005 - Departure from Shedezar star port

[Tiglath]

At her touch Foix instinctively takes her hand in his and stands carefully in the confined space, gently drawing Vee to her feet to stand against him. The immediate smell of his cologne blends with the aroma of vintage cognac. His blue eyes are intense windows to a tactician’s mind, strategising and calculating risk but behind them Vee can see the turmoil of entirely human emotions held in check by an iron will.

“Madame Vee, I have spent considerable time and effort in establishing my reputation as a rake and a libertine; perhaps you should consider that I might be here simply because I desire some casual entertainment?”

“Do your wishes and ambition include a darker future? The road I am on may yet lead me back to war and death”.

(OOC: Hmmm, more noble flummery??? Is “fiendish Foix” for real? Or is he just selflessly trying to save the nice girl from what lies ahead?

I"m doing my bumbling utmost to follow along with you

My thanks to all involved for their forbearance! I do apologise - I created this beastie and it escaped from the lab!

However, after much wrangling, the (potential) plot hook is now “armed and ready to deploy” … ).

[joertexas]

At her touch Foix stands carefully in the confined space and gently draws Vee to her feet to stand against him. The immediate smell of his cologne blends with the aroma of vintage cognac. His blue eyes are intense windows to a tactician’s mind, strategising and calculating risk but behind them Vee can see the turmoil of entirely human emotions held in check by an iron will.

“Madame Vee, I have spent considerable time and effort in establishing my reputation as a rake and a libertine; perhaps you should consider that I might be here simply because I desire some casual entertainment?”

“Do your wishes and ambition include a darker future? The road I am on may yet lead me back to war and death”.

Vee loops her hands around the back of Foix's neck, resting her forearms on his shoulders. "I seriously doubt that you would treat me in that manner, if for no other reason than we do have to work together for the foreseeable future. Death and war are risks we all face, and dark times are made somewhat better if the burden is shared with another." She cocks her head slightly as she studies him, awaiting his response.

However, after much wrangling, the (potential) plot hook is now “armed and ready to deploy” … ).

Far be it from me to not bite at a good plot hook...

[Tiglath]

Foix smiles and gazes with utter certainty into Vee's grey eyes “I would never treat you so …” and then he kisses her like he always meant to.

Vee is now the focus of Foix’s unbridled passion and quite considerable expertise.

(OOC: Keeping it PG rated.

Far be it from me to not bite at a good plot hook...

There was probably something Foix should have mentioned …

He’ll remember later – it’s a bloke thing. ).

[joertexas]

Vee relaxes into Foix's embrace, and returns his passion with equal fervor.

[lenusmars]

Sara would know it’s impossible to run out of hot water on the ship, the same 15-20 litres of water is filtered, purified and recycled through an on demand heater

Oops. Yep, Sara would probably know, but poor me didn't think it through, we'll just gloss it over.

Ana’s cabin is cold compared to the 42 degrees outside, the cupboards are all closed and everything is neatly stowed away. On the wall next to the fresher hangs a katana in a black lacquered scabbard beneath that is a hand made, franken-rifle. A couple of old sepia-toned photos are on a shelf leaning against a small black statue of a falcon.

Ana’s bed is pulled out to it’s full width and takes up a large chunk of the room, a heavy white duvet covers the bed and a string of tiny LED’s hang on the bottom of the upper bunk. The whole room smells vaguely of lavender.

The fresher is clean, shiny, and unassuming. A pair of oversized white towels are carefully folded on a shelf above the head and a fluffy white robe hangs next to black towel near the door. The vanity cabinet is closed and the room smells like mint and shampoo.

- - -

Ana nods at Sara when she returns, she suddenly looks much older and completely exhausted, “If I’m not out in 15 I fell asleep, please, wake me up before I turn into a raisin.”

She heads into the shower and returns 20 minutes later in the white robe drying her hair with the black towel. “I rinsed your swimsuit off and hung it up the shower with mine.”

Sara smiles up at her having sat down after a poke around the room. "Thanks," She shakes her head at herself. "Mama Patience would scold me for not picking up after myself. Sorry to make you do it."

Ana opens a drawer and pulls out a pair of pajamas, blue flannel bottoms and a white t-shirt, she pulls the bottoms on under her robe before turning, hanging the robe on the back of the door and pulling her top on. Sara gets a good look at the strange tattoos down Ana’s spine, and the scars along part of her spine and down her side. There’s something oddly familiar about the tattoo, maybe something from a book or an manual.

She turns and smiles, across her top are the worlds, “The only thing straight about me is the jacket.”

Ana scooches past Sara and collapses on the bed.

Sara smiles at the shirt and watches Ana collapse on the bunk. She gets up and moves the small distance to sit by Ana's feet, lifting them, scooching under and then setting them on her lap. She shakes up the glitter polish again, while her other thumb runs along Ana's right instep. "So... in the Scout service we're a bunch of superstitious head-cases. Successful mission...glitter toes. It's a thing for me going back to survival school. You wouldn't want to bring us bad luck, right? Besides... it will give you a chance to tell me about your tattoos. One of them looks pretty familiar, but I can't place it."

[ffilz]

BTW, new thread started for Arthiop...

[Ramona]

Sara smiles up at her having sat down after a poke around the room. "Thanks," She shakes her head at herself. "Mama Patience would scold me for not picking up after myself. Sorry to make you do it."

Ana waves her off, “No worries.”

Sara smiles at the shirt and watches Ana collapse on the bunk. She gets up and moves the small distance to sit by Ana's feet, lifting them, scooching under and then setting them on her lap. She shakes up the glitter polish again, while her other thumb runs along Ana's right instep. "So... in the Scout service we're a bunch of superstitious head-cases. Successful mission...glitter toes. It's a thing for me going back to survival school. You wouldn't want to bring us bad luck, right? Besides... it will give you a chance to tell me about your tattoos. One of them looks pretty familiar, but I can't place it."

“It’s a dust wolf,” Ana says with a chuckle. Without bothering to open her eyes she points to the angular wolf head tattoo on her left shoulder. She pulls her top up just enough to show off the wolf head scaring between her breasts, “Same as this.”

She pulls the top back down and points to the angular characters on her right bicep, “Fenrir, the wolf who’s howl signals the end. It’s kind of bullshit,” she adds with a chuckle, “I have a super girlie howl.”

“The one on my back that’s messed up because of the surgery scar is the key,” Ana makes air quotes, “I dunno, my mom had the same tattoo and her mom had it before her and so on back to the beginning of time. It was a secret only the Crows of the Dust Wolves were supposed to know, the path to a refuge or hidden oasis. Of course she never explained it to me and then went and got herself killed.”

“Given that it’s on my back I thought maybe it was backwards, so you’d need a mirror, or maybe there was someone else who was supposed to be able to read it and I was just supposed to carry it.” Ana lets out a sigh, “It’s vexing.”

[lenusmars]

“It’s a dust wolf,” Ana says with a chuckle. Without bothering to open her eyes she points to the angular wolf head tattoo on her left shoulder. She pulls her top up just enough to show off the wolf head scaring between her breasts, “Same as this.”

She pulls the top back down and points to the angular characters on her right bicep, “Fenrir, the wolf who’s howl signals the end. It’s kind of bullshit,” she adds with a chuckle, “I have a super girlie howl.”

“The one on my back that’s messed up because of the surgery scar is the key,” Ana makes air quotes, “I dunno, my mom had the same tattoo and her mom had it before her and so on back to the beginning of time. It was a secret only the Crows of the Dust Wolves were supposed to know, the path to a refuge or hidden oasis. Of course she never explained it to me and then went and got herself killed.”

“Given that it’s on my back I thought maybe it was backwards, so you’d need a mirror, or maybe there was someone else who was supposed to be able to read it and I was just supposed to carry it.” Ana lets out a sigh, “It’s vexing.”

Sara finishes up Ana's third toe. "It does seem a bit mean. Like having a note on your back that you can't take off. That's the one I'm saying looked familiar, though. I can't shake the idea that I've seen it somewhere before... or something like it." She glances up at Ana. "Can I look at it... you know, up close?"

[Ramona]

“The one on my back that’s messed up because of the surgery scar is the key,” Ana makes air quotes, “I dunno, my mom had the same tattoo and her mom had it before her and so on back to the beginning of time. It was a secret only the Crows of the Dust Wolves were supposed to know, the path to a refuge or hidden oasis. Of course she never explained it to me and then went and got herself killed.”

“Given that it’s on my back I thought maybe it was backwards, so you’d need a mirror, or maybe there was someone else who was supposed to be able to read it and I was just supposed to carry it.” Ana lets out a sigh, “It’s vexing.”

Sara finishes up Ana's third toe. "It does seem a bit mean. Like having a note on your back that you can't take off. That's the one I'm saying looked familiar, though. I can't shake the idea that I've seen it somewhere before... or something like it." She glances up at Ana. "Can I look at it... you know, up close?"

“And potentially invoke the karmic wrath of the glitter toed scout goddess of good fortune? No thanks.” Ana waves Sara on.

After Sara has completed her task Ana waits a moment for the polish to dry before rolling over and pulling her top up to expose the tattoo.

Between her shoulder blades is a large ring bisected by a pair of off centre vertical lines, below that is a long line of angular strange geometric glyphes and dots, beneath that are two black circles of different size intersected by a number of lines that leave voids through the larger circle, beneath that is a string of 4 more circles. There’s bits and pieces of the geometric glyphs between the larger and smaller circles. There’s a 5 or 6cm long scar through some of the glyphs and the large circle. Down her one side are a number of small circular scars.

[lenusmars]

“And potentially invoke the karmic wrath of the glitter toed scout goddess of good fortune? No thanks.” Ana waves Sara on.

Sara laughs merrily and finishes painting Ana's toenails with purple glitter.

After Sara has completed her task Ana waits a moment for the polish to dry before rolling over and pulling her top up to expose the tattoo.

Between her shoulder blades is a large ring bisected by a pair of off centre vertical lines, below that is a long line of angular strange geometric glyphes and dots, beneath that are two black circles of different size intersected by a number of lines that leave voids through the larger circle, beneath that is a string of 4 more circles. There’s bits and pieces of the geometric glyphs between the larger and smaller circles. There’s a 5 or 6cm long scar through some of the glyphs and the large circle. Down her one side are a number of small circular scars.

Sara sits further up by Ana's side and leans down close to examine the tattoo, fascinated. "I imagine since your culture was tribal... well I suppose this was done the old fashioned way?"

After a long moment the sensation of her warm breath is joined by her cool fingertips tracing the circle, then the lines, and even the scar, as if memorizing them by touch.

"Beautiful." She says in a soft voice.

[Ramona]

Sara sits further up by Ana's side and leans down close to examine the tattoo, fascinated. "I imagine since your culture was tribal... well I suppose this was done the old fashioned way?"

Ana nods a little barely stifling a yawn, “Bone needles and chisels, two people and a ton of charcoal.”

After a long moment the sensation of her warm breath is joined by her cool fingertips tracing the circle, then the lines, and even the scar, as if memorizing them by touch.

"Beautiful." She says in a soft voice.

Ana rolls over and looks at Sara, smiles and kisses her, “Yes, yes you are, now shut up and go to sleep.”

Ana turns out the lights, snuggles up against Sara and pulls the duvet over them. The tiny LEDs above the bunk light up and twinkle like stars.

[lenusmars]

Sara's eyes go wide with delight, then she smiles and melts into the kiss.

Once they're snuggled together, she kisses knuckles of Ana's hand, threads her fingers through Ana's, holding Ana's arm against her chest, and sighs happily.

Ooc: Aw...So sweet.

[joertexas]

Sara's eyes go wide with delight, then she smiles and melts into the kiss.

Once they're snuggled together, she kisses knuckles of Ana's hand, threads her fingers through Ana's, holding Ana's arm against her chest, and sighs happily.

Ooc: Aw...So sweet.

Very nicely done

[Tiglath]

Bravo, indeed!

[ffilz]

Quetza reaction to Squee [2d6] = 9. Squee convinces the Quetza to go down one of the other passages. Sara swoops in and gathers some broken off crystals into a dive bag, and you bug out. You exit the cave without fanfare (Encounter check on way out [1d6] = 3).

Did you have Wen take the ship away during the cave dive?

What about the monitoring station installation crew?

I'm not totally clear what has been done with the crystals. Sara scooped up a handful, perhaps 5 or 6.

[Ramona]

I scooped one about the size of a pinky finger.