As Jojee brings the Margin down on the camp, one squad of stormtroopers is flushed out of their position as Amarath rains down some hell on them. Kelb's ground unit, supported by a ragtag handful of survivors with ancient blasters, swarm them and take them down.
You spot the last source of artillery for the Imperials, an AT-ST. The mobile unit fires off a series of well-aimed shots at your hull, rocking the ship as you dial it in with your foreward turbolasers. You finish it off before the damn thing makes the Margin no longer spaceworthy, but your ship is in some rough shape (lose +cargo until repaired).
Captain Harsol waves you down to land inside the burning camp. As you drop the ramp, Pem and Hosk cover people as they rush inside your ship, Amy sticks in the turret, just in case. Despite the tight quarters, you get the couple dozen living survivors and the remainder of Kelb's team into your cramped hold, standing room only. Jazz is carrying the corpse of Rodian member of their team, her name was Tezziik. The Quarren isn't with them, either.
Over comms, you hear Jazz, "We're in, let's get off this dunghole of a planet. Kelb, you clear?"
Kelb replies with some gusto, "Clear. I just saw our Duros friend pull a maneuver I've never seen before. We blew that transport to the Nine Halls. Let's diddy mao."
Your ships meet up a few hundred miles away from the battle. Ellors picks up the survivors, Kelb's team rejoins her in the Whisper.
Do you leave the half dozen or so stormtroopers marooned on Cholganna, or do you head back for them and finish them off?
We leave them. If the nexu or the octopi don't get them, the Empire is welcome to bring them home.
Speaking of octopi... we need to bag a few. I ask Kelb to wait for us in orbit while Amarath and I take a little hunting trip. Anyone else is welcome to join us, of course.
Kelb keeps watch over the ships while you go hunting. Hosk and Jojee insist on coming along, too.
When you go a-hunting for arboreal octopuses, octopi... for more than one arboreal octopus, roll+Rugged. With a hit, choose options 7-9. choose two. 10+ take all three:
- you find what you're after - nobody gets hurt badly - you look awesome doing it - someone ELSE will tell the story next time you're out drinking.
Things are not going well at all. Jojee slips in a pile of what I assume is nexu poodoo, which gets in her hair. I trip over a root and twist my ankle, but insist we continue despite the pain. Hosk keeps grumbling, of course.
Finally, finally, we spot a pair of the creatures. Everyone starts taking shots, but they're surprisingly quick for something so large.
Oh, where I said we spot a pair of the sons of nerfherders? Unfortunately, they weren't actually a pair, they were a trio, and the one we didn't spot grabs me around the waist and starts dragging me up into the trees.
Which, of course, is when Captain Harsol arrives, following our trail. With a look of disgust, he says, "Idiots..." and starts taking careful shots.
We pick up with your group finishing up the field dressing of the four arboreal octopi. Jojee's near a small creek washing out her hair and Amarath's watching over the pilot as she cleans up.
"These should work, Lad." Hosk says as he tosses the last bits in a lined satchel and looks up at you.
Harsol asks, "Captain Vos, are you done here?" He didn't ask why you took this hunting trip, he might know already.
I nod. "Thanks for the help, Captain Harsol. Not my finest moment." I glance over in Jojee's direction, thinking, but not saying, hers, either. Once everyone's ready, we'll head back to the ship and get the heck out of here. Not that Raxus Prime will be much of an improvement, but at least it's a step on the way to anywhere else.
Harsol doesn't have a follow-up comment, letting you gather your crew. You trudge back to the ship, your ship. Getting your first good luck at the Profit Margin without anything else to distract you, you realize she's in really rough shape. Hosk heads in to get to the pre-flight checks and warm up the engines.
Kelb's there, arms crossed, in her Mandalorian battle armor, leaning against her ship, watching you with a grin. "Good hunting, Captain Vos?" Her tone isn't mocking. Not at all.
"We got it done, but not without some comic antics to go along with it." I giver her a wry grin, then sober up. "I'm sorry for your losses, Kelb. Thank you for coming."
She nods to the condolences, "We put them to rest, in our way. No thanks needed, that's why I charge." She looks over at your ship, her grin slipping a little. "Sorry for your ship, Captain. Will your benefactor foot the bill on fixing her up?"
I think about that. "I've already made some pretty stiff demands, but we'll see. We can limp back for now, at least, and take it from there." I'm trying not to show how upset I actually am about my poor girl, but I know it shows. Poor Squall may never forgive me.
"I wish you luck on it." Kelb says as she straightens up, then saunters over to you and your crew, "Ladro, I know we're packing up to head out, so there are probably better times. That said, I was hoping to get some, ah help from you." She grins, "You see, I got myself this overpriced little klava-maker... and I just can't seem to get it working right."
To my credit, I do hesitate for a few seconds before I answer. "It's a shame for your klava-maker to go to waste because you haven't had some expert... help." I gave Jo and Amy a helpless shrug and say, "This might take a while. Why don't you go ahead and get the ship ready. Comm if there's any emergency." Then I give Kelb an "after you" gesture.
Jojee rolls her eyes while Amarath grins, then steals a glance at Kelb's ass as she enters her ship.
Kelb keeps things casual until the door to her quarters close, then she practically jumps on you, her mouth seeking yours, her hands on your neck, your side. She is eager for some companionship, she'd told you how combat gets her keyed up. Evidently losing people on her crew puts her in a mood, too.
Are you into this, or doing what she wants, Ladro? How does it go for you?
This is Kelb. Look at her. Even if I started out "doing what she wants," I'm definitely into it within a minute or so. Truth be told, though, it's not the kriffing it could be... we're both too aware of time and the hazards of the environment, so it's hard, rough and fast, without much of the buildup that would make it memorable. Still and all, there's no such thing as bad sex when it comes to someone like Kelb.
As I hop up and start dressing myself, I start to make a joke, but stop myself. "Listen. I know you're an independent, but I've decided to go full-on with the Rebellion. You know how to contact me, if you ever need help, but you can also get in touch if you want to join the cause."
Kelb watches you with a very serious expression before answering, "I appreciate your offer. It's tempting, fighting for a cause instead of creds." She doesn't say more, just watches you get dressed, then slowly gets dressed herself.
Your crew is ready to take off. You'll need to couple with Kelb's ship to get to lightspeed. Anything that you do before heading out?
There's nothing before we leave, but once we're on the way I'll make sure to spend a minute with each member of the crew and commend them on something specific. A shot Amy made, a particularly brilliant maneuver of Jo's, Hosk's diligence in keeping the ship together under heavy fire.
Amy soaks up the praise, even adds in some of her own "heroics" from the fight with the frigate. Jojee compliments you back on the tactic to belly-up the Margin so Amarath could finish off the frigate. But her tone is a bit off, she's worried about the ship
Which gets you to Hosk. When you chat with Hosk, he's in the engine room with Pem. Pem's evidently a decent engineer, so he's been helping out here (since you can walk back and forth between both ships while you're in hyperspace.
"Lad, the hold is compromised. we can't put any weight in there now and hope to get into space. I've re-routed shielding to keep her together." Hosk leads off with, deaf to your praise. "And the kicker is the hyperdrive. It's slagged. The back-up can be reconditioned, but it took a blast, too. That frigate beat the tar out of us." His ears are drooping. He hands you a parts list and his best guess for getting her back up to specs.
It's bad, Ladro. You could buy a starfighter for what you'll need to fix her.
Ouch. I thought I was prepared for this conversation, but apparently I wasn't quite as ready as I thought. "Squall is going to kick my space heinie. I'd do it myself if I was a little more flexible." I lean my back against the wall. "After the deal we made with Hontu for the first run, it seemed like we were going to be in great shape, didn't it? Do you think this mission, coming back for Harsol and his people, was a mistake, Hosk?"
With complete conviction, Hosk answers without hesitation, "No, Lad. We did the right thing. We did the most right thing we've done in a long time. It's awful that Tezziik and Ukuun died, but we saved thirty souls. Families. They died saving people, even if it was merc work. That's more than I hoped for before we started up together. The ship...." he looks around the engine room for emphasis. Pem's bust working with his hydrospanner, not paying attention. "It's home. But it's worth a few dents and dings, even a new hyperdrive, to keep those folks from being gone forever. Did you see that little blonde kid? He's lived his whole live on Cholganna. And now, thanks to us, he'll see as much of the galaxy as his mom can show him. Ah... ah kark it, Lad, we didn't make a mistake at all." He's depressed about the repairs to the ship, but there's a hope in his eyes you haven't seen in a while, maybe ever?
Wow. Just... I feel a lump in my throat by the time Hosk finishes. "You're right, Hosk." I put a hand on his shoulder for just a second. "And thank you. The damage seems like a big deal, but we'll find a way through. Forward momentum, right?"
"Aye, Lad." Hosk says as he looks up at you. His ears perk up a bit and he offers a small smile. After a moment, he shakes it off, returning to his dour demeanor, "We need to lean on Hontu for repairs, though. We did this so he'd have his pet, so there's no need to be shy about it."
Pem finishes up his work, comes up to butt in, "Captain Vos, I appreciate your flexibility with letting me visit with my cousin. I assume you don't mind her coming over to the Whisper while we're in hyperspace? She isn't flying, after all. Seems a bit bored. Figured I could keep her occupied. You know, with baby pics and family politics." He grins, he's totally lying about how he'll keep her occupied. No, not that way, the Keshiri runs a mean sabacc game.
"That's fine, Pem. Just make sure you don't take all her money. She's got to buy at least one round, next time we get someplace civilized. You know, with a bar."
"Absolutely, Captain. In fact, she may come back better than she started. She has some serious luck. Reads people at a table like some varping Zeltronian." He grins, then leans in to ask, "Mind if I grab some grub before I head back over in a bit?"
With the ships coupled, where do you spend most of your time for the next couple days?
I chuckle at Pem's appetite, and of course let him eat.
I've got a lot to think about, but I want to make the effort to be social with Kelb's outfit, so I spend at least a few hours of each day wandering back and forth between the ships. Not getting in the way, of course, but around.
I pause the episode of The Young and the Clanless I was watching (will Larkin never learn that Sinnott is just using him for his money?), and answer the door. "Nill, it's a pleasant surprise to see you. Come in."
She's leaning in when you open the door, peering at you, then past you as if she expected you might not be alone.
When you invite her in, some of her tension fades, and she steps inside. She looks around, her first time in your quarters, curious about the decorations, how it is laid out. She walks over to the klava set. "This is the famous klava? We have it daily now. You have a convert."
She glances over at your flickering holoscreen. "What is the show?" She turns back towards you, her wide eyes staring at you intently, curiosity giving them a different light.
I smile at the thought of spreading the gospel of klava to the mercenaries and ruffians of the galaxy. Without defensiveness, I say, "It's called The Young and the Clanless. Not exactly high-culture or intellectually stimulating, but I like it. Watching fictional melodrama has a calming effect." I offer her a seat. "I'm glad to see you, but have to admit I'm curious... what brings you to my palatial estate?"
Nill accepts your answer about melodrama without challenge, but it seems to mystify her. She heads over to sit in your comfy reading chair. She sits up straight, cautious not to recline into its soft back. "I have been trying to reach out to my team. Like we talked about the last time we, ah, talked." She licks her lips, looks down at the desk, "I'd grown close to Tezziik. She was very amusing." Her tone drops a little, but it is a reserved sadness, nothing dramatic.
She looks up, the sadness dropping from her face quickly as she switches subjects, "Are you opposed to the, ah, intermingling of your crew and, well, Kelb's?"
Nill's mouth hangs open for a moment too long, then she looks down at the table again. "Oh, no. It's not me. I mean, not for me. I. Well, I mean. Kriff." She licks her lips, looking back up at you, "I noticed Jojee and Jaster seemed... friendly." She drops her tone again, adding, "And Jaster isn't very friendly."
It's a good thing I have a lot of experience keeping a straight face (why can't I use that better in sabacc?), because Nill's discomfort is more than a little amusing. "I have no objections, of course. I may be many things, but I'm not a hypocrite. I'm still curious, though. How did you come to be the go-between in this scenario?"
She shifts in her seat, sinking back into it a little. "I didn't become the go-between. I inserted myself. I saw things, didn't want Jojee to break any regs or anything. And... I was curious if there were regs. About that."
I hold up a finger and comm Hosk. "Hosk, does Jojee have any duties currently? Or any reason she can't have some liberty while we're in hyperspace?"
When he answers in the negative. (It takes a while, and there's some grumbling, of course, but it's a negative), I thank him, break the comm link, and turn back to Nill, putting on my best "Hosk" tone. "I believe the precise language is, 'If any one shall be found copulating with any of the crew, or with a member not of the crew while on shift or duty, they are to lose one month’s pay.' So, there are no regs that apply."
Nill nods, accepting the answer. "Oh. That's good." She continues sitting there, uncomfortable but not getting up to leave. Or offering anything new to talk about.
I start fiddling with the klava set. "Nill, would you like a cup of klava? My special mix of spices." I add enough klava and my new spice mix for two cups. If she declines, I'll just drink both. "Tell me, what interests you, aside from your work?" My experience with people as focused as Nill seems to be is that they often have interesting obsessions. Not always, of course...
She accepts the klava offer, seems interested in it. She looks at the spices floating in the liquid, gently tilts the cup to peer at the bottom, all before taking a cautious sip. She nods once, confirming it's good. She takes a bit more of a sip, as much to enjoy it as to buy time before answering your question.
"I like studying history." She answers softly, almost as if speaking to herself. "Particularly trade routes. Entire civilizations, galaxy-spanning empires, and alliances, are tied to them. They're so important that they become something all their own. Like a spirit. Or maybe a force." She takes another sip, turning up the cup to taste some of the spices from the bottom. She sits the empty cup down on the desk. "I like physical puzzles, too. But you knew that."
Nill licks her lips, watching your eyes intently, "What interests you, Captain Vos?"
Trade routes? That's interesting and potentially very useful. I consider my own answer first, before I reply. "I have hobbies." I wave my hand at the holoscreen and the painstaking calligraphy I have framed on the wall. "But my puzzles are people. Not individuals, necessarily, but in combination. What motivates one being to capitulate to, even serve, someone or something that has a greater ability to apply force to a situation, regardless of the motives behind the application of that force? What makes a relationship work? Not necessarily romantic ones. I'm fascinated by trying to understand the web that surrounds and connects sentient beings." I shrug. "It's practical, so I guess it doesn't entirely fit the 'not my job' category, but it still applies."
As you reveal your hobby, Nill slowly starts leaning forward. She watches you with those big eyes of hers, fixated on your answer as if its incredibly important, vital. "That's very interesting. What do you see in Kelb? I, ah, I mean.... like a puzzle."
I ponder for a second or two. "Kelb is repressing, I think. She's got something in her past that makes her unwilling to commit to a relationship, so she takes it out on her targets. Have you ever seen her really mourn? For Tezziik, for instance."
Nill's brows furrow, trying to piece it together, working over her own observations of Kelb alongside yours. "We spoke the chant over her remains, she brought out the totem, too. But mourn? No. She always calls it a good death."
This open moment between you seems to give her some courage. She peers at you again, asking, "What about.... what about me?"
Also, Ladro. Answer these honestly. What do you intend to do about Kelb? What are you really feeling right now? Are you hiding something from Nill?
I intend to support Kelb as a friend and ally, and kriff her once in a while, after a battle, when my kitten is far away.
Truth be told, I'm feeling intrigued. A Nill that has started engaging to the point of coming to me to check in on Jojee's privileges is interesting. Also, she's hot, but that's a side issue.
I've got no reason to hide anything from Nill. She fascinates me, and I believe she'll be a good ally.
"Nill, I think you know anything I could tell you. You have a hard time reading nonverbal cues, wish that people would be literal instead of talking in metaphors... you're not comfortable generally in social situations, but sometimes fixate on individual beings, especially if they're slightly alien. You'd rather deal with math and physics and absolutes than any sort of messiness. I think I'm missing something, though. I really don't know what makes you tick."
Nill pushes some hair behind her ear, listening. There's a mix of emotions in her face, ranging from acceptance of what you tell her, disappointment that you can't tell her more, along with a look of interest.
"I don't like messiness.... I, ah, I do like talking to you." She fidgets in her seat, looks down at her empty cup, says nothing more.
I give her a small smile. "I enjoy talking to you, too, Nill. Would you like another cup of klava?" I'm making another for myself, regardless, so I'll start chatting, asking questions about the history of one trade route or another, while I do.
She watches you walk over to the klava set, "Yes, I would like more klava. Don't, ah, don't tell Kelb, but your mix is more interesting. It has more... subtlety." She quickly rattles off some history on the Hydian Way as well as the Perlemian Trade Route, how they evolved in similar fashion but hundreds of standard years apart. She finds this intriguing.
Talking about the trade routes seems to give her some comfort. It's getting later, and she's sitting more relaxed, her feet bare and crossed, as she continues telling you about things she's discovered about the Imperial patterns of travel on the trade routes in what she calls sector alpha, which covers Hutt Space.
It's maybe three in the morning. How are you handling this, Ladro?
The thing about people that don't read nonverbal cues very well? It's sometimes hard to disengage, once you get them going. I'll listen for a while, but it is time to get some sleep. "Nill, I really hope we'll get the chance to talk more. It's great working with you and your team. I do need to get some sleep through, it's been a long couple of days."
Nill stops, blinks a few times, then shuts her mouth. She doesn't seem upset, just seems to be trying to disengage. She looks like she's dying to tell you about the particulars of the Outer Rim annexation of the Correlian Trade Route, but she doesn't. Her shoulders slump a tiny bit as she deflates then slips her shoes back on, then stands.
"It is very late. Thank you for your time, Captain Vos." she says it as she quickly moves for the door and opens it. As she does, you see out into the corridor of the Margin. You catch sight of Jojee as she is walking towards her quarters. She's pretty drunk, seems like. She stops at her door, then turns around like she's waiting on someone. Nill closes your door, still inside. You saw Jaster as he was walking up to join Jojee.
Nill's eyes are a bit wide and she leans against the door. "Ah... I will go. In a minute." You hear Jojee giggle, then some murmurs of conversation. They didn't seem to notice your open door.
I certainly won't force Nill out into a situation that makes her uncomfortable. I chuckle to myself as we wait for the giggling and conversation to end. "Don't want to walk into the middle of that, Nill?"
She shakes her head no. It's like she doesn't want to speak for fear of being discovered. Did you walk her to the door? It seems like a Ladro thing, right? She looks up at you with those intense eyes of hers as she strains to hear.
There's more Jojee giggling, followed by Jazz's low mumble. The sound of a door opening, then movement. It closes again, and the hall seems quiet. Nill relaxes a bit, then whispers, "Does she have many partners?"
There's a long pause as Nill looks at you. At first, it seems like she's not sure if the question is genuine, or a come on. Then, she seems stuck on the answer, unsure of what to say how to say it. Finally, she simply ends up nodding.
I say, as kindly as I can. "It's an occupational hazard. And you... well, you have a different perspective than most, so I imagine it's maybe even worse for you. How do you handle it? The loneliness."
"Calligraphy. Klava, actually. It makes me feel close to someone I care about a great deal. The occasional good, old-fashioned kriffing. Holovids and books are a distraction more than a remedy, but they do help some."
A tiny smile forms at her lips, "Holovids like the one you were watching? That was terrible." She lets out a small breath, then steps forward, into you, leaning up to peck your cheek with a dry kiss. She steps back quickly, "Thank you again, Captain Vos." She heads for the door and out.
As she leaves, I say, "Thank you, Nill. It was lovely." She is a strange creature, but I do tend to develop a certain fondness for misfits. Once she's gone, I get ready for bed, then get a few hours of sleep.
Your eyes are burning and you can't stop yawning as you climb into your nice warm bed. After a few minutes of drifting off, you're woken back up by, "I said get OUT!"
You hear Jazz, the loudest he's ever been (which isn't that loud), yell back, "What did I kriffing do?" It sounds like he's in the hall.
I don't want to. I really don't want to. But I get out of bed and pad to the door (I'm wearing underpants, but I grab a robe on the way) and open it, look out. Just making sure no-one is drawing a weapon, really. That would be bad.
Jazz is naked, standing in hall, muscles tense as he stares at the open door to Jojee's room. "Come on, Jo. Let me back inside..." A shirt flies out of Jojee's room at Jaster's head. He catches it, starts putting it on.
Jojee steps into the open doorway, also nude, "No karking way, you sleemo. Learn your holes and get out. Got better things to do than the likes of you."
Jazz's eyes narrow. "Give me my pants, Jo." His tone is irritated, like he's giving his last warning.
I use my 'command voice' when I call out, "Stop!" I step out, realizing that I don't have much "presence" in my robe, but it still beats naked Jazz and Jojee. "Hosk, you can stand down, I've got this. Jo, give Jazz his pants. Jazz, stop waving that thing at me and get your pockmarked space-heinie off the boat. I'm sure it was a misunderstanding, but regardless..."
Jazz turns to look at you, Ladro. He sneers a bit, but isn't openly hostile. Yet. Jojee doesn't look like she wants to give Jazz his pants, out of spite. She's still a little drunk. Also, she's naked, and there's some kind of oil or something on her stomach.
Why don't you Apply Leverage (you're the captain here) and see how this goes? On a 7-9, one of them ignores your command, you choose who.
Jojee heads inside to get Jazz's pants. Hosk stays by his door, but he's got his gun with him. He's wearing a pair of shorts, he looks angry, but he keeps a lid on it.
While Jojee's fetching his pants, Jazz mutters to you, "Wasn't trying to cause trouble. Your girl's finicky."
"Take your karking pants, Jazz." Jojee says as she tosses them to him. She's thrown on a shirt, covering the oil, as well as some underwear, skimpy ones.
Jazz puts his pants on, then heads towards the coupling and his own ship.
Hosk is going to see this as some sort of validation of his anti-kriffing inclinations, I assume, but I'm not dealing with that right now. After Jazz is gone, I say, "Get to bed, you two. We'll deal with this later." As if it could be much later. I don't care right now if Jo felt that her space-heinie was at risk of violation. I'll be sensitive about her sensitive bits tomorrow.
Jojee glares at Jazz as he's leaving, then blows out a breath to push the hair hanging over her eyes. It fails. She turns to head into her room without another word.
After her door shuts, Hosk's eyes narrow and he asks low across the hall to you, "Amy in her bunk?"
I give him a bit of a glare. "I'm not the den mother, here, Hosk. I get metaphorically kriffed every time I try to interfere in what my crew's doing with their private parts. I'm done. Hole-patrol is officially your duty from here on out." It's late. I'm grumpy. He can deal with it.
The rest of your night passes without incident. In the morning, Amarath is there at breakfast, in a perfectly good mood, quite opposite of sullen Jojee and grumpy Hosk. Hosk is quick to eat and get back to work. Jojee grumbles a bit, seems like she's not heading over to the Whisper again. She picks up her bowl to head to the cockpit, which means she'll be staring out at the streaming stars.
Amarath looks over at you, "What's up her butt, Cap?" And yes, Amy stared at Jojee's space heinie as she left.
Her eyes widen a little and Amarath grins back, "Hah, well, that's a shame. Lots of nerve endings there. If you know what you're doing. I guess it takes a woman's touch." She busies herself with putting some flavored paste on a toasted piece of bread, then asks casually, "Did you kriff Nill last night?" She looks up at you, smiles again, then adds, "I know it's none of my business. But if you don't answer, I'll assume you did."
When we get the ship repaired, I'm going to request more soundproofing. "Nope. But if you want to know about the origins and development of the Hydian Way, I'm your sparkleberry." I give her a shrug.
Amarath gives you a look of pity. She munches on her toast for a bit before remarking, "Sorry, Cap. I was pulling for you to bag both of them. Blast, I was secretly hoping you'd tag 'em both at the same time. You know... living vicariously through my stud captain.." She munches loudly, then washes it down with some bantha milk, waggles her eyebrows.
At least it's living vicariously. "My space-winkie isn't quite as indiscriminate as you think it is, Amy. Kelb is one thing, Nill is another. If I was the kind of person that would kriff Nill..." I don't finish. I was about to say something about Squall, and that's just awful.
"You'd what?" Amarath asks, spraying a tiny bit of toast onto the table. She swallows, then asks with a smirk, "Kriff me?" She gives a sly wink. It seems like she's playing with you.
Amarath giggles at that, reaches over to pat the back of your hand, "Your baba would be so proud to have a big strong son. You know I have birthing hips." She wiggles her eyebrow suggestively, then stands up while finishing off her toast. "Just karking with you, Cap. I am sure you're good in bed, but I'm already fixed, so I can't give your parents their next line of amazing Kiffar. All my sex is... recreational, not pro-creational."
She puts her plate in the dispenser and turns back around. "Hey, just so you know, Kelb offered me a job."
That gets a slight grunt. "With the kind of shooting you did down there, that makes sense, but it's a little rude to poach on a mission. What did you say?"
She pauses, probably to freak you out. Okay, definitely to freak you out. "No, of course. I like being the big fish in this little pond. She didn't push hard, just mentioned that the Margin was pretty karked and she didn't know if you could keep me employed. I laughed, told her I was head of kriffing security! I'm kriffing vital." She grins her cocky grin for a moment as she leans against the counter.
"You are vital, Amarath, and I'm glad you're sticking. We'll figure things out, one way or another. If we have to take a job or two somewhere planetside while we get our feet back under us, we will."
Still leaning against the counter, Amarath takes a moment to soak in the compliment she forced you to pay her. "It's a good team. I'm not leaving you and Squally, or Miss Perfect Space Heinie.... or even Grumpyboots. We'll make do. A Hutt always has paying work, as long as you aren't picky."
She crosses her arms under her breasts and gives you a genuine little smile, "Plus. Kelb didn't give me a clan. That's worth more than a few extra Cred a month."
I pat her on the shoulder. "I'm glad you feel that way, Amy." I shrug. "If nothing else, we've got the pay for these two jobs and three years free of payments on our wounded lady, here. Also, apparently, a superior autochef."
Amarath nods, "Yeah, we do. And a doc who can upgrade me and Squally, which will be nice... hey, keep an eye on Pem there. He was trying pretty hard to recruit Jo while we were playing sabacc. She seemed interested. And while I wouldn't mind watching her leave, I don't want that good of a pilot to go. You know?"
Now, this is getting a little much. I hold up a finger and engage the comms for the Margin only. "Crew, please meet me in the common area in ten minutes." Then I'll head across to find Kelb.
The crew starts heading to the common area as you head across the coupling. You find Kelb in the ship's gym. She's doing pull-ups.
She hangs there, sweat dripping from her forehead, her clothes damp. She pulls herself up to another pull-up, then says, "Hey Captain. Want to join me?"
She purses her lips, throws the towel over her shoulder, "People? I told Amy she could pick up work with my team, Ladro. Your ship's slagged, you're going to come up short, and I lost two karking team members on this op. Felt like a win-win. What do you mean by people?"
"I'm glad you understand my business so well that you can decide that I'm going to come up short without talking to me about it, Kelb. Are you saying you don't know that Pem's been talking to Jojee about joining up?"
She purses her lips, "Not on my say so, but he's part of my team, so I'll take the hit. Nill and I have piloting covered. Neither of us are as good as Jojee, but she's also causing her own trouble." Kelb crosses her arms, "Why did she lead Jazz on then karking embarrass him last night? That's poodoo."
"I really don't care about Jazz's hurt feelings, Kelb. I have a business, one that consists of a ship and five people. Right now, the ship is out of the equation for I don't know how long, so all I have is my karking people. We've all bled for each other and pulled each other out of mess and poodoo, and we're a good team. You and yours are trying to take them away from me. Stop. And tell Pem to back off, too." I pause, then decide to continue. "And another thing. Why would you assume that Jojee is causing the trouble? Just because she didn't want Jazz's space junk to enter through the exit door, it's her fault?"
Kelb snorts a laugh at your description of the Jojee-Jazz thing, seems like the version she'd heard. She shakes her head, "Ease off, big guy. Looks like my people overstepped bounds, and for that, I apologize. And yeah, I see your point about the job offer with Amy. It wasn't my..." Her resolve slips a little and she softens, "Kark it, Ladro. I'm sorry, alright? Just a little wigged by losing two. Haven't lost anyone since the Old Man, and it just hit me. I'll stop the card game and confine my people to the Whisper. And I'll talk to my team. No more encroachment."
"I understand about your losses. It must hit hard, and I thought you might be repressing some, right after. As to closing off our ships, it's only, what, another 18 hours or so, but if you think that's what we need, I'm fine with it. Sometimes people like us, that cause trouble for a living, well... we can't function without some trouble, so we find it." I shake my head. "I like working with you and your team, Kelb. Are we good?" I hold out a hand to shake.
Kelb shakes your hand, her grip firm. "You're the boss here. I'm good if you're good." After a moment, she releases your hand, admitting, "The card game's over, but I'll keep the coupling open. And since we're talking about it, sort of. If I get some work and need more bodies, I'll reach out to you. Alright?"
I nod with a smile. "I'd really appreciate that. We've got some reserves, and I've got contacts, even aside from the Hutt angle. But until I know what it's going to take to get my poor ship well, any work would be great. Besides, you know I like to, ah, help."
Comments
You spot the last source of artillery for the Imperials, an AT-ST. The mobile unit fires off a series of well-aimed shots at your hull, rocking the ship as you dial it in with your foreward turbolasers. You finish it off before the damn thing makes the Margin no longer spaceworthy, but your ship is in some rough shape (lose +cargo until repaired).
Captain Harsol waves you down to land inside the burning camp. As you drop the ramp, Pem and Hosk cover people as they rush inside your ship, Amy sticks in the turret, just in case. Despite the tight quarters, you get the couple dozen living survivors and the remainder of Kelb's team into your cramped hold, standing room only. Jazz is carrying the corpse of Rodian member of their team, her name was Tezziik. The Quarren isn't with them, either.
Over comms, you hear Jazz, "We're in, let's get off this dunghole of a planet. Kelb, you clear?"
Kelb replies with some gusto, "Clear. I just saw our Duros friend pull a maneuver I've never seen before. We blew that transport to the Nine Halls. Let's diddy mao."
Your ships meet up a few hundred miles away from the battle. Ellors picks up the survivors, Kelb's team rejoins her in the Whisper.
Do you leave the half dozen or so stormtroopers marooned on Cholganna, or do you head back for them and finish them off?
We leave them. If the nexu or the octopi don't get them, the Empire is welcome to bring them home.
Speaking of octopi... we need to bag a few. I ask Kelb to wait for us in orbit while Amarath and I take a little hunting trip. Anyone else is welcome to join us, of course.
When you go a-hunting for arboreal
octopuses,octopi... for more than one arboreal octopus, roll+Rugged. With a hit, choose options 7-9. choose two. 10+ take all three:- you find what you're after
- nobody gets hurt badly
- you look awesome doing it - someone ELSE will tell the story next time you're out drinking.
(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 1, 3. Total: 6)
Things are not going well at all. Jojee slips in a pile of what I assume is nexu poodoo, which gets in her hair. I trip over a root and twist my ankle, but insist we continue despite the pain. Hosk keeps grumbling, of course.
Finally, finally, we spot a pair of the creatures. Everyone starts taking shots, but they're surprisingly quick for something so large.
Oh, where I said we spot a pair of the sons of nerfherders? Unfortunately, they weren't actually a pair, they were a trio, and the one we didn't spot grabs me around the waist and starts dragging me up into the trees.
Which, of course, is when Captain Harsol arrives, following our trail. With a look of disgust, he says, "Idiots..." and starts taking careful shots.
Spending 1-Hold from Methodical
"These should work, Lad." Hosk says as he tosses the last bits in a lined satchel and looks up at you.
Harsol asks, "Captain Vos, are you done here?" He didn't ask why you took this hunting trip, he might know already.
I nod. "Thanks for the help, Captain Harsol. Not my finest moment." I glance over in Jojee's direction, thinking, but not saying, hers, either. Once everyone's ready, we'll head back to the ship and get the heck out of here. Not that Raxus Prime will be much of an improvement, but at least it's a step on the way to anywhere else.
Kelb's there, arms crossed, in her Mandalorian battle armor, leaning against her ship, watching you with a grin. "Good hunting, Captain Vos?" Her tone isn't mocking. Not at all.
"We got it done, but not without some comic antics to go along with it." I giver her a wry grin, then sober up. "I'm sorry for your losses, Kelb. Thank you for coming."
She nods to the condolences, "We put them to rest, in our way. No thanks needed, that's why I charge." She looks over at your ship, her grin slipping a little. "Sorry for your ship, Captain. Will your benefactor foot the bill on fixing her up?"
I think about that. "I've already made some pretty stiff demands, but we'll see. We can limp back for now, at least, and take it from there." I'm trying not to show how upset I actually am about my poor girl, but I know it shows. Poor Squall may never forgive me.
"I wish you luck on it." Kelb says as she straightens up, then saunters over to you and your crew, "Ladro, I know we're packing up to head out, so there are probably better times. That said, I was hoping to get some, ah help from you." She grins, "You see, I got myself this overpriced little klava-maker... and I just can't seem to get it working right."
To my credit, I do hesitate for a few seconds before I answer. "It's a shame for your klava-maker to go to waste because you haven't had some expert... help." I gave Jo and Amy a helpless shrug and say, "This might take a while. Why don't you go ahead and get the ship ready. Comm if there's any emergency." Then I give Kelb an "after you" gesture.
Kelb keeps things casual until the door to her quarters close, then she practically jumps on you, her mouth seeking yours, her hands on your neck, your side. She is eager for some companionship, she'd told you how combat gets her keyed up. Evidently losing people on her crew puts her in a mood, too.
Are you into this, or doing what she wants, Ladro? How does it go for you?
This is Kelb. Look at her. Even if I started out "doing what she wants," I'm definitely into it within a minute or so. Truth be told, though, it's not the kriffing it could be... we're both too aware of time and the hazards of the environment, so it's hard, rough and fast, without much of the buildup that would make it memorable. Still and all, there's no such thing as bad sex when it comes to someone like Kelb.
Kelb laughs a tired little laugh, "As far as habits go, this one's not half bad." She laughs again. "Thanks for the help with the klava machine."
As I hop up and start dressing myself, I start to make a joke, but stop myself. "Listen. I know you're an independent, but I've decided to go full-on with the Rebellion. You know how to contact me, if you ever need help, but you can also get in touch if you want to join the cause."
Kelb watches you with a very serious expression before answering, "I appreciate your offer. It's tempting, fighting for a cause instead of creds." She doesn't say more, just watches you get dressed, then slowly gets dressed herself.
Your crew is ready to take off. You'll need to couple with Kelb's ship to get to lightspeed. Anything that you do before heading out?
There's nothing before we leave, but once we're on the way I'll make sure to spend a minute with each member of the crew and commend them on something specific. A shot Amy made, a particularly brilliant maneuver of Jo's, Hosk's diligence in keeping the ship together under heavy fire.
Which gets you to Hosk. When you chat with Hosk, he's in the engine room with Pem. Pem's evidently a decent engineer, so he's been helping out here (since you can walk back and forth between both ships while you're in hyperspace.
"Lad, the hold is compromised. we can't put any weight in there now and hope to get into space. I've re-routed shielding to keep her together." Hosk leads off with, deaf to your praise. "And the kicker is the hyperdrive. It's slagged. The back-up can be reconditioned, but it took a blast, too. That frigate beat the tar out of us." His ears are drooping. He hands you a parts list and his best guess for getting her back up to specs.
It's bad, Ladro. You could buy a starfighter for what you'll need to fix her.
What do you do?
Ouch. I thought I was prepared for this conversation, but apparently I wasn't quite as ready as I thought. "Squall is going to kick my space heinie. I'd do it myself if I was a little more flexible." I lean my back against the wall. "After the deal we made with Hontu for the first run, it seemed like we were going to be in great shape, didn't it? Do you think this mission, coming back for Harsol and his people, was a mistake, Hosk?"
With complete conviction, Hosk answers without hesitation, "No, Lad. We did the right thing. We did the most right thing we've done in a long time. It's awful that Tezziik and Ukuun died, but we saved thirty souls. Families. They died saving people, even if it was merc work. That's more than I hoped for before we started up together. The ship...." he looks around the engine room for emphasis. Pem's bust working with his hydrospanner, not paying attention. "It's home. But it's worth a few dents and dings, even a new hyperdrive, to keep those folks from being gone forever. Did you see that little blonde kid? He's lived his whole live on Cholganna. And now, thanks to us, he'll see as much of the galaxy as his mom can show him. Ah... ah kark it, Lad, we didn't make a mistake at all." He's depressed about the repairs to the ship, but there's a hope in his eyes you haven't seen in a while, maybe ever?
Wow. Just... I feel a lump in my throat by the time Hosk finishes. "You're right, Hosk." I put a hand on his shoulder for just a second. "And thank you. The damage seems like a big deal, but we'll find a way through. Forward momentum, right?"
"Aye, Lad." Hosk says as he looks up at you. His ears perk up a bit and he offers a small smile. After a moment, he shakes it off, returning to his dour demeanor, "We need to lean on Hontu for repairs, though. We did this so he'd have his pet, so there's no need to be shy about it."
Pem finishes up his work, comes up to butt in, "Captain Vos, I appreciate your flexibility with letting me visit with my cousin. I assume you don't mind her coming over to the Whisper while we're in hyperspace? She isn't flying, after all. Seems a bit bored. Figured I could keep her occupied. You know, with baby pics and family politics." He grins, he's totally lying about how he'll keep her occupied. No, not that way, the Keshiri runs a mean sabacc game.
"That's fine, Pem. Just make sure you don't take all her money. She's got to buy at least one round, next time we get someplace civilized. You know, with a bar."
"Absolutely, Captain. In fact, she may come back better than she started. She has some serious luck. Reads people at a table like some varping Zeltronian." He grins, then leans in to ask, "Mind if I grab some grub before I head back over in a bit?"
With the ships coupled, where do you spend most of your time for the next couple days?
I chuckle at Pem's appetite, and of course let him eat.
I've got a lot to think about, but I want to make the effort to be social with Kelb's outfit, so I spend at least a few hours of each day wandering back and forth between the ships. Not getting in the way, of course, but around.
Nill says quietly at the door, "It's me."
What do you do?
I pause the episode of The Young and the Clanless I was watching (will Larkin never learn that Sinnott is just using him for his money?), and answer the door. "Nill, it's a pleasant surprise to see you. Come in."
When you invite her in, some of her tension fades, and she steps inside. She looks around, her first time in your quarters, curious about the decorations, how it is laid out. She walks over to the klava set. "This is the famous klava? We have it daily now. You have a convert."
She glances over at your flickering holoscreen. "What is the show?" She turns back towards you, her wide eyes staring at you intently, curiosity giving them a different light.
I smile at the thought of spreading the gospel of klava to the mercenaries and ruffians of the galaxy. Without defensiveness, I say, "It's called The Young and the Clanless. Not exactly high-culture or intellectually stimulating, but I like it. Watching fictional melodrama has a calming effect." I offer her a seat. "I'm glad to see you, but have to admit I'm curious... what brings you to my palatial estate?"
Nill accepts your answer about melodrama without challenge, but it seems to mystify her. She heads over to sit in your comfy reading chair. She sits up straight, cautious not to recline into its soft back. "I have been trying to reach out to my team. Like we talked about the last time we, ah, talked." She licks her lips, looks down at the desk, "I'd grown close to Tezziik. She was very amusing." Her tone drops a little, but it is a reserved sadness, nothing dramatic.
She looks up, the sadness dropping from her face quickly as she switches subjects, "Are you opposed to the, ah, intermingling of your crew and, well, Kelb's?"
Interesting. "Any particular crew member you'd be interested in intermingling with, Nill?" I raise an eyebrow.
Nill's mouth hangs open for a moment too long, then she looks down at the table again. "Oh, no. It's not me. I mean, not for me. I. Well, I mean. Kriff." She licks her lips, looking back up at you, "I noticed Jojee and Jaster seemed... friendly." She drops her tone again, adding, "And Jaster isn't very friendly."
It's a good thing I have a lot of experience keeping a straight face (why can't I use that better in sabacc?), because Nill's discomfort is more than a little amusing. "I have no objections, of course. I may be many things, but I'm not a hypocrite. I'm still curious, though. How did you come to be the go-between in this scenario?"
She shifts in her seat, sinking back into it a little. "I didn't become the go-between. I inserted myself. I saw things, didn't want Jojee to break any regs or anything. And... I was curious if there were regs. About that."
I hold up a finger and comm Hosk. "Hosk, does Jojee have any duties currently? Or any reason she can't have some liberty while we're in hyperspace?"
When he answers in the negative. (It takes a while, and there's some grumbling, of course, but it's a negative), I thank him, break the comm link, and turn back to Nill, putting on my best "Hosk" tone. "I believe the precise language is, 'If any one shall be found copulating with any of the crew, or with a member not of the crew while on shift or duty, they are to lose one month’s pay.' So, there are no regs that apply."
Nill nods, accepting the answer. "Oh. That's good." She continues sitting there, uncomfortable but not getting up to leave. Or offering anything new to talk about.
What do you do?
I start fiddling with the klava set. "Nill, would you like a cup of klava? My special mix of spices." I add enough klava and my new spice mix for two cups. If she declines, I'll just drink both. "Tell me, what interests you, aside from your work?" My experience with people as focused as Nill seems to be is that they often have interesting obsessions. Not always, of course...
She accepts the klava offer, seems interested in it. She looks at the spices floating in the liquid, gently tilts the cup to peer at the bottom, all before taking a cautious sip. She nods once, confirming it's good. She takes a bit more of a sip, as much to enjoy it as to buy time before answering your question.
"I like studying history." She answers softly, almost as if speaking to herself. "Particularly trade routes. Entire civilizations, galaxy-spanning empires, and alliances, are tied to them. They're so important that they become something all their own. Like a spirit. Or maybe a force." She takes another sip, turning up the cup to taste some of the spices from the bottom. She sits the empty cup down on the desk. "I like physical puzzles, too. But you knew that."
Nill licks her lips, watching your eyes intently, "What interests you, Captain Vos?"
Trade routes? That's interesting and potentially very useful. I consider my own answer first, before I reply. "I have hobbies." I wave my hand at the holoscreen and the painstaking calligraphy I have framed on the wall. "But my puzzles are people. Not individuals, necessarily, but in combination. What motivates one being to capitulate to, even serve, someone or something that has a greater ability to apply force to a situation, regardless of the motives behind the application of that force? What makes a relationship work? Not necessarily romantic ones. I'm fascinated by trying to understand the web that surrounds and connects sentient beings." I shrug. "It's practical, so I guess it doesn't entirely fit the 'not my job' category, but it still applies."
As you reveal your hobby, Nill slowly starts leaning forward. She watches you with those big eyes of hers, fixated on your answer as if its incredibly important, vital. "That's very interesting. What do you see in Kelb? I, ah, I mean.... like a puzzle."
(Rolled: 2d6+2. Rolls: 2, 2. Total: 6)
I ponder for a second or two. "Kelb is repressing, I think. She's got something in her past that makes her unwilling to commit to a relationship, so she takes it out on her targets. Have you ever seen her really mourn? For Tezziik, for instance."
Nill's brows furrow, trying to piece it together, working over her own observations of Kelb alongside yours. "We spoke the chant over her remains, she brought out the totem, too. But mourn? No. She always calls it a good death."
This open moment between you seems to give her some courage. She peers at you again, asking, "What about.... what about me?"
Also, Ladro. Answer these honestly.
What do you intend to do about Kelb?
What are you really feeling right now?
Are you hiding something from Nill?
I intend to support Kelb as a friend and ally, and kriff her once in a while, after a battle, when my kitten is far away.
Truth be told, I'm feeling intrigued. A Nill that has started engaging to the point of coming to me to check in on Jojee's privileges is interesting. Also, she's hot, but that's a side issue.
I've got no reason to hide anything from Nill. She fascinates me, and I believe she'll be a good ally.
"Nill, I think you know anything I could tell you. You have a hard time reading nonverbal cues, wish that people would be literal instead of talking in metaphors... you're not comfortable generally in social situations, but sometimes fixate on individual beings, especially if they're slightly alien. You'd rather deal with math and physics and absolutes than any sort of messiness. I think I'm missing something, though. I really don't know what makes you tick."
Nill pushes some hair behind her ear, listening. There's a mix of emotions in her face, ranging from acceptance of what you tell her, disappointment that you can't tell her more, along with a look of interest.
"I don't like messiness.... I, ah, I do like talking to you." She fidgets in her seat, looks down at her empty cup, says nothing more.
I give her a small smile. "I enjoy talking to you, too, Nill. Would you like another cup of klava?" I'm making another for myself, regardless, so I'll start chatting, asking questions about the history of one trade route or another, while I do.
She watches you walk over to the klava set, "Yes, I would like more klava. Don't, ah, don't tell Kelb, but your mix is more interesting. It has more... subtlety." She quickly rattles off some history on the Hydian Way as well as the Perlemian Trade Route, how they evolved in similar fashion but hundreds of standard years apart. She finds this intriguing.
Talking about the trade routes seems to give her some comfort. It's getting later, and she's sitting more relaxed, her feet bare and crossed, as she continues telling you about things she's discovered about the Imperial patterns of travel on the trade routes in what she calls sector alpha, which covers Hutt Space.
It's maybe three in the morning. How are you handling this, Ladro?
The thing about people that don't read nonverbal cues very well? It's sometimes hard to disengage, once you get them going. I'll listen for a while, but it is time to get some sleep. "Nill, I really hope we'll get the chance to talk more. It's great working with you and your team. I do need to get some sleep through, it's been a long couple of days."
Nill stops, blinks a few times, then shuts her mouth. She doesn't seem upset, just seems to be trying to disengage. She looks like she's dying to tell you about the particulars of the Outer Rim annexation of the Correlian Trade Route, but she doesn't. Her shoulders slump a tiny bit as she deflates then slips her shoes back on, then stands.
"It is very late. Thank you for your time, Captain Vos." she says it as she quickly moves for the door and opens it. As she does, you see out into the corridor of the Margin. You catch sight of Jojee as she is walking towards her quarters. She's pretty drunk, seems like. She stops at her door, then turns around like she's waiting on someone. Nill closes your door, still inside. You saw Jaster as he was walking up to join Jojee.
Nill's eyes are a bit wide and she leans against the door. "Ah... I will go. In a minute." You hear Jojee giggle, then some murmurs of conversation. They didn't seem to notice your open door.
What do you do?
I certainly won't force Nill out into a situation that makes her uncomfortable. I chuckle to myself as we wait for the giggling and conversation to end. "Don't want to walk into the middle of that, Nill?"
She shakes her head no. It's like she doesn't want to speak for fear of being discovered. Did you walk her to the door? It seems like a Ladro thing, right? She looks up at you with those intense eyes of hers as she strains to hear.
There's more Jojee giggling, followed by Jazz's low mumble. The sound of a door opening, then movement. It closes again, and the hall seems quiet. Nill relaxes a bit, then whispers, "Does she have many partners?"
I half nod. "She has her share." I won't go into details, that's not my place, but that much seems fair to offer.
Nill asks quietly, "Is she... lonely? "
"I would guess so. I know I get lonely at times. We all have different ways of filling the empty space." I meet her eyes. "Are you lonely, Nill?"
There's a long pause as Nill looks at you. At first, it seems like she's not sure if the question is genuine, or a come on. Then, she seems stuck on the answer, unsure of what to say how to say it. Finally, she simply ends up nodding.
I say, as kindly as I can. "It's an occupational hazard. And you... well, you have a different perspective than most, so I imagine it's maybe even worse for you. How do you handle it? The loneliness."
That answer comes more quickly. "I study things. Work puzzles. Masturbate sometimes." She peers at you, asking in a calm voice, "And you?"
"Calligraphy. Klava, actually. It makes me feel close to someone I care about a great deal. The occasional good, old-fashioned kriffing. Holovids and books are a distraction more than a remedy, but they do help some."
A tiny smile forms at her lips, "Holovids like the one you were watching? That was terrible." She lets out a small breath, then steps forward, into you, leaning up to peck your cheek with a dry kiss. She steps back quickly, "Thank you again, Captain Vos." She heads for the door and out.
As she leaves, I say, "Thank you, Nill. It was lovely." She is a strange creature, but I do tend to develop a certain fondness for misfits. Once she's gone, I get ready for bed, then get a few hours of sleep.
You hear Jazz, the loudest he's ever been (which isn't that loud), yell back, "What did I kriffing do?" It sounds like he's in the hall.
What do you do?
I don't want to. I really don't want to. But I get out of bed and pad to the door (I'm wearing underpants, but I grab a robe on the way) and open it, look out. Just making sure no-one is drawing a weapon, really. That would be bad.
Jazz is naked, standing in hall, muscles tense as he stares at the open door to Jojee's room. "Come on, Jo. Let me back inside..." A shirt flies out of Jojee's room at Jaster's head. He catches it, starts putting it on.
Jojee steps into the open doorway, also nude, "No karking way, you sleemo. Learn your holes and get out. Got better things to do than the likes of you."
Jazz's eyes narrow. "Give me my pants, Jo." His tone is irritated, like he's giving his last warning.
Hosk's door opens. He's coming out.
What do you do?
I use my 'command voice' when I call out, "Stop!" I step out, realizing that I don't have much "presence" in my robe, but it still beats naked Jazz and Jojee. "Hosk, you can stand down, I've got this. Jo, give Jazz his pants. Jazz, stop waving that thing at me and get your pockmarked space-heinie off the boat. I'm sure it was a misunderstanding, but regardless..."
Why don't you Apply Leverage (you're the captain here) and see how this goes? On a 7-9, one of them ignores your command, you choose who.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 5, 5. Total: 13)
While Jojee's fetching his pants, Jazz mutters to you, "Wasn't trying to cause trouble. Your girl's finicky."
"Take your karking pants, Jazz." Jojee says as she tosses them to him. She's thrown on a shirt, covering the oil, as well as some underwear, skimpy ones.
Jazz puts his pants on, then heads towards the coupling and his own ship.
Hosk is going to see this as some sort of validation of his anti-kriffing inclinations, I assume, but I'm not dealing with that right now. After Jazz is gone, I say, "Get to bed, you two. We'll deal with this later." As if it could be much later. I don't care right now if Jo felt that her space-heinie was at risk of violation. I'll be sensitive about her sensitive bits tomorrow.
After her door shuts, Hosk's eyes narrow and he asks low across the hall to you, "Amy in her bunk?"
I give him a bit of a glare. "I'm not the den mother, here, Hosk. I get metaphorically kriffed every time I try to interfere in what my crew's doing with their private parts. I'm done. Hole-patrol is officially your duty from here on out." It's late. I'm grumpy. He can deal with it.
Amarath looks over at you, "What's up her butt, Cap?" And yes, Amy stared at Jojee's space heinie as she left.
Amy's choice of words can't help but get a grin, given the givens. "Not Jazz, apparently. Not sure who's more sore."
Her eyes widen a little and Amarath grins back, "Hah, well, that's a shame. Lots of nerve endings there. If you know what you're doing. I guess it takes a woman's touch." She busies herself with putting some flavored paste on a toasted piece of bread, then asks casually, "Did you kriff Nill last night?" She looks up at you, smiles again, then adds, "I know it's none of my business. But if you don't answer, I'll assume you did."
When we get the ship repaired, I'm going to request more soundproofing. "Nope. But if you want to know about the origins and development of the Hydian Way, I'm your sparkleberry." I give her a shrug.
Amarath gives you a look of pity. She munches on her toast for a bit before remarking, "Sorry, Cap. I was pulling for you to bag both of them. Blast, I was secretly hoping you'd tag 'em both at the same time. You know... living vicariously through my stud captain.." She munches loudly, then washes it down with some bantha milk, waggles her eyebrows.
At least it's living vicariously. "My space-winkie isn't quite as indiscriminate as you think it is, Amy. Kelb is one thing, Nill is another. If I was the kind of person that would kriff Nill..." I don't finish. I was about to say something about Squall, and that's just awful.
"You'd what?" Amarath asks, spraying a tiny bit of toast onto the table. She swallows, then asks with a smirk, "Kriff me?" She gives a sly wink. It seems like she's playing with you.
I raise an eyebrow. "Kriff you? Never." Shaking my head, I continue. "My mother would be too happy that I was doing a kiffar."
Amarath giggles at that, reaches over to pat the back of your hand, "Your baba would be so proud to have a big strong son. You know I have birthing hips." She wiggles her eyebrow suggestively, then stands up while finishing off her toast. "Just karking with you, Cap. I am sure you're good in bed, but I'm already fixed, so I can't give your parents their next line of amazing Kiffar. All my sex is... recreational, not pro-creational."
She puts her plate in the dispenser and turns back around. "Hey, just so you know, Kelb offered me a job."
That gets a slight grunt. "With the kind of shooting you did down there, that makes sense, but it's a little rude to poach on a mission. What did you say?"
She pauses, probably to freak you out. Okay, definitely to freak you out. "No, of course. I like being the big fish in this little pond. She didn't push hard, just mentioned that the Margin was pretty karked and she didn't know if you could keep me employed. I laughed, told her I was head of kriffing security! I'm kriffing vital." She grins her cocky grin for a moment as she leans against the counter.
"You are vital, Amarath, and I'm glad you're sticking. We'll figure things out, one way or another. If we have to take a job or two somewhere planetside while we get our feet back under us, we will."
Still leaning against the counter, Amarath takes a moment to soak in the compliment she forced you to pay her. "It's a good team. I'm not leaving you and Squally, or Miss Perfect Space Heinie.... or even Grumpyboots. We'll make do. A Hutt always has paying work, as long as you aren't picky."
She crosses her arms under her breasts and gives you a genuine little smile, "Plus. Kelb didn't give me a clan. That's worth more than a few extra Cred a month."
I pat her on the shoulder. "I'm glad you feel that way, Amy." I shrug. "If nothing else, we've got the pay for these two jobs and three years free of payments on our wounded lady, here. Also, apparently, a superior autochef."
Amarath nods, "Yeah, we do. And a doc who can upgrade me and Squally, which will be nice... hey, keep an eye on Pem there. He was trying pretty hard to recruit Jo while we were playing sabacc. She seemed interested. And while I wouldn't mind watching her leave, I don't want that good of a pilot to go. You know?"
Now, this is getting a little much. I hold up a finger and engage the comms for the Margin only. "Crew, please meet me in the common area in ten minutes." Then I'll head across to find Kelb.
She hangs there, sweat dripping from her forehead, her clothes damp. She pulls herself up to another pull-up, then says, "Hey Captain. Want to join me?"
"No, thank you. I need a word with you, Kelb."
She drops, walks over to grab a towel and starts drying her face. She seems perfectly relaxed, "What's up?"
"You need to stop trying to recruit my people out from under me, Kelb. It's unethical and disrespectful." There. That's enough.
She purses her lips, throws the towel over her shoulder, "People? I told Amy she could pick up work with my team, Ladro. Your ship's slagged, you're going to come up short, and I lost two karking team members on this op. Felt like a win-win. What do you mean by people?"
"I'm glad you understand my business so well that you can decide that I'm going to come up short without talking to me about it, Kelb. Are you saying you don't know that Pem's been talking to Jojee about joining up?"
She purses her lips, "Not on my say so, but he's part of my team, so I'll take the hit. Nill and I have piloting covered. Neither of us are as good as Jojee, but she's also causing her own trouble." Kelb crosses her arms, "Why did she lead Jazz on then karking embarrass him last night? That's poodoo."
"I really don't care about Jazz's hurt feelings, Kelb. I have a business, one that consists of a ship and five people. Right now, the ship is out of the equation for I don't know how long, so all I have is my karking people. We've all bled for each other and pulled each other out of mess and poodoo, and we're a good team. You and yours are trying to take them away from me. Stop. And tell Pem to back off, too." I pause, then decide to continue. "And another thing. Why would you assume that Jojee is causing the trouble? Just because she didn't want Jazz's space junk to enter through the exit door, it's her fault?"
Kelb snorts a laugh at your description of the Jojee-Jazz thing, seems like the version she'd heard. She shakes her head, "Ease off, big guy. Looks like my people overstepped bounds, and for that, I apologize. And yeah, I see your point about the job offer with Amy. It wasn't my..." Her resolve slips a little and she softens, "Kark it, Ladro. I'm sorry, alright? Just a little wigged by losing two. Haven't lost anyone since the Old Man, and it just hit me. I'll stop the card game and confine my people to the Whisper. And I'll talk to my team. No more encroachment."
"I understand about your losses. It must hit hard, and I thought you might be repressing some, right after. As to closing off our ships, it's only, what, another 18 hours or so, but if you think that's what we need, I'm fine with it. Sometimes people like us, that cause trouble for a living, well... we can't function without some trouble, so we find it." I shake my head. "I like working with you and your team, Kelb. Are we good?" I hold out a hand to shake.
Kelb shakes your hand, her grip firm. "You're the boss here. I'm good if you're good." After a moment, she releases your hand, admitting, "The card game's over, but I'll keep the coupling open. And since we're talking about it, sort of. If I get some work and need more bodies, I'll reach out to you. Alright?"
I nod with a smile. "I'd really appreciate that. We've got some reserves, and I've got contacts, even aside from the Hutt angle. But until I know what it's going to take to get my poor ship well, any work would be great. Besides, you know I like to, ah, help."