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Nirix blinked, a slight level of confusion colored her face before being replaced by a more neutral appearance.
"Um, as you wish," She began and gestured for them to walk towards the more private corner of the hallway. Though she was not too worried about someone eavesdropping upon them, something about Wick's demeanor was telling her that it would make him more comfortable than he already was. Now that she looked at him, he seemed a bit pale.

"What is it that you need?" She asked cautiously yet in away that made her appear casual. Lavender eyes traced down his person and the fact that his hands stayed in his pocket, instantly caught her attention. There was the distant crumbling of dry paper and the Eoclu merely raised a single brow at the action. There was also the fact that tension was rolling off the poor man like waves from the ocean.

Obviously, something was up.

"Are you alright, Wick?"

(Music?)

Indeed, the door swung open with the energy imposed by a thick, scaly hand. In the light of the bar the reptoid's skin glimmered and shadows collected over his eye sockets; most of his body concealed by a long, fur brimmed coat. With a thin tongue flickering from between his lips, Shashi strode inside and cast about.

Yet this newcomer was not content to sit down immediately. He approached a few of the scarce residents to inquire something monotonously. After his third attempt the hulking reptilian turned his head toward Jacobo and, subsequently, the detective in his seat. He moved to close with them- likely to ask the same thing he asked the others- but he was waylaid by one of the workers, someone with a question of their own. His tail swept energetically behind him, bumping harmlessly into a nearby chair.

The patron parted his maw to one of their suggestions and uttered something under the place's music. They nodded, wrote something down and scurried away, leaving him to approach the other two. Last to arrive at the table, Shashi leaned forward and pressed his hands against the table, glancing between them and giving a moment to the insectoid to speak (as it seemed he intended to do, anyway). After that he'd add something of his own in a harsh, growling voice.

"BPI contest?"

After slamming his head against the wall as the portal to Rin was closed, Laurent just laid there as if contemplating something. In reality, he wasn't thinking of anything, just merely staring at the wall, staring into nothingness. He cut out of his trance in staring into nothingness hearing the group come in. He sat up and began to walk out as the two questions was being asked. "No I didn't see them, I only saw the portal and tried to get in" he merely states as walks passed them. Hearing him being commanded to convert the escape pod into a broading vessel was met with a glare towards them. He could do it with a little piece of scrap that he has in the cargo bay. "Fine" he mutters as he walks off towards the cargo bay, letting the rest prepare themselves for there possible boarding.

Once he was inside the cargo bay, he returned back into his normal humanoid self. He got himself dressed once more and prepared to get to work. However, the KV-2's radio was picking up something nearby which was odd. Even though modernized with modern equipment, the radio range on the tank was still crap as well as its view from the tank commanders position. He hopes in and hears a familiar voice over the radio calling out "Hello! Hello! Anyone listening?"
Laurent smiles and responds "Atticus! Its me, Laurent, where are you? You can't be close by, we just spoke not to long ago?" The voice stops for a moment and says "Laurent, I am slowly approaching a ship called the Koolest boat, are you on there?"

"Yes I am, this is good, okay make sure you send the ship a message telling them you mean no harm and while you do that, send out cargo limpets from section 4-C, I need to convert an escape pod into a boarding pod for this fools. After that, you and me are outta here" Laurent explains to him as the look on his face changed to one of being happy though that his ship was nearby. However that poses a question though. How did Laurent's ship El Dorado get to there vinicity so quickly? The only thing Laurent can figure out, is that HMS Skadi isn't too far away and doesn't sound too far fetch that the capital ship is trailing the Koolest Boat. Either way for the cat, he didn't care, all this was is way to get out of here.

Soon at least two limpets, attach themselves upon the limpet ports near the cargo bay door that leads to the outside and begins to deposit two large pods full of specific scrap metal. With the metal at hand, Laurent went to work upon the luxurious escape pod and turning it into a boarding ship.

As the limpets transferred there contents, a massage came onto the ships communication saying "This is former Lieutenant Atticus Kingsley, piloting the junker ship El Dorado, I mean you no harm and I have deposited need scrap at the request of one of your crewmen. I shall remain around if more assistance is needed, no response is necessary, but appreciated though, this message will repeat until replied" and the message repeated until someone makes contact with the El Dorado confirming that they got the message Atticus sent out. The ship itself is behind the Koolest boat, keeping its distance from the yacht just in case something happens.

"I'm fine. Well, not really, but I'll have to be," Wick answered her. He exhaled, hoping to regain some sense of calm. He could do this, all he had to do was remain calm.
"Me and Alice are leaving at this stop. I don't know when the next time we'll see each other will be, so I wanted to um. . . to give you some stuff."
Wick stepped closer and held out the hand which held the slip of paper. Once Nirix took it she would be able to see that written on it was a phone number, his to be exact.

Nirix was listening but did not quite understand.

The paper was warm and crinkly, the numbers written upon it were smudged slightly yet still legible. Lavender eyes scanned the numbers back and forth, hoping to determine what the meaning behind such numbers were yet nothing came. Nirix could only make out the simple detail that Wick wrote in thinly yet strong strokes and that certain numbers had a distinctive curve to them.

Still, there was nothing.

"This is a... code? Coordinates for your next location?" She asked him with a perplexed look. Her thumb casually traced the first three numbers as she focused her gaze back upon him.
"Possibly a communication channel number? But why would you care to give me this?"

The Eoclu took notice of the subtitle changes in Wick's mannerisms. He still held an air of tension, of a general tick of nervousness. His paling complexion had slightly cleared up yet Nirix could not shake the fact that there was something unspoken that he had not addressed between them.

"There is something more, isn't there?"

Wick cleared his throat. What should he do now? Leave? Keep the conversation going? He was never sure how these things worked, though he doubted many people actually were either.
"It's the number for my communication channel. If there's anything you need, or if you just wanna talk, you can use that to reach me and Alice."
Wick paused, looking at the eoclu woman who stood in front of him. She was very beautiful, and from the bruises still covering his body he knew that her skills in combat were unrivaled. But he hadn't come to admire her physical prowess. Yet there were no words that came to him as far as things to say. But he couldn't leave just yet, in fact he didn't want to. But he couldn't just stare awkwardly at her in silence. With nothing else coming to mind, Wick made his move. Stepping forward, he pulled Nirix closer to him and pressed his lips to hers in a kiss. It wasn't a passionate kiss, nor could it really be considered long. He simply just kissed her. Pulling back so as not to get hit by anything the eoclu might throw at him for doing such a thing, Wick mustered a small smile before heading off of the Perrygold in an almost sprint.

The Ark of Chyll



Just my luck, I’d end up the only man-shaped cat this side of the Way. Not that I had anything against chitin and scales - but it tends to take a guy off-guard, even when he’s been in the business as long as I have.

He came through the door like a scaly centurion, tiny black eyes scanning the bar and tongue flicking every so often from the serpentine maw. I’d be lying if I said a younger me wouldn't have put the moves on him. ’Hey Sweet-Scales, keel flicking that forked tongue at me and I’m gonna’ get the right idea.’ But those days were long gone now and I wasn’t interested in that particular facet of life anymore.

Still, the thought made me grin - and I might have got caught up in reminiscence of the promiscuity of my younger days if it hadn’t been for the buggy fella’ that had come scuttling down the bar at me at an alarming speed. Looked sort of like a pillbug in a wool coat. Had a beard with potato chips crumbled up in it. I got the feeling he was frustrated with something.

I’d been asking for this, I suppose. Five minutes in and I’d had a giant pillbug and a lizard-man tossed at me. Almost sounded like the setup to a bad joke. ‘A lizard man, a six-limbed insect and a detective walk into a bar…’

---

Watching the newly arrived lizard-man out the corner of his eye, the Detective turned his gaze to the wool-coated insectoid coming at him atop the bar, probably ignoring the bartender’s awkwardly quiet protest ”Um hey could you not-” He pushed up on the brim of his hat with one finger, letting him see the bearded bug better. Deep brown eyes studied the insectoid for a moment, then glanced down to the tablet he was holding in one or two of four hands, and broke out into a brighter grin. They were friendly eyes, though tired - and the man’s long, gloomy face and dark caucasian skin made him look like the personification of a basset hound.

”You lookin’ for a warm body, mister?”” the man said, his voice a rich, smooth baritone with a hint of gravelly undertone. Long habit had pieced the situation together almost subconsciously. He placed the glass deliberately down onto the surface of the bar, and leaned forward slightly with an outstretched hand to take the tablet. ”I gotcha’. They don’t make ‘em like they used to ah? Who do I make this out for?” He signed with whatever name he was given, commenting idly ”Thompson - that’s a human name, isn’t it?” There was nothing insulting or uncomfortable in the question, which was more akin to asking about someone’s homeland than their ethnicity or species.

He continued the favor by hitting the submit button as well. A new screen appeared with a confirmation number and the BrainPal Industries logo, as well as their famous slogan;

’The best friend you’ll ever have...Is in your head.’

”So, we’re gonna’ be shippies for a while it seems. You come lookin’ for that mysterious prize too huh?” Handing the tablet back with one hand, he extended the other in anticipation of the nearly universal gesture of the ’handshake’ - nearly universal in this universe, anyway. ”Detective David Clégg, at your service.”

And, conveniently, it was at that moment the lizard-man came along, so there was no need for him to re-introduce himself - even though he had the feeling that he would be doing that a whole lot over the remainder of the afternoon anyway, as each newcomer arrived. ”You got it, fella’.” He said, prodding the underside of the brim of his hat in greeting as he leaned back and procured another sip of the savory mushroom whiskey, swirling it idly in one hand. ”Somehow I’m getting the idea that we’re gonna’ be one heck of a crew at this rate. It’s all comin’ together real nice-like.”

---

The Perrygold

The tiny shower in their cabin was cramped, but serviceable. Kete had always appreciated a cool shower, even in close quarters. It was a given aspect of his chosen lifestyle that not every day gave him the opportunity for one. He did not resent that, but he took the luxury whenever he had the chance.

Stepping out, he toweled off, dressed in a clean set of jeans and a new T shirt that he was not quite sure where he had acquired them, and spent a few moments staring at himself in the tiny mirror. He certainly looked better than the day before - only the faintest trace of lines remained beneath his eyes so that it was insignificant. He looked like a normal younger-side-of-twenty-something again, rather than a bitter old man inhabiting the body of a tired kid. He ran fingers through damp hair, smiled brightly at himself as if to test out the expression, and found that it was genuine enough. As usual, he had effectively taken all the stress from the prior night and shoved it into a lonely corner. He had tricked himself into believing it was all nothing - something to be laughed at, if anything.

There hadn’t been death yesterday - just a fight. Nobody had died, right? Right! Nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry about. Nothing…

He stepped out of the little bathroom, put on his shoes and strode into the hallway - which looked as if nothing had happened, save for a few dents and scratches on the wall that were easily ignored. The bar down the hall was closed off, but all that meant was that the door was shut and they were not presently in business. It didn’t mean that there was a crime scene in there, or anything. There were plenty of other places aboard the big liner to grab a bite.

Blissfully aware of his surroundings - and almost equally aware of his own hunger - he strolled down the hall, only briefly passing into sight of Nirix and Wick from where they had gone to chat. He whistled a loud, audible catcall at them without looking, and continued on almost before there was time to notice him there at all. He was, of course, in both of their eyes. The warmth rising up the back of Wick’s neck existed only as a mental construct for Kete, who had filed it away instantly. Nirix’s own surely baffled expression was there too - similarly filed away. It was all filed away - everything that was not himself - himself - himself.

Wick went sprinting past Kete on the way out, who stepped aside so as to avoid a potential collision and gave him a subtle wink if they happened to make eye contact - though it seemed unlikely they would. He was even inspired to belt out a few lines from one of the many ancient, and venerable galactic folk songs he knew by heart - just loud enough to be heard by anyone who was close enough. There was a very slight swing to his step, in rhythm.

”♪Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but here’s my number, so~♫” At that point, Nirix was in view again - he cut the tune off and let his foxy grin brighten into an open smile, and waved. ”Morning Ny`~!” He said, ”I’m starving. You eat yet? Chow-time I think. I heard the food court on deck 3 has great fried sandworm.”

He was, it seemed, at least partly back to his usual self. But then, with him, it seemed that he always returned at least partially to that state. There were some things in the galaxy that were all but constant...

---

The Koolest Boat U Know

It did not take Sands as long as he had feared it might have to get the engine room back into working condition. He was done within twenty minutes of hasty work - and promptly making his way to the cargo bay when he met Ty and Jet in the hall - both of whom were loaded down with a rather impressive sum of ordinance. Ty handed Sands some small explosives and some kind of automatic shotgun, and the two talked for a moment before Sands continued to the cargo bay. When he arrived, Laurent was hard at work at converting the escape pod into a boarding craft.

”Yo, catch.” He greeted, giving the Cat a moment to turn around before tossing him the automatic shotgun. Apparently he had not gotten the message that Laurent was planning on ditching them as soon as the craft was done. ”Extra pair of hands if you need ‘em. Point the way.” He added, offering his assistance as he set down the extra bits of ordinance he had acquired from Ty and Jet. When he looked over what Laurent had accomplished so far, it was not with judgemental appraisal - but casual approval. ”Ty says we should focus on armoring-up the entryway and put some thrusters on the same side. The plan is we’re gonna’ fling this thing at them so hard and fast that we just crash into them instead of locking onto the hull and cutting through. That way they won’t have the chance to run away before we’re already coming down on their ass. Maybe put some spikes or something on that side to make sure we breach their hull.” He explained, looking around for a welder, finding it, and hefting it as he proceeded to get to work. ”Dal’s gonna’ be counting on you to make sure nobody boards us in return and gets away with it.” He added, still genuinely assuming that Laurent was going to do the right thing - a grave error on his part. ”You can keep that shottie. It’ll do a pretty good job of turning anyone that looks at you wrong into soup. Turns out it’s just a small scout ship were’ after but I wouldn’t put it past ‘em to send another dude over here if we get too close.”

Dallen had accepted the transmission as soon as it had come through. ”Copy, El Dorado. Thanks for the heads-up. You plan’ on sticking ‘round for the fun? Could use a second boat to hold their attention. We’ pretty sure we can get aboard and put ‘em out ‘fore they’ll have the chance to do y’any damage.” And then, wondering if the presence of the El Dorado meant that the Skadi was nearby, she went about hailing them - if possible. If they were nearby and accepting communications, she would make sure they were caught up on the situation and find out if they were planning on giving them some backup - possibly blockading or disabling the enemy ship to further decrease the possibility of their escape. She would also express her wholehearted understanding if the Skadi wanted to stay uninvolved.

When the hour was up, a whole lot had been accomplished. The escape-pod had been turned into a potent, one-time-use, one-way boarding craft that looked like something space-raiders would have pieced together from plundered scrap, and was entirely menacing.

Jet Jackson had been outfitted with a vest made from the same ballistic fiber as the crew’s ponchos, in the same arctic-camo pattern - that, plus his own nanocarbon-enriched sleeveless shirt would make him all but impenetrable to bullets, and likely deter the effects of the enemy’s weird lightning-stuff as well, though nobody could be certain of that. The rest of the crew had donned their ponchos and strapped a couple of small explosive and stun-grenades to their belts. Sands had his hefty, adjustable rifle, Ty his own rifle and a few small gadgets which might prove useful. Dallen was in the cockpit, preparing for the complex and risky maneuver that they would have to undergo to pull off the plan that she and Ty had discussed. They had all been given what looked like futuristic gas masks, but were actually small, personal air recyclers that would keep them alive and functional in vacuum for up to ten minutes. Or fifteen if they didn’t mind losing some serious motor control.

There were five minutes remaining before that maneuver would begin - the converted boarding craft’s door gaped and invited them inside. All but Dal gathered in the cargo bay, Ty addressed the issue once more.

”Five minutes ‘till go-time - here’s the plan. Dal’s going to charge in full-speed and swing us around, giving us extra momentum to shoot that boarding craft like a torpedo into the enemy ship’s hull. We’re aiming for the cargo bay. Once aboard, we’re taking the ship by force. We’ll take prisoners if possible but shoot-to-kill if you have to. Don’t take any chances that might compromise Rin or Tsuan - they’re the primary objective and we can do without the rest if it comes to it. Laurent, we need you here to protect Dal in case they try to board in return.”(Was he foolishly assuming that the Cat would do the right thing too!) ”Beyond that we’re mostly going into this blind so don’t be afraid to act however you see fit to insure the safety of Rin and Tsuan. I know it isn’t much of a plan, but it’s what we’ve got. Now, everyone move out.”

---

Qetan Ship

“You really do care for him, don’t you?”

Tsuan gave a too-noncommittal shrug and a demure smile. What else could he say?

He hefted the stunner in one hand, looking at it with approval, noting the contact point that would activate it, practicing aiming it this way and that before hooking it on a belt loop for easy access. But when Rai said ’Aether’, he paused briefly and raised a brow. So, apparently it did mean something. He had expected the Nyran to elaborate - wanted them to - but the scatterbrain just went on to produce the lightning effect and generally do the impossible. Even for the perplexity that hung over his head now, he was no less interested in the fascinating process, resisting the urge to give a low whistle.

He was relieved - initially - to hear that they were on a scout ship. He was even more relieved to hear that there were only two enemies aboard the ship! Suddenly the whole situation seemed a lot less hopeless - as if they actually stood a chance.

Though, he was refusing to admit to himself that if Rin was really the reincarnated enemy war queen, they might be outnumbered by one, which could make all the difference…

It made him wonder more about the situation, though - he could not imagine Rin as being a ’war-anything, so surely he had not been simply hiding his true intentions all along. Maybe he had some kind of amnesia? And if that were the case, maybe these Qetan bastards had some way of undoing it...But he did not want to think about it.

He listened intently, coming to the conclusion that the two were more than mere scouts, and that there would definitely be a hell of a fight on the way. But when Rai explained what ’aether’ was, a look of pale-faced shock that was almost comical came over the man.

”So, like, aethernet’? Do you have that?” And then, in a smaller voice with a wide, almost guilty sort of @#$%-eating grin, he added ”Dude I think we use your life energy to share cat videos.”

Then he shook his head and waved a dismissive hand. ”I’ll explain later.” He said, ”Once we’re off this bucket.” He listened to the remainder of Rai’s ‘briefing’ before speaking again, nodding along all the while, pondering strategies.

”I think I got the idea. Invisible lady, lightning-douche, stay away from the lizard. Seems like we’ve got a fighting chance. I dunno’ how familiar you are with these babies-” He tapped at the pistol at his belt, part of him hoping that Nyrans didn’t have guns so he didn’t sound like an idiot trying to explain them to someone who already knew. ”But this one in particular shoots augmented micro-projectiles a little faster than the speed of holy-@#$% with a similar atomic-alteration gizmo - except all they can do is reduce the atomic...whatever-you-call-it... they make things cold. They also pack a punch so I can do stuff like blow a hole in the hull or freeze someone’s blood solid. Pretty dope.” He paused, deciding for a beat how to phrase the next part, then gave up and went with it.

”So, uh, to the point here - is there any reason why I shouldn’t shoot these Qetan asshats in the face? Because I’m really wanting to shoot them in the face. But if you need either of them alive I’ll aim for kneecaps or something.”

Pumped. Jet was $%@&ing pumped. Donning his new camo vest, Jet tried to act as if it was no big deal, tugging a bit on the straps of his new gear, pulling the air-recycler over his face. With a slight grin, Jet strolled towards his room, shooting a "be right back" to the crew...at least what was left of the crew.

As soon as he got past the doorframe of his room, Jet slammed the door button, and grinned like a giddy 16 year old girl getting a hover-car. Doing some silly aerobic movements, Jet flashed his guns at his mirror, twitching with anticipation. Hitting one last power pose that could break granite and make angels weep, Jet shuffled through his duffel bag, looking for, what he considered, a delicacy. Finally getting a grasp on a bag of jerky chips, Jet wiped a tear from his face. "For special occasions". As a chip entered his mouth, he felt Nirvana. Every muscle, every tendon, every nerve, tingled with ecstasy. His cells felt instantly rejuvenated, and he was ready to kick some kidnapper $%@.

Practically falling out of his room, Jet gave the crew another awkward smile and thumbs up, followed immediately by a fist pump and a "Ready!". It felt good to fight for something worthwhile, something that meant something to him, or at least someone else.

It had been a day since Arnaldo had seen Ketin. He walked away that day, he had walked away ashamed. He knew why he was so good at his job as a PI. It was his personality, how he stalks his target, how he becomes utterly immersed in their daily lives. He couldn't turn it off. Even now he was getting involved with things that should be way beyond him, things he shouldn't even care about. This wasn't a job, this wasn't another restraining order upholding, this was a random group of people he had just met. Even after trying to convince himself that his actions were for justice and for the sake of the passengers, Arnaldo had killed, and assisted in killing, men...living creatures, not for the passengers, but for his client. Ketin. He began to realize, he thought of Ketin as a client. Getting to know him, hanging out with him, be it a short hangout, trying to figure out why anyone would want to hurt him. Arnaldo went back to his room that night, and pulled a gun on himself. After unloading a clip of minimal penetration rounds into his temple, he slumped over into his bed, completely missing one of his legs. He couldn't bear the weight of his enveloping, twisted, uselessly hopeful mind. It was over. He wasn't a PI, and hasn't been for a while. What now? All he has been doing up till this point was acting like a PI, and he needed to stop.

"Hey, Ketin, Nirix, foods on me"

Noticing Wick dashing away, "And Wick, if you see a big muscly guy while you are traveling the galaxy, tell him Arnie wants an armwrestling rematch"

"Nice to meet you, Detective. I'm Jaco...you already know" responded Jacobo, grasping Cléggs hand in more of a thanking gesture, rather than a handshake. Jacobo slid into the seat next to Clégg and called for the bartender to get drinks for the lizard, Clégg, and himself. Patting the seat next to him, Jacobo ushered the reptilian to take a seat next to him, handing Clégg his drink while placing the reptilians on the counter.

"Well, my real name isn't Jacobo. That's my galactic standardized name. My original name has been lost to time, and myself. Back when the first trade and colonizer ships came to Landar 5, they asked our tribe, and nation, if they wanted to become galacticly registered and studied. Grasping at the opportunity, my chief accepted the foreigners as if they were distant friends. Setting up most of the jungle lands, where I originate from, as protected sanctuaries for animals and the remaining tribes, my chief had brought this outside technology and knowledge to my untouched village. With the villages rapid intake of knowledge and output of growth, I set out to gather more knowledge and artifacts for my people. When I landed at my first space port, they asked for a name, and I looked at two employee's name tags and came up with Jacobo Thompson."

Unsure of his recollection, Jacobo swung his head back and forth between the reptilian and Clégg, asking "So what are your stories? Might as well get to know each other!". He suddenly fell asleep after finishing the final sip of mushroom whiskey, and woke up the same instant.

She was always the woman with the smile

Talis leaned on the bar, her curly black hair pouring over one shoulder. It wasn't hard to notice her, after all, she was playing the second bartender, despite the serious looks of confusion the current one was giving her. Of course, Talis was calm if a bit playful in this sort of situation and merely gave the pudgy man the universal signal of silence by pressing her finger to her lips.

She only received an eye roll for her trouble and that was good enough for her.

Listening in as her fellow members gathered, Talis was ever the interested spectator and focused her crystal blue gaze on the table that they seemed to gather in. They were an interesting bunch, at least so far; An aging detective, a scaly lizard, and a humanoid bug. She tried not to cringe at the fact that she would be working with an bug. Talis was never too fond of those crawling bits they had. Besides, it had waay too many arms and looking at it sideways made her feel funny. Turning her gaze on what really interested her; Talis chewed on her lip as she sized up the grizzly old detective. She wasn’t fond of his types but always found it devilish fun to screw with them. There had been plenty of times where she stole what did not belong to her or completed an assassination, to only come face to face with one such as he.

They were all the same, really. They all harbored some sort of less than interesting past and tried desperately to keep it there by taking cases and drinking heavy amounts of alcohol. Apparently, alcohol always helped detective types. Talis scoffed, it was all so typical and boring.

After listening in for awhile, she had heard enough. It was time to stir up some fun~

“I can see the appeal in sharing stories over a drink, there's power in stories I’ve heard. That's all history really is, the best tales. The ones that last. I wonder if yours will? I heard this contest isn’t as it seems, nothing can be too easy, right?” Talis leaped over the counter top and landed gracefully on her feet, approaching the table with easy yet confident strides. A smooth smile colored her freckled face and lightened her eyes.

“Pleased to meet you, teamies”

Rai snorted, muffling a startled laugh as they turned back to their work.

Aethernet? Sounded like some sort of Intergalactic Communication base. Like, the trashy kind. Not that they were actually offended or condemning- they themself wasted time procrastinating browsing through a similar media. Back in their... universe.

That would take getting used to.

They said their piece and started to listen as Tsuan expained what his weapon could do, gesturing to the gun at his side. They nodded at the appropriate times, scanning the pages and skipping the ones they knew as they hummed in agreement-

And then Tsuan asked his question.

Rai fell silent.

They stilled, whole body frozen and tense- they slowly, softly exhaled, closing their eyes for a moment.



"I saved them once," they said, tone subdued. They looked up, biting their lip, then at the table in front of them. "And I'm hoping I can save them again."

Clearly, they held some sort of attachment to both Qetans- an attachment that warranted mercy and, dare they say it, concern. For the enemy. Clearly, something happened.

They abruptly straightened, heading for the door. "But of course when our lives are in danger you gotta- you gotta do what you gotta do," they said, a little more quickly, like they were rushing to get the proper words out.

"... This way," they said, gesturing out at the hall. They stepped out of the corner, and made their way towards what appeared to be an elevator.

A high tech one, yes, but. An elevator.

"This'll have to be quick... they'll detect the power usage," they muttered, stopping in front of their transportation to the upper floor. They looked over their shoulder. "You ready for this?"

"You know, I'm still not sure sneaking up on that strange ship was a good idea." A grumpy voice could be heard through the forest, travelling through it with the person that spoke said words.
"Oh what do you mean? It was a Great Idea if I do say so myself~" Replied another voice, sounding mighty cheerful and pompous. You could swear that you imagined this person walking with long strides, hands either placed on their hips or eagerly grabbing at the air on either of his sides. Not too far from the truth to be honest, and he was walking with muzzle held high, grin upon his maw and with much more energy stored than what was legal.

This just had the prior talker rolling his eyes, wrinkling his own muzzle and the feathers on his tail were certainly ruffled up to their fullest whenever the package of cheer dared to get any closer to him. The rest of the tail gave some agitated swishes as follow-ups.
"Hmph. We're probably going to die or something. Or, well, not Me but You are." Air flared from his nose as arms were crossed and head turned away. Not the most supportive healer you'd ever see for sure. There was a slight proud smirk hidden under it all, the frustration, proud to stand his ground, but mostly he was not pleased with the situation.

"Stop it Leo, I for one am glad that you took me along." Third voice, not all too fazed by things. Perhaps a little unhappy about the whole grumpiness, but not irritated. Turning cheery at the end but keeping it reserved.
"I didn't even want to leave!!" The grump would soon pull a temper tantrum in retaliation, the fur about his neck ruffling up as he shouted and slammed his fists against the plates of armor on his hips, bitterly keeping in secret that his hands now hurt.
"Shush~ It's going to be a good great adventure, something else for once." The tan one added, unfazed by this little tantrum that was thrown, all up in his own world, magenta tipped feathers at his tail swinging freely after his tail as he walked, stood on his toes and made a twirl to turn around, giving the other two a good ol' grin while hands laid at hips. "Time away from the village is going to do us so much good~ It was getting boring. Isn't this much nicer? Huh? Huh~?" Brow lifting at his words, head tilting forward and the tone in his voice rallying up the positivity.
"No. I hate this." Nope. No helping it, this one was just about ready to spew murder.

All it really did was to turn the smile on the tan one's face into a frown, magenta markings taking on the color red for the briefest of moments before returning. Pouting was to take place.
"Haleon you are So boring." Huffing and sighing with some frustration, not about to get angry but clearly not in the mood to deal with any of this right now.
"Leave him be Solki, he's probably just in a bit of a shock."
"Well, he'd better be getting over it soon because I'm not carrying a sack of potatoes with me." Agreeing to not go about it fighting, hands held up in front of himself, he'd take the cleanest tree stump he could find, sat on it with his whole weight and pressed palms against knee armor as if to say 'Fine'.

The one named Haleon would soon follow, though where he sat was a good couple meters away, legs crossed and still with the air of building storm clouds around himself, only now it was soon ready to rain.

Siro, the one left standing just went about it shrugging, making her way to the closest tree and leaning against it. Some silence was going to do their nerves good.

They didn't have a clear leader. None of them had exactly been a leader. Solki was the most enthusiastic of the bunch, the most energy but also usually the most effort put into things. Perhaps not wanting to restrain himself with any extra duties or responsibilities was the reason he hadn't claimed himself as the leader yet.
Siro, combat-wise, or at least when it came to hunting and strolling in the forests away from their home had the most experience on that fort. Maybe something the scars over her eye told to strangers, however, held less meaning to those that didn't know how big of a factor community and taking care of each other mean among their species, the Modrals. To be honest, she would likely be the most fitting to the leading role, but similarly didn't want to nail herself down with the responsibility. And she might have been a little too easily exited for certain situation.
Haleon, just barely the tallest - but because Solki moves around tip toeing, he's beat in that regard (and if nothing else, his ears were mostly always facing angrily behind him while Solki's were pointing upwards all perked up. No hopes there.) - was not fit for the leading role in the eyes of the other two. Sure he was the most magically capable, having mastered the ways of healing magic years ago, to such level that not even Solki - who was lucky to know two kinds of magic instead of just one - could compete with reliably. But again, since he was not willingly leaving or socializing with others, majority votes were winning and they continued to just be a group of mismatched youngsters.

Speaking of that rain though.
It was as if some strange magical call that it started drizzling from the actual clouds. Wouldn't have the other two crying out to the pale grumpy one about the situation all 'look at what you've done' like. Rather, it got all their heads raised in unison to look up past the trees as it slowly became apparent that things weren't going to stay dry for much longer.
True to their species, their markings and main fur color would soon switch places to be reverted. Magenta for tan on Solki, yellow for orange on Siro, and the underwhelming brown to a little more reddish hue on Haleon. And the rain would make their fur heavy and cause troubles in its own right, but really, other than that, there shouldn't have been too many problems with it for them. Still, it was preferable to stay dry. That they would agree on.

Especially Solki currently, who seemed to have his smile turned into its mighty upside down version. Water was great, but with rain came soft ground and that meant dirt. And oh Boy how he Hated dirt. He was quickly up on his feet, shaking his head in denial.
"Nah-ah." Nope. "I ain't standing for this."
Haleon, for once, was taking a little calmer approach to the situation, speaking with a doubting but at least a little friendlier tone.
"Uhhh... Any of you brought those things...? Like, what do the merchants call them? The rain blockers?" Look given to the other two, to which all of them replied with heads shaking. Nope, no luxury.
Well, he had got his answer, all good enough for the pale canid to get on up and start to jog his way to where there was supposed to be civilization, not wanting to risk a cave or Solki screaming.
"That got some speed in you." Siro, taking some humor in the situation, would stop leaning to the tree and put on a bit of a smile upon following suit.
"Yo, I can repair bodies, not armor!" True to that, and the faster they got to cover, the less chance there was of Solki demanding someone carried him so that he wouldn't get all dirty.

---

They'd all be running for a little while, avoiding the slippery looking parts and slowly forming puddles until finally coming to the edge of the city. Just the sight alone and the ending of the forest had them all halting one at a time, Haleon with an exaggerated unpleased expression on his face, ready to bite his tongue with the fangs that showed while his markings flickered a couple times, like the neon lights that had all of them covering their eyes once they got over the main look over.
"Ugh. It's disgusting." He spat out, tongue sticking out and muzzle wrikled.
"... You know, for once, I May have to agree with you on that. But I'm not admitting it." Solki would claim, looking to his side at the brown furred one, expression mostly neutral but who knows. Still standing on his toes though, to make himself look taller and all that, as always. And to avoid touching the ground, in case of mud.

"Well.... I guess it can't be helped." No much for them to choose. They'd have to move further to get somewhere and get cover from the rain - and the horrifying sight that was the big gloomy city to them.
"I'll find the one responsible! .... Or at least some cover..." Fist would be shaken, before slowly realizing that it was probably too much effort and he wouldn't want to stick out too much. Getting on the wanted list by holding the place's elder at a fist range was probably not the best idea - because he was Not dirtying his sword with someone like that.
"Urrgggh....!!!" Not planning on staying there any longer, they were back to moving with the frustrated loud grunt giving them the order.

---

The trio would be making their way down town, each looking at a different direction, or at least such was the plan until something was found. Eventually, at the sign of The Ark of Chyll Siro came to a halt and didn't consider one bit before pointing her finger towards it.
"Oh! Looks like there is something 'free' there." Started as a shout, but calmed down as it gathered the attention of the other two and had them walk over to her.
"Free?? Heck yeah. I'm in!" Solki was game in an instant, his head making an obvious connection that Staying there was free. What else could it possibly be~?
"You don't even know what is free... Why are you getting so worked up about it?"Grumpeon wasn't going to go in that quickly though, he was doubtful and it showed.
"You idiot, of course it says that getting In there and staying is the free thing~!" The tan one would be claiming with the widest grin on his face, 115% sure that this was definitely the truth! He was Hyped and exited! Free stuff!
"Besides, if it's too crowded or something we'll only stay for the duration of the rain. We can go right back to the forest or search for a possible other ship that is leaving so that's a thing" Siro was one to defend the idea, even if not exited on a similar level. She had some points though, the species was a little prone to have its members be at least claustrophobic, afterall, they preferred nature and its open spaces. "And hey, this is better than lounging at an alley way~"
Solki was all sagely nods on that one. "So what are we waiting for?! In we go!"
This all left Haleon shaking his head over to Siro all 'can you flippin' believe this??' dumbfounded, and the femme just shrugged and smiled while going in after Solki, who basically was about to go in, kickin', doors flying before she stops him and proceeds opening the door with the proper mannerism.


No idea that it was a bar, they were all not too educated on what life was outside of their villages, so surely they'd be taking it all in. The trio would see a lizard, overgrown one at that, much Much overgrown. Also an insectoid and a human, and another?, aaaand a couple other things and beings.
Somehow it all felt a little awkward, as if they were coming in at the middle of something. Bad timing?

Solki for one stood there, lips puckered, stuck at the door, with the blank expression 24/7 Haleon standing next to him. And Siro just casually twisting water out of her fur. Everything at a time. But just standing there was going to be awkward. So one of them had to try and say something.
"Ummm.... Hi?" An attempt to break the silence, as well as a wave given to the strangers. He wasn't too found of strangers though.
"You know, I hate this." The obvious, in the form of a whisper though.
"Shush. We know, don't make it awkward." Quickly and sharply returned.

After Asya had found her quarters, she begins to take stock of the equipment she had recovered. Laying out the weapons on every available space, matching ammunition with the weapons and similar arms into groups. The only equipment she did not lay out, was the armor in the case. Besides the fact she had nowhere to lay it, she didn't feel ready to open the case just yet. Instead she set the whole case in one of the wall closets. Satisfied with her progress, she slides out of her grimy armor before hitting the shower. She would talk to Kovacs in depth after she had had some real sleep.

For Jack, he followed BN-33 quietly for several moments before speaking with a heavy tone, placing a hand on the bots shoulder "You did good. Jin's alive because of you. To say you have our respect is an understatement Tin...Barney wasn't it? Thank you Barney." Clearing his throat he switches tones to a more cheerful one "That's that. Never mind the armory, I'd like to get to my quarters.. This armor can stand to sit and air out while I get cleaned up and rested. Maybe Jin'll be out when we get back up."

Shashi sat down where Jacobo indicated, looking on at the two quietly while lapping experimentally at his drink. He took a few glances around habitually, noticing the approaching woman perhaps a few seconds before she spoke. Even so, he did not respond to her until she was there, addressing them. The reptoid turned his head toward Talis and flicked his tongue, musing to himself. Then he turned back to the detective and did the same.

He rumbled. "Hello." And continued sipping his drink.

As the door opened again, Shashi twisted his head to peer at the newcomers. His tongue flitted about energetically and his nostrils flared; something about the new-coming trio was of interest to him. His maw parted somewhat as he stared at them. They must taste delicious. It was too bad that eating certain things was against the law.

Then, again, he said, "Hello." In the same tone as before, though this time it was directed at the trio. His tail brushed against the floor behind him with idle energy.

Alice stood inside a crowded bar by herself, listening to the surrounding noise. A woman who looked to be older than she was spoke to a lizard man nearby, and she could also see several other unusual looking people. What were they all doing here?
Whatever they were doing, It felt good to be back on an actual planet again, even if it was only for a little bit. Wick had yet to meet her, which she took to mean that he was probably picking up stuff for a job. She wished he would rest more, and had told him he should, only to be met with shrugs and "probably"s.
Almost as if her thoughts had brought him in, Wick entered the bar with his hands in his pockets. He stood by her at the bar, ordering nothing but a water from the bartender.

"So? How did it go?" Alice asked, hoping to know how his talk with Nirix had ended. It wasn't often she saw her older brother take an interest in people, so when he did she paid very close attention.

Wick related the whole story to her: how he had given Nirix the number and then kissed her before running off.

"Wow. You're not really good at this." She said, surprised he had been able to even do that much.

"Yeah. But on a different note, we have a ship now."

Alice blinked. It appeared her brother was just full of surprises that day. "Are. . . Are you serious?"

Wick nodded. "Yup. It's called the Guinevere. It's parked here and we can leave as soon as I can find out who our team is."

"Team?" Alice asked. Since when did they have a team? Wick explained that to her as well: it appeared they had been roped into a scavenger hunt acriss space.

"And now, I guess we just find out who we're taking with us. Ian didn't give me any details for that. Who knows, maybe they're in here somewhere." Wick said, gesturing to the others in the bar.

The Ark of Chyll



I knew she was trouble the moment I laid eyes on her. A toffee-skinned beauty with black ringlets-hair, a swagger to her gait, curves-for-days and an expression of mischief on her face. I’d always been a sucker for ladies like that in my younger days. Not a healthy habit – they were always trouble. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t playing the romance-game these days – the gal was still charming, there was no denying it. She’d barely said a dozen words and it was already clear – and that made her dangerous. I was gonna’ have to keep a very sharp eye on this one.

She looked right at me, eyes seeming to flash in some vague recognition – she’d sized me up in that instant, and the lack of outward revulsion that followed could only mean that she was planning on stirring up trouble. Well, that was fine – I’d handled more insidious dames before – the kind of gals who were out to kill – and I didn’t get the impression that this one had murderous intents.

Though, it wouldn’t be the first time my instincts had proved me wrong…

Couldn’t help wondering why she’d been playing the second bartender though. Got to admit I’d been fooled, though maybe if I’d have paid closer attention to the roguish clothing I’d have caught it. Maybe she wasn’t too different than myself – liked to watch and listen before stepping in – she sure did know how to make an entrance, anyway.

It wasn’t long before the next players stepped in – or, I assumed they were players, anyhow. They didn’t fit in with the usual crowd, just like everyone else who’d already been confirmed to be in on the BPI business. But these three – canid-types, varying colors and attitudes – didn’t strike me as being all that certain as to just where they were. They looked lost – probably some backwoods types coming to what counted for the ‘big city’ – if not for the first time, nearly so. One seemed cocky, one a class-A grump, and one more reserved. Wasn’t familiar with this particular species, but I had the feeling that the reserved one was a gal – not that it mattered. Were those feathers?

Looked like the pillbug couldn’t hold his liquor. That would be worth remembering. The lizardman was about as stoic as I’d have expected – but I couldn’t help wondering if to him, those dog-types might look like a decent snack.

I went over a quick count of everyone in my head. Seven so far – gut instinct told me there would be one more – and, of course, whoever had the boat. I had the feeling that would be the redhead in the trench coat – she looked like a pilot, or more likely a mechanic or tinkerer. When the bulky guy in the dandyman vest came in and started talking to her, I was convinced.

I tried to think of any other strange characters I might have seen – but when you didn’t know who you were looking for it was best not to make assumptions…

---

The old detective listened with reserved, but genuine interest to Jacobo’s explanation of his homeland and name.
”Heckuva way to pick out a name.” He said, almost playfully. ”Can’t argue for efficiency though.” There was good humor in most things the man said, it seemed – he was always amused with something. His easygoing nature purveyed every sentence.

The ever-present grin widened when his own brownish eyes met the electric-blue gaze of the woman strolling toward them from the other end of the bar. ”Watch it boys, here comes trouble.” He said pointedly, addressing the woman herself more than his two alien compatriots. He gave half a chuckle and shook his head. ”I sure as heck hope my story don’t last. We don’t want history getting too boring on us. No, for me this is just another case. It’s not shapin’ up to be an easy one, either. How ‘bout yourself, doll?”

Though it was partially a rhetorical question, made such by the presence of others to which the detective shifted his attention. Hat cocked slightly to the side and with the same crooked grin on his long face, he raised one arm grandly to beckon the dog-creatures closer. ¬”Who said anything about awkward?” He said dryly. IT was already awkward – but that didn’t mean he couldn’t take a few smooth steps to changing that and letting the awkwardness slide away with minimal damage. ”I take it you three’s here for the contest, huh? Don’t look so nervous. Take a seat.” He was welcoming enough for sure, patting the seat of the stool to the opposite side of the lizard and pillbug – the latter of whom still sat atop the surface of the bar, presumably. When the canids did not immediately order drinks, he took it upon himself to do so – looking to make them more comfortable and feel less out of place. ”Three Darkos, on my tab.” He said, gesturing toward the short-statured bartender, who gave a shrug and went about preparing the drinks. The day was only getting weirder for him, it seemed, and he was taking it all numbly in stride.

It was only after the fact – when the bartender came along and deposited three stout glasses of a beverage the color of blackberries and with a bittersweet scent – that he realized the potential error in ordering strong drinks for the newcomers – not that there was any going back on it now.

Once they were settled in, he took another sip of mushroom whiskey – nursing the drink indefinitely it seemed, though it would be time for another pretty soon – then raised one hand into the air, and gave an unobtrusive, but noticeable whistle – perfectly timed with the conversation between the redhead and her (presumably) brother – he seemed to have a natural talent, or long-acquired skill, in dealing with groups. ”Over here you two.” He said, not actually looking in their direction, ”If you’re looking for the BPI folks, here we are.”

One more, he thought – there would surely be one more.

”So, you’re our captains, huh?” He said once they had come near – then proceeded with introductions. ”Quite a diverse lot we’ve got here. I’m impressed.”

---

Qetan Scout Ship

The way time seemed to skip a beat – the way everything froze for an indefinable instant – he had stumbled upon something grave indeed, and the sobriety that fell over Tsuan’s face made it clear that he recognized the moment for what it was. Nostalgia – if it could be called that – was a potent and tangible thing.

He nodded somberly. ”I get it. I’ll keep it in mind.” He said, and gave Rai a reassuring little smile.

And he would, too – but E’tzu had to admit that the temptation was strong, and he was only so confident in his own ability to restrain himself. He hated these people. He was not immune to the human-animal emotions. These people had hurt him and his friend – friends – and he despised them for it. He wanted to destroy them – to put his gun to their face and pull the trigger twice – and he knew in his heart that he would not hesitate to do so if the moment came.

If Rai had some kind of past relationship – some kind of history – with these Qetan bastards – it wasn’t really his problem. But he figured aiming for kneecaps first and faces second wouldn’t be so bad.

Following the Nyran back out from the armory, he continuously practiced a quick-draw with the stunner – he had a feeling that it was going to be a very important tool in the coming skirmish…Though he had no plans for using it on either of the Qetans.

”Let’s do it.” He said, looking serious. ”Guns blazing.”

But he faltered then, something coming to his attention that had been bothering him since the beginning. "Wait, before we go - something's been bugging me." He said, "Why'd they put me in there with you if they knew I could just let you out?"

In a swift gesture, the card was gone.

Then he flicked his hand and brought out another one, the thin clear glass-like card somewhat striking against the dark clothes. The bright blue light of swords crossed reflected from the grey eye not artfully hidden by his hair, exposed black eyebrow furrowed in thought.

A decision, huh?

In spite of the supersitious beliefs that once surrounded the tarot deck, he'd seen the power of possibilities within the very polished, holographic images. Reading the cards had become a valued pasttime.

A decision.

Pretty solid. The cards had never steered him wrong, so far. Might as well.

He drew another card- then, after a moment of indecision, another.

Strength. Star.

He hummed, tuneless, pupils shrinking slightly. He sharply looked up at the cafe door- then looked back down at the Two of Swords before silently putting it away.

Not enough information, indeed.

He pushed the door open, eyes immediately locking on the Strength and Star.

Wick and Alice Silverstone.

Guess they had the same idea as he did...

He scanned over the rest of the cafe, as inconspiciously as he was able, and- oh. Hm. He took another step forward, a little closer to the wall, eye keen and attentive.

A woman who dressed like a bartender but moved like a sneak. A wobbly insectoid. A hulking, hissing lizard. Three furries.

And... Justice.

He pulled up another card, a crowned figure wielding a sword and scales joining a lady with a lion and a woman under a starred sky.

Three with a history. That he knew a bit of, at least.

This would be interesting.

He went to sit on an empty table, right between the Silverstones and the odd mismatched group with Justice shuffled among them- far enough away to be looked over, yet still close enough to eavesdrop. He carefully shuffled the tarot cards, blue holographic images smoothly moving within its clear glass-like card containers. He looked at them again.

So little information... and a whole lot more people.

This would be interesting.

Of course, converting an escape pod into a boarding vessel does have its limits and the the enemy ship is something more than a scout ship, then this escape pod turned boarding vessel will just splat on the side of the ship with all hands lost because of the possible thick hull. It was an escape pod...not a dendril boarding pod. For the cat this was there problem and not his. As for the Skadi, it remained unresponsive, purposely not returning the Koolest Boats call. However tracking it isn't hard because of its ridiculous size, but from its trajectory, it seemed that Catheroine had a change of her cold heart as the ship made its way towards the Mall, after hearing the Mall's distress call for help. As for the El Dorado. , Atticus replied "I'm sorry, but this ship isn't made for combat, we don't have such weapons on the ship, the heavy laser is for mining not for combat, I'm just here for the Cat Merchant within your ship"

As the meeting went on, Laurent on the top of the tank with shotgun in hand and went inside the tank. He soon came out wearing a old dirty space helmet and a red tight space suit, that left little to the imagination, but the little backpack was made of brass giving it a nice look. He looks at them and says "I'm not doing such a thing, once you leave, I am leaving...saving Rin and squinty man commander is your problem now, not mine. Plus I doubt they would be coming back since it seems they got what they want. Either way I am not part of this plan and I am leaving, and that's why my ship is nearby...its here to pick me up as well as my toy" as he rubs the top of his tank. "If you are still heading towards Ova's planet, then go ask Erica for that" he says as he made a grumpy face and slowly lowed himself back into the tank away from the group.

Kovacs merely opened his helmet, the visor receding and the faceplates separating like a sego lily. He wasn't hungry, but knew that he needed to eat something to keep up his strength. The commander grabbed a tube of flavorless nutripaste and squeezed its contents into his mouth. Any normal marine would complain that it tasted like cardboard au gravel, but the Pilot didn't care.

It was just another meal.

His snack finished, he tossed it in the disposal and walked over to Ellen. Kovacs settled an oddly friendly hand on her shoulder before reaching out to pat the little slime on the head. With that, he left for the bridge to manually pilot the two hundred metre warship.

Having gotten changed into a skintight Remlok suit, the rubberized armorweave hugged his body while specialized duraplast plating covered particularly important areas. It was heavily modified, especially considering the duraplast, which was a very recent alloy of carbo-plastoid and silicon nanolaminate. This made a type of plastic that was almost as strong as steel with the tensile strength of fibreglass at a tenth of the weight.

The suit was one of Kovacs' latest pet projects, and after deciding that he liked the feel of it, he felt like being generous. Pulling up Major Zuraw's personnel file that had retrieved from her planet's databanks before exfil, he skimmed the sections that he had already read, coming to a stop over her physical profile.

Slim, agile, top marks in fitness and perfect eyesight and hearing. Reflexes were phenomenal, numerous recommendations for pilot training. Kovacs would have to evaluate her himself once she was fully rested. After he put in a fabrication order for another, much smaller Remlok-U/A, he sat back in his seat to read up on the rest of Asya's team, letting the corvette skim fuel from the star beneath them.