Kale looked up somewhat distractedly when Charlie spoke.  He was mentally figuring out how much fuel they had and what prepares needed to be done and what re-stocking was neccessary and how much that would all cost ... and how much he was hoping to get for this next job - if it turned out to be worth their while.  He shook his head though, pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind and focusing on Charlie.

"I don' mind, yer a big girl.  'Course you best be careful - it's dark out and these streets may seem all kinds of pleasin' but best remember that's mainly to distract ya from the not so pleasin' aspects."

   Lei didn't bother with her usual cautious tasting of the food this time. She just started eating normally. It was easy to tell that she had something on her mind. She finished her Mini-za fairly quickly, and went back to her contemplation. She'd have to do something about it all one day, but for now she didn't know what. For now she'd stay on the Destiny and see where it took her next.

"Well, I'm supposin' a gentleman would walk me to th'boat."  She smirks at the captain, lifting the mug to drink the rest of the ale, and then setting it down.  "I suppose I'll just be goin' by my lonesome, though..."

Geoff grinned lightly to the captain at Charlie's words and shook his head lightly. "Well, there ya go, Cap'n. Time fer ya to be a gentlemen, or at least ta do a reasonable impersonation o' one, and walk her ta the ship. 'Sides, ya stay here any longer and yer likely ta get robbed again. Most likely by me when I make ya buy another round...", he remarked lightly as he finished off his drink.

Kale grinned at his crew, "Never professed ta bein' a gentleman, but I suppose I'm all done here, actually -" Kale paused took picked up his glass and drained it, "Now, I'm all done here."  He stood up, pulled Charlie's chair back from the table slightly and did a terrible replica of a bow, holding out his hand to her, "And now Lady Charlie - or uh, Charlene is it?  Care for an escort back ta the boat?"

Charlie smirked at the Captain's comments, looking over at Geoff.  "See, now, look what you started.  We can't do unrespectable business if he's gonna go and get himself a suit, can we?"  She took his hand and stood up, doing a mock bow in return, smiling back at the captain.  "Sure thing, Cap'n...or Kale, if we're bein' all respectable and such.  I'm not askin' for trim'n proper, otherwise we'd be havin' Kyoko at a place like this.  I just...need t'talk about somethin', y'know?"

I will go along, although I'm not volunteering as an escort.  Especially since I won't be of any help for this.   Acacia folded her hand on the table.  Her head was swimming a bit, from the alcohol. So then who is escorting the two of us back

"Believe yer supposed to be doin' the curtseyin'" Kale corrected Charlie as she bowed back to him, with a huge grin on his face, then started laughing. "An' that's enough of that. Let's get outta here." he started heading for the door and then turned back, "You make sure you get those two back alright." he said to Geoff and then walked outside.

--------Caravan City Docks------------->

Geoff simply laughed lightly and shrugged at Charlie's words as he opened up one of the bottles of liqour he had been thinking about saving and took a drink. He'd probably head to the ship soon enough too, but he wanted to soak in the atmosphere a bit more before he left. Geoff could never tell when or if it would be his last chance to take in some sighs, after all. Especially in the sort of business he's in. "Sure enough, Cap'n. Y'all have a nice walk. I'll be stayin' fer a bit."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:53, Sun 15 Jan 2006.

"Apparently, the Captain, in the company of two women.  Scandalous, isn't it?  Unless you're goin' back with Geoff...it's all your choosin, I'm sure."  Charlie smiled as she spoke to Acacia, turning back around to follow Kale out of the establishment.

-------->Caravan City Docks

   Lei just shrugged in response. Trying to put everything from her mind, she looks around at the crowd, and then up to the stage again. Maybe there would be something else happen up there soon.
   "I'll stay."

No, no, I mean I'll follow.   Acacia quickly follows after Charlie and Kale

[to the caravan city docks]

Geoff looked to the now mostly empty table and laughed lightly to himself. "Jeez, do I know how to clear a place or don't I, little lady? I'd almost be insulted if I weren't so happy ta be outta the ship for a bit.", he said to Lei with a grin and a light pat on her shoulder, "Least you stayed ta keep me company a bit. Nice of ya. Though ya ain't never been much fer the talkin'. I respect that, though."

   Lei nods at Geoff, but keeps watching the stage. When nothing appeared to be going on up there, she started watching the crowd. Maybe she's see another pickpocket, or something like that. It looked like that was something worth learning to keep an eye out for... Especially after seeing the captain lose out the way he did earlier.

After about 15 minutes the lights dimmed slightly and Wei-Li and another of the acrobats moved to the stage again.  This time they kept their trays with them.

As they reached the stage two men came forward, lighting the oil lamps that were on their trays.

The music started up, this time with a percussive beat.

They moved, mirror images of each other.  As they danced, they spun the trays around them low and then high, always swirling.

Slowly they dropped to their knees and set the trays behind them.  Then, in time to the music, they picked up the lamps, one in each hand and began moving them around in loops, with the lamp always balanced in the palm of their hands.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:01, Sun 15 Jan 2006.

   Lei's attention went back to the stage. She turned around and knelt on her chair, resting her arms and head on the back of it. She watched the performance on stage, following the movement of the acrobats, and tracing the patterns that the lamps made with her eyes. Smiling slightly, she started trying to guess which way the acrobats would move before they did.

Geoff looked to the stage as a new bit of distraction seemed to start up. "Well, ruttin' hell. One thing I can say fer this place, ain't ever borin'.", he remarked lightly as he watched the spectacle on the stage, "Ain't never borin'...and prety easy on the eyes."

As the two women danced, the tempo increased until the fire seemed to surround them.  They moved, completely lost in the dance as they began intertwining.  As the music reached a crescendo, they finished so that one was behind the other, one raising their flame as the other lowered theirs.

Then, on the final beat, the woman in front performed a split as the other woman lifted her lantern high.

They bowed and then blew out their candles.  The room was dark for a moment, but when the lights came back on—the two women had vanished off stage.

Geoof smiled widely and clapped a bit as the women bowed and found himself pretty impressed with their dissapearing trick. He figured there was some sort of trick to it, a trap door in the stage or something such as that, but it was still a neat trick. He then sighed lightly nand took one last pull from the bottle he had opened before placing the empty on the table and looking to Lei. "Well, that's enough o' the outside fer me today. We should probably be headin' back to the boat anyway. Come on, Little Lady.", he said as he stood up, grabbing the two bottles that were still closed, and then looked to Lei to wait for her to walk in front of him so he could keep an eye on her.

   Lei was getting good at predicting the performers movements. Their dance was following a pattern, and she thought that she'd figured out what the pattern was. The trails of fire were starting to draw circles in the air, and where the fire twirled helped to dictate where the dancer would have to go next. And then the tempo increased, and the movements were slaved even more to the music and the dancer's previous movements. And then it finished.
   It was too dark for Lei to see when they disappeared from the stage. Maybe Geoff saw, he was slightly higher up than Lei. Geoff, where'd they go?
   Looking up to see Geoff wanting to leave, she clibed to her feet. "Okay."

Geoff grinned lightly to Lei and placed a hand on her shoulder to guide her out of the bar. "Well, ya see, it's a trick. A bit of a slieght o' hand on such. Hard ta say how they did it really, but it's really all 'bout the distraction. Fer that little bit o' time that the lights went out, our attention couldn't be on them so they slipped away, probably through a trap door or somethin' in the stage. Ain't that mysterious or anythin'. Just all about bein' able ta fake 'em out. Any good hustler can do it.", he remarked in answer to her question about the women's dissapearance. He had considered just saying that it had been magic and leave it at that, but Geoff had never believed in magic as a child, having been on the other end of the sleight of hand or "magic" tricks too many times to believe in them, so he didn't think too much of telling Lei the truth as he saw it. He shrugged lightly as he gently guiided her by the shoulder towards the exit and outside, heading for the docks.

-------->Caravan City Docks

   Lei let herself be guided towards the ship. Distracting people so you could slip away. Sounded like a usesful trick.
   Lei let out a big yawn as they walked along. It was starting to get late.

   ((To: Caravan City Docks ))

Dressing room

Wei-Li breathed a sigh of relief as she put her feet up on the dressing table.    Tonight had been one of the most enjoyable shift’s she’d had at the Blind Man’s Eye in a long while.

It made leaving that much harder.  She told herself it was only for a week, maybe less—but it was a week away from the game, and the show… and that might mean someone topping her score.

‘Ah well,’ she thought business is business, and it looked like she had lucked into a ship.  At least she’d liked what she’d seen with the fact that the captain was treating his crew.  That was a good sign, but one that also worried her.    Concern for the crew was a good thing—but getting them to take the job would be better.

She looked at the clock and started getting dressed.   Tights and leotard were not the best dress for the docks—not unless she planned on turning down lots of offers.

She cleaned up her table and clocked out.  Timer for another job.

---To Caravan City Docks

Kale steered the mule down the dusty roads of Caravan City, keeping an eye out for places that would have the things they needed.  The city was crowded as usual, people preforming ... or stealing.  Both were equally common.

After a good hour or so the three of them had everything loaded on the mule and were ready to head back.  Just one more stop.  Kale ran inside the Blind Man's Eye and left a note at the bar for Wei-Li, to come meet them tonight.  Tomorrow morning, they'd be gone.

Kale drove the mule back inside the ship and the three of them began unloading the stuff.

----------Cargo Bay-------->

After getting their ship back the crew of Destiny began to pick up the pieces that Kyron had shattered.  Against most of the crews wishes Kyron was kept alive - although no official plans had yet been made for what to do with him when it became apparent that Wei-Li was falling into critical condition. Destiny needed medical help and fast.  They made way for the nearest planet at the time - Orisis.