Prelude: Rocking the Cradle [COMPLETE]

[kmbll]

Guy "the Savage," Bounty Hunter

Guy takes a long hard look at his old comrade,"They say only the good die young - what does that make us?" He reaches out to shake his hand. "I appreciate the contact and I'll be in touch about that seeder on Amir. Call on me if you need me - there's not many of us left."

He saunters into the crowd - looking for the tail.

[Pulpatoon]

Killdozer looks distraught at first, then resigned to Augmentine trailing after him. "Yeah, lady, I'm sick, alright." The moment they are away from the crowd, he spins with electric suddenness and grabs both her hands, holding her hard enough to cause pain. Pressing in close, he hisses, "I got a belly fulla rotten blood an' death. I got enough violence in me t' drown planets. I wuz borned inna glad pit, and spent everyday a'my life killing my own friends for the amusement an' profit of empty husks like you. Now I'm out, an' I wanna stay out, and I ain't gonna let you drag nonna my new friends inta th' pits with yer honey an' yer poison." Increasing the pressure on her hands, he says "Y'ain't gonna contact Raquel. Y'ain't gonna let me see, hear, or smell yuh. An' if y'gotta scrap of soul left in there, lady, yer gonna get a new job."

Killdozer drops her hands, and steps back. His eyes are wild and glassy, his nostrils flared wide, every muscle in his body tensed.

[Mister-Kent]

Guy
Big Booty Ho gives you a small naval salute. "If the good die young, we'll surely live forever," he says as you leave the booth.

As the Fallen Angel's medic team hauls away burnt and broken Derinoe, you find Lucie, the supposed champion of the bout, scrambling along the floor with a slightly pained look on her face. The Hi'Ho Dj announces her as winner, but Lucie's too busy looking for her severed tail. You spot it before she does, having landed at the feet of a cluster of garishly dressed ladies with blue curls.

Killdozer
Augmentine squeals as you squeeze her hands, and her eyes go wide. She winces as you speak to her and nods vigorously in agreement--anything to be completely compliant. As you release her hands from your vice grip, she jolts backwards, raises a trembling hand to her cheek, and staggers off.

[kmbll]

Guy "the Savage," Bounty Hunter

Guy picks up the tail and brings it over to Lucie. He gives her a hand and helps her up and helps her as she struggles to stand before utterly, "Mon Chéri, that was a marvelous display. I know what it is to lose a part of oneself and would hate to see you suffer a similar fate."

[Pulpatoon]

Killdozer returns to the ship, where he crashes around the kitchen noisily, burning off pent-up adrenaline. He pukes a little, smashes his favorite mixing bowl, and bends pretty much all the spoons.

Eventually he settles down, and begins making pastries. You can't stay angry while making pastries.

[Marullus]

Malachi watches the floor show impassively and with small, visible trace of disgust. He helps Shefelbine to a booth where he doesn't have to worry quite so much about remaining upright and then says his goodbyes. Passing the maitre d' stand, he scoops up the wrapped take-out containers with Killdozer's dinner in them and also heads to the ship.

[Glintwine]

Suddenly alone as her new contact runs off after her companion, Raquel blinks and stares after the strange woman, considering following as well, but eventually deciding against it. Killdozer could handle himself - he didn't need big sister there to help him deal with an admirer. Still, the noblewoman remains unsure whether she wants to wish the two of them luck with one another, or ruin. The idea of raspy-voiced, blue-haired babies with dual mouths and single eyes makes her shudder.

During the "floor show" she whoops and whistles with every blow that lands, surprised and pleased to see a pair of female warriors crossing weapons - it is a pleasant reminder of her home, even as it would have been a horrible one for Killdozer.

Once the fight has finished, she plucks a glass of champagne from a waiter's platter and slithers off through the crowd, heading back to the ship in the wake of Malachi and the others, sipping the bubbly brew contentedly.

"Any good news, Malachi?" She asks, falling into stride beside the old soldier. "How did zee meetink vith your contact go?"

[Marullus]

As Raquel falls in, she disrupts Malachi's funk. His moodiness falls away as the with the sound of the revelers behind them. "The ignorant still think violence is an amusement, Dynamene is looking for highshine, collectors on Bittori want live specimens from Daksha, and... there's a cloner ship out here in deep space for expensive clients. All good things to know. How was yours?" As they reach the kitchen, he sets down the dinners and nods to Killdozer as he crimps a pastry's delicate edge. "Smells like grubs. What did you order?"

[Pulpatoon]

Killdozer, up to his arms in butter and flour, shrugs in the direction of the doggie bags. "Hardtack, salt cod, an' plum duff. Thank fer grabbin' dat. Lost my app'tite. Y'wannit?"

[kmbll]

Guy walks into the kitchen and gestures toward the doggie bags and utters, "Master Chef, I don't know why you lowered yourself to eating that filth when we have your delectable offerings at hand."

He looks to Raquel and Malachi, "Where to? I gained a contact on worth pursuing on Bittori..." Guy audibly hesitates."My friend also indicated there's some valuable pre-tech on Amir. It's currently being wielded to terraform the planet; Amir is in system so it's not out of our way but I'm wary of moving against a group powerful enough to publicly use such technology."

Guy utilizes his ware to access the ship's computer and starts to scan the Exchange's public Bounty board - his access to the private boards having been revoked. He mutters barely audibly to himself,"But maybe there's easier prey.."

[Glintwine]

In response to malachi's return question, Raquel shrugs. "Not much to report - I sink I might have made a contact, but hard to be sure."

At the sight of Killdozer's pastry making, she places her hands on her hips and gives a mock glare. "Herr Catscradle! Cakes again? Vhy, if I didn't know any better I'd guess zat you vere trying to fatten us up so zat you can eat us next!" Without missing a beat however, she sidles up beside his workstation and dips a finger in the batter, then sucks off the sweet taste with all the mischievous glee of a child. "But I suppose zere are vorse fates." And with that she gives the mutant her most devilish, approving grin.

At Guy's entrance and questions she straightens up slightly, perking an eyebrow at the new information. "Vell, I sink vee schould go for vatever is quickest und easiest - it vould be good to have some money to fall back on before vee try to tackle any true danger."

Just for reference, are we paying off our ship or do we just own it? I don't remember if we ever decided on it, but either way I'm working from the assumption that we don't have any money other than what's in our character's pockets.

[Marullus]

Malachi
"Bittori sounds like a good bet, but they are looking to buy Daksha specimens there. We could get them first and not go empty handed."

[Enoch]

Do we know anything about Bittori (particularly their religious beliefs), or the Daksha System (like where it is--I don't see it on the map--or how they were changed?

[kmbll]

Daksha is 407 which is concerningly far away for me and REALLY close to the Solar Republic. I was really hoping Mister-Kent would drop in with additional information before I replied.

[Pulpatoon]

"Herr Catscradle! Cakes again? Vhy, if I didn't know any better I'd guess zat you vere trying to fatten us up so zat you can eat us next!"

Killdozer grins wide, showing both sets of square peg-like teeth. "S'aliddle zwetschgenkuchen, jus' fer you, Raquel. I'm purdy sure you'll be easier on the digestion than the resta this crew. They ain't nuthin' but gristle and spare parts." Listening to the others discussing plans, the mutant cook says, "Les' don't pick ennything too close. We jus' got off the ship, an' it stank. Les' take a nice long jaunt summwher far off."

Zwetschgenkuchen:

[DexterWard]

Bryan Alexander Milford (Survivor/Engine Crew/Explorer)

Bryan keeps to the Cat’s Cradle while in port at the Fallen Angel Casino, cleaning and organizing the ships storage with what little supplies he has at his disposal. Bryan talks to himself as he works, keeping busy, always busy. The silence sometimes grinds on his nerves so he talks to no one in particular. “Always something to do around here, something to clean, something to do, always something. We need work…” He trails off in thought…

Noise in another section of the ship peaks his interest and he heads in that direction to see what the commotion is all about. “Perhaps they found a job,” he says to no one in particular.

Bryan enters the kitchen just in time to hear Killdozer say, “Les' take a nice long jaunt summwher far off.” Bryan nods and says, "My thoughts exactly. Don’t much care for these pleasure boats much. I need real action, the serious kind. If you know what I mean.” He picks up a bent spoon and looks at Killdozer. Shaking his head he says, “That’s why I stay on the ship. Too much sickness out there. Can’t take much of it myself, ruther avoid it. Take my chances out there,” Bryan points out through the bulkhead to the stars, “in the emptiness. Plenty of things to keep me busy, very few to raise my dander like...those things.”

Bryan looks at the others, “Find some trouble did you? When do we leave? I’m itching for some action.” He sets down at a table and listens while he waits for a decision to be made.

[Mister-Kent]

I think we're going with the crew owns the Cradle--expense will come in the form of upkeep, which I'm dividing from a yearly cost to a monthly thing.

***
Planet info:

Bittori is a bustling hub of Holy Mother Catholicism. High tech level and massive population.

The plainly-named Daksha System (or just "The Daksha") is a wealthy and isolated empire--not isolationist, as a rule, but largely untouched and self-sufficient. In contrast to the Solar Republic, the Daksha has never exhibited expansionist aims, focusing on improvement of its own worlds.

Shefelbine was far too smashed to elaborate on how the Daksha changed people, or why living specimens from there would be of any value.

(Cross-posting with the Galactic Encyclopedia, and will be added to the do as well)

[kmbll]

So from the sounds of - Daksha have some freaky power. I vote Amir since it's really close. I like that we own the ship.

Mister-Kent - are you still in the process of updating? I would ideally like for Guy to check the bounty board if we're okay with that being a thing - it seems like something the Exchange would do, even if none are valuable enough to pursue. Also, could I get more information about the Solar Republic?

[Glintwine]

At Killdozer's reveal of the pastry in question, Raquel's devilish grin curls into something more genuine, her big brown eyes growing wide with recognition and appreciation. "Killdozer, schatzie, you are just sveet enough to be dangerous." She kisses the tips of her fingers and presses them against one of the ex-gladiator's chins, as affectionate a gesture as she has ever given to a member of this current crew.

She turns to nod in welcome to Bryan as he enters. "Vee are just discussink ven and vhere vee vill go." Looking back to the rest of the group, she shrugs. "It sounds like zis Amir place is zee closest and vill lead to the quickest payday, if vee don't fuck it up." With that she turns to Killdozer again, flicking her head of loose curls to better see him. "Sorry, schatzie but if vee vant to keep zis ship flyink, vee need to make some money, quick."

"Vat do you sink, gentlemen? Feel up for a smash und grab?" She asks, looking to Brian and Malachi. "On Amir zere is valuable tech to be stolen, it seems. Should be plenty of action if vee decide to go in loud..." She looks Bryan in the eye as she adds the last bit.

[kmbll]

"Mademoiselle Fortune has spoken." Guy mocks a bow in Raquel's direction. "There need be no discussion; I am not one to tempt fate. Should the crew mutiny, comm me. Otherwise I shall begin to navigate our course."

As Guy begins his exit, he glances around the room and a quizzical look paces his face, "Where are the others?"He mentally switches on his integral compad to all crewmembers,"Be on the boat in 20 minutes or we're leaving you behind!"

The sound of Guy singing an ancient sea shanty echoes down the hall as he walks toward the cockpit:

"Picture yourself in a boat on a river
With tangerine trees and marmalade skies
Somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly
A girl with kaleidoscope eyes"