Forums » Sci-Fi Roleplay » [1x1] Lost

It was somewhere around nine at night. The street was full like it always was, the port city constantly flooded with migrants and sailors of every which race throughout the system -- bipedal creatures of varying form, some draconian, some gnollish, some giant insects with hardened hides and massive pincers. It wasn't a pretty place. No, people went to commercial planets for that. This was a trading hub, a port. Ports weren't pretty. They were efficient.

While the city was crowded, there was one place that had room to spare. One bar, a decent place, sat at the edge of said city, only half a dozen or more patrons within. It wasn't that the place was bad, really. It was entirely a location issue, so far from the casinos and traders and more. It was a bar devoted to the locals, something unsaid but well understood.

Blunder was one such local, sitting with a cup of "coffee" as it was called back home, though you'd hardly guess by looking at it; it was so white with creamer and sugar and milk that you couldn't tell. From what he wore, he was clearly a mechanic, and a busy one at that, what with his stained cargo shorts and work vest, a tool bag hanging on the back of his belt.

Fushio stepped through the door to the bar, and started across the room to speak to the bartender. She was with one of the trade ships currently docked in the port. Despite that, and the reputation of this particular establishment, she entered with the air and confidence of someone who belonged. Said confidence came because prior to her current job, she had been a local, running a small underground clinic out of some shipping containers near the docking bays.

Economic factors had partly contributed to her seeking alternative employment, but mostly she needed to disappear off planet for a bit. Seems some individuals are willing to pay quite bit for a six foot bipedal "rabbit"... And the local slaver ring was quite enterprising, if nothing else.

Aside from her clothes, She opted to bring only her backpack and knife along on her port call. As she approached the bar she pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it. See held it up to read, slightly to one side of her face. Most of the list items had already been scratched off. "I need 12 bottles. At least 90%... Preferably clear liquor. I'm needing to... Restock some supplies." Sure it wasn't rubbing alcohol, but it would do the same and it could be consumed if needed. "Glass of water too."

The bartender, a giant bull, raised his brow at this, stating, "I wasn't aware that sul had such amazing metabolisms." He then quietly began peering through the stock for the items.

Blunder, meanwhile, looked curiously over at the new patron. "90%?... That's... That's very impressive." He was never exactly a drinker -- stuff was too bitter and gross.

Fushio tilted her head to better look at the bartender, a move that also put Blunder into her rather wide field of view. There was no response from her initially. In fact, the pause would have fallen into the category of awkward.

Did she seem like that much of an alcoholic? Hadn't she just said she was restocking?

"It's not for me. Well, it is, but it isn't. I mean it's not for drinking, but I need it to be drinkable. You see?" Of course they wouldn't. "Let me try again. I've been working on a ship since my clinic closed. As the medical officer, or so my door says. Anyway, long story short we're down a few mechanics, an engineer and an electrician, because they broke into my medical bay and hosed the entire supply of rubbing alcohol.... Which is not potable."

She holds up the list "so this is my solution to prevent this happening again, while keeping myself supplied with stuff." She blinked, "for medical reasons. Not for drinking."

"Of course... They got into some of my anesthetic supplies too... And I guess I can dose them with the liquor for that too. If need be."

The reindeer listened quietly, ears perking. Down on mechanics...? "Oh... Well, I'm a mechanic looking for work. What's the ship you're working on? Is it a cargo, passenger?" He briefly wondered what kind of pig would drain a med bay of alcohol -- probably some species with a ridiculous metabolism. He wouldn't go anywhere near the stuff.

Fushio was a little surprised by the sudden shift in conversation to the guy with antlers wanting a job. "It's a cargo ship. 'The Queen's Lament.' I'd describe it as a smaller ship with a fairly industrious crew of around 50. Officially we're a freelance courier service... And we mostly cater to clients that don't like to answer many questions, so general policy is to not ask them." She was trying to say it nicely that she worked for a group of smugglers.

"You're welcome to come with and talk to the captain. I just wouldn't mention I found you alone in a bar... Actually, I should probably ask why you are currently unemployed...?"

The reindeer considered this, processing this information, not realizing in his innocence that they were in fact doing something illegal. Maybe he wasn't bright, or maybe he was just absentminded at times.

"Ah... I've had experience with cargo ships. Had to do quite a few repairs on them, though most have been pretty minor. As for why I'm unemployed..." He sipped at his cup, thinking. "I can be a bit of a wreck at times. Just get nervous, and when I get nervous, I get clumsy. It only happens sometimes, and I'm confident I'm fit to work, even if my pay is a little lower. Do you mind if you take me to the captain?"

Fushio considered his words for a moment. The reindeer didn't exactly sell himself the best. Clumsy mechanics in an industrial environment meant injuries. Limited experience as well. She sighed.

If she brought him back, it meant she'd be responsible for him, and his performance, at least for a while. It was to be her word after all which would be the deciding factor in the end.

"I'll take you."

He was honest, which was rare these days. Plus he was drinking a cup of coffee in a bar. Alone. Maybe it was her desire to help. Maybe it was his spirit. Or just the fact she knew he wouldn't steal her medical supplies. She'd help him get the job.

"This won't be an easy job. Tell you that now. And you won't make much money. Not at first. That comes with time. Or so I hear. I don't even get payed much, and I've been with the ship over a year. Anyway we'll leave after I get my supplies." She'd wait to see if they were glass or plastic bottles before having him help carry things or not.

The reindeer nodded, understanding. "I know. It's better than nothing though. At least if I'm aboard a ship, I'm guaranteed at least some food and a cabin, right?"

The bartender finally came back with the requested selection, and upon some brief observation, emptied one of the kegs little by little into some plastic sports drink bottles before handing them over. Blunder offered to hold a few, the cervine only able to hold at most six, but only able to safely hold four. A closer inspection of his hands revealed that they were in fact similar to hooves, but with thumbs and two large "fingers" on each hand. Not near as dexterous as more human-like hands, but they worked.

Fushio nodded to the comment about food and a bed. "Yeah. If you're after those it's what we got. Though I'd call it food only in a strict definition of the word. Our cook isn't very good." She removed her pack and set it on the bar. It impacted with a fair bit of weight, and didn't seem to change much, which suggested it was already full.

Fushio picked the bottles up one at a time, checked them, and tightened the cap before trying to work them into the bag. It wasn't easy, but she manages to get five into the bag. Two more stick out of side pockets, and two get zipped into her pants pockets... which leaves three for Blunder. Through it all, she never looks straight at anything, her head always turning one side or the other toward the item of her attention.

Her packing done, her focus returns to the bartender. "How much?"

The bartender quickly settles the payment, the alcohol found to be surprisingly cheap. It's too strong for most patrons, meant for only the hardiest of metabolisms, crudely made stuff. Suffice to say the woman has enough credits to make the payment.

Blunder, meanwhile, focuses on toting the last three bottles, putting two in his cargo pockets and supporting the last in both hands (... Hooves? Nobody knows what to call them in this age).

Transaction completed, Fushio threw the back pack on and headed for the door. "Come on then. Bit of a walk." She pushed her way out into the bustling world of the port city.

She turned her head, looking first up the street then back the other way. As usual it was packed with the various creatures and workers of the port.

Rather unceremoniously, she steps from the door way and out into the pedestrian traffic, heading in the direction of the smaller, older docking bays. In other words, the cheaper rundown area.

Most people assumed this area of the port was reserved for shady and criminal types of business. It was true, but it was almost exclusively nonviolent. Thefts, murders, those happened in the areas with money and high value goods in clearly marked containers with few people willing to fight back.

So, while they were relatively safe, the stigma meant the crowds would thin as they headed toward the ship.

The deer follows along diligently, though knowing the area, he does keep his head down in the process. No doubt that raising suspicion here is a bad idea! And while he doesn't carry anything particularly valuable on him, save for his credit card, he does try to keep a careful eye on everyone.

Fushio finally stopped walking at the outer edge of a medium docking basin. A large basin had been dug out of the earth and lined with concrete and steel. Ramps led down to the bottom from where they stood on street level. A single mobile crane ran on tracks around the top of the basin. The ship lay within.

The Queen's Lament carries cargo... through space. The design of the ship left no question about this. Six cargo bays, three port and three starboard, were connected to a central 'I' shaped section. Overall, it looked like a big rectangle, with mildly angled corners. Sort of like if someone had taken a barge and made a half assed attempt to make it aerodynamic.

Each bay is separate from the others. Large motorized doors lower on a hinged bottom allowing them to double as loading ramps. Smaller doors allow access to the rest of the ship.

The central compartment was divided into three decks, as well as a front and back. The front section housed the living quarters, bridge, medical, and galley. The back was mostly engineering.

The external dimensions had the ship about forty feet tall plus the landing gear. The hull is a desert beige color. Patch jobs, scorch marks, and gouges decorated the outside.

Inside, things were all a little... Off. The cargo bays looked large, but the floors and walls of each were actually smuggling compartments. More hidden areas were concealed through out the central ship. Without a detailed original schematic for the ship, and a tape measure, it would have been impossible for an outsider to locate them all. It also made it a nightmare to fix anything on... Because access points and schematics often times no longer applied.

The docking area was a bustle of activity. Four bays were already loaded and closed. The last two were in progress. Refueling, maintenance checks and pre-flight checks accounted for the rest of the activity.

"Behold, your desired home, and all her glory." Fushio waves her arm in a sweeping gesture at the ship. "Now let's go introduce you to the captain." She continues walking, this time down one of the ramps into the basin.