Unused to such largess, Shui pads around the apartment for several minutes, reflexively drawing the curtains shut, studying the bathtub with bemused wonder, flicking open the closet doors then closing them again.  But when she finds herself dropping to check under the bed, the doctor shakes her head crossly.  "Foolishness."  Moving to the window, she opens the drapes, letting the light in, and draws a bath.

Then the box.  The handwriting seems correct.  Shrugging off her concerns and lingering habits, she opens the box to find...clothing.  A white, sleeveless top, the proper sort of tan skirt (nearly knee-length and reasonably tight, but stretchy enough for movement), and even a dark jacket.  Jago, it seems, has been paying attention.  "Correct sizes," she murmurs.  Did he check by computer?  She expects - hard to imagine him rummaging through her clothing.

With a small laugh at the thought, Shui moves to the bath.  She might be late for dinner, but...so many showers in the past, on board and off.  Time for something different.  She turns the taps, sprinkles some of the salts into the water.  As they begin their magic, the doctor checks the lock on the door, then prepares for warm, foamy meditation.

"He's been going through my stuff.  Guess I'll get to be captain again," Yas comments quietly as she examines the contents of the box found on the bed.  The rest of the room was clear, the initial sweep had shown, so now she can lavish over the gift.

"Wonder what he's up to?" she mutters as she checks a second time to make sure there are no frilly underwear in there.  Or underwear, period.

Once the box has passed inspection she proceeds with the main reason to have a room planetside - the bathroom.  What she does there is her business, but rest assure she does not go there naked even if she may have no clothes on; at least one gun is somewhere very close at hand at all time.

The first think Saskia does when she gets to her room is lean back against the door and take her boots and socks off.  The deep pile of the carpet tickles her feet as she starts looking around the room, nodding with approval as she sees the brand name on the holovision.

Then she spots the box.  "Looks like Jago's writing.  Handwritten too, by the look of it." she mutters, picking up the card and studying it closely, "Wonder why he didn't just get the ship to print it out."

She opens the box.  It contains a new set of coveralls.  They don't look quite right.  After a moment's thought, she hauls some assorted small tools and components out of her own pockets, and shoves them into the pockets of the new coveralls, resulting in an array of unsightly bulges.  "Better."

One of the recently transferred items, a small white disc, she takes back out of the pockets.  It has a set of gold-coloured contacts along one edge, and an LED display, currently dark, on one side.  Examining it critically, the engineer finally says, "There you are.  I've been looking for you for ages.  Of course somebody else has your job now."

With a couple of hours still to wait for dinner, the crew of Profit Margin meet up again in the lobby of the Halcyon.  All are wearing the new clothes bought for them by Jago.

There is, of course, the matter of what to do with their time, while they wait for their Captain to join them for dinner.  Perhaps a little shopping in the nearby stores, or a few drinks and some conversation, here in the hotel...

Tylen takes a leisurely shower, making use of the fancy toiletries. He readfs the note and opens the box. As he lays out the new clothes he smiles wryly, whilst he appreciates Jago's gesture, he really wishes the Captain had taken the initiative and bought him something different from his usual wardrobe. He smiles brightly as he draws out the last item.

"Good on you boss man."

He chuckles as he draws on his new BLACK T-shirt.

He checks his reflection in the mirror, the new leather jacket is artfully distressed, but obviously far more stylish than his battered old one. He fingers the thick, soft hide, wondering idly what manner of beast it has come from. He nods at his reflection and flicks up his collar.

"Very sharp."

He chuckles and makes his way back down to the lobby.

Clothed, Shui checks the fit (perfect) and nods silently to herself.  A few moments with the mirror, and she's ready to leave her little paradise.  It has been far, far too long without a bath.

Out she goes, into the hall, down the elevator, emerging into the lobby in her customary quiet.  So far, only Tylen has completed his cleansing - apparantly, and not surprisingly, Shui has not been the only one to receive new clothing this day.  "Mr. Ogresh," she calls across the open space, heading his way.  A quick motion at his shirt, and an eyebrow rises.  "A daring departure from the norm."

Tylen smiles,

"I don't know how Jago knew, but I guess he's defined the 'New Look' for me. A case, I feel, of 'Less is More' if you know what I mean."

He looks down at his new elegance.

"I think the Jacket is a bit too posh though, I don't see it replacing the old one except on special occaisions."

"While ostentation has a purpose, it only really fits peacocks," Shui agrees, considering the scout's clothing.  "Subtle variety surpasses wild excess.  It certainly suits you."  While the old clothing fit Tylen like a glove, the new, creased look has a certain sharpness to it that brings out his features, rather than blending.  "It certainly fits well enough.  You should find an excuse to dress up in the future."  Reaching out, she settles both shoulders of his jacket with a small tug then, embarassed, draws her hands away.  "Apologies."

One finger taps at her lips as she considers.  "Perhaps at some point in the future we might see all of the crew in fancy dress.  Tuxedoes for the men, of course."  Further thought reminds her that such an occasion would no doubt be publicized.  With photos of the people involved.  "Or perhaps not," Shui finishes regretfully.

Time passes, and Saskia, Yas, and Conrad join their companions in the lobby.  Several newsfeeds, as well as a variety of periodicals, are available for download to a display screen set into the tabletops.  The crew take light refreshments, while studying the latest news.  Some of it is old news, to those who have travelled to other systems, but some of it is fresh.  Not surprisingly, the War is the major topic...

• Rhylanor/Rhylanor (0306-A434934-F) Date: 204-1107
  
  The Travellers' Aid Society has issued a travellers' advisory, declaring the entire Spinward Marches sector an amber zone until further notice.
  
  
• Rhylanor/Rhylanor (0306-A434934-F) Date: 210-1107
  
  The Travellers Aid Society announced today that, contrary to rumor, all representatives of the Regina branch of the Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society are safe.
  
  "All but a skeleton news-gathering staff has been withdrawn from the system as a safety measure," a society spokesperson said, "but we will continue full coverage of the war as it develops."
  
  
• Regina/Regina (0310-A788899-A) Date: 212-1107
  
  The office of the Duke announced that his Grace Norris, Duke of Regina, has been stricken with a variant form of pneumonic virus and has transferred the routine functions of state to a nominee pending his recovery. The brief statement by the Duke's seneschal was made during the regularly scheduled news conference, and no questions were permitted.
  
  Speculation that the Duke has been deposed by rival power factions within the Navy is reported unfounded.
  
  
• Regina/Regina (0310-A788899-A) Date: 214-1107
  
  Strong Zhodani advances on Louzy and Efate are reported to have been beaten back by Imperial forces late last month. Conflicting reports have prompted the Admiralty to institute a policy of monitoring news releases and rating their accuracy. The ratings for these reports was termed excellent.
  
  
• Vilis/Vilis (0309-A593943-A) Date: 235-1107
  
  Recent reports of Sword Worlds vessels entering the Vilis system were today denied by Xavier VanHaal, a spokesman for the Congress of Ministers.  In a brief press conference, he explained that a fault in a deep space listening post had been discovered to be the cause of recent alarms, and has now been rectified.

And one story, in particular, only received within the last hour or so, is more than a little familiar to Profit Margin's crew...

• Arkadia/Vilis (0407-E446845-6) Date: 236-1107
  
  After a protracted battle, a single Imperial Navy patrol vessel has engaged and defeated a detachment of Sword Worlds ships in the Arkadia system.  The Imperial ship, rumoured to be a Midu Agashaam class destroyer, is said to have suffered minimal casualties, and only minor damage in the battle.
  
  Further information is sparse, but it can be confirmed that a number of prisoners were taken after the battle.  Some of those prisoners are likely to be indicted for war crimes, based on information taken from the sensor logs of civilian traffic in the system during the fighting.
  
  Further news to follow, as it becomes available.

And it is while the crew are still reading that snippet of information, tha Jago appears, strolling into the hotel, with a large carryall slung over one shoulder, and his cigar still, apparently, surgically attached to one corner of his mouth...

“Good evening people, everybody here, that’s good.”

Jago places his bag carefully on the floor by the reception desk while he enquires about his room, and turns to the others while the clerk sorts it out.

“So, they didn’t conscript you back into the scouts then Tylen, that’s good.”
.

"Hey, welcome back.  You do realise I will have to deal with you for poking through my stuff to get this, right?" Yas says to Jago with a crooked grin as she tugs at the new outfit.

"So how's thing with you otherwise, apart from your impending doom that will see me a captain of Profit Margin shortly?" she inquires cheerfully.

"How's my baby?" Saskia blurts out, as soon as she spots Jago.  Then she winces, and tries again, "Hi Jago.  Thanks for the new 'suit, it's very nice.  How's my baby?  Those port techs aren't mistreating her, are they?"

"Captain Lanza."  Shui steps aside to allow Saskia full access to Jago.  "My thanks for your generous -" and knowledgeable "- gift."  A small bow, and she inserts her words in the few pauses between the engineer's urgent pry-attempts.  "Indeed, Mr. Ogresh avoided that fate without incident, though I suspect some were prepared to cover his retreat from the Scout headquarters with gunfire, should it prove necessary."

Yasmine, of course, is always prepared with a joke.  Sometimes she envies the marine her laid-back attitude.  The woman still needs to have medical work done on her, though, and Shui wonders if the ship's XO will follow up on the matter.

Jago favours Yasmin with a quick, put on smile, which turns into a real grin as Saskia dives in with her concern about the ship.

“The margin is fine,” he assures her, “excepting for the great big hole in the side. Those techies seem to know what they’re doing.”

“I’m afraid access to the ship will be rather limited for the moment, thus the new outfits. Also, where is it now,” Jago rummages around in his bag, ”ah, here, I bought this out for you Shui, in case it needs feeding or something.”

Jago offers Shui the small, cute looking bug that’s he’s been keeping in her stateroom.

So, how are the rooms? They looked pretty dammed neat in the brochure.
.

"None too shabby." Conrad replies, sipping an improbably multicoloured drink, then sitting back to watch as the layers merge with each other in a close approximation of a painted sunset, "Leastways, good 'nough that I can tolerate the squalor for a few days, Boss."

"They'd better know what they're doing." Profit Margin's engineer growls, like a crested jabberwock protecting its young, "Because I'll know if they've hurt her, you know.  She'll tell me just as soon as I'm back aboard."

She lowers her voice a little, as she notices a couple at a nearby table looking in her direction, "Dirtside techs can't be trusted.  If they were any good, they'd have honest jobs.  On a ship.  Until you've lived aboard a ship, you don't really know her, and until you know her, she'll never talk to you and tell you her problems."

A pause, while Saskia takes a deep breath.

"I'm babbling, aren't I?  I'll shut up now, shall I?"

Jago chuckles at Saskia, and Conrad, and the world in general, he seems to be in an especially cheerful, an generous mood at the moment.

“So, where’s the dinning room, shall we go in”, he says, picking out and approaching the fairy obvious door.
.

Shui bows, accepting their passenger from Jago.  "Thank you, Captain.  Kind of you to let him out for exploration, though I expect I should conceal him from restaurant staff."  She peers at the bug curiously, wondering.  Did Jago decide on his own to bring it out for air?  Or did it...assist his decision?

She pauses for an interested study of Conrad's drink, watching the colours blur.  "As Mr. Dietz notes, our rooms are more than sufficient."  The steward turns a small smile on Jago.  "Did we do that well this trip?"

Saskia, of course, is still perturbed by the idea of others working on her ship (indeed, her ship - its ownership interchanges in Shui's thoughts, depending on who is talking).  "Hardly babbling, Saskia."  She shakes her head.  "Concerned."  The doctor cups the bug in her hands, keeping it hidden.  "If you wish, when the meal is over we might drop by the Profit Margin to see?  Assuming, of course, Jago does not have further plans for us..."  She raises an eyebrow to the captain as the group moves into the dining room.

Jago can’t help a little grin when Shui asks if they did that well on the trip, but says noting as he leads through to the dinning room.

.

The crew move through to the dining room, where a waiter leads them to their table, and hands them menus.  The food looks to be simple fare, for the most part, though the description of each item does indicate that the ingredients have been brought in from nearly a dozen worlds, some of which, Conrad notes are up to five parsecs distant.

Groat features in many of the meals, which is hardly surprising, it is, after all, just about the most common herd animal in the Spinward part of the Imperium, and the meat can be prepared in so many ways.  Apart from that, though, there are other meats, and a wide variety of fruit and vegetables from assorted ecosystems.  Including almost fifty blends of tea, and almost a hundred types of coffee.

Some of the items are well known for being expensive or difficult to procure.

All in all, it seems that the halcyon prides itself on being able to cater for as many tastes in food as any hotel on Garda Vilis.

"Good idea.  I'll come along too and make sure they too haven't gotten into my stuff," Yas says to Sushi and Sassy, with a flash of a grin at Jago.

Once at the table she looks at the menu and grunts, "Not ever 500 variants of coffee.  Cheap place, this."

No reply from Jago.  Curious, though the smile hints at good news.  Perhaps their salvage operation proved more lucrative than they expected.  Or perhaps they have been paid up-front for something requiring a great deal of hazard pay.

Shui firmly shuts her pessimism into a mental closet and locks the door.

"A pity the coffee cannot be to your liking, Ms. Crow," she remarks after seating herself.  "Still, you have more coffee choices than tea, which might assist..."  Trailing off, she studies the tea list.  "...in your enjoyment," the steward picks up after a moment's throught.  "I am certain that should you search hard enough, you can find something that might mimick the coffee I strain from our machine."

"I'm not really sure I want to go back before it's finished." Saskia says with a quick shake of her head, "If I see her, and she's in a frelling mess, it'll just make me want to shoot the techs until I run out of bullets.  Then finish the rest off with a stem bolt adjuster."

She shrugs, and gives a strained looking grin.  "Probably best if that doesn't happen, don't you think?  Then she decides to distract herself with the menu.

After a little intense scanning of text, she comments, "Oh, look, they have fried groat with yarmoc sauce and steamed tessapates.  Think I'll have that."

Food is ordered, and the waiters prove most helpful and efficient, combined with a certain degree of cheerfulness.

The meals themselves are tasty, and prepared exactly to everybody's specifications regarding exactly how intensely they would like various items cooked, ranging from "just show it where the oven is, then slap it on the plate." to "burn it until somebody calls out the fire department".  And, judging by the time it takes each course to arrive, the food is being prepared by traditional means, rather than by use of microwaves.  Whether this has any actual effect on the flavour is unclear, but there are one or two people at the table who insist that they can taste the difference.

The starters are delicious.  The main courses are delicious.  The desserts are, perhaps unsurprisingly, delicious...  The various beverages turn out to be superb (and delicious).

For most of the meal, the conversation (when it is not about how delicious the food is) revolves around the crew's adventures out in the wilderness areas of Garda Vilis - the encounter with the Aslan and their would-be assassins, and the IISS science team at their remote outpost, devoting their time to studying a seemingly insignificant variance in the sun's output.

All very entertaining, and the source of more than a few humourous remarks.

But by the time the coffee arrives, it is becoming clear that Jago has something he wants to say to everybody...

Jago leans back in his chair and lets the fragrant smoke of a fat Havana drift up to the ceiling as he sips a steaming hot, black, Java, from a large, white cup. Actually the products are only reasonable substitutes and never having tasted the originals, Jago has no idea how faithful they are to the real thing, but they compare very favourably with the many and varied substitutes he’d had on previous occasions and they round a good meal off very well.

“This coffee is nearly as good as yours Shui.”

“While we’re laid up, I’ve taken the opportunity to have the lounges and passenger state rooms decorated. The guys can do your state rooms, but if you want anything other than the standard colour schemes, you’ll have to use your own money.”

“Oh yes, that reminds me,” Jago produces envelopes from the inside of his jacket and checks the hand written name on each before handing them out. “We did quite well on that salvage operation, but we had to split half of it with the ‘Ore Hound’. It’s not as much as you deserve but it’s your proper entitlement and hopefully it will make your stay here a little sweeter.

OOC, If you open the envelope now you will find

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Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
A bankers draught, made out to you, for 150,000cr.

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