After their daring escape from Torrance Station the crew of Destiny was left broken and beaten ... and one crew member short.  The mourning had just begun for the crew but they had to press on.  They dropped the young boy which Kale, Geoff, and Wei-Li had saved off with his father and then turned to Paquin for Ren's funeral.  It was a short trip that left all of them with heavy hearts but Ren's death had effected no one as hard as Acacia.  So two weeks later found the crew of Destiny on Osiris saying goodbye to their doctor.

And although he was millions of miles away, as Destiny and her crew suffered ... so did Rhaef ...

Kale set the last of Acacia's trunks down on the sidewalk with a loud thump and a wince, hoping that nothing inside was breakable.  He was still just barely getting the use of his left arm back and that was minimal at best and he kept overestimating how much he could do.  He looked up sheepishly, expecting one of Acacia's disapproving looks and a light scolding but knowing with a cold certainty that it most likely wasn't forthcoming.  Acacia hadn't been the same since ... well since the raid ...

The traffic rushing by the crowded Osiris street actually created a breeze all of its own that caused Kale's brown duster to flap in the wind, it was mid-November now and that meant fall on this side of Osiris.  He looked up at Acacia, and his lips pressed together as he swallowed hard ... the whole family was falling to pieces.  Kale wasn't sure he could bear to loose one more, "We're ... we're all gonna miss ya somethin' fierce, ya know." he said, his hand coming up to rub his neck, like he always did when he was uncomfortable.  He was having a hard time meeting the woman's gaze.

Connor stood silently beside Kale. It was cold, the wind was blowing. Connor's navy blue trenchcoat kicked around in the wind behind him. Connor looked at the man, and then at Acacia. He hadn't known her for very long, even since before the raid...but he felt he had some sort of duty to see Acacia off, being that he was the last man to be around Ren before...yeah. Connor felt the bulky bandaging of his ribs from underneath his shirt, the bruises were still there, though healing. His leg was fine, thank God, just a slight sprain and some major bruising. He'd been pretty banged up. Hell, they all had been pretty banged up. Connor looked back to Acacia. Or rather, the woman who had formerly been Acacia. She no longer wore the infectious smile that she'd always wore before, at least, that Connor had noticed. And now, now Ren was gone and she felt empty, or so Connor assumed. He hadn't known either very well, but he could say that Ren had saved his life...and died as bravely as any man Connor had ever known or heard of. And so he was here, in the cold Orisis wind and traffic, bidding fair well to the former doctor of Destiny. Connor reached for the chain around his neck, pulling it off, and offering it to Acacia. It was a crucifix, small and not at all cumbersome. Connor wasn't sure he was offering it as an apology, for comfort, or anything else...it merely seemed like the right thing to do. He said not a word. He felt like he didn't have to.

"I'm gonna miss all of you, too."  She nodded as she spoke, looking back around the streets of Osiris.  They hadn't been here too long ago, but things still seemed different.  Maybe they were just different for her, who knew.  "I just...I lost what I had, and I can't remember why I was out there anymore.  I mean, I had my reasons, but then...he was my reason.  And without him, I just...I just can't do it anymore."  She looked back over at him, squinting lightly as she looked into the sun, reaching up and taking one of his hands and squeezing it.  "You already have your destiny, Kale.  I thought I had mine...but now I have to go and find it."

She stepped up on the tips of her toes, giving him a kiss on the cheek.  "You're a good captain, Kale.  Everything that's happened has happened because everyone on your ship respects you or believes in you.  If you just let that be your guiding light, you'll get where you need to go."  She gave him a last look, and then a nod.  She looked back at Connor, taking the necklace from him.  "Thank you..."

Wei-Li shivered against the wind.  She hung back as Kale and Connor said good-bye to Acacia.  She sighed and shook her head.  She was fairly certain the Doctor had saved everyone on that ship at least once, herself included.

Finally she stepped forward a small wrapped box in her hands.  Inside was a simple hipscarf with coins attached through intricate crochet borders.  It was designed for dance, a small representation of a woman's dowry.

Acacia was dear to all of them.  Going home had been hard, even with forged papers.  It broke her heart to see anyone like this, but Acacia.

Wei-Li stopped.  The thoughts were only making her cry again.  She gave Acacia the box and stepped back, unsure what to say.  They were both so different than they were when they first met.

Kale squeezed Acacia's hand back as he listened, his face set hard as he tried not to cry.  Ren's death was still so fresh in everyone's minds.  He knew it still hurt him to think of it - he couldn't imagine what this was like for the tiny woman before him.  He understood her choice, he didn't like it, he was tired of losing people ... first Rhaef, then Ren, now Acacia ... but he understood.

Acacia leaned up to kiss him on the cheek and Kale smiled and the shook his head as she continued speaking.  He didn't feel like such a good captian these days.  Seemed the only thing he was capable of was losing folk and yelling at people and making a huge mess out of everything.  He and Ren ... they had never really made up after all the bickering they'd done the month before Torrance Station.  Kale knew he had been awful, and now ... now he hoped Ren knew.  He hoped he knew that Kale had always counted him as one of the family.  Kale didn't actually have  family of his own anymore - so Destiny.  Destiny was his family.

He looked back at Acacia as she finished speaking and couldn't stop himself from pulling her into a hug, "Ya be careful, ya hear?  An' - an' good luck ..." Kale felt like he should be saying more but he was a afraid if he did he'd lose his composure and this just didn't seem like the place to be doing that.

Connor nodded to Acacia as she took the necklace from him.

"Good luck..." He looked around slowly. Both Wei-Li and Kale seemed shaken up by this, but then, Connor supposed that would be the case, the two of them had traveled with Acacia and Ren for a lot longer than he had. Connor was sure to stand in silence after he wished Acacia good luck.

Kyoko sipped the black tea as she mulled her options. She had upload a massive file to the chapter house. She didn't care what they thought of it. The companion was still mulling over the course of her future. She watched a dear freind die, and wasn't able to help him. She watched another nearly die with sadness at that death. She knew she could do a lot to avenge Ren if she went back to the Core and stepped up to a more political position. Companions weilded a lot of discrete clout. This time the reaver threat could be addressed, with time and the right ears spoken to.

Still, she wasn't sure if that was her karma. She felt.. tied to Destiny still. It was home in a very powerful way.

All she had to do was keep her family together
This message was last edited by the player at 03:21, Wed 06 Dec 2006.

Acacia took Wei-Li's gift, bowing lightly to her and looking back over the group.  Wei-Li, Connor, Kale...they'd all come to see her off.  They were more family than she'd anticipated, but she still had her other family, and they needed attention too.  "I'll miss all of you, of course.  Look me up if you're on this side of the galaxy...maybe it can be on better terms than me removing bullets and harpoons."  She managed a light smile at the corner of her mouth, a hint at the old Acacia.

"Now go, before I keep you help up too long."  She stepped over to the edge of the intersection they stood at, a ride to the hospital slowly coming to a draw alongside them.  "I'll see you again, don't worry.  I'll miss you all..."

Kale helped Acacia load her trunk into the transport, gave her once last squeeze on the shoulder and then watched as she boarded.  He didn't leave until the transport had disappeared down the street.  Then he turned to the others who had come with him with a solemn face - he was gonna miss that girl - and said, "Alrigh', let's go home."

Wei-Li turned before Acacia's cab had disappeared into the day.  It was bad luck, and an admission that she would never see Acacia again.  She'd spend enough time under the woman's care to know how much she was hurting, but there was nothing Wei-Li could do for Acacia.

As she walked, she moved closer to Kale.  There was something she could say, maybe that would cheer Kale up a little.  She knew it would make her feel better.

Connor nodded to Kale and walked slowly, Destiny was still home to the rest of them, and Connor was supposing that it was time to go fix the gaping holes that had been left behind...

Kale took the lead but was shortly met by Wei-Li at his side, Connor taking up the rear.  He glanced over at the young woman.  She had been rather quiet since the raid - everyone was dealing with it in their own way.  For Kale the raid had finally put things back in perspective.  After a month of misspent anger, snapping at his crew, living in perpetual guilt at losing Rhaef he had finally realized what was really important.  He had finally come to terms with the fact that he had been a complete hun dun and was ready to move on.  To appreciate what he had, Destiny, his crew.

But for the others - well they had more.  Take Wei-Li - she had a whole other family out there.  The trip back to Paquin had been especially trying on the girl and had required a lot of hoop jumping.  Kale was actually more then a little surprised that she had come back with them to drop Acacia off.  He'd been expecting her to stay on the planet.  Especially in light of Geoff's condition at the time.  Kale was no fool, he had known for some time of the budding romance between the two.  A romance that had seemed to all but die out during the past week or so of Geoff's decline into drunkeness.  And yet here she was.

"How ya holdin' up?" he asked her gently as they walked.

Wei-Li had thought a lot about what she wanted to say.  She wanted to make sure her reasoning was sound and that she was making the right decion.  She sighed and shrugged.

"All right I guess, she answered, stalling to think things out.  "Is it wrong that after everything we've been through I just want to... "

'Want to what?" she thought to herself.

She sighed.  "I just don't know if this is the right time to bring it up..."

Kale raised a questioning brow as he looked down at Wei-Li, "You got somethin' ta say, I'd just get right out there with it an' say it." Kale said.

Wei-Li nodded, and then nodded again, this time to hersel.  He was right.  "You'd asked me if I wanted to stay and being back home... made me realize that I'm just not cut out for...."

She sighed and shook her head, she was screwing it up so baddly. She stopped and turned to him.  "Yes, I want... more than anything... to be crew."

Kale watched Wei-Li intently as she began speaking, stumbling over what she wanted to say - the final result however brought a smile to his face.  He reached a hand out and squeezed her shoulder, "Well, then welcome aboard." he said.  And it was nice to smile, it was nice to feel glad for something after so much pain, "I'm glad ya decided to stick around, our 'lil families lookin' mighty thin these days."

Connor wore a smile as he followed somewhat behind the two of them. This wasn't any of his business, and he was more than happy to just keep walking, looking around at the city and other people as they passed by, occasionally glancing back to kale to make sure he didn't get lost. Connor was looking for any familiar faces...or rather, any interesting thing in general...

Wei-Li's smile broadened when Kale gave her shoulder a squeeze.  "Thank you," she said with a hint of mischief in her eyes.

"The only thing is..." She paused, it was more humorous to her than a problem, but for Kale it might be problamatic.

"I don't know what I'd do... I mean.. I'm not a mechanic, or a gun hand... or... anything useful..."  She shrugged.

Kale had to laugh, "Wei-Li, if there's one thing yer not, its useless.  Ya don' got ta fly a ship or fix 'o engine ta be of use - an' I'm thinkin' ya've already proved that more'n a few times." he said.

Wei-li shrugged sheepishly.  She'd gotten shot her first time on the ship, making the Doc work far too hard to save her.  Then again, she'd managed to not get shot on the station.

She gave him a wry smile.  "I was hoping you'd think that," she said, her smile broadening.

Kale smiled back as Wei-Li and crossed the busy intersection to the docks.  As it was on most planets the docks were a bustle of activity, although the type of activity was notably different on a planet like Osiris compared to somewheres out on the rim.  And a lot more guards, that was for sure.  Kale was actually more then a little nervous about being back on this planet, but his papers had all cleared through this time, and they'd been extra careful to keep Lei inside the ship at all times and away from where anyone might see her.  They didn't need any repeats of their last trip.

He spotted his ship and made way for the open doors.  Charlie and Geoff and Lei had hung back to watch over the old bird so Kale trusted that everything was alright.

[To Destiny: Cargo Bay]

Connor shoved his hands in his pockets. The city was full of a variety of people...but nothing of particular interest to him, other than the general hustle and bustle. He followed Kale and stayed close, wondering if anything had happened on the ship.

(To Destiny: Cargo Bay)

Wei-Li paused at the edge of the ramp, looking out at the city.  It looked different this time.  She wasn't running away from anybody, or getting kicked.  It felt good.

'Crew,' she thought.  It had taken her a while, and being back home to realize that she'd found where she belonged.  Almost.

Ever since they'd left Torrance station Geoff had been... Drunk.  He didn't want to talk, he didn't want to be with her.  All he wanted was to be drunk.

With a sigh, she headed in.  There was probably something she could do inside.

---> TO Destiny Cargo bay

Kyoko looked down at her tablet as a message came in. The chapter house had received her update. Decision Pending. She sighed, as she closed the small tablet. She was suprised to see that some in the house would be more interested in her biographic updates than information on the Reavers.

"Speaking of which, I do believe someone owes me a few for this world." she mutters as she taps out another message to one of her contacts before reclosing the tablet and getting up to head back to Destiny. Time would tell if she left or not, but for the moment she had to the end of the month before rent was an issue.