SageShooter
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- RP Date
- YE 41
- RP Location
- Outside NDC Space.
"So, how much further?" It was about the tenth time the Lorath woman had stuck her head into the cockpit of the ship and asked, but frankly there was little else for the woman to do just then. She had worked out till the point of exhaustion, polished her armor and weaponry, worked out again, watched some tv, slept, showered, eaten, and done just about everything she could to drive off her boredom, but the multi-hue haired woman was at her wits end.
Destiny had left Origin a few weeks ago now, drifted around a bit, and found a freighter headed for some new organization out in the stars that promised fresh starts. It was something she had been looking for ever since she had awoken and later taken the name Oracle, but frankly she was getting tired of bouncing from place to place and wanted somewhere to settle. Hopefully this next stop would be her last, away from any large group of Lorath so she could hide and live a normal life for once.
She stood fully into the room after a moment and crossed her arms to look out the front of the ship, a few feet behind the pilot. "You need anything?"
"Honey, you keep asssking me that, but even space has a speed limitss. It's called physicss, something I regrettfully had to learn to do thiss. If you're really that board, how about we go someplace and talk, or something. One of the deck handss can take the helm for me." Ezriel said finally as her tail shifted in growing annoyance, something she wouldn't ever voice to a passenger. The separa of blazing scales turned to the Lorath with a brush of her long hair to the side to properly view her. Reptillian eyes regarded the woman as she waited for a responce.
Destiny eyed the woman for a moment and nodded. She knew the captain was annoyed, she could feel it roll off the woman, but she wouldn't bring it up if she was trying to hide it. She stepped out of the cockpit and waited for one of the hands to come relieve the captain. She had begun to go stir crazy in the ship after how long the trip had been taking and most of the crew outright either ignored her or avoided her. The captain only seemed to be the one to ever talk to her for whatever reason...
The reason was obvious though, Destiny still had a touch of her highborn tendancies ingrained still. Decades of living as a Queen was a hard habit to break unfortunately.
To be honest, that actually wasn't the reason, she just didn't care about class distinctions, much less in terms of behavior. She treated everyone the same until given reason to change that, so it was merely as she saw Oracle as just another person. She slithered out as a nepleslian man stepped onto the bridge. "If you wish, we can use the lounge, I have some tea stashed in there with a single burner camp stove. Also, do you like candy?"
"Some tea would be lovely. It's... It's been some time since I've had candy. I wasn't allowed much back home." Destiny let out a small sigh at the thought of her strict diet when she had been Queen and rubbed her head a little. "I suppose I could have a piece or two, I don't know that I have a taste for it much anymore, but one way to find out yes?" The Lorath woman followed behind Ezriel as she led the way. "I apologize if I've been annoying. I just... I have an aversion to long trips in ships."
"I used to be much the same, but I hated being stuffed indoors or planetside, and space offers so much freedom. I'm honestly happiest in my fighter doing maneuvers. Though most days I just settle for being on a ship at all. Tell me Miss Oracle, where makes you feel most free and at home?" The separa asked as she lead Oracle to the lounge compartment, the space set like a large living room.
"I don't know... Lor I suppose, but I haven't been back. Somewhere on a planet in nature, by a beach." The Lorath said as she looked to Ezriel with a small frown. She rubbed her side as her rib ached a little and she let a small sigh escape before she sat back on one of the couches and let her wings rest
"This world you're heading too, hass some very nice beachess, verdant forestss and jungles. A world seemingly untouched by outside influence, if you like that." The copper colored separa explained as she setup the kettle, and placed a small machine on the table next to a bowl. Typing in a command, chocolates began to drop into the dish from the machine, "The tea should be ready in a few."
"Untouched, that will be a welcome change for once. We tried to interfere as little as possible with our planet, but I fear we had damaged it badly in retaking the surface. What brings you all the way out here? Work? I'm sure transporting one annoying passenger isn't enough to have you move." Destiny asked as she eyed the machine for a moment before her ice blue eyes returned to her companion.
The woman mulled her answer over for a good minute, tapping her chin as she did so. "A new economy iss forming in the small nation of the New Dusk Conclave. They've put out adss for contractss to freighter captainss. They've also put an ad out for pilotss and mercenariess. I'm here to cash in on both, maybe find someplace to settle maybe if profitss, environment, and people are pleasant enough even."
"Mercenaries huh? I hadn't seen that ad... But I suppose it wouldn't be the worst thing I've done for money." Destiny shrugged a little and looked to the side as she recalled a run-in with some business owners while she had been stranded out on a llanet to the west. Or when she had spread grass seed for pay.
"Yeah, I fly a fighter as convoy escort for hire. Gotten pretty good at it too, thankss to my old man's teachingss. This was once his ship, but on the day he passed, her left it and everything in it to me. I owe him a lot, for being more of a father then my biological one."
"It is important to remember the teachings of our elders. I'm sorry your biological father wasn't of much worth to you, but it is still good you remember him. To be forgotten is a terrible thing." Destiny replied. "My parents, they didn't teach me much, except what was expected of me. They didn't teach me anything truly important, but all the same I loved them. The day the sickness took my father, and battle took my mother, was a sad day." Destiny frowned a little as she remembered her father's hand fall limp in her grasp but shook off the memory.
"That's all they wanted to teach me, rules, expectations, a life bound to being what the family needed as a figure to represent their power as a merchant house. I was a representation and not a daughter to them. Which is why I ran away from home, the old man taking me in shortly later. I think I'm doing pretty well for myself all thingss considered." Ez said with a small smile before taking one of the chocolates from the dish and popping it into her mouth with a tasty hum.
Destiny nodded a little and knew to well how the woman felt. She leaned in and grabbed a chocolate of her own and studied it for a moment before she did the same and popped it into her mouth. A satisfied murr of approval escaped as she let the snack melt in her mouth and hastily reached for another treat to savor. "These are good..." She admitted and popped the second into her mouth before she let out a small sigh. "I couldn't run from my parents. I never even truthfully wanted to, I loved my parents and didn't realize what they were doing to me, but now that I see it, I do feel a little angry with them from time-to-time."
"Chocolate is something I never had until I came out here on the run, just another sign that the universe had so much more to offer me then what home offered. I'm not sure if I could ever pull myself to love my parents, and I know that may sound cruel, but I wasn't treated like a daughter. But enough on that and my boring life, tell me what brings you all the way out here? No offense, but you don't act like a woman who wants to explore the frontier out here."
"But I do. I've been around a bit now, and frankly the idea of a nice quiet frontier life away from all the hassels and issues of the interior worlds actually finds pleasure in my mind. I just want to get away from the fighting and wars and all the strife." Destiny leaned her her elbow on the arm rest and let her chin fall into her palm as she let out a sigh. "I guess I'm running if you want the truth."
A sympathetic smile crossed Ezriel's face as the Lorath spoke, "Welcome to the land of runaways, though honey....you aren't going to find a place without war, or at least some obstacles. Wouldn't be life if it were that easy. The people in this NDC place for example, just wanted to get away. But asshole keep popping out of the wood works to make their lives Hell. But despite it all they've built a place out here, living life their way, and showing those asshole they won't be bullied."
"Land of runaways, I like it." Destiny admitted as she listened to the speel about assholes the Lorath just rolled her eyes. "Assholes have roamed this galaxy for millennia. They are nothing new."
A soft giggle came as the kettle was removed from the burner and two cups were filled. "Exactly, but that just means there's always work available for pest control. Someone has to thin the herd for the good folk."
"Starting up a company then? Got any positions open?" Destiny asked her and tilted her head to the side as she looked a little bored. "I may not look it, but I've seen combat." Though she did look the part. Strong, tall, muscular, scars around her face and eyes and burn marks up her arms where they were bared, Destiny had seen her share of battle even as a Queen. Lorath Queens were not expected to sit behind a desk and command the battles, they were expected to lead the Van.
"Dunno about all that, as I've never run a company before. Also do you know how to pilot a fighter?"
Destiny laughed a little and shook her head. "I tend to get up close to fight, never even been in a fighter before truth be told." Destiny admitted and gave a helpless shrug. "I'm much more suited to ground combat, though I do have some training in Mech suits. If I could figure out a way to buy my suit from Origin, that could be useful."
"Well until then, they are looking soldiers on the ground. I'm sure they would value anyone with the skills to fulfill that need. But until then, I can give you flying lessons. Help you expand your skills, and expand your horizons of opportunities." Ez suggested as she sipped her tea, "Also mech pilot? I feel there is a story behind that one."
Destiny chuckled a little and nodded. "I was out in with the Origin faction. They found me adrift after I was attacked by some pirates, and picked me up. I got to ride in a mech back to their ship cause mine was trashed, and well I fell in love with the feeling. I never got to run around in the mechs back in the matriarchy, and they trained me, gave me a mech, let me design some weapons, and I just fell in love with it all. I was on a ship that was all women, with the expception of two men, but the project went under fairly quickly. Something about the sustainability of such a venture." She shrugged a little again and held up a hand.
"Wow, only two men? Surprised half the crew didn't jump their bones, or stomp them intot the deck. Were they both jerks?"
"One looked like a child, the other just wanted to talk about his past military experience. I wouldn't have touched either with a ten foot pole to be honest had the little one not run into me when he wasn't paying attention."
"So a child would have just been annoying, I would have taken the other one for a spin at least. Also how often did you actually talk to him, because I feel like that's just what you got from a brief meeting and just set on that being the impression." Ezriel chuckled before popping another candy. "Sorry to here the job didn't go so well, but there is plenty of opportunity out here."
"To be honest, I don't put much stock in men." Destiny said with another shrug but nodded. "I am hopeful for opportunity here. But it seems everywhere I go just does not fit. I pray to Voxphina this place does."
"That's a yikes from me sister, I like a little weiner now and then, but hey to each their own. I'm pretty sure this place is if even half the stories are true. Very diverse population, even some races not seen anywhere else. People from all over, cultures too, all mixed together in this place." the separa said with a dramatic cringe before moving on to tell some more about their destination. "I hear their technology is even comparable to yamatai in some areas of research."
"Not going to say they don't have their uses. I did have a husband at one point, but he's gone now so..." She looked to the side sadly for a moment before her elongated ears twitched a little. "Any idea if there is a good sized Lorath population here?" She asked as she tried to move on from her own thoughts.
"Indeed there are a few, even have one as a head of government on their council. A Harmony if I remember right, other then that, I just know she's head of their bio-tech branch. Also did you at least remember the guy's name? Not the child, I honestly wouldn't have even given that kid the time of day." Ezriel answered before popping another candy, then laid across the couch she occupied, sitting up just enough to drink her tea.
"Harmony?" Destiny scrunched her face up a little as she tried to remember the girl. "I think I remember hearing about her... Some Llamnel that was lost in a cruise liner accident... For the life of me I can't remember much more than that." She took a few more moments before she shook her head. "Honestly I can't remember either. As I said, I didn't talk to them much or want much from them. I tended to stay to myself truth be told."
The separa shook her head, thinking that had to be such a boring life style, "Gurrl make some friends, life is too short to be a loner. There's more to life then running, and only so much to run from. Enjoy what the world has to offer, that's how you find what's new, and what you want out of life. But hey, who am I to say, I'm just a runaway turned selfmade ship captain and mercenary pilot."
"And I'm still just a runaway. Most of my life I've been surrounded by people with maybe an hour a day to myself. I enjoy the silence for now, though I do admit it gets boring." Destiny smirked a little as she watched the Separa from her seat. "Maybe I'll keep in touch with you once we land. You seem to be fairly interesting."
Ezriel gave a small chuckle, "I'm glad someone does, hey maybe we can even look for housing together. Will need to find a place to stay here if I'm going to be doing business here for the forseeable future."
"And I have a decent amount of money saved up." Destiny reached down to a pocket and hefted out a bag. She tossed it in the air with a grin as something solid clinked together inside before she tossed it to the woman across from her. "I could probably get a house with this much to start with."
She raised an eyebrow as the heavy sounding bag thumped against the front of the couch. Being mostly snake, she easily rotated around as she looked at it on the floor before looking inside briefly. "What is this, sounds heavy as hell. Gold bricks?"
Inside the bag were gems and jewels of all sorts. Some the size of a pinky finger, while quite a few were roughly the size of the Lorath's fist, including a large diamond. Most were uncut, though some inside like an emerald, a ruby and a saphire, were cut already. "Lorath currency. We lived underground for a while, so our currency developed into gemstones rather than gold."
"Well I can tell you know these will convert over very easily. The NDC uses a resource backed currency that is not influenced by banks, which is good because price changes are minimal. I'd say this might even fetch you a million, maybe 2."
Destiny let out a little murr of appreciation at what she could fetch and held out her hand for the woman to return them. "I'll keep a few for myself. Momentos of home, but the rest will be exchanged, and I've got more with my things. I should be set up for some time with money which will make things easier for a while." She said and smiled. Sometimes it was good that she had been a Queen.
Ez gave an astonished whistle as she slid the bag back over, "Look at you being a high roller. Cash like that, you could buy a fleet of these freighters. Could become a freight tycoon, or hell buy your own setup for a new business." She felt awkward now because she had never had that much spending money, most of her funds going into maintenance and ship upgrades, as well as shipping taxes. Shifting a little bit, the separa thought of a possible topic to talk about.
Destiny seemed to think on it for a moment as her eyes scanned back and forth before they locked on Ez. "How would you like to help me run that fleet then?"
A quiet moment passed before the separa slowly turned towards her companion, "I would say you make a rather sexy offer, how can I say no."
"It's so nice dealing with women. They know what they want and know when to take it." Destiny put her other arm up and over the back of the sofa again and let out a content sigh. "When we get to our new home, we will find a place to live, then start looking into our fleet. I'll rely on you for that as I'm sure you have a better eye for this sort of thing then I do... I might have one other I can pull into this, to help you, if she even wants to. Do you have any way to contact someone up here?"
"Well they have access to synch out here since there are quite a few with families back in the empire, and for helping with supplying the essian resistance during the current war. Other then that it's any other form of usual sublight communications. Tell her I can give her a lift here if she needs one, assuming she accepts anyways. Another thing is what are we calling this new business? And are we going to expand into anythingbeyond shipping, such as transportation? As far as I know there is no starliner company for flights back and forth. Could be a monopoly to branch into." Ezriel said before beginning to think, actually slithering off the couch to "pace" as she thought. A finger tapped her chin, as the tip of her tail scratched the back of her head, while thinking of the possibilities this venture offered.
Destiny chuckled a little as Ezriel brought up the starliner option. "Well, that's why I want to bring her in. While you handle the freighter side, she can handle the starliner side. Could you open a channel to the Fruna Ruica? It's an old Matriarchy ship. They are a pleasure cruise ship of sorts, travel from planet to planet, take people on trips, transportation and slight freight hauling." Destiny explained as she passed on the frequency codes for the ship. "And try to get a visual connection if you can. It'll make this easier."
Taking her pad up from the table, she tapped in the frequency given and linked the vid link to the large screen in the room. Sliding back by Oracle's couch, she waited as the connecting symbol was displayed. After a few moments, the picture changed.
A rather shaggy looking man with more of a mane than hair appeared, hair white and covering even the eyes as he gave the two a grin. "Thank you for reaching out the Fruna Ruica! Cruiser of the stars! Are you looking to make reservations or just checking the schedule?"
Destiny cleared her throat for a moment and shook her head. "No, we are looking for your Captain, Elio'Sin'To. Could you please put her on?"
The man chuckled a little. "I'm sorry miss, but the Ring Master is a bit tied up."
"Tell her that she needs to take this call." And with that, Destiny stood and flicked her braid over her shoulder. The man jerked a little as he saw the braid and paused for a moment. "Goddess..." He muttered before the view screen cut out and was replaced with an image of the cruiseliner. An old Zhal class freighter with some modifications done and the words 'Fruna Ruica' splashed across it.
A slender eyebrow was raised as the call was answered and by the elder man's strange responce, "Well this place looks hopping, and what was up with that guy. He acted kinda sketchy when you stood up. You and this captain go way back?"
"I guess you could say that. I have ties with that ship. I'm just hoping she doesn't turn into a big mouthed Lato" Destiny said and waited a few more moments before the view screen cut back in. The man gone, and a woman now in his place, she was seated at a desk with a wall full of pictures behind her. Even seated she looked every bit as big as Destiny, straight hair that curled at the end into rings with streaks of red and green in it. Yellow eyes that had cross shaped pupils and elongated ears with tufts at the end. She looked amused as the view screen opened up and took a moment to look over Destiny.
"I didn't believe him when he said it, but by Ifmir if it isn't you Harr'Ikke. You've got some nerve contacting me. The Matriarchy is gone and even so, I've paid back my debt. What do you want?"
"A business offer. The position as head of all transportation for a new company I'm building with my new friend here." Destiny waved a hand to Ezriel. "Plus top billing as the premier cruise liner for a brand new nation being created as we speak. They have no form of competiton for you, so you get to expand your fleet and make as much as you want."
"And why would I help a dead Xiaah? Though I guess you really aren't any more are you?" She asked as Destiny winced a little.
"Because I'm giving you a chance to make you and yours a better life. I doubt you can make that much going from planet to planet as you are now. Think about it, a new ship, state of the art not some refitted Zahl. That thing has to be on it's last legs by now with no major refits. I'll buy your ships myself once we get the contracts."
The woman on the screen thought it over for a few moments and sat back in her chair. Music could be heard in the background, low and bassy like club music as she took a breath.
"I'll contact you in a few days once I get a chance to talk it over with my crew."
Destiny nodded a little before she spoke again. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you Celebration, to keep certain things to yourself? At least ou-"
"Yea yea, I got you Destiny. I'll contact you in a few days." And with little else, the viewscreen cut out and Destiny returned to her seat with a huff. "That went better than I thought."
"So your real name is Destiny, and here I thought Oracle was such a pretty name. So I guess we get things rolling once we arrive while we await word from her?" Ezriel asked after having remained quiet during the call, having only given a small wave when introduced. That celebration character was certainly something else, a very interesting one indeed.
Destiny let out another huff and grumbled a little. She let a hand wipe over her face and nodded. "I suppose if we are going to go into business together, I should let you know. My real name is Xiaah Harr'Ikke Destiny Tur'Lista. I was at one point the Queen of the Lorath before I was frozen and left adrift in space for a couple of years." Destiny watched Ezriel for a moment but nodded. "That would be for the best. We land, get set up, and get started with aquiring the fleet and getting contracts in place."
"Alright then, still have a few hours left until arrival, plenty of time to plan some ground work. I think seeing if this NDC place has freighters for sale would be a good starting point, but that will have to wait for arrival. Anything you can think of we could set a frame work for until then Des?"
"Probably what you asked before, the name of the company. Do you have any ideas?"
"Conclave Shipping, "Getting it there from dusk til dawn". Not the best sales pitch but fits with the local goavernment name. That's the first idea off the top of my head, but if not good, can come up with something better given some time." The separa answered, having gone back to her thinking pose as before, never having thought she would be starting a company with someone.
"No no I like it. Simple, make it easier to convince them since we can seem like a government organization easily." Destiny explained as she stroked her chin.
Giving a nod in agreement, the next subject that came to mind was image, "So without settled, what about the look we're going for here, and the logo too? I've never been one for makeup for prettying up feminine things, or like art. So i'm sadly not very versed in that kind of thing."
"We don't need anything pretty. We need something eye catching." Destiny began to think it over and let out a small sigh as her eyes searched the wall as if the answers were there. "What about a ship, with the C and S of the name on either side of the ship? Like wings."
"I like that, very marketable. So we got a name, a logo, and a ship. The NDC sells and deals in a lot of tech, so making sure the cargo is secure and protected will be most important. Given a lot of our hauls will be high value stuff."
"Then maybe cut back a little on some ships, hire escorts? Figure find some that have ships already, and a few that can be more on-board protection?"
"A couple well armed fighters would work for solo freighters, but we get enough ships and we'll have to maybe move up to a couple gun boats per shipping fleet. Either way, I can handle tactical training for pilots and gunners, I'm very experienced from over years of doing it myself. We could also get government escorts as well, which would greatly cut down costs of hiring our own pilots." Ezriel proposed, thinking on Destiny's question.
"I think that would be a good idea to start with, ask for help, then as we get the capital for it we can move to training and buiying our own ships for protection." Destiny bit her thumbnail as she thought it over for a moment.
"So unless they're just assholes, we're offering a service the need, NO must have. If they're smart, and if the product that comes out of this place is any indicator, they are hella smart. They'll back our development and growth." the separa expanded upon the point, already seeing the profits and opportunities multiplying. "So with most of that out of the way, we have less then an hour til arrival. Please feel free to enjoy a vid from my private files, the candy and tea as well. I must return to the bridge and prepare final steps for arrival. So please excuse me my partner while I attend to that."
"Very well partner, I'll look into housing while we land." Destiny gave Ezriel a small finger way as she left and pulled up a few screens to begin looking through different housing available, and at the same time the exchange rate or price point for selling off some of her jewels.
Destiny had left Origin a few weeks ago now, drifted around a bit, and found a freighter headed for some new organization out in the stars that promised fresh starts. It was something she had been looking for ever since she had awoken and later taken the name Oracle, but frankly she was getting tired of bouncing from place to place and wanted somewhere to settle. Hopefully this next stop would be her last, away from any large group of Lorath so she could hide and live a normal life for once.
She stood fully into the room after a moment and crossed her arms to look out the front of the ship, a few feet behind the pilot. "You need anything?"
"Honey, you keep asssking me that, but even space has a speed limitss. It's called physicss, something I regrettfully had to learn to do thiss. If you're really that board, how about we go someplace and talk, or something. One of the deck handss can take the helm for me." Ezriel said finally as her tail shifted in growing annoyance, something she wouldn't ever voice to a passenger. The separa of blazing scales turned to the Lorath with a brush of her long hair to the side to properly view her. Reptillian eyes regarded the woman as she waited for a responce.
Destiny eyed the woman for a moment and nodded. She knew the captain was annoyed, she could feel it roll off the woman, but she wouldn't bring it up if she was trying to hide it. She stepped out of the cockpit and waited for one of the hands to come relieve the captain. She had begun to go stir crazy in the ship after how long the trip had been taking and most of the crew outright either ignored her or avoided her. The captain only seemed to be the one to ever talk to her for whatever reason...
The reason was obvious though, Destiny still had a touch of her highborn tendancies ingrained still. Decades of living as a Queen was a hard habit to break unfortunately.
To be honest, that actually wasn't the reason, she just didn't care about class distinctions, much less in terms of behavior. She treated everyone the same until given reason to change that, so it was merely as she saw Oracle as just another person. She slithered out as a nepleslian man stepped onto the bridge. "If you wish, we can use the lounge, I have some tea stashed in there with a single burner camp stove. Also, do you like candy?"
"Some tea would be lovely. It's... It's been some time since I've had candy. I wasn't allowed much back home." Destiny let out a small sigh at the thought of her strict diet when she had been Queen and rubbed her head a little. "I suppose I could have a piece or two, I don't know that I have a taste for it much anymore, but one way to find out yes?" The Lorath woman followed behind Ezriel as she led the way. "I apologize if I've been annoying. I just... I have an aversion to long trips in ships."
"I used to be much the same, but I hated being stuffed indoors or planetside, and space offers so much freedom. I'm honestly happiest in my fighter doing maneuvers. Though most days I just settle for being on a ship at all. Tell me Miss Oracle, where makes you feel most free and at home?" The separa asked as she lead Oracle to the lounge compartment, the space set like a large living room.
"I don't know... Lor I suppose, but I haven't been back. Somewhere on a planet in nature, by a beach." The Lorath said as she looked to Ezriel with a small frown. She rubbed her side as her rib ached a little and she let a small sigh escape before she sat back on one of the couches and let her wings rest
"This world you're heading too, hass some very nice beachess, verdant forestss and jungles. A world seemingly untouched by outside influence, if you like that." The copper colored separa explained as she setup the kettle, and placed a small machine on the table next to a bowl. Typing in a command, chocolates began to drop into the dish from the machine, "The tea should be ready in a few."
"Untouched, that will be a welcome change for once. We tried to interfere as little as possible with our planet, but I fear we had damaged it badly in retaking the surface. What brings you all the way out here? Work? I'm sure transporting one annoying passenger isn't enough to have you move." Destiny asked as she eyed the machine for a moment before her ice blue eyes returned to her companion.
The woman mulled her answer over for a good minute, tapping her chin as she did so. "A new economy iss forming in the small nation of the New Dusk Conclave. They've put out adss for contractss to freighter captainss. They've also put an ad out for pilotss and mercenariess. I'm here to cash in on both, maybe find someplace to settle maybe if profitss, environment, and people are pleasant enough even."
"Mercenaries huh? I hadn't seen that ad... But I suppose it wouldn't be the worst thing I've done for money." Destiny shrugged a little and looked to the side as she recalled a run-in with some business owners while she had been stranded out on a llanet to the west. Or when she had spread grass seed for pay.
"Yeah, I fly a fighter as convoy escort for hire. Gotten pretty good at it too, thankss to my old man's teachingss. This was once his ship, but on the day he passed, her left it and everything in it to me. I owe him a lot, for being more of a father then my biological one."
"It is important to remember the teachings of our elders. I'm sorry your biological father wasn't of much worth to you, but it is still good you remember him. To be forgotten is a terrible thing." Destiny replied. "My parents, they didn't teach me much, except what was expected of me. They didn't teach me anything truly important, but all the same I loved them. The day the sickness took my father, and battle took my mother, was a sad day." Destiny frowned a little as she remembered her father's hand fall limp in her grasp but shook off the memory.
"That's all they wanted to teach me, rules, expectations, a life bound to being what the family needed as a figure to represent their power as a merchant house. I was a representation and not a daughter to them. Which is why I ran away from home, the old man taking me in shortly later. I think I'm doing pretty well for myself all thingss considered." Ez said with a small smile before taking one of the chocolates from the dish and popping it into her mouth with a tasty hum.
Destiny nodded a little and knew to well how the woman felt. She leaned in and grabbed a chocolate of her own and studied it for a moment before she did the same and popped it into her mouth. A satisfied murr of approval escaped as she let the snack melt in her mouth and hastily reached for another treat to savor. "These are good..." She admitted and popped the second into her mouth before she let out a small sigh. "I couldn't run from my parents. I never even truthfully wanted to, I loved my parents and didn't realize what they were doing to me, but now that I see it, I do feel a little angry with them from time-to-time."
"Chocolate is something I never had until I came out here on the run, just another sign that the universe had so much more to offer me then what home offered. I'm not sure if I could ever pull myself to love my parents, and I know that may sound cruel, but I wasn't treated like a daughter. But enough on that and my boring life, tell me what brings you all the way out here? No offense, but you don't act like a woman who wants to explore the frontier out here."
"But I do. I've been around a bit now, and frankly the idea of a nice quiet frontier life away from all the hassels and issues of the interior worlds actually finds pleasure in my mind. I just want to get away from the fighting and wars and all the strife." Destiny leaned her her elbow on the arm rest and let her chin fall into her palm as she let out a sigh. "I guess I'm running if you want the truth."
A sympathetic smile crossed Ezriel's face as the Lorath spoke, "Welcome to the land of runaways, though honey....you aren't going to find a place without war, or at least some obstacles. Wouldn't be life if it were that easy. The people in this NDC place for example, just wanted to get away. But asshole keep popping out of the wood works to make their lives Hell. But despite it all they've built a place out here, living life their way, and showing those asshole they won't be bullied."
"Land of runaways, I like it." Destiny admitted as she listened to the speel about assholes the Lorath just rolled her eyes. "Assholes have roamed this galaxy for millennia. They are nothing new."
A soft giggle came as the kettle was removed from the burner and two cups were filled. "Exactly, but that just means there's always work available for pest control. Someone has to thin the herd for the good folk."
"Starting up a company then? Got any positions open?" Destiny asked her and tilted her head to the side as she looked a little bored. "I may not look it, but I've seen combat." Though she did look the part. Strong, tall, muscular, scars around her face and eyes and burn marks up her arms where they were bared, Destiny had seen her share of battle even as a Queen. Lorath Queens were not expected to sit behind a desk and command the battles, they were expected to lead the Van.
"Dunno about all that, as I've never run a company before. Also do you know how to pilot a fighter?"
Destiny laughed a little and shook her head. "I tend to get up close to fight, never even been in a fighter before truth be told." Destiny admitted and gave a helpless shrug. "I'm much more suited to ground combat, though I do have some training in Mech suits. If I could figure out a way to buy my suit from Origin, that could be useful."
"Well until then, they are looking soldiers on the ground. I'm sure they would value anyone with the skills to fulfill that need. But until then, I can give you flying lessons. Help you expand your skills, and expand your horizons of opportunities." Ez suggested as she sipped her tea, "Also mech pilot? I feel there is a story behind that one."
Destiny chuckled a little and nodded. "I was out in with the Origin faction. They found me adrift after I was attacked by some pirates, and picked me up. I got to ride in a mech back to their ship cause mine was trashed, and well I fell in love with the feeling. I never got to run around in the mechs back in the matriarchy, and they trained me, gave me a mech, let me design some weapons, and I just fell in love with it all. I was on a ship that was all women, with the expception of two men, but the project went under fairly quickly. Something about the sustainability of such a venture." She shrugged a little again and held up a hand.
"Wow, only two men? Surprised half the crew didn't jump their bones, or stomp them intot the deck. Were they both jerks?"
"One looked like a child, the other just wanted to talk about his past military experience. I wouldn't have touched either with a ten foot pole to be honest had the little one not run into me when he wasn't paying attention."
"So a child would have just been annoying, I would have taken the other one for a spin at least. Also how often did you actually talk to him, because I feel like that's just what you got from a brief meeting and just set on that being the impression." Ezriel chuckled before popping another candy. "Sorry to here the job didn't go so well, but there is plenty of opportunity out here."
"To be honest, I don't put much stock in men." Destiny said with another shrug but nodded. "I am hopeful for opportunity here. But it seems everywhere I go just does not fit. I pray to Voxphina this place does."
"That's a yikes from me sister, I like a little weiner now and then, but hey to each their own. I'm pretty sure this place is if even half the stories are true. Very diverse population, even some races not seen anywhere else. People from all over, cultures too, all mixed together in this place." the separa said with a dramatic cringe before moving on to tell some more about their destination. "I hear their technology is even comparable to yamatai in some areas of research."
"Not going to say they don't have their uses. I did have a husband at one point, but he's gone now so..." She looked to the side sadly for a moment before her elongated ears twitched a little. "Any idea if there is a good sized Lorath population here?" She asked as she tried to move on from her own thoughts.
"Indeed there are a few, even have one as a head of government on their council. A Harmony if I remember right, other then that, I just know she's head of their bio-tech branch. Also did you at least remember the guy's name? Not the child, I honestly wouldn't have even given that kid the time of day." Ezriel answered before popping another candy, then laid across the couch she occupied, sitting up just enough to drink her tea.
"Harmony?" Destiny scrunched her face up a little as she tried to remember the girl. "I think I remember hearing about her... Some Llamnel that was lost in a cruise liner accident... For the life of me I can't remember much more than that." She took a few more moments before she shook her head. "Honestly I can't remember either. As I said, I didn't talk to them much or want much from them. I tended to stay to myself truth be told."
The separa shook her head, thinking that had to be such a boring life style, "Gurrl make some friends, life is too short to be a loner. There's more to life then running, and only so much to run from. Enjoy what the world has to offer, that's how you find what's new, and what you want out of life. But hey, who am I to say, I'm just a runaway turned selfmade ship captain and mercenary pilot."
"And I'm still just a runaway. Most of my life I've been surrounded by people with maybe an hour a day to myself. I enjoy the silence for now, though I do admit it gets boring." Destiny smirked a little as she watched the Separa from her seat. "Maybe I'll keep in touch with you once we land. You seem to be fairly interesting."
Ezriel gave a small chuckle, "I'm glad someone does, hey maybe we can even look for housing together. Will need to find a place to stay here if I'm going to be doing business here for the forseeable future."
"And I have a decent amount of money saved up." Destiny reached down to a pocket and hefted out a bag. She tossed it in the air with a grin as something solid clinked together inside before she tossed it to the woman across from her. "I could probably get a house with this much to start with."
She raised an eyebrow as the heavy sounding bag thumped against the front of the couch. Being mostly snake, she easily rotated around as she looked at it on the floor before looking inside briefly. "What is this, sounds heavy as hell. Gold bricks?"
Inside the bag were gems and jewels of all sorts. Some the size of a pinky finger, while quite a few were roughly the size of the Lorath's fist, including a large diamond. Most were uncut, though some inside like an emerald, a ruby and a saphire, were cut already. "Lorath currency. We lived underground for a while, so our currency developed into gemstones rather than gold."
"Well I can tell you know these will convert over very easily. The NDC uses a resource backed currency that is not influenced by banks, which is good because price changes are minimal. I'd say this might even fetch you a million, maybe 2."
Destiny let out a little murr of appreciation at what she could fetch and held out her hand for the woman to return them. "I'll keep a few for myself. Momentos of home, but the rest will be exchanged, and I've got more with my things. I should be set up for some time with money which will make things easier for a while." She said and smiled. Sometimes it was good that she had been a Queen.
Ez gave an astonished whistle as she slid the bag back over, "Look at you being a high roller. Cash like that, you could buy a fleet of these freighters. Could become a freight tycoon, or hell buy your own setup for a new business." She felt awkward now because she had never had that much spending money, most of her funds going into maintenance and ship upgrades, as well as shipping taxes. Shifting a little bit, the separa thought of a possible topic to talk about.
Destiny seemed to think on it for a moment as her eyes scanned back and forth before they locked on Ez. "How would you like to help me run that fleet then?"
A quiet moment passed before the separa slowly turned towards her companion, "I would say you make a rather sexy offer, how can I say no."
"It's so nice dealing with women. They know what they want and know when to take it." Destiny put her other arm up and over the back of the sofa again and let out a content sigh. "When we get to our new home, we will find a place to live, then start looking into our fleet. I'll rely on you for that as I'm sure you have a better eye for this sort of thing then I do... I might have one other I can pull into this, to help you, if she even wants to. Do you have any way to contact someone up here?"
"Well they have access to synch out here since there are quite a few with families back in the empire, and for helping with supplying the essian resistance during the current war. Other then that it's any other form of usual sublight communications. Tell her I can give her a lift here if she needs one, assuming she accepts anyways. Another thing is what are we calling this new business? And are we going to expand into anythingbeyond shipping, such as transportation? As far as I know there is no starliner company for flights back and forth. Could be a monopoly to branch into." Ezriel said before beginning to think, actually slithering off the couch to "pace" as she thought. A finger tapped her chin, as the tip of her tail scratched the back of her head, while thinking of the possibilities this venture offered.
Destiny chuckled a little as Ezriel brought up the starliner option. "Well, that's why I want to bring her in. While you handle the freighter side, she can handle the starliner side. Could you open a channel to the Fruna Ruica? It's an old Matriarchy ship. They are a pleasure cruise ship of sorts, travel from planet to planet, take people on trips, transportation and slight freight hauling." Destiny explained as she passed on the frequency codes for the ship. "And try to get a visual connection if you can. It'll make this easier."
Taking her pad up from the table, she tapped in the frequency given and linked the vid link to the large screen in the room. Sliding back by Oracle's couch, she waited as the connecting symbol was displayed. After a few moments, the picture changed.
A rather shaggy looking man with more of a mane than hair appeared, hair white and covering even the eyes as he gave the two a grin. "Thank you for reaching out the Fruna Ruica! Cruiser of the stars! Are you looking to make reservations or just checking the schedule?"
Destiny cleared her throat for a moment and shook her head. "No, we are looking for your Captain, Elio'Sin'To. Could you please put her on?"
The man chuckled a little. "I'm sorry miss, but the Ring Master is a bit tied up."
"Tell her that she needs to take this call." And with that, Destiny stood and flicked her braid over her shoulder. The man jerked a little as he saw the braid and paused for a moment. "Goddess..." He muttered before the view screen cut out and was replaced with an image of the cruiseliner. An old Zhal class freighter with some modifications done and the words 'Fruna Ruica' splashed across it.
A slender eyebrow was raised as the call was answered and by the elder man's strange responce, "Well this place looks hopping, and what was up with that guy. He acted kinda sketchy when you stood up. You and this captain go way back?"
"I guess you could say that. I have ties with that ship. I'm just hoping she doesn't turn into a big mouthed Lato" Destiny said and waited a few more moments before the view screen cut back in. The man gone, and a woman now in his place, she was seated at a desk with a wall full of pictures behind her. Even seated she looked every bit as big as Destiny, straight hair that curled at the end into rings with streaks of red and green in it. Yellow eyes that had cross shaped pupils and elongated ears with tufts at the end. She looked amused as the view screen opened up and took a moment to look over Destiny.
"I didn't believe him when he said it, but by Ifmir if it isn't you Harr'Ikke. You've got some nerve contacting me. The Matriarchy is gone and even so, I've paid back my debt. What do you want?"
"A business offer. The position as head of all transportation for a new company I'm building with my new friend here." Destiny waved a hand to Ezriel. "Plus top billing as the premier cruise liner for a brand new nation being created as we speak. They have no form of competiton for you, so you get to expand your fleet and make as much as you want."
"And why would I help a dead Xiaah? Though I guess you really aren't any more are you?" She asked as Destiny winced a little.
"Because I'm giving you a chance to make you and yours a better life. I doubt you can make that much going from planet to planet as you are now. Think about it, a new ship, state of the art not some refitted Zahl. That thing has to be on it's last legs by now with no major refits. I'll buy your ships myself once we get the contracts."
The woman on the screen thought it over for a few moments and sat back in her chair. Music could be heard in the background, low and bassy like club music as she took a breath.
"I'll contact you in a few days once I get a chance to talk it over with my crew."
Destiny nodded a little before she spoke again. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you Celebration, to keep certain things to yourself? At least ou-"
"Yea yea, I got you Destiny. I'll contact you in a few days." And with little else, the viewscreen cut out and Destiny returned to her seat with a huff. "That went better than I thought."
"So your real name is Destiny, and here I thought Oracle was such a pretty name. So I guess we get things rolling once we arrive while we await word from her?" Ezriel asked after having remained quiet during the call, having only given a small wave when introduced. That celebration character was certainly something else, a very interesting one indeed.
Destiny let out another huff and grumbled a little. She let a hand wipe over her face and nodded. "I suppose if we are going to go into business together, I should let you know. My real name is Xiaah Harr'Ikke Destiny Tur'Lista. I was at one point the Queen of the Lorath before I was frozen and left adrift in space for a couple of years." Destiny watched Ezriel for a moment but nodded. "That would be for the best. We land, get set up, and get started with aquiring the fleet and getting contracts in place."
"Alright then, still have a few hours left until arrival, plenty of time to plan some ground work. I think seeing if this NDC place has freighters for sale would be a good starting point, but that will have to wait for arrival. Anything you can think of we could set a frame work for until then Des?"
"Probably what you asked before, the name of the company. Do you have any ideas?"
"Conclave Shipping, "Getting it there from dusk til dawn". Not the best sales pitch but fits with the local goavernment name. That's the first idea off the top of my head, but if not good, can come up with something better given some time." The separa answered, having gone back to her thinking pose as before, never having thought she would be starting a company with someone.
"No no I like it. Simple, make it easier to convince them since we can seem like a government organization easily." Destiny explained as she stroked her chin.
Giving a nod in agreement, the next subject that came to mind was image, "So without settled, what about the look we're going for here, and the logo too? I've never been one for makeup for prettying up feminine things, or like art. So i'm sadly not very versed in that kind of thing."
"We don't need anything pretty. We need something eye catching." Destiny began to think it over and let out a small sigh as her eyes searched the wall as if the answers were there. "What about a ship, with the C and S of the name on either side of the ship? Like wings."
"I like that, very marketable. So we got a name, a logo, and a ship. The NDC sells and deals in a lot of tech, so making sure the cargo is secure and protected will be most important. Given a lot of our hauls will be high value stuff."
"Then maybe cut back a little on some ships, hire escorts? Figure find some that have ships already, and a few that can be more on-board protection?"
"A couple well armed fighters would work for solo freighters, but we get enough ships and we'll have to maybe move up to a couple gun boats per shipping fleet. Either way, I can handle tactical training for pilots and gunners, I'm very experienced from over years of doing it myself. We could also get government escorts as well, which would greatly cut down costs of hiring our own pilots." Ezriel proposed, thinking on Destiny's question.
"I think that would be a good idea to start with, ask for help, then as we get the capital for it we can move to training and buiying our own ships for protection." Destiny bit her thumbnail as she thought it over for a moment.
"So unless they're just assholes, we're offering a service the need, NO must have. If they're smart, and if the product that comes out of this place is any indicator, they are hella smart. They'll back our development and growth." the separa expanded upon the point, already seeing the profits and opportunities multiplying. "So with most of that out of the way, we have less then an hour til arrival. Please feel free to enjoy a vid from my private files, the candy and tea as well. I must return to the bridge and prepare final steps for arrival. So please excuse me my partner while I attend to that."
"Very well partner, I'll look into housing while we land." Destiny gave Ezriel a small finger way as she left and pulled up a few screens to begin looking through different housing available, and at the same time the exchange rate or price point for selling off some of her jewels.
