Night did not actually 'leave', per se, but rather seemed to be guiding the female captain back towards her ship. He heard her writing on her pad, but couldn't help but smile as her agitation was more than able to be smelled in the air, it could almost be felt.
The jackal got halfway to where the ship was docked and turned around to face the captain as she looked up from her messages. Reaching into his jacket, he produced a small plastic card, 4 inches by 2 inches.
"Here is your advance payment for at least giving my welcoming crew something to do, and for signing on to this mission. I don't know the full extent of what you will be facing down there, so by all means think of this as a sort of hazard pay. I will be honest, I didn't expect for you to stay, so I am paying you up front for the delivery. If you leave this station and never return, you have your money and our blessing. If you return with the goods I have listed, I will pay you this same amount again. You will have earned it, no doubt, if you return."
The card he handed to Gem contained approximately 250,000 DA, more than they had actually agreed upon, and probably more than the station could afford. But the Kohanian people were farmers and hunters, if they had to go a few months without a station, they could handle that just fine.
When the rounded the last corner, and it was a straight shot to the docking area, Night turned a final time, bent deeply at the waist, and disappeared down a side corridor without a word, to return to his office and ponder how he would go about getting the supplies if the Horizon's Key did not pan out.
==~~==
Mud grinned and finished attatching the breastplate while Eliot fiddled with his datapad. She was also trying to make his burn feel better, and though she was not doctor, her treatment of a little aloe and a bandage probably did help a little bit.
When he got up and started heading back to the docking area, she followed like a puppy.
"Is Mr. Eliot Man leaving now? Will he be safe while Mud is not around? Will he promise to come back and see her when he becomes a famous man?" Mud quick fired her questions, looking more and more worried that this nice man with a Tikbalang sized hunger would leave her, and she would be lonely all over again. Of course, with Mud, the memory of Eliot would probably only last a few days or weeks, and then she would find something else to occupy her time with, like fishing in the drinking water reserves again.
Mud slowly walked behind him a little longer, then picked him up and hugged him from behind like a teddy bear, carrying his armored self as if he weighed nothing at all to her. The mare was on the verge of tears by the time they reached the docking area where his ship was, but the fox, who had been waiting there and helping with the resupply of the ship, quickly moved to free Eliot from her grasp, and then cuddled agianst her and began to reassure her that Eliot would be back, and he would bring her presents from the surface. Even if the Key never returned, the vulpine male would buy presents and give them to Mud on the cargo specialists behalf.
==~~==
Blazing Sky nodded to Nicholai and followed him through the hallways and walkways of the station.
"Please, Nicholai, be careful down there. I am not saying that there is danger around every corner, but be aware that anything shiney, or looking of value is an instant draw for the shady Sha'Nai thieves. And if you must go out at night, bring a light of some sort so that you can see the Mokoi and Wild Ones."
Looking down at her dinnerplate sized hooves, the mare blushed, bit her lip, then looked up to try and kiss the ID SOL on the cheek.
"Thank you for taking an interest in my people, and really trying to learn all you can in a few hours. I have full faith that you will protect your crewmates while down there. I have given you all the information you will need to get by. And if all else fails, a Kee'Awloo monk is never far away. Ever since the Nepleslians gave us this station, the monks have been striving to learn your language. Even those on the surface speak Nepleslian now, so if you get in a jam, you can ask them for help. But for the most part, just speaking Yaree will keep most people off of you, as we warriors have gotten quite a reputation for short tempers, and high damage tolls."
She laughed softly, patted him on the back, and then draped an arm over his shoulder, walking with him back to the ship. Not as teacher and student, not as two different species....but as equals, and more importantly, friends.
The jackal got halfway to where the ship was docked and turned around to face the captain as she looked up from her messages. Reaching into his jacket, he produced a small plastic card, 4 inches by 2 inches.
"Here is your advance payment for at least giving my welcoming crew something to do, and for signing on to this mission. I don't know the full extent of what you will be facing down there, so by all means think of this as a sort of hazard pay. I will be honest, I didn't expect for you to stay, so I am paying you up front for the delivery. If you leave this station and never return, you have your money and our blessing. If you return with the goods I have listed, I will pay you this same amount again. You will have earned it, no doubt, if you return."
The card he handed to Gem contained approximately 250,000 DA, more than they had actually agreed upon, and probably more than the station could afford. But the Kohanian people were farmers and hunters, if they had to go a few months without a station, they could handle that just fine.
When the rounded the last corner, and it was a straight shot to the docking area, Night turned a final time, bent deeply at the waist, and disappeared down a side corridor without a word, to return to his office and ponder how he would go about getting the supplies if the Horizon's Key did not pan out.
==~~==
Mud grinned and finished attatching the breastplate while Eliot fiddled with his datapad. She was also trying to make his burn feel better, and though she was not doctor, her treatment of a little aloe and a bandage probably did help a little bit.
When he got up and started heading back to the docking area, she followed like a puppy.
"Is Mr. Eliot Man leaving now? Will he be safe while Mud is not around? Will he promise to come back and see her when he becomes a famous man?" Mud quick fired her questions, looking more and more worried that this nice man with a Tikbalang sized hunger would leave her, and she would be lonely all over again. Of course, with Mud, the memory of Eliot would probably only last a few days or weeks, and then she would find something else to occupy her time with, like fishing in the drinking water reserves again.
Mud slowly walked behind him a little longer, then picked him up and hugged him from behind like a teddy bear, carrying his armored self as if he weighed nothing at all to her. The mare was on the verge of tears by the time they reached the docking area where his ship was, but the fox, who had been waiting there and helping with the resupply of the ship, quickly moved to free Eliot from her grasp, and then cuddled agianst her and began to reassure her that Eliot would be back, and he would bring her presents from the surface. Even if the Key never returned, the vulpine male would buy presents and give them to Mud on the cargo specialists behalf.
==~~==
Blazing Sky nodded to Nicholai and followed him through the hallways and walkways of the station.
"Please, Nicholai, be careful down there. I am not saying that there is danger around every corner, but be aware that anything shiney, or looking of value is an instant draw for the shady Sha'Nai thieves. And if you must go out at night, bring a light of some sort so that you can see the Mokoi and Wild Ones."
Looking down at her dinnerplate sized hooves, the mare blushed, bit her lip, then looked up to try and kiss the ID SOL on the cheek.
"Thank you for taking an interest in my people, and really trying to learn all you can in a few hours. I have full faith that you will protect your crewmates while down there. I have given you all the information you will need to get by. And if all else fails, a Kee'Awloo monk is never far away. Ever since the Nepleslians gave us this station, the monks have been striving to learn your language. Even those on the surface speak Nepleslian now, so if you get in a jam, you can ask them for help. But for the most part, just speaking Yaree will keep most people off of you, as we warriors have gotten quite a reputation for short tempers, and high damage tolls."
She laughed softly, patted him on the back, and then draped an arm over his shoulder, walking with him back to the ship. Not as teacher and student, not as two different species....but as equals, and more importantly, friends.
