Firefly: Opportunity

[Mistress of Whispers]

Xiao considered her options and slid a hand up Lyra's back - even before she was halfway, she felt the sticky blood. The captain would need either a saline pack or transfusion soon.

 

"I strongly recommend asking if anyone on board is O-. We might be lucky. If that fails, then half a day it is."

 

She kept her voice neutral, since she realised that pulling people back to donate blood in a hostile situation was a command decision.

 

((I think Firefly vessels come equipped with intercoms, so Malcolm could do a call for donors that way. And I assume/hope Ronon and Jay would check in before heading out in the mule.))

Edited November 7, 2013 by Mistress of Whispers

[Biologist]

Jay spotted Malcolm, the first mate and decided to relay his plan to him. Getting out of the mule and quickly walking over to Malcolm, he made sure not to interrupt the doctors at work.

 

He tried to get Malcolm's attention and said: "We're planning on getting our cargo and be back quickly, so we can take off. Any suggestions about handling the… 'client'?" He searched for the right word to describe whoever was going to provide the cargo. "Anything we have to bring with us? Like proof we're from Opportunity and work for the captain?" Jay didn't feel much for getting shot at because he claimed cargo for someone else. It had happened before.

 

((OOC: I thought it was just a simple 'retrieval of cargo and transport it elsewhere' type of mission, or am I mistaken? Mousia, would you like to play the part of 'Skunk' since the captain is 'otherwise engaged'? ))

 

[Mousia]

(Yeah, it's that kind. They should also get paid, but Skunk may or may not offer payment if not asked for it. )

[Lore_Master]

Malcom nodded his head, giving a simple aye before getting up to find the nearest intercom. Once he had found it, he began to relay the information to the whole ship.

 

"This is Malcom. As some of you may or may not be aware, there was an 'accident' in the cargo room. I'm calling this out to all crew members of the ship Opportunity. If you have O negative blood, I urge you to come down to the cargo bay. Xiao can fill you in on the details. I repeat, any crew members with O- negative blood please come down to the cargo bay ASAP. Thank you." Malcom said over the intercom, before putting the phone away. Just then, Jay approached him. He was asking for advice regarding the client. From what Lyra told him, 'Skunk' was kinda creepy, but reliable enough. He had shady dealings, but that was natural in his formal line of work.

 

"From what I can tell, the client won't care who delivers the good so long as he gets them. However, make sure you get payment from him. I don't want the Captain to berate us just as she gets better. If you're still unsure... Give me a moment." Malcom said, trailing off as he ran back to his cabin. Once inside, he began to write on a piece of paper. On the paper, he made mention that Lyra was currently 'unavailable', and that Malcom was now acting captain for next few days. A lie of course, but it wouldn't hurt. The paper was pretty much a guarantee that the cargo was still delivered from the Opportunity. Once he wrote with his signature, he ran back to Jay.

 

"If 'Skunk' doesn't believe you, or doesn't take the goods, give this to him." He said, handing the paper to Jay.

[Biologist]

Jay took the paper from Malcolm and read it quickly. This'd better work. he thought, but accepted it. He turned to leave and remembered something. "Oh, and I 'm not type O negative. I'm A negative."

 

Then he hurried to the mule and prepared to leave with the necessary goods for the trip. He looked at Ronon. "Are you coming along too? The assailant might want to steal our cargo. I could use a gunner when I'm driving." And he offered the seat next to the pilot seat.

[Narath]

Ronon

 

"Yea, I'm coming." Ronon said as he hopped in. "Doubt the captain would appreciate it if we had another crewmember shot when she woke up."

As he sat down, he made sure to keep his gun at the ready, never once lowering his guard. If there was going to be an ambush, he was sure going to give them Hell before he went down.

[Mousia]

'Skunk', as he was often called, was a very, very rich man. Even though he lived in a rickety old shack that shook wildly at every breeze and was sparsely furnished. It stunk of human waste and tobacco smoke and Skunk's own body was horridly cared for, with a long poked-out eye, blackening teeth, and many infected open wounds that came from the harsh living on Lilac, he really was crazy for not even considering to move to an inner ring planet where doctors were top-notch and living was easy. And no one knew just why he was so rich. Some speculated that he was actually just the son of two extravagant business people and, after inheriting all their possessions. Some thought he was just stingy and didn't want to spend any of it. No matter the guess, he was who he was and he waited for Opportunity's crew to come along, take his cargo, and get it to the people who needed to get it. Maybe they would get sloppy and not ask to get paid this time...

[Biologist]

Jay stepped on the gas once the mule had cleared Opportunity's cargobay doors. He was driving remarkably steady for the speed with which they moved. It would take about five minutes to reach the place of this 'Skunk'. Jay didn't like the sound of that name, so he was glad Ronon was with him to keep things from heating up, if relations turned sour without the captain present. And to keep an eye out for any yellow bellied sniper, of course.

 

((Mousia, can I write we arrive or did you have something planned?))

[Mousia]

(Yes, you may write about their arrival if you wish. )

[Narath]

Ronon

 

Ronon hopped aboard the mule as Jay began to take off. If this deal went south, Ronon was going to make sure Jay wouldn't get shot. That has happened to more than enough people today.

"We need to make a plan Jake." Ronon said. "As much as I like shooting things, today doesn't seem like a good day for more people to get shot."

[Biologist]

Jay almost didn't hear Ronon over the roar of the engines, but he nodded to signal he had understood.

 

"Are you a talker?" He raised his voice to be heard. "'Cause if you aint, I'll have to do the talking." He thought back to the last deal he had struck: the reason why he had had to leave the last planet and board the first vessel that left for the black. Which was the Opportunity, a rather good turn of events for once, come to think of it.

 

"If I talk, you make sure to watch out for his trigger finger. Especially when I start askin' him about payment." He petted the hover craft with his free hand. "I've worked with these hauler Mules before, so I don't think I need help loading the cargo. It will give you the opportunity to look around for snipers. How's that for a plan?"

 

If it wasn't good enough, they needed to wing it, for they had almost reached their destination.

[Mistress of Whispers]

Working with a perfectly steady hand, Xiao had finally managed to repair Lyra's artery and stop the heavy bleeding. Of course, there were still the rib fragments to contend with and the captain had lost a lot of blood already. It had been almost an hour since Malcolm's call and no donors had come forth.

 

"I'm afraid you'll have to call your contact," she said to the first mate. "I will do what I can until the blood bags get here."

 

Setting up a saline drip to at least get some volume back into the captain's veins, Xiao looked down on her patient. Lyra seemed to be perfectly calm asleep, but Xiao knew that to be a false front created by the drugs she had administered. Nevertheless, she found herself wondering if Lyra was dreaming, before she shook her head and picked up a pair of medical tweezers. Carefully peering into the wound, she began to remove the first rib splinter while taking care not to damage the surrounding tissue or organs any more.

[Narath]

Ronon

 

"To be honest, I'm not very good at deals." Ronon said. "I'm only ever hired as the muscle. That said, if him, or whatever men he has even hint at harming us, my weapons will be going full tilt."

And he meant it. If there was a fight, he'd be fighting with every ounce of strength he had. There was no way he was going to go down easily.

[Biologist]

Jay kept his eyes on the terrain in front of him as he sped the Mule across dry plains and dusty underbrush.

 

"Good to know, Ronon. Just to let you know, I'm not the best sweet talker either. We'll see how it goes." He said as they rounded a low hill and neared a building of sorts.

 

He pointed at the structure and said: "This is it, this is the rendez-vous point."

 

He slowed down and 'parked' the Mule about ten yards from the building. He was sure that whoever was inside would have heard them coming as Mules weren't exactly the quietest of transports.

 

He stepped off of the vehicle and onto the dry dust of the planet. He surveyed the premises and saw a lot of places that could be used a hidy holes for an ambush. But there were no signs of a Reaver attack, so he guessed it was safe enough.

 

"Howdy, anyone out here?" He asked with somewhat raised voice to be heard over the stationary engines.

[Mousia]

"Yeah! Come in!" a raspy voice responded calmly. Pacing around with a smoke in his mouth and a wandering eye, Skunk stepped the life out of a scuttling bug that was close to death anyway. Removing the think wad of miscellaneous leaves from between his lips, the man coughed and sputtered and wiped the tear from his good eye as it watered. Placing the wad back into his mouth, he ran a dirty and smoke-soured hand through his hair. Tarps covered the windows and there were holes all throughout the walls, but the room was still thick with smoke as he rarely wasn't smoking, as well as the heat making his shack hardly bearable for any but the most ridiculous of men who were prepared to bear it.

[Biologist]

Jay approached the shack and pulled back the tarp that covered the door frame. He felt the heat escape from the opening like a smokey punch in the face and decided against going into that suffocating oven.

 

From the doorstep, he peered inside and when he spotted the man with his make-shift cigar and his eye patch, he did his best not to recoil and to keep a straight face. Good thing he had some experience in that: all those poker games finally paid off. He raised his hand in greeting, showing he was not holding his gun. Yet.

 

"We're from the Opportunity. We come to take your cargo to your clients as per agreement. Do you have our fee ready? If so, we can start loading."

 

Jay thought that he best be up front with mentioning the fee. At least it was on the table now.

[Mousia]

"Yeh. I gots it." Reaching into his pocket, the man pulled out a nugget of gold and tossed it to Jay. "Consider that a tip fer yer trouble." Putting out the joint on his face, the old man tossed it away and took a key out of his pocket. Shuffling over to a chest, he unlocked it and took out a little oriental-looking puzzle box that appeared to be impossible to open. Tossing it over to Jay as well, he grinned. "The cap will know how to open it. Just tell her it's from me." Pausing to cough and sputter, he shuffled over to three crates stacked haphazardly atop one another. "Here's the stuff. You can get loading if you like."

[Narath]

Ronon

 

As Ronon followed Jake into the ramshackle house, he holstered his gun, but kept it unlatched with his hand resting on top of it. There was no sense in appearing too hostile, yet he was not one to be caught with his guard down. Stepping into the shambled building, Ronon had to fight the urge to express his disgust at the smell, which was absolutely awful. And the man who owned it seemed in no better shape than the house. As Jake and him spoke, Ronon remained silent, not wanting to ruin the negotiations. It helped him to keep vigilant in case of an ambush.

[Biologist]

Jay had no way of verifying it was real gold, so he caught the nugget and the puzzle box, deciding it was up to the captain to trust this man on his word.

 

Somewhat disgusted by the heat and the smell - he tried to breathe in as little as possible - he walked over to the three crates and tested their weight. He looked over at Ronon and indicated that with the two of them, they'd be able to load them on the Mule. He put the nugget in his pocket and the puzzle box on the crate and started to lift it...

[Mousia]

(So do y'all wanna skip or keep going? I'm not sure we could do much more with this little interaction.)

[Biologist]

((SKipping is fine with me ))

[Narath]

I'm good with it.

[Biologist]

After loading the heavy crates onto the mule, they left the strange man behind, speeding back towards the Opportunity and her captain and crew.

 

Jay had met some strange people in his life and this Skunk definitively had the crazy vibe. He was glad to be away again. Crazy people tended to attract crazy stuff happening. And not of the funny kind.

 

He was looking forward to flying the firefly vessel again. All they had to do was drive the mule inside the cargo bay and close the doors. She was ready to go. In his eagerness, Jay may have cranked up the speed a bit, making the ride back a little more... Exhilirating. He made sure the cargo was held tight by the mule, and hey, he already knew the way.

Edited December 21, 2013 by Biologist

[XxWaterGaridanxX]

Athena paid a man in the town to help her bring all of her bags to the grounded firefly class ship on a small, old, and rusted hover craft that made more noise then she thought was possible as she sat in the front seat and tied a silk scarf around her wispy blonde almost white hair. When she saw the ship she tired to hurry the older gentleman towards the ship.

They stopped ten feet from the ship knowing that they must have heard her arrival as she hurried and grabbed her purse and in her brown boots she started towards the open bay doors in her simple but embroidered blue dress with brown corset. She wasn't sure whether or not they would be able to tell that she was a companion or not.

"Hello! Excuse me! I'm looking for the captain of the ship I heard that you have a shuttle for rent." She shouted as she walked towards the ship, hoping someone heard her so she didn't have to repeat herself.

Edited December 5, 2013 by XxWaterGaridanxX

[Mousia]

The captain, who hadn't yet been moved to the infirmary, heard what was going on and eventually regained some feeling and capacity to think, but she was very tired. "Come aboard," the woman rasped softly. "The first mate will...collect your rent..." She smiled softly with eyes glazed as she blinked to clear them. God, it was so damn loud... Why couldn't everyone just quiet down? Why couldn't she just be in her bunk with pillows over her head and wish the noise away? But Lyra knew that would suffocate her in the state she was in. Besides, she was in no way capable of getting up and taking a stroll down to her bunk and going to sleep. Just giving that girl the go-ahead to board had taken it all out of her.