Persephone - Eavesdown Docks - October 1, 2519 - 8:00 AM

It's a bustling bazaar, ships are lined up next to each other, many advertising passage or selling goods. Many others appear to be land-locked and scheduled to be impounded. The place is filled with people of all races, modes and languages. It's chaos; trade, theft and outright violence all happening amidst the jumble of humanity.

This district is clearly poorer than the gleaming city in the distance, and every ship parked looks at tad haphazard. You see a sign that advertises: Good DOGS! Below the sign, you see a pen of scrawny, listless dogs of various breeds. Further down the aisle, you see a griddle, with some suspicious looking cuts of meat sizzling on it. A man works the griddle. He has grease and other stains smeared all over his apron.

All


Captain Braylock, Bruce, Hal, and Hicks


Dr. Tsan


JJ Santiago


Casey Underhill


Tatjana Ivanova

Jacob's face contorted as he looked at the menu and the mystery meat. After the previous night's activities he was definitely hungry, just not quite that hungry. He rubbed his thumb across his fat lip as he turned to look for his crew. Bruce, Hal & Hicks were all supposed to be here somewhere. His current thoughts were to pull them together and find someplace that perhaps had eggs on the menu instead. He was not looking forward to the inquires about his lip and shook his head while thinking, Next time talk him out of it.. Dazzle him with brilliance or baffle his with BS, but avoid the slinging of fists...

Persephone - Southdown Abbey - October 1, 2519 - 8:00 AM
Tatjana 'Qiang Wei' Ivanova

The next day started with a thought... hope that works out better than the last time...

Tatjana was up early, as she was used to, the inhabitants of the Southdown Abbey had been very friendly and the bed was much more comfortable than her last couple sleeping places. After a small breakfast, she sat down in meditation, waiting for the time to meet up with Badger.

The night's rest had been restless and fitful for Hicks. He had slept a little later than usual, which wasn't the norm for him.

He had gotten himself ready upon waking, and set out to find the Captain, Hal, and Bruce at the assigned time and place.

He was somewhat surprised to see that the Captain was the only one there so far.

"What's up with the battle-damage?" Hicks asked Captain Braylock, nodding towards him, obviously indicating the man's face. "You weren't trying to defend some poor lady's honor again, were you?"

He grabbed a seat next to the Captain and sat down heavily.

At the question from Hicks, Jacob answers"No Mikey, I.... Well, there was..... You see there was...." he finally stops, looks Hicks straight in the eye. "Yea. It all worked out... mostly." he stifles the desire to laugh about the whole situation. It hadn't worked out quite in the manner he expected, but it did work out in the end. "It's the results that matters."

Looking to change topics, "When everyone gets here we gotta find a place with real food. My stomach is gnawing on my spine about now."

A modestly attractive, if plainly dressed and made up waitress puts a pot of a hot coffee-like substance and two cups on the table in front of Hicks and Braylock. The nametag on her blouse reads "Cadence". She has the blank look of a woman who would probably be in this dead end job for the rest of her life.

"Breakfast, guys?" she asked.

The aroma from the kitchen is enough to turn the stoutest of stomachs. Somewhere between sour and decayed? Your not quite sure if you've smelled anything like it before, unless you're into fermented cabbage.

Hicks glanced around the general area, looking for any possible trouble, as he replied to the waitress, "No thank you ma'am, I'm good." He'd just as soon eat MREs than try whatever gruel the smell was coming from.

Cadence merely stood there, unmoving. Hicks gave her a wry smile. If he wasn't a paying customer, his presence here might not be welcome, and he might attract attention he didn't want. They could go somewhere else, but if they left, that would make it hard for the others to find them.

"Er, sure, gimme whatever the special is today," he said with a polite nod.

"So Captain," he responded to Braylock, "Where do you think Bruce and Hal are?"

Persephone - Southdown Abbey - October 1, 2519 - 8:03 AM

A young nun dressed in a sky blue and white habit interrupted Tatjana's meditation. The woman looked barely older than 18, but she carried herself with an air well beyond her years. She was of oriental origins, with almond-shaped, hazel eyes. She carried a small paper-wrapped parcel which she presented to Tatjana.

"The traveller brought this for you early this morning," she said simply. Then she bowed and took her leave.

The "traveller" was the the name a few of the nuns had given to the strange man who had showed Tatjana to this place. He had said his name was Li Kao, and he appeared to be a holy man of some sort, but he touted no title, and wore but simple attire. Traveller was the only title he would accept from the good people of the Southdown Abbey.

Tatjana opened the package to find a plastic bottle with a duct tape label bearing the Chinese characters for "fresh water". There were also paper packets that contained a dried substance that smelled of ginseng and cinnnamon. The last item in the parcel was a small plastic container filled with a golden viscous fluid that had a faint floral scent. It had another makeshift label bearing the character for "honey".

"Kimchi stew it is. And for you sir?" Cadence asked Jacob expectantly.

The Hole, Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:03 AM

Kimchi stew Jacob thinks, Way too scary.
"You have eggs?" he counters while shrugging towards Hicks. "They are probably sleeping one off."

Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:15 AM

The Doctor felt a bit of relief once the message came through.

Perhaps things are coming together, she thought to herself as some of the crew members appeared, fully armed to 'guard' her supplies.

She scrambled off the containers flashing a bit more leg than she intended. Smoothing out the wrinkles in the silk outfit she wore, she addressed one of them.

"Dillon, thank you for watching this for me. I should be back in an hour or so after noon so they can be claimed by the ship sent by my client." She retrieved a few of the precious plat she kept for emergencies and handed it to him with a smile.

The tall one-eyed redhead nodded, doffing a hat to her. "Aye Doc Marm, t'will be saf, fer sure."

She slipped her compaq away adjusted her glasses and moved out of the docking area towards the location of the upcoming meeting. She was light-headed and tired from the lack of sleep and the general dangerousness did not register on her dulled senses. She definitely looked out of place, with her flashing plat framed glasses, silk suit and heels and hair up in a knot, and unbeknownst to her, she gradually attracted some notice.

Just outside of a little eatery with a vile smell coming out of it called The Hole, she saw a small apothecary stand and a wrinkled grey old woman hawking roots and animals parts for aphrodisiacs. 8:03, she thought, plenty of time to look at some herbs before the meeting. She yawned and turned to head over but was blocked by a denim-covered wall.

"Lookee ere, Vern, looks like we gots some sort of fancy fish outter water," a brash guffaw jiggled the architecture and the Doctor stepped back and looked up, and up again to find a pair of beady eyes and a scruffy chin looking back down at her. Her peripheral vision picked up another person, a weedy smaller man with a face like a stoat circling behind her.

"Sure thing Rusty, mebbe one of them Coreworld whoores got dumped ere an needs a new home?" An unpleasant sound came out of the smaller man that might have been laughter. Around them a small crowd gathered.

The woman made sure her personal possessions were where they should be and removed her glasses to put them in their protective case. She wondered if the crowd would help them or her if it came to it, or just wanted a morning show. She thought the latter. Addressing 'Rusty', she spoke out clearly, "I beg your pardon Gentelmen, but I am neither a Companion nor in need of a new home, I am here on business and I'm afraid I haven't the inclination to chat. Would you mind letting me on my way?"

If nothing else 'Rusty' had to think for several seconds trying to piece her words together and translate it into something he understood. The terms 'gentlemen', 'Companion' and 'inclination' were proving especially irksome to him and the look on his face was growing confused. Impatiently, Vern came to the rescue. Entirely unimpressed with large words, whatever they meant, he did not mean to let a choice opportunity go, whether it was robbing, raping or selling her the vocabulary wouldn't help her.

"Aight sugs, we don't hold with them werds here, I think you mighta hurt Rusty's feelin's when he was just being neighborly. 'Ow bout you jus hand over whatever you got an I'll make things right with im." The stoat-faced man reached out quickly to grab the doctor's arm.

The Doctor was frightened but also indignant. She whirled to face Vern and said loudly, "I think not! Take your hands off me! I am quite sure Badger would be rather unhappy with having his appointment delayed or having me arrive in a state other than I should be." She shook off his hand and gathered herself up as tall as she could be trying to look impervious but still dwarfed by the giant in coveralls behind her.

The mention of 'Badger' did give the man pause enough to let her free herself. No need to tick off one of the 'business men' known throughout the underworld on Persephone. He weighed the advantages of what he could get for this witch with what might be Badger's wrath and when he decided he looked up to find his quarry missing. "Rusty!" The man said accusingly striking the idiot giant with a hard blow that didn't faze him at all.

The Doctor meanwhile had made a dodge and ran into the foul smelling restaurant for safety looking for a back door and trying to consider what she was going to do until her appointment, if she could even make it there in one piece. The crowd meanwhile had decided the morning's show was a comedy and laughed at the disappointed thieves. Several of the patrons pointed in different directions to get the two to continue the fun.

Hicks nodded towards Braylock, and chuckled. "I wouldn't be surprised."

His eyes still wandered about his surroundings, always watching, always on the look out for trouble, or anything that was out of place. He didn't figure in a place like this, there'd be much 'out of place', but he was proven wrong just moments later.

A woman of the oriental-persuasion stepped into view, and Hicks couldn't help but pause his pan-and-scan to get a better, longer eyeball on her. She wore a silk-suit, heels, had her hair up in a knot and was quite obviously very out of place in this dump. It didn't hurt that she was easy on the eyes, either. He blinked several times, for what felt like a long time. ~How could someone like her, be in a place like this?~ he wondered.

Braylock looked up at Hicks, and seeing the man focused on something, he followed the man's gaze to see what he was so intently staring at.

Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:00 AM

JJ valiently resisted the urge to scratch until he was well outside the safehouse. Then he did. Violently. The individual who had slept for the most part of the night on top of him was possibly infected with fleas. Or maybe it was just the safehouse itself.

The ... uh ... person had definately propsitioned him but JJ had managed to evade him (her?) reasonably tactfully.

Is this my life now? Running and ducking the Allence military. Trying to avoid the very people who raised me?

He looked over the Eavesdown dock. "Screw it." Then he went about trying to locate some kind of water source. He needed a bath. In fact, he needed several baths.

Persephone - Southdown Abbey - October 1, 2519 - 8:04 AM
Tatjana 'Qiang Wei' Ivanova

Tatjana gave a quick bow in reply. Then started to look into the package.

A smile crossed her lips. How thoughtful... tea, supposedly. Now all I need is something to heaten the water.

She jumped to her feet, heading for the kitchen area of the abbey.

Jacob & Hicks
Cadence wrote something on her pad, and said, "Thousand year old eggs coming up."

She quickly turned on her heel and went back to the kitchen before anything further could be said. As she exited the dining room, the sound of live chickens could be heard echoing from the kitchen.


Tatjana
Tatajana finds the kitchen of the abbey with relative ease. The smell of baking bread is a dead giveaway. A single, stout, cheerful looking monk is at a long table sifting flour into a bowl. The ovens are going, and the aroma is heavenly. The monk does not speak, but he shows her to a small hearth where they had apparently made the morning coffee.


JJ
JJ managed to find a place called "Heaven's Delight" in several languages on its sign. They advertised "Free Bath with any Massage". It was right near where the ships were docked, and it appeared to be open already this morning. Any port in a storm would do, but first JJ needed a smoke... or three. And he still had pins and needles in his arm from last night.

Just as he was about to light up, JJ saw five rough and tumble types with various black eyes and bruises exit the bath house. Generally they wore slacks, suspenders, and dress shirts with rolled up sleeves and open collars over wife-beaters. Each wore a fedora, beret or bowler cap as well. He overheard them grumbling about having to tell "the boss" something as they left.


Dr. Tsan
A quick scan of The Hole's dining room revealed that the only door other than the entrance went back to the kitchen. An unmanned check-in desk sat to one corner, next to stairs leading up to the rooms above. A modestly attractive waitress in a gray uniform, with mousey brown hair, brown eyes, and a pleasant, if slight smile came in through that door, and put a pot of a hot coffee-like substance and a chipped, but clean cup on the table next to where Dr. Tsan was standing. The nametag on her blouse read "Cadence". The menu on the wall was in Chinese, and seemed to indicate that they specialized in many "odiferous" dishes. In fact, today's special was "kimchi stew".

"What'll ya have, hon?" Cadence asked the good Doctor.

Persephone - Southdown Abbey - October 1, 2519 - 8:15 AM
Tatjana 'Qiang Wei' Ivanova

"Thank you." Tatjana said followed by a respectful bow and a friendly smile.

She grabbed a can or pot and poured the water in it before putting it on the fire. The rest of the packages got to rest at the side for a moment, while she waited for the water to reach boiling temperature. In the meantime, she looked around for a mug of sorts and something like a sieve.

When the water was finally hot, she dropped the content of the paper packages into the pot and waited another few moments before she put the sieve over the mug and filtered the tea through the sieve and into the mug. With a small spoon, she fetched some of the honey and turned it around in the mug until it dissolved before taking a sip.

It was Bruce's sudden realization that he was hungry that finally stirred him from his work. He realized at some point the sun must have risen because he no longer needed the yellow glare of cheap lights to see what he was doing. Bruce glanced at his watch, but the display was sufficiently coated with engine grime as to obscure it completely. He tried to wipe it clear, but his fingers were even grimier, and he only manged to make the situation worse. So he figured it must be about time to meet the others for breakfast. With an irregular whistle, he packed up his tools and went looking for Jacob and Hicks.

Bruce finally found them.
With a friendly grin he approached their table. Bruce's arms are thick, hairy, muscular and covered up to the elbows, literally, in whatever was covering his watch. With an equally filthy rag he was trying to wipe them clean, but was succeeding only in spreading around grease, oil, and grit. He tucked the rag in his back pocket and took a seat.
"Sorry I am late," He says. "Ordered yet?" Absently he picks up a clean napkin, pulls out a bottle of...something... and splashes some on the cloth. With it, he is finally able to get enough grime off to see the skin of his hands.

JJ shrugs and choses not to interfere. It was probably not a good idea to disturb Badger's men and make the man himself angry. It was a quick and easy way to get himself stuck on Persephone.

JJ pats his pockets until he finds his cigs and lighter. He sighs a little looking at the plain steel lighter, remembering how he had to pawn his old platinum one. He lights one of the cigarettes, and lets the harsh smoke linger in his lungs before exhaling slowly. Good stuff, well, medium stuff.

He looks at the sign for the massage parlour again. He wondered briefly if the place had the same definition of "massage" as he did. Hope it has a happy ending. He doubted that they had the same sybaritic quality that he was used to on Osiris. But if the attendents were female and scantily clad he was reasonably happy. Heck he was happy if they were male and scantily clad.

He took another hit of his cig and strode into the place.

The Hole, Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:04 AM

Hicks finally blinked, and tore his eyes away from the striking woman he had been staring at. If he was lucky, she hadn't noticed.

"Hey, Bruce. Good morning," he said, giving the mechanic a wry smile. "We ordered, as the Captain was starving, but Cadence will be along soon and I am sure she'd add you on."

Hicks continued to casually look around the seedy restaraunt, but occassionally glanced in the strange woman's direction. Something just didn't quite seem right.

The Hole, Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:04 AM

Jacob winched when Cadence described the eggs. As she headed off he noted to Hicks, "I hope they reconstitute them at least..."

He nodded at Bruce's arrival looking around to see if Hal was far behind. "Yea, I ordered. Not sure that anything is actually safe to digest here, but I'm in a mood to take a little risk." He pauses a moment, before restating, "Ok. A big risk."

Tatjana
The ginseng tea blend had a hint of chrysanthemum and cinnamon and, combined with the honey, tasted divinely. The tea must have been very expensive, indeed.

JJ
While the patrons were indeed nude, the staff were fully clothed. A matronly asian woman worked the desk. There were three types of baths available: ginseng, hot and cold. There were three seperate services as well: a bath for 1 credit; a massage with free bath for 3 credits; and full exfoliation, free bath and 30 minute shiatsu massage for 5 credits.

Jacob, Hicks, and Bruce
A man in a clean white chef's uniform pushed a small cart from the kitchen. He was over 6 1/2 feet tall, and his arms were the size of tree trunks. He brought a cart to the table where the Captain Braylock and company were sittng. He placed a bowl of stew in the center of the table. The stew was red in color, with bits of green onions and chopped tofu. It had a very strong scent of red chilli and fermented cabbage. Then he placed a plate of "eggs" next to the stew. The yolks of the thousand year old eggs were a dark green, cream-like substance with a strong odor of sulfur and ammonia, while the white had become a dark brown, transparent jelly. He then placed two bowls, soup spoons and chopsticks on the table. Then he turned and left, but on the way back to the kitchen he signaled to the waitress, who had been busy with another customer, that there was another person at the table.

Dr. Tsan
Cadence tapped her pen on her pad, waiting for the doctor to order. She nodded at the cook, acknowledging his signal that they had another customer.

Persephone - Southdown Abbey - October 1, 2519 - 9:15 AM
Tatjana 'Qiang Wei' Ivanova

About an hour later, Tatjana cleans up what she used from the kitchen and puts the pieces back to where they belong. She wraps up what is left from the package and heads back to her room, wondering why this "traveller" was being so helpful. Hopefully she would find out, eventually.

Noon was slowly coming closer, and with it the meeting with Badger. She wasn't exactly looking forward to that one.

On her way through the abbey, Tatjana speaks to one of the nuns that doesn't appear all too busy at the moment.

"Excuse me, do you have a moment?"

"I was wondering about the man who brought me here, yesterday. The 'traveler' as you call him. He seemed rather helpful and generous, something you do not find in many people these days, I'm afraid. He left me a package with some exquisite tea, and I would like to at least offer my thanks to him, but do not know where he might be found. Anything you can tell me about him?"

At first distracted by just being out from the street the Doctor's eyes adjust to the dim light and the crowded conditions. She wobbles a little from the lack of sleep, but then looks the waitress in the eyes.

"I'll take 2 plain rice balls and a bodyguard that can see me safe until noon time around here."
The Doctor dropped a few coins on the table by the cup of coffee.

"This is a full service restaurant isn't it? I'd tip well." She turns her most pleasant smile on the waitress and tries not to look nervous but she makes sure to watch the door and her exit options.

The Hole, Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:15 AM
The sound of laughter echoed down the stairway, as three figures slowly descended. A man about 6 feet tall, dressed in trousers, boots, shirt, vest and a cowboy hat was flanked by two scantily clad women. His companions had been the source of the laughter, and they continued to chatter away as they reached the bottom of the stairs. One had a light blue wig, and wore a fur coat over her business clothes, while the other had a pink wig and wore a large, brown, duster style coat.

Jacob, Hicks and Bruce

A middler aged, asian woman came out of the kitchen, and scolded the girls in Chinese. Each girl produced some paper currency from their purses and gave it to the older woman. Then the man kisssed both of the girls as the woman was about to shoo them out the back, through the kitchen.

What she said in Chinese

"See ya later, darlin's" the man said, as he took a seat in the corner, pulled out a flask from his coat pocket, and took a swig. The man had a dark mustache, adn a patch of hari just beneath his lip. I looked on amusedly as his former companions were corralled by the woman from the kitchen.

Dr. Tsan
"Two rice balls," Cadence repeated as she wrote it down on her pad. "Yuen Long will not like that, but I'll tell him you have a stomach condition, hon. As for the protection? Look around ma'am. One of these desperado's could probably do you a better service than we can. If not, let me know... I think I know somebody who knows somebody."

Tatjana
"I do have a moment dear. How may I help you?"

"I do not know much about the traveller, but I can tell you a little. He calls himself Li Kao. He is a buddhist pilgrim, but there is something more about him. The Abbess says she believes him to be holy, which is strange of her to say of a Non-Christian. Every time he comes, he brings us some food, usually something quite unusual, yet tasty. When he can stay for a bit, he works with the orphans, reading them poetry and teaching them kung fu. The children love him. A few months ago he bought a puppy, who he named Number Ten Ox. Ox has grown quite large, but he loves to carouse with the children, too. He has been coming here a lot lately. I heard in town that he used to work on a ship as the cook, but the ship was impounded by the government."

Persephone - Southdown Abbey - October 1, 2519 - 9:16 AM
Tatjana 'Qiang Wei' Ivanova

"Thank you. He certainly seems to be a very kind person. Hopefully, I will be able to thank him personally, but if not, maybe you could deliver my thanks to him. Just tell him, that Tatjana was very grateful for the present and that she wishes him the best of luck. Later today, I will have to meet a man, that I suppose might not be so generous. Badger he is called. Do you know anything about him by chance?"

Persephone - Southdown Abbey - October 1, 2519 - 9:17 AM

"All I know is what I hear in town, child. Badger is a businessman, but some say he is also criminal kingpin of sorts, and he has his fingers in a lot of pies. He does provide work for alot of folks, and times are tough in that department. Judge not lest ye be judged... I suppose that might sum it up best?"

The Hole, Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:20 AM

The Doctor sat down but started to look through the crowd for possible bodyguard types. The man who had just entered with the prostitutes looked 'capable' perhaps and just about everyone looked armed. She sipped her coffee and reached for her glasses. Perhaps she could find a nearby node and see if there were any id matches for promising muscle.

Persephone - Southdown Abbey - October 1, 2519 - 9:17 AM
Tatjana 'Qiang Wei' Ivanova

"Well, that gives me some hope," Tatjana answers with a smile. "Thanks!"

Heaven's Delight - 8:03 AM

JJ couldn't belive it. Here in the middle of a gorram stenchhole was a place of relative refinement and taste. It was wonderful. He quickly pawed throught the grubby pile of credit notes he had remaining and found he had just enough for the full treatment and maybe a small breakfast.

Frag it, I can eat anytime. Who knows the next time I'm going to be clean.

He gave the receptionest a dazzling smile. "The full five credit treatment dollface"

The Hole, Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:15 AM

Jacob was picking through the stew, avoiding the egg like stuff that had been delivered. He looked up to see the trio coming down the stairs. A scowl formed across his face as he rose, striding across the room and motioning for Hicks & Bruce to follow.

"Yo. Pinky." he hollers at the woman.

The Hole, Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:15 AM

Hicks watches the various customers going about their business in the restaraunt, but his curiosity is still trained on the one person who really doesn't seem like she 'belongs'.

The arrival of the food momentarily distracts him as the slight groan from his stomach pulls his attention away. He looks down at the food, notices how unappealing it looks, and doesn't hesitate - he digs in, shoveling his share into his mouth quickly and efficiently. It didn't look like much - but he'd eaten much, much worse before.

His hunger satiated, he looks up just in time to see Braylock rise and give that little motion with his hand that generally indicated, "The crap is about to hit the fan - be ready." Hicks observed where the Captain was headed - some hat-wearing cowboy trotting around with two tramps - whores, possibly, but wearing enough clothing that they could easily be concealing weapons. Whoever the trio were, they had certainly gotten Braylock's attention.

Hicks shifted to the edge of his seat, ready to spring into action to back up Braylock if an altercation were to ensue. He glances around the room, sizing up any other possible combatants - friend or foe.

Heaven's Delight - Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:05 AM

The woman tittered at the nickname JJ had applied to her. She smiled broadly showing her ritualistically blackened teeth.

"Hot, cold or ginseng bath, honrable sir?" she asked. "And your clothes. Ai Yah Tien Ah. They smell like Feh Feh Pi Goh. I can have a boy take them across the street to the laundry for you, if you wish. 2 credits."

Heaven's Delight - Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:05 AM

JJ smiles back at the girl. He had seen worse than black teeth. "Make it ginseng." He shuffles the bill roll again before scrounging up another two credits. " You had me at laundry, babe. Watch it though, this is neosilk." He fingers the lapel of his suit.

Heavens's Delight - Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:10 AM

JJ sat down sat down to relax in a nice soothing ginseng bath before his massage. As promised, a boy showed up to take his clothing to the laundry. He held out his hand for a tip.

Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:15 AM

As Fae walked the bazaar, she realized she was very hungry. As she looked about for a place to eat, she got the strange feeling she was being watched. She thought she saw a figure duck into a stall, as she turned around to see if she was really being followed. Did she see it or was she just imagining things?

Nervous habit made her reach for her flask... her flask... her flask? Her flask was gone.

Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:15 AM

Fae pats herself over for a moment, though she always keeps her flask in the same place. She glances all around her for a moment to try and spot anyone looking odd, perhaps moving away quicker then they should, perhaps someone admiring a familiar looking flask. She focuses most of her attention where she thought she saw someone ducking into a stall, heading casually in that direction if nothing else catches her eye.

Suitou wa doko desu ka? Sore wa iriyou!

Jacob, Hicks, and Bruce

"Pinky", as she was know known, turned towards the Captain with her biggest smile.

"I'm not on the clock now, Sugar. Come by later tonight, and I'll show you a good time."

She did a little bump and grind number with the other girl, and then said, "On second thought... how about two for one... SPECIAL... price?"

Dr. Tsan


Fae


Tatjana
The orphans were out in the courtyard. They were doing what looked to be preparatory kung fu exercises. Tatjana recognized some of them, while others were completely new to her.

Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 8:15 AM

Fae makes her way to the stall, not moving too quickly so as not to draw attention to herself, but not wanting to give the man too much time to escape. Fae keeps her eyes on the man as best she can, glancing away for only brief moments to ensure that she isn't going to walk into anything or anyone. As she moves she also pats her other pockets to make sure the Bei Bi Shiou Ren didn't filch anything else.

Persephone - Southdown Abbey - October 1, 2519 - 9:30 AM
Tatjana 'Qiang Wei' Ivanova

Since it's fun to watch, Tatjana sits down at the edge of the courtyard, watching the youngsters doing their moves. Of course, the training is a little different to what she has gone through, but that's nothing unexpected. There are countless ways and styles and the idea of kung fu is not to know them all, but to get good at the few of them you do know.

Jacob smiles, almost like he was enticed by the offer... or like she just told a joke that only he understood. "Actually, I was just admiring. What regiment were you in?" His body language was open, relaxed. He approached her at a brisk pace like he might just mount her right there on a table. Of course, it was all a ruse, except the calm part. He was always calm as if no matter what happened, or might happen, it was part of his plan.

The Doctor put away her glasses again carefully rubbing her eyes after glancing at the men and the prostitutes. Too much time before the meeting. She wasn't about to approach any of them yet for a job, maybe she'd even get a demonstration of some skill. She continued to eavesdrop and watch as mention of some enforcement or military affiliation was asked for.

The tea was raw and hinted of burnt barley but she sipped it anyway.

JJ sighed somewhere in the middle of his chest. "You're trying to break me here, aren't you kid?"

He rifles through the pockets of his suit and comes up with a half credit and quarter cred coin. He tosses the kid both. "Be careful with the suit."

Jacob, Hicks and Bruce
"Pinky" scrunched up her face as she tried to process Jacob's question. Finally a dim ray of light shone through and she seemed to realize that he was talking about "her" coat.

"I found this old coat, if that's what you're asking, Sugar," she said demurely. "It's for sale if you want it?"


JJ
The kid took the coin and scurried out of the room with JJ's clothing. A rather attractive young male attendant indicated that the ginseng bath was ready.

Tatjana
Some of the exercises look like some personal training exercises thatg one of her old Master's taught on Sinhon.

Fae
As you approach the tent, the man tosses something at you and runs out a flap in the back of the tent.


Dr. Tsan

Jacob regarded her for a moment. He could play this several ways, but he doubted Jayne would hit a woman so that dropped the top one off his list. Since she might have had a part in killing his pilot that knocked off the list taking her up on the two-for-one... Though Jayne might have done that before continuing his investigation....

There was little time to carry on an extended game of cat-n-mouse or follow her around. That left him with a more direct approach. "Actually, I'm looking to pay back the feller who was wearing it last night." He points to his eye. "Any idea where I can pay him his due." At that moment, he was especially proud that he hadn't actually lied, though he had deceived through erroneous context: He would need to pay his pilot and he never actually said that he had given Jacob the wound.

Fae snatches the object out of the air , a quick glance seems to indicate it is her flask, but doesn't trust it to have gone so easily. Without breaking stride she continues to follow the man, lifting up the flask to her ear and shaking it to see if it has any liquid in it or not. She also casts her eyes quickly along the path to see if there are any flasks for sale which he could have thrown to her, she isn't about to accept a flask stolen from the shop as a replacement for her own.

Jacob, Hicks and Bruce
Pinky finally admitted she found the coat in a room upstairs. The door was ajar, and a few things were strewn about as if the occupant had left in a mighty hurry. The room was Hal Gatlin's. Upon investigation there were signs of a struggle. The window of the back alley is smashed outward, as if someone or many someones exited that way. A few of Hal's personal effects were still in the room. Canvassing the people staying on that floor revealed only a few reports of people hering a fight in the room, but nobody was curious enough to investigate further.

Pinky said she found the open door on her way down to the ice machine earlier that morning. According to her, there was no one in the room when she helped herself to the coat.

Looking for Hal takes until about 11:30 AM at which time you decide to have to leave to go to Badger's office.



Fae
The flask was indeed Fae's. The cap was askew, and there was a note inside it.

"I want my rings back, HUEN DAHN! Give them back and I'll destroy the original and all the copies of this... -- Grigor"

There was a small vid chip taped to the note. On it was a video that looked like one of those cheezy, x-rated self-made pornos so prevalent on the cortex. In the editted, 30 second clip, one could clearly see Fae put something in Grigor's wine; Fae undress as Grigor succumbs to the drugs; and Fae removing some of Grigor's jewelry.

The man who threw the flask lead Fae on a chase for a bit, but she noticed Grigor and a bunch of goons gathering nearby.
(Note Fae is called in a little after the others so she receives a call from Badger at about noon to come to his office ASAP for a pilot job... she knows Grigor will not mess with her on Badger's turf.).



Tatjana
Tatjana determines that some of the children's katas they had been practicing had orginated from a martial arts school she had attended briefly on Sinhon. Evidently this Traveller had been a student at the same school at one time.

Talking to the children yielded similar stories of the man called Li Kao and his new puppy, Number-Ten Ox to the ones Tatjana already heard. The children also knew a story about Ox, stating that he was rescued from an experimental lab somewhere. She could not tell if the story was true, but only that the children believed it.

After meditation on the new information, Tatjana is ready to meet with Badger. I was about 11:30 AM, and Badger did not like to be kept waiting.



JJ
JJ felt just like a new man. The ginseng bath was just what the doctor ordered. He had to wait an extra forty-five minutes for his clothing to arrive from the cleaners, but he managed to comp his next visit for free. The suit smelled a little funny, after the cleaning solvent, but it was still much better than the mix of mold an body odor that had permeated the cloth before.

JJ slowly got dressed, revelling in the feel of clean clothing. As he finished up and left the bath house, he noted that it was nearly 11:30 Am. He had better hurry if he was to make it to Badger's office by noon.


Dr. Tsan
The Doctor overhears the three men interrogating the woman with the pink wig asking about a missing friend. She ignores them for a bit and concentrates on the gunslinger. He continues to sip whiskey, and he orders plain white rice when the waitress comes to badger him to order something. She is about to talk to him when she hears that thew other three are also en route to see Badger at noon, and that it might be safer in numbers and definitely cheaper than hiring someone.

They gather in the restaraunt, and prepare to go meet Badger areoun 11:30 AM, after temporarily giving up the search for their friend.

Persephone - Southdown Abbey - October 1, 2519 - 11:30 AM
Tatjana 'Qiang Wei' Ivanova

The time went by quickly. Talking to the children revealed some interesting stories, but most of all it was a delight. The two hours passed and Tatjana had to get on the street. Badger was likely able to offer her some way to earn money or a ticket for the next passage, both were useful to her right now.

Eavesdown Docks, Persephone - October 1, 2519 - 12:00 PM

Badger's place was not too large, and kind of dingy. The ceiling had what looked like subway grates over it -- the noise of traffic can be heard above, and every now and then the bright white of a flying vehicle poured through the grate. On one side were stairs leading up to ground level and a door beside, at the other end sat an oversized, beat up desk. A gaudy curtain covered up a way into the back.

Badger was in the room with three thugs, one in each of the corners. A fourth, an old man, was holding the arm of a clearly frightened but slightly hopeful young woman. Badger was inspecting her. He even pulled down her lip to look at her teeth.

"Well you are a bit skinny... but you'll do."

She looked apprehensively pleased as she was shuttled behind the curtain. As she was escorted into the back, yet another thug led a group of employment hopefuls down the stairs. The group included Jacob, Hicks, Bruce, Tatjana, JJ, and Dr. Tsan. Badger didn't even look at them, as they headed for his desk.

Badger looked at an old clock on the wall which clearly indicated it was five past noon and said, "Only a bit late. I can overlook it this time. But don't make this a habit. I'm a busy man, and my time is valuable."

"Before we begin I have two questions. One is for you, Captain Braylock. Where is your pilot? We will definitely need a pilot for this job, so if you don't mind I'll make a call and get us one."

"Secondly..."

Badger activates a vid panel on the wall. A video begins to play depicting a scene at the impound yards. Several men lookign very much like the goons in the room close in on a single, oriental gentleman who is sitting by a cooking fire with a very large dog. The men close in and and pull out sticks and pipes lookign to surround the man. A fight ensues, and the group of goons making the video is quickly overpowered by the unarmed oriental man. The dog barks, but he is isntructed to stay out of the fight adn actually does. The markings of the Jade Pearl can be seen on s ship in the backaground, only a few meters beyond the cooking fire.

"... can anyone tell me who this man is? I sent my boys over to the impound yard to assess the condition of Captain Braylock's ship, but he wouldn't let them near it. I tried to have the yard officials remove him and they just recited me some legal mumbo jumbo about him being on the ships' parts manifest and not the crew roster, so they could not have him legally removed. Who ever heard of such a thing?"

Fae eventually gives up the chase of the man once she realizes she has her flask back. After watching the small vid accompanying the note, she looks thoughtful for a long while. This thoughtful look is hardly that of someone in particular fear or worry, the note and vid not seeming to worry her too much.

She wanders around without paying much attention as she contemplates what to do, though it still seems to be only a worry in the back of her mind. She has her flask to occupy the front of her mind now, taking swigs from it fairly often, her steps quickly growing less and less steady. Eventually the wave from Badger comes with the offer. By chance she isn't just too far away from his place, and so with a final swig from her flask she begins to make a shaky path towards the meeting spot.

As Badger chastised them over timing, Jacob felt like bitch slapping the greasy little cuss. Of course, Jacob also realized that was precisely Badger's intent to throw them off balance. He also made note of how quickly Badger not only noticed his missing pilot, but had a replacement at hand. We'll see about that... He let the pilot question go without recognition or reply.

The video of Li makes Jacob a little smug, though not enough to fully get him on Badger's bad side. "That would be Li. I think of him as a catalyzer. Don't pay much attention to him unless he ain't there or someone tries to messin' with his operations. Then I think of him more like a five pound auto-cannon. Looks like your boys are thinking the same these days."