[SWAW] Shower, Civilian Clothes, Speak with Shai'n [S6 Trek]

Adam

With Kelborn off the ship, you immediately go about your plan of action. The shower was warm, the clothes you donned are clean, did you request Shai'n be being sent to your quarters? Or are you heading out to find her? I'm also curious: what's the deal with you and Shai'n? Why do you trust her for advice? Beyond her being reasonable and trustworthy, for a tailhead of course.

Kaillan

[Trek]

No. I've been thinking about it, but the compulsion to keep this space mine overwhelms me. It's where my uniform comes off and, in the dark, I'm... different. Alone.

But, my uniform is back on now, and I'm stalking the deck looking for Shai'n. She's a cadet of mine, though usually does technical work instead, in Engineering or the Cargo Bay. I suppose that's where my ease comes from; she's clever enough to listen to, but not nearly enough guile to be a threat. It was easy enough to piece it all together, from personal files and progress reports: she misses her life before the Empire, all that working with droids and engines. It was my pleasure to accommodate her into my crew for cheap.

I'm hoping it's too early for her to be covered in grease.

Adam

You find her exactly where you'd expect her — about to take on a project down in engineering. In fact, you find her just as she's about to hop down into the greasy underbelly of the ship. She stops when she hears you coming, and jumps to attention at your approach.

She's got a younger gearhead, an NCO, with her asking questions from the crawlspace down below. "Lieutenant," she hums softly, surprised by your sudden arrival, "is there something I can do for you sir?"

This is Shai'n, by the way, when she's working:

Kaillan

[Trek]

I know him. In fact, there isn't a person on my ship I don't know. It's him I address first, calling out to the crawlspace, "You'll give us a moment, Yul." And then I'm taking a few clipped steps away from hearing range of this hunk... well, hunk of some sort of reprocessed machinery.

Shai'n has free reign over her projects, under the proviso it will eventually be useful to myself or Starburn II. It's one of the few stipulations in her unique contract, written up not several months ago when I wrangled this outfit together.

"It's certainly an interesting looking first project," I comment, tone playful, when Shai'n makes her way over.

Adam

She nods bashfully, smiling with a sense of pride, "yes sir. Uh, I guess it is, sir. Is that why you're here? ... Sir?" Given that this is her first project, am I correct in assuming she's new here?

Kaillan

[Trek]

We're all new here, more or less. This is only our second operation. But yes, Shai'n's filling a... gap, created during the first, when events took a strange turn.

I wear a familiar smile, reserved for achieving ends or being approachable. I'm not quite sure which I'm aiming for. "No. I just wanted to check up on this - " I gesture to the hulk, and Yul beneath it, "- before I head out. We've got business on Ord Mantel. Mandalorians. We're taking on the help of another crew, so two squads. And I won't be able to wear my uniform of course."

Shai'n can see my civilian clothes, fashionable but drab, non-descript. Still, I lean back and gesture to them.

Adam

Shai'n nods in understanding, and steps away from the hulk, "Well, she's in decent shape, but Yul and I have some ideas to make her even better." She pauses and thinks for a minute, "you're heading down to Ord Mantell on an under-cover op? Those junk heaps are treasure troves of good finds... I wish I could send a crew down to scavenge for parts."

Kaillan

[Trek]

I know well enough how those junk heaps could fashion an army of ships, or feed a borg on grease. But I'm not in any particular mood to relive my childhood on Ord Mantel. "While that'd be nice, it's frankly unfeasible." It takes me a few seconds to register Shai'n's reaction to my blunt refusal; it's only the grease and Yul and hard work that keeps me from squeezing her face when it crumples in resignation, from licking those cheeks, from taking a knife to those tails...

"Hrm." Although, maybe this idea has more to offer than I originally conceived — and while Shai'n seems more engineer and less cadet today, it's always a good idea to keep people happy. "Still, you can send the particulars to my datapad. We have creds to spare, our supplies are in excess, and it wouldn't hurt to have a reasonable cover story."

Adam

While indeed disappointed that she won't be able to go thumbing through the junk for new parts, she nods obediently, and notices you eyeing her face. She bows her head, and pulls out a handkerchief to wipe the grease from her cheek. "I'll have a list compiled within the hour, sir. Do you need anything to assist you down in the field? I've got some decent scanners that could help you out in a pinch."

Kaillan

[Trek]

"I don't suppose any are useful for tracking down treacherous Abyssin scum?" I quip back at Shai'n, wearing my trademark smile. She's cleaning the grease from her face, and well, while I don't mean to stare, it's amazing how taut her blue skin is — just makes you wonder all the more what's beneath.

Adam

Shai'n blushes bashfully when you watch her clean the grease off her cheek. You get the impression she's not used to getting this kind of attention from men such as yourself. She smiles, and adds, "It's more so scum in general, than Abyssin scum, but I do have something that might come in handy." She bows cautiously to excuse herself, and heads over to a shelf of random electronica in the corner of the room. After a few minutes of browsing the catalog, she produces a relatively complicated looking scanner, and brings it over to you.

"This," she begins, "should help you navigate the various piles for signs of life, and the like." She demos a few of the switches, and the display, so you can get a feel for it. "This should help you size up any location for traps, lifeforms, and other general hazards... There's no sense in getting mixed up with the locals if you can avoid it, Lieutenant!" She offers it to you, "and getting the drop on your Abyssin friend will no doubt make his capture all the easier, I would think."

Kaillan

[Trek]

I take the contraption out of Shai'n's hands and demo the piece myself, all the while praising her to the extent she deserves, to the extent my rank dictates. "Hrm. And this... ah, I see. Well done, Shai'n, very good. Hah. Interesting —" and so on.

I'm getting slightly bored playing house, and while Shai'n can be a useful tool — both in here, and in exciting my imagination — the entire situation feels exhausted. I've squeezed what I can from her, in a sense, and now it's time to reap the spoils of being elsewhere.

You see, while other men might wonder as to the inner-goings-on of Shai'n, might wish to explore the avenues of casual and less-than-casual conversation, might even bring themselves down to her level, I don't happen to be any of those men.

"You've done us a great service today cadet. The Starburn II is grateful. You are dismissed." But, I'm also not moron, in fact I'm quite clever, so I keep my smile where it is and shoot Shai'n a wink.

Adam

OOC: For clarity — consider that a use of insight.

Shai'n blushes at your compliments, and smiles when you wink at her as you leave. She slowly makes her way back over to the hulk of machinery she left with Yul, and gets back to work.

Where to next, Lieutenant?

Kaillan

[Trek]

First, I'm transferring authority of basic protocols over to one of my cadets — honestly, it doesn't matter which. The instructions I've given on when to bug-out are strict, and I'll have to be all but dead and lost before Starburn II breaks orbit with Ord Mantel. It's all basic work, covered in training, for when the ranking officer leaves his ship.

Second, Kelborn informed me that the Ebon Hawk will fit a full platoon. So I'm wrangling those men up in civilian clothes. Far as I want everybody concernted, this is operation is now covert. With this scanner, Shai'n's given me a decent enough story, and it won't be hard to stick to it.

And then I'm heading to the airlock, blast pistol holstered.

Adam

Do you generally have a second-in-command here? Or do you try and keep a distance between yourself and the rank-and-file? You grab your squad, and head over to the Ebon Hawk's airlock.

The air cycles, and the trooper's Sergeant approaches you. He's in full battle armor, and his voice is modulated by his helmet. "Can we trust these Mando' mercs, Lieutenant?"

Kaillan

[Trek]

A gulf exists between me and the rest of the galaxy. So do I keep a distance? Yes. Oh, I'm always professional, I know their names, their qualifications — I know how to use my tools. But this ship belongs to one person, and that's me. I suppose, officially, there are two cadets registered as my 'second-in-command,' should I be indisposed or otherwise unavailable. You know, those two who gave me that status report at 0610 in the cockpit: Arj and Tanner.

Usually, I pit them against each other for my approval, so I gave Tanner rank while I'm on this op. I'll make sure to find fault with his duties when I get back, and give priority to Arj. Just another power play taught to me by that sithful kriffer: Nill.

"They're Mando's hunting Mando's, Sergeant. No, we can't trust them. And yes, I want our eyes on them. If they think they get our creds and leave our bodies, they'll take the chance, so let's not give it to them."

Adam

The Sergeant nods, and calls over two of his men. "I want two men watching the Mandos at all times. They get feisty, I want to hear about it before they can get the drop on us." Then he turns back to you, "do we have permission to engage if we have probable cause, Lieutenant?"

Kaillan

[Trek]

I'm not looking at him. I'm looking at the door, and my tone is final when I reply, "You know the drill, Sergeant. I'll give the order and you'll do the deed. We've got coms for a reason."

Adam

== END SCENE ==