawling, shifting mass of space gases, shifting from yellow to green and then to blue. The edges of the clouds were flecked with tiny points of light that glimmered as they sailed past.

"Bloody girl.." Shen muttered out loud. "Why couldn't she have been a brat. I'd have no trouble in that case...this isn't like you Shen...you're going soft..."

Zazz Saturn_moon andujarprime TheSpeck Hazmat44 Naberius Lioness075

 

[Zazz]

Calliope nodded at Shen's instructions, and quickly finished off her meal. When the princess looked her way hopefully, Cal couldn't help but grin. She winked at Anna, silently promising to go against Shen's wishes and train her anyway. Cal knew how important it was to know how to defend oneself, especially for a woman of status.

The fighter stood, dropped her plate in the sink, and got to work on hauling the sedated guards into the brig. She slung them two by two over her shoulders, wishing dearly for a quiet nap.

 

[andujarprime]

Alaric chuckled nervously at Raven's response. He was, in truth relieved. He knew he could trust her out here. They'd travelled before, so he knew first hand that she knew what she was doing. He arched an eyebrow at the thought of Killerie being in charge of gunnery. What had he missed? Curious assignment for sure. He brought his thoughts in focus just in time to hear Shen wrap up. Not going to teach the poor, defenseless, girl how to fight? Bah! He understood Shen's reasoning, of course. It was smart, but his inner rebel couldn't abide with leaving someone solely reliant on others for their defense. He grinned as Shen walked away. He made his way over to Anna, palming a small kitchen knife. With one hand he placed it beside her on the table. His other three bracing the table as he leaned in close. "I know what the captain said. But I also know it ain't right for anyone to be incapable of defending themselves. Come find me after turn in." He said in a low voice loud enough for her and whoever was close by to hear. "Ain't no useless hands on MY ship" He mumbled mostly to himself as he stood again, winked and walked out.

SilverFlight

 

[Saturn_moon]

Rhea was not one to frighten easily. However, Killerie's sudden screeching in the small confined space they were in managed to send her sensors into high alert. She turned to the large purple centipede, eyes widened with confusion, wondering if she had offended her somehow. "If you wanted to be precise, I am tech." As if to prove her point, Rhea lifted the arm which had been slashed by the guards earlier, exposing her titanium skeleton underneath, to show Killerie. Thankfully, the guard had completely missed her vital wirings and systems, but she still needed to get that fixed as soon as possible. "I apologize if that is an inconvenience to you, I will do my best to keep out of your way."

Giving Killerie a respectful bow, Rhea turned her attention to the unconscious guards. Hoisting one up under each arm, she trailed behind Calliope to the brig. Passing Elnaril on the way out of the galley she gave the boy a nod of acknowledgment. "I shall return shortly to assist with the cleaning."

Hazmat44 Naberius Zazz SilverFlight andujarprime Lioness075 TheSpeck

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Larassa Sovna	Nickname: Raven
Race: Khoelian	Home Planet: Khoeli
Occupation: Bounty Huntress	Equipment: Knapsack, Bow, Quiver of Arrows (20/20 Normal, 1/1 Grappling), Twin Daggers

Hearing confirmation that she would take charge of navigating, Larassa smirked at Alaric and nudged his shoulder playfully.
"Just like old times, eh?"
As he left her side to speak to the princess, Larassa noted most had stepped away for one reason or another and she found she had little reason to stick around where there was little fresh air. She could feel her wings twitching with the constricting space and was disappointed when she recalled that she would have to pretend her wing was still injured for the time being.
Sighing, Larassa said out loud to no one in particular, "I've got first watch."

Leaving the underbelly of the ship, Larassa found herself inhaling deeply once she was outside. Perhaps it was the added benefit of her being able to fly, but she had always struggle a bit with claustrophobia. Not that she would ever admit to such a thing.

Unsurprisingly, Larassa spotted Shen at the top deck staring into space...literally. She raised an eyebrow at him and then scoffed when she realized he was undoubtedly brooding.
Finding little else to do in the moment, Larassa made her way up to join him, her claws scraping along the deck and clearly giving away her approach.
Catching the tail end of what Shen was muttering to himself, Larassa gave him a few feet when she joined his side. She was mindful to never stand too close to anyone she did not know well.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Larassa said, "Ye really take broodin' to the next level, huh?"
Pausing for a moment, Larassa then added, "Any more information fer us to work with he'e?"
While some of the kinder folk on the ship probably would have tried to offer words of encouragement or something of that nature after hearing someone mutter to themselves like that, Larassa was not the best at such things. Instead, she focused on the task at hand.

andujarprime SilverFlight

 

[Hazmat44]

Killerie flinched as she realized Shen was talking to her. She almost protested at his decision, but he had already moved past the topic and was talking to the other crew members. Somewhat chagrined, she finished off her food and started looking for the armory.

There weren't any signs in the ship, which seemed like a bad design to Killerie as she wandered through the narrow hallways, occasionally opening an odd door as she went. Some of them were painfully small cabins, with beds shoved in the walls and barely enough space to move around. Others were more luxurious, clearly intended for more important people. Maybe more princesses? Killerie wasn't quite sure how many children the Empress had. She was very important, so probably at least a thousand. Even more, possibly.

She found the armory after several minutes of meandering, a great metal door that seemed very securely shut. Thankfully, it wasn't locked, so she pulled it open and took a step inside.

Her Engineering instincts lit aflame.

Blasters lined the walls, rifles with slings and bulky handguns neatly lined up on racks. An entire cabinet of grenades and landmines (why would anyone need landmines on a boat?) occupied the corner of the armory. Four separate steel tables with magnetic clamps took up the center of the room, adjustable lights hugging the ceiling, waiting for use. On the other side of the armory was the heavier artillery, mortars and at least two rocket launchers just sitting there.

Killerie passed all of this, her attention entranced by what was at the back of the armory.

An entire wall, a full thirty feet from wall to wall and floor to ceiling, of drawers and shelves and cabinets practically dripping with tools. Hand lasers, soldering and welding irons, mag-clamps, drivers, drills, hammers, pliers, tweezers, wrenches, saws in a dozen different types, sanders, mallets, chisels, and dryly gleaming in the center of it all was a smooth leather toolbelt. Three pockets deep and at least half a dozen across, it had clearly been made for someone in a much smaller size than she, but Killerie instantly swore that she would get the Zilian-blessed thing to fit if it took a month.

Journey and stress and missing leg and anxiety took a distant backseat to acquainting herself with the armory, Killerie decided.

SilverFlight