RP: ISC Phoenix [Interlude 2] - We know what we want

[Luca]

And we're not little children
And we know what we want
And the future is certain
Give us time to work it out
♫ Talking Heads - Road to Nowhere ♫

Crimson Kestrel
John piloted the Crimson Kestrel and escorted the Fruna Ruica along the way through the infinite infinity of infinite space to Nepleslia Prime, the trip taking a couple of days. The lane towards Sargasso looked a little more crowded than usual on the radar. He got his headset on and tuned to Sargasso's Aerospace Control Tower.

Though, he was greeted with an automated message "Please tune backwards by 2 hz to reach the new Sargasso Aerospace Control Channel. This message will expire in 32 hours." Puzzled, John tuned backwards and heard a much busier sounding channel than what he'd normally hear on approach to Sargasso.

"Ech, you getting this?" John asked Echelon, who was another channel in their earpiece.
"Y34H." They replied back
"What happened while we were gone?"
"SP4C3P0RT, 3V1D3NTLY."
"Really? We weren't away that long."
"T1M3 M0V3S FUNNY 1N SP4C3 J0HN. 1T'S 4LW4YS B33N TH1S W4Y."

"Right," John replied back, shrugging. He knew this world was strange for reasons beyond his comprehension and he couldn't ever get a grasp on them. "Sargasso Aerospace Control Tower, this is Crimson Kestrel, looking for permission to land."

"Crimson Kestrel, this is Sargasso Aerospace Control Tower, we have a space reserved for you." The voice on the other side of the line replied. It was an unfamiliar voice. "Approach with these coordinates and vectors please..."

John received the vectors on his cockpit controls and console. The calculations were complex and varied, and included a few curveballs since Sargasso had become a lot busier since the introduction of this new fangled spaceport. He only heard of it now, and started bringing the Crimson Kestrel down and into the atmosphere.


Crimson Kestrel, Lounge
While this was happening, Luca had recovered, for the most part, from his injuries. He was no longer walking like a bowlegged Nepleslian longer than he was smart, most of his ribs were uncracked and he was no longer leaving bloody footprints wherever he went. He was also dressed quite comfortably and had an accoustic guitar in his hands Vita had been trying to teach him how to play.

"Hey, Ech, how are our bounties from the Ruica doing?" He asked as he thumbed out a couple of loose notes and chords.

Echelon replied over the intercom. "TH3 L1Z4RD 41N'T G01NG 4NYWH3R3," She said of Mr. Lizard Man's remains, which were currently in a number of cooler boxes. "W1R3 H34D 1S UND3R MY C0NTR0L - H3 W4S 4LL B4RK N0 B1T3 0N TH3 1C3 M34SUR3S." Of Wire Head, his firewalls sucked balls and Echelon had them penetrated harder than some of the things she saw on the Fruna Ruica.

Luca stopped playing for a moment. "And the Fyunnen?"

"1 G0T S0M3 K3T4M1N3 4ND CHL0RPR0M4Z1N3 FR0M 413SU. SH3'S R34LLY H4RD T0 K33P D0WN. TH4NK G0D W3'R3 N34RLY H0M3."

Down below in the cargo bay, Luca could hear Breaker swearing in their state of zoned out trance, while tied to the bulkhead with several metres of heavy durandium chains. Stripping their armour off turned out to be Allison's job, and for once in her life, Luca saw her get scared taking someone else's clothes off.

Especially someone so muscular who piloted their armour in their briefs. Even Luca had to admit that the crazy berserking Breaker had a nice training regimen. Though, when he remembered the video Zeta forwarded him when he asked for after action reports for DATASS to clear up, he wrinkled his nose in distaste - it was better for her to be tied down and pumped full of tranqs.

Luca resumed the jam session with himself, idly playing notes. "What about our new members?" He asked.
"TH3 BLU3 0N3 1S S3TTL1NG 1N BUT 1 TH1NK SH3 N33DS 4 SH1RT."
Naoko used to walk around naked, but she wasn't blue either, nor was she chilled and cool as a cucumber. "Think you have some spare clothing somewhere?" Luca queried.
"1'LL 4SK J0HN WH3N W3 L4ND."

"And the chef?" Luca asked.
"JUST D4NDY."
"Likes the new facilities?"
"Y34H, BUT M3L1SS4 S41D H3 N33DS T0 P1CK S0M30N3 UP FR0M N3PL3SL14."

Luca nodded. He overheard the chef's request shortly after they left the Fruna Ruica. "Gotcha. And everyone else?"

"JUST F1N3 L4ST T1M3 1 CH3CK3D."

Then Echelon paused. It didn't take long for Luca to notice this. "What?"

"TH3 BLU3 0N3'S TRY1NG TO D0 S0M3 B1G N3TW0RK D0WNL04DS 4ND R3QU3STS." She replied. Luca looked over at the viewscreen and nodded at her to continue. "4LL S0RTS 0F TH1NGS, L0TS 0F KN0WL3DG3, R3F3R3NC3, 4ND N3WS, 1NCLUD1NG S0M3 R3S34RCH 0N US."

"She wants to know more about her employer, she's doing her homework," Luca shrugged.

"4ND TH3N S0M3. SH3 TR13D D0WNL04D1NG 4 L1BR4RY."

Luca blinked. "Do we have that kinda bandwidth and storage?"

"0F C0URSE W3 D0."

Luca then looked up at the corner of the lounge room to Echelon's intercom. "Tell the others to get ready to disembark and stretch our legs for a bit. I'm thinking DATASS will be getting back to me pretty soon with some info about Handler's Reach."

"G0TCH4, B0SS."


Crimson Kestrel, Engineering
Allison was hiding and trying to take her mind off of Luca's threat to give her a stern talking to by 3D printing more O&O figurines. Echelon was there in the metal to be her consoler. "How pissed is he." Allison tried to get to the brass tacks as she noticed that a figurine of a skeleton had come out with a gammy leg, and discarded it into the scrap pile.

"W3LL Y0U D1DN'T SH0W 4NYTH1NG T0 V1T4." Echelon tried to comfort her friend and the ship's engineer, putting one of her metal hands on her shoulder. "1 TH1NK SH3'S JUST D1CK1NG W1TH Y4."

"You know, I wonder if she's even a teenager," Allison said as she transported the new batch of monsters over to the laser cutting tray. "She's the brainiest teen I've ever met anyway."

"WH0 KN0WS? M4YB3 1NT3LL1G3NC3 SK1PS 4 G3N3R4T10N 1N TH3 P4V0N3 F4M." Echelon shrugged. "LUC4'S DUMB3R TH4N 4 B4G 0F H4MM3RS BUT H3'S G0T H1S W4Y."

"His way or the highway, yeah."

Allison watched the cutting laser separate each skeleton from the mold, and now they were ready to be given a low-sheen, stain resistant finish. "Hey Ech," Allison queried. Echelon beeped at her. "Why do you think Aiesu always looks at him funny? Do you think she's tsundere for him?"

"F0R LUC4?" Echelon did not miss a beat. "0H, T0T3S."

They continued the girl talk together as the Crimson Kestrel started touching down on the newly constructed Sargasso Spaceport. Allison and Echelon bent their knees and felt the ship land, absorbing the impact. "Did you really have to put Aiesu in the rabbit body though?"

"W3LL WH4T 3LS3 D1D 1 H4V3 T0 W0RK W1TH 0N THE FRUN4 RU1C4, 4LLY?" Echelon shrugged incredulously. The fact that the robot she'd picked out pissed off Aiesu so much was just icing on the cake for her.

"Good point." She shrugged. "I am so jealous of you guys right now. You got to party on the Fruna Ruica."

"0H D0N'T W0RRY, W3 3SC0RT3D TH3M H3R3 4ND TH3Y'LL C0NT1NU3 TH3 P4RTY."

Allison just vibrated in place before placing the completed skeletons down on the table in the centre of the room and heading towards the doors with long strides. "Welp I know where I'm spending this time off see you bye bye put my calls on hold because there's a convention with my name on it!"

"1'LL T3LL TH3 0TH3RS." Echelon replied flatly.


Crimson Kestrel
Throughout the ship, the order to get it together was heard from Luca. "Attention Phoenix Crew. We're touching down in lovely Sargasso to rest, restock and take inventory of things. I'm currently waiting for some news from DATASS this week." Luca announced to all throughout the ship. "Feel free to explore Sargasso, stay here and work on tools and equipment. Do whatever as long as you stay in contact. I hear the Fruna Ruica is docked too."

He got up and brushed himself off, keeping his guitar held by the neck as he walked back to his cabin. "Now, I've got an after action report to write. I've got all the data I need thanks to you guys and the Fruna Ruica." He opened the door to his cabin, put the guitar down on the bed and sat down at his desk. "You all take care, and have fun. Pavone out."

And he got to work on writing that engagement report. He still remembered all the details and witness accounts, as well as his crew's data submissions. This'd help smooth things over with DATASS, and avoid any international incidents. Heroism, but backed up with the relevant paperwork, so even better heroism.


Sargasso, Space Port
Standing on the top deck of the space port, it appeared to be a large hexagon built near the edge of the bay, built through the sand and into the harder rock beneath. Spaceships seemed to be able to land on top of the structure or inside one of its six entrances in the middle, and they could also moor their ships in the calm bay water if they chose, and take a little of Sargasso with them where ever they went.

Looking immediately to the southwest, newcomers to Sargasso were treated with a view of the sandy beach. Most of it had been cleaned up and gentrified, now looking more attractive to laze on during a hot summer's day without fear of stepping on sharp rubbish or a corpse. The Fruna Ruica was parked just over the road, struts down, bottom-level shuttle bay acting as an entrance point, and advertisements out facing the beach.

The vessel was in the middle of repairs delivered by robots, professionals, citizen contractors and helashio, but the show had to go on - there were still a couple of days of the convention left before its rude interruption, and most of the vendors and presenters had opted to set up a street market of hedonism and debauchery, changing their events schedule to fit the new outdoor venue.

Looking out into the town northwest past the ruined Wayfield Offices, a new structure could be seen. A candy factory, built as Seiren Isbala had specified it. Its colourful advertising dotted around the grounds and exterior were waiting for the main man to come along and declare the place opened to start creating the first round of new jobs in Sargasso.

In the heart of the city, Commercial Lane had gotten a much needed spit and polish. Lina's Palace looked so much more warm and inviting rather than dilapidated. Karl's Threepenny Bullets had expanded its arsenal significantly, and added a couple of new lanes to its underground range. The Ori-Mart had expanded its consumer electronics, while Mr. Neppies was still the same, but with new menus and new ways to clog one's arteries inside.

It was a warm Monday morning in Sargasso, with the sun high in the sky and a gentle breeze from the west to cool down the city with its second wind. Sargasso Community Radio was playing some gentle synthesiser music for citizens until the 6:00 bulletin with Karl happened. The weather was broadcast to be hot and warm for the next few days.

 

[Eistheid]

Crimson Kestrel, Cargo Bay

Affixed to the ceiling of the Crimson Kestrel's cargo bay, Tamamo's eyes were unfocused but open as she sorted and analyzed data as it streamed to her from the Kestrel's computer. She had been overjoyed when she had learned that she could have access to the systems and there had hardly been a moments pause before she had begun cautiously exploring the information networks available to her. At present her explorations had grown to titanic proportions as she tried to devour as much information as she could acquire relishing in the volume that greatly surpassed what she had been allowed at the SAoY training base she had spent her entire life on.

Parallel to the influx of new data Tamamo reviewed her brief time with the crew once again comparing her point of view to that of her past while trying to seek out new branches of thought. The crew had been kind, even the lightning candy hadn't been harmful to her despite its distressing nature. She was glad of this though she did not understand its motivation or root, something that unsettled her slightly. Another source of trouble was her inability to secure a location to process. She had a growing backlog of information to comb over and address, and as it grew she could feel her mind slow as it struggled to keep the segregated information in check. Blinking as she willed away the sickening sensation Tamamo decided that it would have to become a priority to find somewhere to process undisturbed.

Catching the end of the message over the ship's intercom Tamamo frowned and replayed the last few minutes of audio to herself to discover what she had missed while her mind was focused elsewhere. Determining that it was of some minor interest she blinked again refocusing her eyes before swivelling her head and wiggling her ears seeking sounds or activity that would alert her to the actions of any crew if they were nearby. So much to learn.

 

[Reynolds]

Once the trip began, Shayla had spent most of her time running Aiesu out of her Medbay, after the currently rabbit-shaped robot lady had declared herself the chief medical officer of the ship. This on top of the newly arrived Neko, Tamamo, attempting to examine every item in the room, when she wasn't asking Shayla a million questions. Going from zero medical personnel to three had been confusing, not to mention frustrating, but the giantess had - so far - managed to maintain her claim on the medical facilities.

Cargo Bay

"Hey kid, get down from there." It seemed like she was always shooing the kitten off the ceiling. "You're gonna stick out like a sore thumb if you can't learn to blend in." This coming from the half-naked giant Neko. "You can't go runnin' around wearin' a Star Army uniform here either, even scraps of it." Echelon had somehow (she wasn't sure she wanted to know how, really) managed to ensure the young Neko wouldn't be registered as a deserter, probably the same way they'd hidden the one with the Mindy, but that didn't mean they should be so obvious about it.

"We need to get you some normal people clothes. Like mine!" She guffawed at the thought, although her skimpy outfits were far too large to properly fit the smaller Neko. "And, ya know...a toothbrush and a sleeping bag and stuff like that." Tamamo would probably sleep on the floor (or the ceiling) and scavenge scraps if they let her. "Just stick close to me, kid." Hopefully she wouldn't be convinced to wander off with the first nice stranger, although Shayla figured she was at least safe from any muggers. Most Nepleslians wouldn't be dumb enough to pick a fight with a Neko. Well, maybe not most, but the ones that were that dumb wouldn't be much of a threat.

Shayla was eager to get out onto the planet, herself. It wasn't the real Nepleslia, but it was close enough. At least for a few days of vacation.

 

[Lamb]

Lady Of The Night
A thin and bony hand emerged from beneath silken sheets while Luca's voice echoed within the chambers of the tiny freighter moored in the Crimson Kestrel's docking bay. Normally, a bedside table held something like an alarm clock, or a clock radio, maybe a pair of glasses. As if that hypothetical alarm clock were actually there, the bony hand patted the smooth wooden surface searching for a snooze button. A thick-framed revolver slid over a few centimeters. An unmarked pill bottle tipped over and rolled onto the floor. Finally, those narrow fingers laid upon a trio of items which were its prize.

The sheet slid open like a red satin curtain as Enzo blearily broke his head from the darkness within, bloodshoot eyes struggling to focus on the flask, cigarettes, and lighter he'd not-so-neatly piled up on his bedside table with everything else. With a groan, the conman sat up and gathered the sheets around him. He blinked a few times, but didn't bother to look around. At least he wasn't upside-down. Again.

Eventually, staring at the wall and listening to the captain's announcement brought him no joy, so Vincienzo perched one of the cigarettes on his lips and lit up before taking a sip of bourbon through the side of his mouth. Aching muscles, throbbing headache, clean hair--the grifter wasn't exactly sure what he'd gotten up to after finishing up on the sex ship, but it couldn't have been terrible.

Besides, breakfast was going pretty well so far for a Monday.

 

[Born-On-Board]

The chef was in the kitchen, carrying out his duties. Redrick, despite the bruises developing all over his body, despite the aches and the pains and his goddamn leg and the burns on his hand, had gotten up well before everyone else to cook himself a meal - an old habit of his Navy service - cooks never ate during mealtimes, only before or after, and this had been a before kind of day.

The crew was mostly going to be out and about today - there was no reason for them to stay on the ship and eat when they could go to Neppie's or buy their own sustenance from Ori-mart, but Redrick put out cold goods anyways. Cereals, fruits, some pre-packaged muffins, and a basket of hardboiled eggs, bread - all the components of a nutritionally balanced breakfast, provided free of charge to the hungover and those too lazy to go out.

Redrick sipped coffee from a mug, aching all over, but feeling pretty good - he liked the Crimson Kestrel a lot better than the Lorath tub he'd left behind, and he had more control over the food, since he was it as far as the food service staff was concerned. He had mostly supervised on the Fruna Ruica, taking inventory and directing junior cooks - he cooked very little, which was what he actually liked to do.

And the facilities on the Kestrel - for a small ship? Very nice. He had everything he needed, and a lot of things he didn't. Just what was the deal with all the thrice-damned cornmeal? Just what culinary crimes had the last cook committed to this poor crew? He shook his head. Did the last cook also subject the crew to hardtack and saltbeef? This wasn't some godforsaken wooden sailing ship.

And thus, Redrick began his 'day off' working, and couldn't be happier.

 

[Eistheid]

Crimson Kestrel, Cargo Bay

Hearing a now familiar voice and address, Tamamo's head swivelled her wide dark jade eyes locking onto Shayla's form below her. Her expression remained blank, which for her meant wide eyed with arched eyebrows, as she listened to the suggestions. After a short pause and some disconcerting lag in her thought process Tamamo 'fell' from the ceiling shifting her weight to land lightly on her feet atop one of the cargo crates below. Hopping her way down to the floor Tamamo strode over to Shayla and looked up at her, the dark jade eyes once again studying in silence before the blue Neko spoke suddenly her tone once again awkwardly bright and peppy, "Okay!"

To comply as best as she could to what was offered Tamamo shimmered as she volumetricly clothed herself in a grey sweater, pants, and functional boots, also grey. Blinking up at the larger form of Shayla she lagged for a moment before inquiring brightly, "Is this satisfactory?" While she was still largely nude, she at least looked like she was dressed which was as close to the desired objective as she could manage.

 

[Luca]

Crimson Kestrel, Bridge
John was at his desk in the Bridge, away from the flight controls to sort out everyone's pay and renumeration for the job well done. He worked with paper and a pen instead of a computer - but kept a digital backup of each page just in case. The paper didn't forget what you wrote on it after a microwave fried all your computers. He was getting everyone's pay sheets done.

Everyone in particular had contributed and he was ready to pay that month's series of wages. Included in that wage was the free meals and shelter and network access. Where the money came from tended to vary - the most recent payout to the Phoenix's coffers was from the Fruna Ruica as thanks for dealing with that pirate problem - before they gave their bounties of Mr. Lizard Man, Wire Head and Breaker over to the Nepleslian police. Indeed, there was a bit to earn. The rest of the money came from the marketing, the branding, energy drinks and royalty deals Luca was keeping going.

John wondered how he was able to keep that lifestyle AND a lifestyle of constant danger together without breaking as he tapped his pen against that month's balance sheet. The Phoenix was still in the black and surplus by a good margin, ship expenses hadn't gone up, but John did notice that personal expenses were increasing a bit, based on stock he saw enter the ship and its value - especially for the Engineering department. Spare parts and materials were being bought up and used quickly thanks to Allison and Seiren, the two biggest spenders. At least it came from their wallets.

With the payment in paper ready, and the order to let the payment go, everyone earned their pay for participating in the Fruna Ruica mission, hitting an enter button that'd been painted red and called the dosh key by Echelon:

• Makari, Reeves (+1K for injury), Soruk, Zeta: 7,500 KS
  
• Rebeka, Seiren (-1K for crushing Aiesu), Shayla, Enzo, Melissa, Echelon: 5,000 KS
• Redrick, Tamamo, Cass, Aiesu (+2K for injury): 3,000 KS
• Luca, John, Allison, Vita: 1,000 KS

He thought that the mission payouts, in addition to the wage were fair.

Familiar metal footsteps could be heard as Echelon's metal body entered the Bridge. She saw John's update and cash go through, and saw the others get their share too. "H3Y, 1 TH0UGHT TH3 BLU3B3RRY W4S JUST 4 P4SS3NG3R," Echelon said. "W3 G0T TH3 CH3F R3CRU1T3D TH0."

"Luca's orders," John said as he put a cap on his pen and put it back in the pen mug. "He's already writing his AA Report."

Echelon was briefly surprised by the mention of the AA report getting written already. "4LR34DY? S0M3TH1NG MUST B3 0N H1S M1ND."
"I don't envy him." John turned around on his chair, hands behind his back to look at Echelon. "He didn't like what he saw on that ship at all."
Given what Echelon had accessed from the Fruna Ruica and spun in jest for laughs, she had seen some pretty bizarre stuff. "N0 K1DD1NG. 4LL1S0N W4NT3D T0 JUMP 4T 1T."

John made a groan of disgust. "Dunno what's gotten into her in the past couple of years. Maybe the job's getting to her?" He speculated.
"M4YB3. W3 4LL H4V3 0UR V1C3S, 3V3N Y0U 4ND 1."

John didn't even want to guess what got Echelon's giddies.

"4NYW4Y. D0 Y0U H4V3 4NY SP4R3 CL0TH3S F0R T4M4M0?"

John relaxed. "Oh, I should have some leftover gym gear and tracksuits in the clothes crate down. Tell her to take whatever, it's on the house."

"'K4Y."


Crimson Kestrel, Cargo Bay
Echelon's voice could be heard from the intercom. "H3Y, T4M4M0, G00D N3WS, Y0U N0 L0NG3R H4V3 T0 B3 N4K3D 4LL TH3 T1M3."

An orange, holographic arrow materialised in the cargo bay pointed to the crate that was designated to be the spare clothing crate. Within were tracksuits and hooded jumpers of various sizes, colours, and cuts. The clothing was intended for use in training exercises by anyone who'd fit into them, and the selection was quite ample for Tamamo.

It may not have been her standard issue that was somewhere on Kyoto, waiting to be picked up, but it was a start on the right foot.

Then Echelon peered again at Tamamo. "H3Y, WH3R3'D TH4T C0M3 FR0M... 0H R1GHT, V0LUM3TR1CS." She figured it out quickly. "C4RRY 0N, H4V3 FUN 0N S4RG4SS0!"


Crimson Kestrel, Hangar
Enzo would hear a knock on the hatch of the Lady of the Night and an unmistakable "Oi wanker" from behind the hatch. "Got me words with ya." She said again, tapping against the door to keep getting Enzo's attention. It was either a red letter or a black letter day for the conman, whatever he'd gotten up to on his bender.

As Shayla and Tamamo walked by, they could see Melissa with her hair down and untied, somewhat frazzled, and wearing the perfect hangover suit - a tracksuit more designed for warmth and comfort on a couch to watch bad soap opera with. Shayla recognised that Delsaurian-Nepleslian brand of pissed off from a mile away.

The exit out to Sargasso wasn't far off, and they could feel the salty, cool ocean breeze already. Tamamo especially, since the volumetrics didn't do much to shield against the cold and soon, the heat. That's what internal temperature regulation was for.

 

[Eistheid]

Crimson Kestrel, Cargo Bay

As the voice of the ship's resident Freespacer was heard over the intercom, Tamamo wiggled her ears curiously before her eyes locked on the large arrow that appeared. Without a single thought to Shayla whom she had been talking to Tamamo turned and padded over to the designated crate. Rooting through the assorted clothing Tamamo took inventory of her options before retrieving a grey tracksuit with cyan accents that was a little too large for the small Neko.

Slipping on the clothing satisfied with the baggy, but functional fit Tamamo took a moment to bask as the cloth trapped her radiated heat allowing her to feel a pleasant warmth creep along her flesh, surprisingly pleasant despite being something so simple. Focusing on the sensation head tilted slightly and eyes closed for the moment Tamamo trembled slightly forced to reign in her willpower and reinforce her flagging state of mind.

Squeezing her eyes shut and shaking her head slightly for a moment Tamamo took a deep breath before padding back over to accompany Shayla, her demeanour suggesting that she did not register the sudden departure as anything that merited consideration more than breathing did. Locking the larger Nekovalkyrja once again with her dark jade eyes Tamamo waited to see what would be asked of her next.

 

[Lamb]

Enzo frowned at Melissa's voice. Last he could remember, he had grand intentions of wooing her. Based on his current situation, he concluded that he must have done something. Enzo stood up from his bed and took another sip from the hair of the dog what bit him before grabbing his pistol, then upon a second thought putting it back down on the dresser instead of tucked into his waistband. If he was unarmed, it'd be one less thing for Mel to potentially murder him with.

Enzo worked his way down the corridor of the ship to the hatch that rested where his escape pod once had, pulling a tank top over his head. When he came near, he started talking while keying in the code to unlock the door.

"Yeah, I gots a few guesses but I can't remember nothin', sweethaht; so yous gotta tell me in greusome details exactly what I did an' an', eh," Enzo started to trail off as the hatch slid open to reveal Melissa in all her wiry-haired and glory. He looked at her hard, his eyes panning the length of her inently and taking in just how much of a lazy slob she looked like on her day off. It reminded him of himself. Being a narcissistic twat, Enzo liked this quality in her. "an', eh, eh, just... exactly what... yous's gonna do... about it--"
Instead of running out of steam entirely, the conman just spoke his mind abruptly, explaining his stare, "Shit, you looks good with yous hair down."

 

[Reynolds]

Cargo Bay

"It's very, uh, grey." She scratched her head, as the smaller Neko covered herself with the most boring clothing she'd ever seen. Those projections could be just about anything, and this was what she'd chosen. Shayla looked up and around as Echelon's weird, robotic voice chimed in, directing them to the helpful arrow. "There ya go, pick out something nice and..." She trailed off as Tamamo returned. "...grey." She sighed, rubbing her forehead.

Mumbling something about 'kids these days' the giantess - wearing a bright mustard yellow outfit with pale mint green stripes today - exited the Cargo Bay to head for the exit, with the newly clothed Tamamo following close behind.

Hangar

"Uh oh. Looks like someone's in trouble." She smirked at the scene, lingering long enough to spot Enzo emerging to stare blankly at Melissa. "Yeah, you're droolin' over her hair, right, right." Shayla rolled her eyes and continued on towards the exit. "So, we just gotta pick up all the stuff that'd be in your standard issue kit. You know? And, I guess we can pick up anything else you think you need. Don't go grabbing at every shiny thing that catches your eye, though." She snickered at the thought, loitering by the exit now, wondering if anyone else was heading into town.

 

[ShotJon]

Hangar

Zeta walked into the hangar, dressed in her standard attire. Khaki green cargo pants, white singlet and leather jacket along with ankle high military boots. On her thigh was the SiZi plasma revolver and she had a combat knife on her belt. Zeta was not go to out under-dressed after all. She also had an empty back-pack on her back. She noticed Shayla and Tamano and headed their way.

"Hey ladies," Zeta said to the larger and smaller neko. "You going out? Mind if I join ya? Though we could finally get to know each other a bit." After all Tama was new on the ship and even though Shayla was around for a while, she and Zeta had no chance to chat yet. Zeta literally knew nothing of the giant neko other then she was tough, liked big blades and her name. That should change.

 

[Eistheid]

Crimson Kestrel, Hangar

In the time that Shayla had taken to harass Vincenzo and Zeta had shown up, an object had managed to capture the attention of the small Neko. Scampering over to the partially assembled frame Tamamo shuffled about looking at the gutted machine with curiosity and intense longing. Reluctantly tearing herself away from the inert craft, Tamamo once again fell into orbit near Shayla.

Turning her attention to the new arrival, one that her data identified as Zeta, there was a pause in which she glanced to the taller Neko before speaking in her slightly off peppy voice, "I have no objections." Blinking and seeming to pause in place for a moment in time Tamamo eventually wiggled hear ears before once again peering longingly toward the thing she had discovered while waiting for her 'guides' to decide what it was they wanted to do.

 

[Luca]

Crimson Kestrel, Hangar
The girls were watching the little altercation unfold between Melissa and Enzo. The Phoenix's resident markswoman, ball buster and all around Delsaurian-through-and-through was practically steaming at Enzo until his comment seemed to defuse her, body language changing. "You wot, mate?" This only lit up another bomb, fuse sparking as Melissa's arm shot up to the doorframe to contain Enzo. "Do you think flattery's gonna get you anywhere? Well? Do ya?"

She leaned in, staring through the greasy conman. Affixed by her, Enzo didn't see the knee to his shorthairs coming, striking him straight and true in the shorts. "That's fer the kaserine ya dirty so an' so." Melissa didn't mince words with the conman, and wasn't willing to take any no for an answer. "Now we's even, got that?"

The truth, though, was that Melissa was a victim of collateral damage from Aiesu's perceived slights against Luca - the little tricks and gibes she'd play on him to wear him down and embarrass him sometimes seemed to hit other targets. Not that Enzo or Melissa knew, or that Aiesu was willing to confess to it.

Their entertainment had as Melissa kept on earbashing with a string of genital-directed profanities towards the conman who'd for once in his life not done the wrong thing, the three girls could proceed to Sargasso at their leisure.


Sargasso, Commercial Lane
Commercial Lane was buzzing with activity today, almost like it was back in YE33, the Boom Times, when everyone who walked the streets was clear eyed, strong backed, and paid well for their efforts in mining the riches beneath Sargasso. Except, the people moving around and stimulating the town right now weren't from around these parts at all.

Lina refurbished Palace's was bustling. She didn't even have to sell companionship with how the guests of the Fruna Ruica were conducting herself. The extra staff she was able to hire with her cut of the Commercial Lane stimulus ensured that they were all fed and watered. Lina herself had picked up some new clothing and makeup, looking as pretty as a princess again.

Meanwhile, across the road and in an enlarged bunker, Karl's Threepenny Bullets was now stocking more ammo, more guns, more of them, a much larger workshop for creating custom ammunition and weaponry, and the firing range was enlarged by a couple of lanes. Safe, well drained, and with a few prospecting buyers trying out guns, including energy weapons that 'fell off the back of a truck', Karl was rolling in it.

The Ori-Mart was now large enough to be considered a standard-sized Ori-Mart. As per the shop's deal with Karl, David Takeyama made sure this Ori-Mart was selling all the consumer goods and electronics while Karl focussed on selling guns, even the Origin ones. If you wanted something that didn't fit in the store, say, a starship or a huge shipping container, David could order it in for you in a week for a little bit extra, no worries.

Mr. Neppies fine establishment of Neppies meanwhile, had expanded their menu and the staff. They even added 'Healthy' options for the Yamataians. Though easily derided from eating healthy food from the junk food store, the option was there if one truly had fallen on hard enough times to eat healthy at the fattening restaurant. Ironically, it cost more to eat healthy too; More still to eat real.

 

[Phe0n1x]

Sargasso, Mr. Neppies
It had been a while since Makari had relaxed and clogged his arteries with REAL Nepleslian food. That junk they served on Yamatai had made his skin crawl and make him lose his appetite. The grub on the ship wasn't bad, in fact, all things considered it was excellent. But there was just something about a greasy meal after a long day's work that really got the blood pumping.

Sargasso, Commercial Lane
He finished his meal and wandered around the block a bit, taking in the new sights. It was quite odd to see an Nepleslian city lacking the finer details of garbage, bodies, and rodents. It wasn't necessiarly unpleasant, just odd. For once, he though he had enough weapons. Quite a shock to himself, but for now he was content. He mosied over to Karl's to try out his Lorath Handcannons a bit more in their new shooting gallery. Can't get rusty.

 

[Moogle]

Crimson Kestrel, Hangar
Seiren frowned at the bank notice that popped up, but shrugged it off. "Eh, not like I'm low on cash. Still, gotta work on that whole. . . not crushing teammates thing. . ." he sighed from his little hangar workshop, partially secluded from the goings-on in the bay. He heard Melissa shouting at Enzo, but decided that was a battle worth staying out of. Instead, he got his things ready and made himself presentable for a real outing; he was going to tour his brand-new (Well, refurbished, really) factory! Wherever Rebeka decided to be was up to her, but for once she wasn't glued to his side. He made a message on his communicator out to all the Phoenix crewmembers, should they choose to accept.

Going to be touring my factory pretty soon!
Like, in thirty minutes!
If you want to join in, I'll be waiting outside the place!

~Seiren

Sargasso, Candy Factory
Seiren sat on a conveniently placed bench on a newly paved walkway towards the factory, eating chips while he waited.

 

[Lamb]

Normally Enzo's mental dial would've turned to the notch on the circle marked 'Murder' or the similar one next to it marked 'Free Space'. In fact, despite whatever the pesky narrator had said about him being unable to dodge her attack, Enzo was fairly certain that he could've perfectly dodged even if he wanted to, and that he was allowing this punishment to occur. Not out of a sense of guilt or shame, but rather because he wanted Melissa to still somehow like him at the end of the day-- and the two-bit greaseball would've probably let her get away with quite a lot just to let her be as much in control as possible.

"Right, kaserine." He groaned, hands pressed against the sides of his neck while the pain washed over his body. "That don't sounds like my style, but if yous says I did it, I believes ya..." He tilted his head and looked off at a distant corner of the hangar. "What kindsa kaserine were it? Girl kaserine or boy kaserine?"

 

[Reynolds]

Hangar

Shayla turned her attention from the fight to the new arrival, nodding at the idea. "Sure, why not? It'll be uh, what do they call those...Girls Night Out?" She guffawed at the idea. "I gotta warn you, it'll be my first." She grinned as Tamamo piped up with her agreement. "I'm gonna guess it's her first, too. Eh?" She turned to look at the craft the other Neko had been hovering around before being distracted by Enzo's punishment. She cringed, making quite the face. "Yeesh. First the big cheese, now the greaseball...you ladies sure got weird ideas about how to treat the guys in this outfit."

Shaking her head, she started heading for the exit. "So, clothes, then some soap and stuff, what else? Maybe I should buy a dozen or so Durandium cups to pass out to the crew, eh?" She burst out laughing again, giving Zeta another one of those heavy slaps on the back that helped propel her forward.

 

[OsakanOne]

>ON!

Crimson Kestrel, Captain's Quarters
Something wasn't adding up in Luca's report. He tapped his finger against the keyboard as he looked at his minute-to-minute breakdown of events. Notably, where did all the underwear come from prior to the fighting beginning in the Main Convention Floor? So far, everyone he'd asked about it and contributed to the report had no idea.

The only people he hadn't asked yet were Seiren, who was out at the Candy Factory right now, Rebeka, who Luca didn't seem to know where they'd gone, and finally Aiesu.

He didn't want to interrupt the kid's big day, or hunt down Rebeka, and he knew where Aiesu would be holed up. He got out of his chair and went for the door, then through the corridors to the front of the rabbit den.


Crimson Kestrel, The Rabbit Den (Aiesu's Room)
♫ Lowercase Noises - Blake - "Taken"

Three sharp knocks could be heard the door to Aiesu's den. Last time Luca was there, he recalled a miserable looking room full of cables, servers, regret, data, and darkness. "Hey, Aiesu," He asked from behind the door. "Got a minute? It's for the after-action report."

The door slid open of its own volition. She'd gone to the trouble of keeping the lights dim, befitting of her tastes: lit only by the glow of a collage of free floating volumetrics: Some flat rectangular shapes, others spheres of complex shapes slowly moving and drifting through the room and others even further like snow rising from the floor toward the ceiling, which sparkled and depicted the stars outside.

Carefully, her seat squeaked as she turned about: hands set upon her thighs, posture slumped, lazy, feet failing to meet the ground, glasses looped around her unbuttoned collar. Even now, she was working. And some how she was L'manel again, not machine.

"Heyo. What do?"

Luca stepped through the threshold and felt a shiver down his spine. He had to watch his step, lest he tread on a cable and pull something out, and possibly invoke the wrath of Aiesu. "Do you know why the convention room was flooded with panties?" He asked first and foremost, looking for somewhere to sit. He'd bought a datapad with him.

She thumbed to the bed, filled with thick cables running back and forth between an assortment of metal boxes. There was room enough for her to sleep on it should she decide to, which made ample seating room though the top bunk was too shrowded with equipment and boxes to be of any use.

"Mission-log says Rebeka got trigger-happy."

He raised an eyebrow and tapped it into the datapad, taking a seat on the bed next to a server that was whirring full of information Luca couldn't be bothered to disseminate. "Trigger happy how?"

"Well, there was a bomb of some sort. She decided that her crewmates were the survival priority so she flushed it down the wash-chute instead of trying to diffuse it."

Luca blinked. "Mmmhmh..." He mumbled as he recorded what Aiesu had said. "And it exploded somewhere in the laundry and started flooding the main convention floor since the chute line must've been running parallel to one of the walls in the convention floor."

A fairly reasonable observation from Luca.

He then bothered to look up at Aiesu, lit by her monitors in the gloom, and somehow suddenly not looking like that waitress. "Where'd the bunny chiropractor suit go? Did you get a haircut?"

"No, she... Its still there." she said, rolling her knuckle before pointing over toward a worrying thing in the corner: The rabbit robot in question slumped like a broken wind-up-doll with a bag in its lap, thick cables running from it into the junctions and walls.

"And no, my replacement body hasn't arrived yet. This is just hard-light, see. Pretty convincing, isn't it?"

Luca looked at the slumped doll and back at Aiesu. "Want John to keep his ear on the ground for it?" Luca asked. John handled all the logistics after all. "Hard light, so you can make your hair go wild or something?"

Aiesu tittered quietly. Her image seemingly flickered, lit by sparkles as she made her way to her feet, easing the chair back beneath the desk with careful hands. Turning about, her hair tickled now down to the backs of her calves, a tall pair of white familiar shapes atop her head. Her hands rose to her temples miming their shape.

It was like watching a child vying for the attention of a parent.

"Usagi!" she squeaked with enthusiasm. Her smile was surprisingly warm.

The captain seemed unperturbed. Her smile faded.

"The point of it was to be a workstation, really, the whole room is set up for it. But as it turns out, I can use it as a physical body while I'm in here until I've got something better than that thing."

"So you're not actually sitting in front of me?" He narrowed his eyes.

"This? No, I'm just a very very well made illusion" Aiesu said, lips smug as now she stood before him. Her clothes had now become a slipdress, shimmering but wasted on her small body.

"Feel" she said. Luca leaned in and grabbed the very edge of her dress. The fabric felt real enough. Though, having been told that it was an illusion, he was rubbing it between his fingers and thumb, trying to look for an error in the illusion.

None came. Though when his gaze returned, she stood at a height closer to his own. A shape closer to his own. Still little to be spoken of but in his lapse of attention she had gone from childhood to adulthood. It was quite a surprise.

Luca let go of the shirt and sat up with the datapad. Though, a tinge of scorn could be seen on his face. "You're still going to be knee high to a grasshopper to me, you know."

She took the datapad from him, eyeing the results oddly for a moment. She made a number of corrections before handing it back, the smugness ever present but now on a face that deserved it.

"Either you think the Ruica is twice its length or you suck at math."

She paused dramatically.

"You suck at math."

Luca snatched the pad back from her and got up. "Oh shush, shortarse." Luca retorted. "Thank you for your valuable contribution."

Her smile faded some before returning. Different flavor. Different reasons.

"I'll never not be a 'short-arse', you know? Let me have this."

"Maybe not." Luca replied. "It'd pay not to shit on everyone to earn it though."

"Is Rebeka blowing out the laundry chute earning it?"

"No, because the Fruna Ruica may literally get up my tall arse about it if I don't explain what happened. I'll send them a version that doesn't mention Rebeka's involvement, I'll say the pirates did it to be dicks. They were undisciplined enough for it to seem likely."

There was the convenient fact that none of the security cameras were working after Wire Head locked down the task bar, and Luca's word really didn't have anything to go against it. "I mean, have you seen what bored soldiers do?"

"We've simulated about thirty thousand hours of bored soldiers. There's a reason rape happens on the battlefield. Even amongst Lorath. The women just can't help themselves. What's that saying you use? Idle hands...?"

"Devil's playthings." Luca finished off.

"Well, its obviouslymore than just hands, isn't it?"

She tilted her head some, the motion as it has been with the droid slumped in the corner exaggerated. She found herself eyeing his body.

"What about yours?" she took a step forward, now ever so slightly taller than he was: a young woman in her own right: mischevous in her visage.

"Keeping busy, are we?"

"I have my ways." Luca nodded solemnly. "By the way, where'd you get that aerobics video? It's a real workout." It was a Lorath video with Trade subtitles, of men and women doing a hard, but upbeat exercise routine.

"Aerobics video...?" she echoed back to herself, contemplating.

"Not that sort of aerobics." Luca chided, chuckling. "As in-" He puffed up his chest and flexed his arms. "Crunch that stomach! That's it!" He started speaking in Lorath, mimicking the video, and striking muscular poses to labor the point. "Focus your energy! That's it!"

Cerise eyes rose and fell, watching Luca's body shift vertically in time with whatever beat she couldn't hear. She tilted her head the other way, ignoring some instinctive urge to copy him.

"As your physician, I demand you explain yourself. If I didn't give you the video, I gave you the video" she said, being clear in her emphasis to make sure Luca understood what she meant.

Luca narrowed his eyes. "You-you, not you here. Got it. Tell You-you that you're discerning." He waggled his fingers into air quotes. "And I don't do the exercises naked either, Aiesu-Aiesu." He then chewed on that word. "Susu." There.

"...Wooooooow. Its like I'm really here in the room with you" she said flatly. Whether this was the real Aiesu hundreds of lightyears away or the construct making a subtle jab remained unknown. "This is amazing" she said with all the slow flat monotone enthsiasm of someone watching a dog disappear under a steamroller.

"Yes. This is engaging." Luca mimicked the monotone, though his idea of tedium was paint drying or having to endure an avalanche of sugar-coated Seiren technobabble.

"I can be engaging" she said, something having changed in her voice. Motion set her into destroying Luca's personal space with a single well placed step that backed him into the lower bunk, stood over him tall, forcing him back. The flatness was gone, in more ways than one.

Her body now resembled some idealized pin-up. Not overtly so and not even resembling Nepleslian ideals. Tall. Strong. Lithe. Almost motherly in some ways. Yet her features were still androgynous. Taller than him, she was surprisingly imposing.

Her eyes gleamed that brilliant cerise. Confidence he'd only ever seen in men before... It was almost predatory.

"Wanna go?"

Knowing that it was an illusion, Luca sighed and tried to push her away. None of it was real, it was just Aiesu projecting something through something else he didn't understand. No matter the visuals, the looks, the way she moved, Luca knew it was all a lie for her to get some easy poon.

Aiesu could see him scowling in disgust at her, baring teeth. "I have a report to finish." He grumbled, but she would not budge. She had all of the mass and warmth of a real person. Even though Luca knew it wasn't real. "Outta my way, I'm really not that into you."

She sounded a stiff scoff, elbow against the upper bunk, foot against the mattress. A long awkward silence hung between the two before she slid aside, giving him the room he asked for, rolling her eyes. She wouldn't look at him again.

Sensing he hadn't budged as if he were waiting for something (was he really that stupid, she asked herself?), the back of her fist met the bunk, shaking it with a loud metallic bang stronger than any person could make, sending fairylights twinkling along the side of her hand that collided with the frame.

"Get out."

He did, pausing to get one last look at her.

"You. Go away."

She knew who he meant: The Aiesu that wasn't in the room with them, watching from afar. But it stung both of them.

She glanced over her shoulder one last time: In the single moment between eyelids closing in a blink, going from that tall figure to the smaller one he was familiar with who turned about, leaving the apex of the door-way and disappearing as the room turned dark: the visuals all purely for his benefit as she existed within the computers. The door slid shut with a metallic clunk of deckwork, dealing him out as the locks crisply sounded. The heavy machinery almost sounded like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Shoulda brought me dinner first," She could hear Luca mocking her from behind the door as he marched back to his room, datapad in hand.

All the same, though, he did make a quick check for when her Construct body was coming in. Sure, it wasn't her but it was a damn sight better than the hardlight fakery. The invoice listed not one but three. Strange.

Hopefully there's a spine in there somewhere... He contemplated as he returned to his room.

 

[ShotJon]

Hangar

"Well it is not how I treat my man," Zeta said with a smirk. Poor Enzo. Knowing him he probably deserved it for whatever he did, but she was not if he deserved it for whatever Mell was talking about. Kaserine is no fun, Zeta knew that. She had some rather uncomfortable experience with it, although it seemed like Luca thought it hilarious. Well he got punished for that as well. In a way.

"Yeah I could use some new wear," Zeta said with a nod. "And surprisingly, I did not do all that much girls night out too. Not until I Luca hired me at least. Still there are few nice shops in the town, though for clothes and soap I think we should hit Orimart first."

 

[Eistheid]

Crimson Kestrel, Hangar

Despite the small worry that doing so would cause further lag in her already taxed systems, Tamamo was grateful for the ability to connect to the Crimson Kestrel's network and keep herself amused while Shayla and Zeta talked amongst themselves. She had much to learn, and for the moment her priority lay in learning more about the Ki-V1 Hoplite that she had unexpectedly discovered in the Crimson Kestrel's cargo bay.

Sargasso, Ori-Mart

When the first stop on their outing had been decided Tamamo had been quick to obtain a digital manifest of the products available at an Ori-Mart. This information kept the small Neko entertained as the trio made their way through the streets of Sargasso before arriving at the Origin outlet. Of immediate note, the premises were smaller than the images she had acquired had led her to expect as she scanned the immediate area curiously.

Realizing that she did not know exactly why there were there, Tamamo looked to Shayla and Zeta expectantly hoping for some form of direction or suggestion of their goals within the consumer's wonderland that was Ori-Mart.