Beautiful buildings line the streets of the downtown sector, however most people tend to stay well above ground level as the underground in Capitol City is mostly black out zones.
This message was last updated by the GM at 06:58, Sat 22 Apr 2006.

Kyoko stepped out of the shuttle, and walked up to the penthouse complex door. Pausing by it she places her hand on the door seal, a light flashes to her eye and the palm reader humms. A loud click is heard as the door opens. She smiles to Lei as she walks in, several small servitor drone are flashing about, uncovering the furniture and flashing off to store them.

Everywhere household systems power up, as she walks in. Every surface and fixture clearly top of the line and subdued in the way only a lot of money could buy. A small fountain starts bubbling as she settles on a nearby couch.

"Lei, you can pick any of the rooms on the next floor up, and all you have to do to access your lessons is to log on with your name on any tablet in the penthouse. Is there any particular food you'd like?"

   ((Following Kyoko from: Kyoko's shuttle.))
   Lei caught up to Kyoko just after she'd opened up the apartment, the strange beeping on the shuttle having delayed her slightly. She barely took any notice of what the companion said as they went inside, she had to hurry while she could still remember. She glanced around desparately.
   Seeing something that might help, Lei quickly stepped over to some shelves against one wall and snatched a data tablet off of it. Frowning slightly, trying to remember it correctly, she turned the tablet on and started writing out a sequence of short and long dashes on the touchscreen. Once she was finished, she stood there and stared at the screen for a few seconds before looking up at Kyoko and holding the tablet out to her.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-.. . ... - .. -. -.--     -.-. -. .--. - ..- .-. . -..
-.-. .-. . .--     .- .-. .-. . ... - . -..
.-- . ..     .- -. -..     ..     .-     .... --- ... .--. .. - .- .-..
.-. . -- .- .. -.     .- -.. ...- .. ... . -..
.-. .... .- . ..-.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   "What's this mean?" she asked.

"Where did you hear this?" Kyoko asks as she takes the tablet from her hands, highlighting the code and pulling up a conversion routine from her study folder. Frowning as she sees the text shift from morse to english.

"It means, that Captain Galway, and his crew will be needing some more of my families aid." Kyoko says as she hands the tablet back, a muttered word or two underbreath. "Feel free to order us something, I'll be in the study Lei, I've got to make some phone calls. To see what I can do to get our friends out of hock."

Kyoko walks to the terminal on the entryway wall and presses a button to summon Mr. Alec Quinlin, the financial manager of the Monroe fortune and a dear family friend.  He appears on the screen.



"Ah, Lady Monroe!" he smiles, "What a pleasant surprise, I had no idea that you were around these parts.  Pleasure or business?"

   "The shuttle."
   Lei watched the companion rush out of the room. The crew were in trouble? She wondered what she could do about it.
   Lei started to search the room for another tablet. As she passed the fountain, she knelt down in front of it and used her hands to cup some water to her mouth. She continued her search and eventually found another tablet. She sat on the couch with it, back to the armrest and bare feet drawn up, and loaded up the tutorial program. She couldn't stop thinking about Geoff and the rest of the crew bieng in trouble, but not knowing what she could do about it, she kept on with her studies.

"Please, I do not stand on formality, I came to Osiris on board the Destiny, if you check your logs it was the same ship that I was born on. I think that it was the Daystar at that time. The crew has been arrested, wrongly I suspect and the ship impounded. I was wondering if you could look into that and find out what is going on and if it was possible to discretely extract them from the fix they are in." Kyoko asks as she pulls up the security footage to see Lei move back and forth, sighing as she sees her drink from the fountain. The dear child was clearly unused to even the basic kindnesses, she tapped a command to the house network and dispatched a servitor drone with a pitcher of water and a glass for her. She was studying, so she added an order for a few sandwiches as well in an hour or so.

Turning back to the display she smiles. "I'm at the family suite downtown, call me if you find anything."

"How terribly unfortunate." Alec said.  "I will look into it right away.  I'll call you back with what information I can find within the hour.  Everything else is in order Kyoko?" he asked.

"Pretty much, nothing I want to discuss over a public terminal. Why don't you stop by later?" Kyoko says, thinking of her need to give Lei a public identity.

"I would love to Lady Monroe, I'll call you soon, dear." with that his image reached up pushed a button and the connection was terminated, leaving a black screen.

"See you then." Kyoko says as she leans back in her leather seat and activates a holo generator. She sighes as she watches a man and woman dance in the column of light.

OOC:Her mom and dad.

   Lei had been studying the tutorial on shuttle controls for a while, and was starting to get bored with it. The majority of the controls it taught her about seemed relatively straightfowards, and Lei was starting to get confused as to why people would need them explained in such simple terms.
   She closed down the tute, and started to look at what else the tablet could do. The basic menu contained all manner of items, from the apartment's enviromental controls, to shopping, to news services.
   Can it tell me about Geoff? I want to know what happened to him... "News. Geoff Wolfe. Search."
   * No matches found. *
   Frowning slightly, she tried again. "News. Starships. Destiny. Search."

..: Capitol city news network :..
   NEW: The captain and crew of the freighter "Destiny" were arrested today. The Destiny requested medical aid as soon as it came in system, but was redirected to a secure facility when a routine check showed that it's registration matched a freighter, the "Sparkler" belonging to business tycoon Brently Caddigan, that was stolen several years ago. Alliance forces siezed the vessel upon landing, impounding it and taking all occupants into custody. Three people were immediately transferred to a secure medical facility, while the rest of the vessel's occupants were transferred to a the Alliance Detention centre, pending an official investigation.
   Alliance Security Forces are yet to release any further information regarding the case, or the cause of the injuries to three of the vessel's occupants.

   This was bad. Everyone was stuck in some detention centre somewhere, and the Destiny was grounded. Her only friends were in trouble. Geoff was in trouble.
   Lei wanted to get them all out.
   She needed to know more about the situation before she could start planning.
   Lei saved the news file, then started to see what else she could find out from the tablet. She knew everything was happening in Capital City, and didn't need to look at anything away from there yet. Opening up a search, she started to look for information on the detention centre that everyone was taken to. It was always best to look at a battlefield before you had to enter it...

Kyoko sighs as she gets up from her spot behind the desk, walking out into the public area where Lei was. "How are you doing Lei?" she asks as the drone bearing a pair of sandwiches and a pitcher of ice water putters in. "I have a family.. associate looking into the others. Hopefully, he'll have something for me to work with in an hour or so."

   "I can't find what I want..." Lei didn't even look up from her search through the publicly available information on the detention centre. All she had found so far was a shot of the building's outside, hardly enough to plan a prison break with. What she really wanted was a floorplan...
   As Kyoko continued talking, Lei looked up. "You have a plan to get them out?"

"Oh I think I have my ways." Kyoko smiles as she takes the tablet and sets it down. "It involves having connections I don't want to be known by the others. I am.. well, quite well connected. Now, you need to eat and take some time away. Stress won't help our situations.

   Lei paused, stopping what she was doing. She looked around at Kyoko, and then reached out to grab a sandwich from the drone floating nearby. If Kyoko had some way of getting the others out, she wanted to know about it. There was no point in Lei making plans if there was another easier way to do things. She wanted to know about this other way so she could judge how likely it was to work.
   "Tell me."
   She went to take a big bite from the sandwich, pausing at the last minute, realising that what she'd asked sounded too much like a demand.
   "Please?"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:00, Thu 09 Feb 2006.

Just then the communications terminal lit up and rang with an incoming call.

"Smaller bites, no one will be taking it from you." Kyoko says with a smile as she takes her own sandwich, stopping in route to sit by the terminal and activatie it as it rings. "Hello? She says calmly as she looks to see who it is.

Alec's face appeared on the screen.  "Lady Monroe, I'm downstairs waiting in the shuttle, I'd come up for a spot of tea but I'm afriad we may want to act swiftly.  If the officials begin a full blown investigation we may have trouble getting your friends release - even with our obvious methods of persuasion." he said in a curt but not unfriendly matter.  He had looked into the arrest of Captain Kale Galway and his crew, they were being held in Detention Block C in the judicial sector pending investigation.  If they could get their hands in now they might be able to get a them out on a parole.  No doubt leaving Orisis would be out of the question until the investigation were complete but at least they would not be spending their nights planetside in jail.

"I'll be down shortly, put in a call to the prosecutor's office, we'll need to secure some sort of parole or bond. I see according to the news feeds the Destiny is reported stolen, find out who the so called 'real' owner is. I doubt he is anything of the kind, but I am more curious as to whom might have done such a quick change of record, given I researched the Destiny quite well before I signed on." Kyoko says as she gets up and hands off the remains of her lunch to the drone. "Lei, I think it best that you either stay here, or remain in the shuttle we'll be taking. I offer the second choice since I know you can be quite resolute in your actions from time to time."

Alec listened attentively, then nodded.  "I have a call into the Procescutor's Office and am waiting to hear back.  I will have our people begin searching the ownership records immediately."

"Push comes to shove, secure a hold or lien on it ourselves. After all, the company was a prior owner." Kyoko says as she hurriedly rushes to her rooms to change, keeping the connection open so she can speak while she hurriedly changes into a more formal, and restrict, set of robes, pulling up and pinning her hair back into a well arranged bundle and setting it in place wiht a pair of chopsticks.

Alec thought about what was said and nodded.  He continued to listen as he made another request through his terminal.

"The request has been issued," he said in a straight professional tone.

   Lei listened as Kyoko and her agent planned things to get the rest out of the lockup. She didn't understand much of the legal speak that was bieng passed between them, but she gleaned enough to know that they didn't have too much of a plan yet, either, and weren't too sure of success. Best to keep on with her own planning, just in case.
   "I'll stay."
   She took another big bite from the sandwich, and went back to trying to find information about where the crew were imprisoned.

"Fair enough, but you have to promise to STAY in the penthouse. On a fringe world, you could walk out and about with out much worry from the authorities.. till we get your ID situation straight, however I don't want you wandering Osiris without someone around." Kyoko asks as she steps out, looking more like a business woman than a companion.

   Lei nodded without taking her eyes from the screen. She was too busy to go exploring anyway, so she didn't mind bieng stuck in the one place for a while. She continued trying to find more information on where everyone was stuck.

Kyoko nods and sends the terminal a number where she can be reached and discretely tells the house systems to not let Lei out. Though she suspects that the girl would eventually find a way out. With that done she, she turns and heads down to meet Alec.

As she exits the lift she smiles pleasently to Alec as she lets him put her in the car. "So, Alec, what sort of person should I be? Spoiled Heiress, outraged lady, any suggestions?"

<darkblue>"I'm thinking we're going to need you to be cool and confident.  These Alliance officials are not the most pleasant people to deal with, but they do obey orders and they understand power.  You let them know you have it - we should be able to get your friends out."<darkblue> Alec said, then leaned forward and told his driver to take them to Dentention Block C.

----Orisis - Dentention Cell---->

"Fair enoungh, I can do Cool and Confident. I assume most likely we'll have to deal with someone of most likely captain or major rank? Fairly senior but not high enuogh not to worry about politics killing his chances yet? Yes, I think that won't be hard to do." Kyoko settles back and smiles, definitely time to let Alec take the lead till it's time to play the 'heavy'.

----Orisis - Dentention Cell---->
This message was last edited by the player at 06:13, Sat 11 Feb 2006.

Norton Hubert looked up at the tall building eyeing it speculatively.  This was the place.  The recent detainment of Dingo Class Freighter 1-1169er123-D had reported that Shuttle 1 had detached during docking procedures and flown to this address.  The shuttle was apparently rented out to one Lady Kyoko Monroe and Norton could feel his palms getting sweaty thinking about having to question the young and very powerful lady.  He motioned to his squad to move out.  Orders were orders.

The group of five men made their way to the top floor, their security clearance sufficient to cause them no hinderance.  Norton held out a hand as one of the younger members of his squad made as though he were going to break down the door.

"Be civil, this is a Lady of high importance.  No need for violence we are merely here to question her."  He knocked firmly on the door and waited.

   Lei looked up at the knock on the door. Not wanting to open it without seeing who was on the other side, she opened up the security menu on the tablet she was using. She started quickly looking at the apartment's security system.
   The front door registered as locked, and even better, there was a camera set up to look straight at anyone outside. Lei quickly pulled up the live feed, and stared at the picture. There were five people dressed in a too neat uniform waiting on the other side.
   Lei didn't like uniforms.
   She didn't know how long they'd wait without anyone answering, or if they had the code to open the door. Lei started looking for a way out of the apartment just in case. She tapped into the building's cortex, and pulled up a floormap of it, searching the level that she was on for an easy way out.
   There, fire escape? It looked like it would take her all the way to the ground floor. She just had to get to the roof above the apartment to get to it.
   Finally moving from her seat on the couch, she quickly ran over to the balcony door, moving surprisingly quietly. Slipping out the door, she looked around for some way to the roof. She pushed the table that was on the balcony over to the wall, and stacked one of the chairs on top of it. Climbing up, she could reach the edge of the roof, and slid the tablet she was still carrying up there before lifting herself up.
   She quickly made her way to the roof door, and into the fire escape.

Lei climbs down the fire escape and down into a back alley.  Here with tall buildings towering high above in every direction no light reaches the dark alley.  A few garbage bins sit beneath the fire escape.  And parked against the adjacent wall is a supply vehicle making a delivery to the building, no one is in the car currently.  A little ways off light can be seen and traffic heard zooming by, it is getting dark and the city night life is coming alive.

   Lei climbed down the short ladder at the end of the fire escape, hanging from the bottom rung before dropping onto one of the large bins. She sat on the edge of it, rubbing the soles of her bare feet for a very short while, the impact of landing still stung. Lowering herself to the ground, she started picking her way past the worst of the muck in the alley and towards the delivery van. Lei didn't really want to know what the muck was squishing up between her toes. It was the quickest way away from here. She didn't know whether the uniformed people were looking for her, or if they just happened to be at the apartment, but she wasn't taking any chances.
   She carefully looked around to see if there was anyone watching, and quietly reached up past the BLUE SUN logo to open the back door on the van. Climbing in, she did her best to hide amongst the few boxes in the back, and sat down to have a look at the tablet again. She tried to find a map of the local area on it.

The security camera panned around the roof, first at 45 degrees - nothing.  50 degrees - nothing.  55 degrees - a small girl is seen climbing over the side of the building and onto the fire escape, before she disappears her arm reaches out to grab a small tablet.

The security feed is sent through the building.  Stateside Penthouses pride themselves on their immaculate security measures, it takes only a second for the officers to notice the girl.  Odd, he thinks, what would a little girl be doing on the roof?  He zooms in trying to ID her, perhaps she is the daughter of one of their more affluential costumers, it would do no good for her to go missing.  It is then that he notices the mark on her wrist, more precisely it is a tatooed barcode with the numbers: 87 printed clearly beneath it.  This struck the man as even more strange - that is until the ID came up.  He immediately sent through a few calls.  This girl was property of Blue Sun Corporation ... and they were looking for her.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A middle age man, gone very much to seed, steps out the back door of Stateside Penthouses.  He has some sort of processed desert bar in his hand and is humming badly as he hops into the drivers seat of the truck.  He places the key into the ignition and heads off for his next delivery.

   Lei ducked further down behind the boxes, keeping out of sight of the driver. This was good, she was moving farther away from the men in uniforms, without having to go to much effort at all. And then she realised something. She didn't know where the van was headed...

Carl sang out loud and terribly off-key as the delivery truck rattled down the busy streets of Osiris.  He hated his job, stupid Blue Sun Corp., least they could do was give the van some damn airconditioning.  After driving for about fifteen minutes or so he pulled up to his next stop, in the commerce district.  He got out and slammed the door and walked around back.  Still humming.

Then he opened up the back door.

   Lei looked up as soon as the van stopped moving. The driver got out, slamming the door behind him. Lei had just realised that going over the seat to hide in the front might be a good idea, when the back door opened. She turned at the sudden movement, and found herself staring eye to eye with the driver...

Carl paused for a second as he saw the young girl in the back of his van, then a scowl crossed his face.  Stupid ruttin' kids. "What the gorram hell are ya doin' in the back 'a me truck?!" he shouted, rotten kids always playing dumb games.  "Git out!  Git out now!" he yelled, making a grab to pull the girl out of the back of his van.

   Lei dived over the back of the seat, and into the front of the van. She fiddled frantically with the doorhandle until she managed to get it open. Half falling out onto the sidewalk, she started to sprint off down the street away from the driver, only just remembering to grab the data tablet at the last minute.
   She ducked into the first side alley she could find, and slowed down, looking back over her shoulder to try to see if she was followed.
   Halfway down the alley, after seing no-one behind her, she leaned against the wall to catch her breath. She needed a plan, running around blindly like this was a bad idea, she didn't even know where she was for now.
   Once she had calmed down a little, she made her way to the other end of the alley, and started to cautiously look around. She needed some way of finding out where she was. Working out what the uniformed people wanted could wait until she was sure she didn't have to run at a moment's notice.

This part of Osiris was spotless and crowded.  People bustled about everywhere, most with several bags full of the days purchases.  Women in high heeled shoes, and men in formal jackets and ties.  Osiris was home to the wealthy, and there was nothing the wealthy liked more then to spend that money, and there was no where better to do that then the shopping district.  However, Lei stuck out like a sore thumb here, in her far less then fancy clothes, and the fact that she was a young girl without any accompanying parent or guardian.  And the alleyway which she squatted in was far from deserted as it was the back entrance to many of the businesses and people were coming and going, all eyeing her with curiosity and disdain.

   Lei retreated back into the alley a bit, just to get away from the majority of people staring at her. She didn't know where to go from here. Out there, she knew she didn't fit in, and that that would make her easy to find. She'd need to find a better hiding place than this alley, though.
   She sat down against one wall, and turned on the tablet, looking for a map of capital city. Maybe it would show somewhere that would make a good hiding place. Then she'd just need to work out where she was, and how to get there...

Lei pulled open the tablet and began searching through it for a map of Capitol City.  The main downtown sector was divided into districts, all were sure to be bustling metropolis's, but a little ways from the shopping district was Old Town Capitol City - although much of this was labled at 'black-out zones'.

Lei was about to close the tablet when she noticed a wave come up.  It was from Blue Sun Corporation alerting the public that the daughter of a Mr. Fredrick Timoto was missing and if anyone saw her to please report immediately to the following number as her father - a Blue Sun Corp. worker - was terribly worried.  Next to the information was a picture of Lei herself.

   Black out zones sounded like they would either be very good for hiding, or very bad.... Lei looked around to try to work out which way was which, and started to make her way in the direction of the nearest blackout zone. 50% chance that it was good for hiding. At least there was a chance.
   She tried to look unobtrusive as she walked the streets to where she was going, failing miserably. She just didn't look like she fitted at all. As she walked, she pondered the wave she had just seen before starting out. I have a father? That would require more investigation as soon as she found somewhere to hide.

   ((Edit: Will post in Old Town Capital city thread when I'm back... Tomorrow...))
This message was last edited by the player at 03:01, Sat 18 Feb 2006.

Kale let out a low whistle as he stepped out onto the bustling sidewalk and looked up at the fancy building.  "They sure do make 'em nice in the core.  Bet this here buildin' alone cost more then a whole town out on the border."  Kale had spent very little time on core planets, trying to avoid them if possible at all times.  He wasn't too keen on the Alliance, and frankly he just didn't tend to fit in all that well.  He knew that the companion was a wealthy woman but this certainly was something.  He started towards the door and expected to be stopped by the two men there and searched, but they took one look at Kyoko and then held the door open for him.  Kale glanced at them, and then back at his crew with an expression that clearly said 'well, whattaya know'.  He looked at the men again.  "Ain't rightly sure what's wrong with my arms that I can't be openin' my own doors but if'n that's what they're payin' ya ta do I guess you should go right on and do it."

Alec emerged from the other car and walked swiftly to Kyoko, closing her personal communications transmitter as the did so.  He pulled her aside slightly.  "I was on the phone with our people, Mr. Brently Caddigan is refusing an audience with us.  I tried to put in whatever weight we had but the man won't hear it.  I wasn't even able to let him know that Mr. Galway is a friend of yours, he kept cutting me off."  he knew that this news would not be to Kyoko's liking, he smiled slightly though as he continued, "However, I have managed to procure two coveted tickets to the Grand Yacht Party tonight.  Mr. Caddigan will be there." he said with a smile, "Perhaps you and Mr. Galway could make an appearance."

"Thank you Alec, that will have to do. Have a tailor dispatched for the Captain and myself. If you can, I'd like an updated folder on Mr. Caddigan in my terminal, have you gotten around to getting the girl's papers started?" She asks as she leads the way out of the cars and into the lobby up to her quarters. The sooner she gets Lei off planet the better it will be.

As Geoff exited the vehicle after the captain and Kyoko, he only vaguely paid attention to the rather fancy and expensive looking surroundings that they find themselves in. If you were to ask him, all the tall buildings, fancy clothes and other such core world frivolity was a bit much. There was no point to them, in his opinion. Nothing more than social posturing and a waste of credits that could be used for better things. Just more signs that core worlders were a strange and rather clueless lot that Geoff would be more inclined to avoid interacting with, if he had a choice about it.

These were thoughts that would have gone through his mind and more than likely left his mouth, albeit in a less articulate way, were he not more focused on getting into the building and seeing Lei. He wanted nothing more right now then to make sure that she was safe. He was quite impatient to find out if she was all right and that impatience could be read upon his face and the anxious expression upon it.

Alec smiled, "Who do you think you're working with, Miss Monroe?  Of course, I have everything in order, the paperwork for Lei is going through although should take at least 24 hours.  I sent Mr. Caddigan's files to your terminal and although I did not think of getting a tailor I'll have one for you in two winks." he eyed Mr. Galway then as he noticed him sitting down on one of the fine couches in the lobby and placing his feet on the priceless end table, dirty boots and all, "I believe you have your work cut out for you, I cannot really imagine the gentleman at the Grand Yacht Party, you realize all the most prestigious and influential people will be there..."

He was mostly worried that Kyoko's reputation would be in slight tatters over the fact that she brought such a man to the party - unless she could do some serious cleaning up.  The Osiris upper-class were not exactly friendly and would not be welcoming to a man they considered beneath them.  "I wish you luck."

"I got the right motivators. He wants the destiny back and I can help him get it back IF he plays the way I tell him." Kyoko leans in closer and whispers. "See about getting the charges quashed hard, and find out how much leverage we can get on Mr. Caddigan if it becomes nessacary." She smiles as she bows to him. "Thank you again, Alec, I'll talk to you later. Come everyone, we need to get upstairs. Captain, we've got many lessons on how you should behave before we get you to the party." Kyoko says as she pointedly moves his feet off the table and onto the floor. "Time to get to them. I can also promise the meal upstairs will be better than alliance holding cells offer."

Ren spent most of the ride downtown in introspection, but it was hard not to hear Alec as he worked on making arrangements.  He held Acacia close, kissing her on top of the head as the limo stopped.

When they filed into the building his eyes narrowed slightly, the place was way too posh, and yet... it was the sort of place he wished he could give Acacia.  He turned away, trying to hide his expression.

He forced his mind off of it by reading the marquee until they were led away.

"Whoa, whoa, wait ... party?  What party?  I don't remember anything 'bout a party." Kale said, "I was under the impression that I would be going to a meetin' 'a sorts." he grimaced at the prospect of having to get all fanciful for some core-worlder extravaganza and had a feeling that he would stick out like a sore them.  Point in fact as Kyoko removed his feet from atop the coffee table.  He just didn't know how to behave here and frankly he didn't have much of a desire to learn.  'Course Destiny was his life and if goin' to a stuff party was the only way he could get her back ... well, some things were neccessary.  He stood up and followed Kyoko upstairs with the rest muttering, "Well, there best be good food..."

Ren smiled, it was refreshing to not be the one feeling like a deer in the spotlight.

"Boss... if anybody can do this, its you..."

Kale chuckled, "Nice ta know someone has faith in me, I dunno if our Companion friend thinks I'm gonna be doin' to well." he sighed, hell he couldn't blame her, he didn't think he'd do too well either.

"Think of it as .... dealing with a concerened passenger.  I've seen you be charming when there's feathers that need unruffling..."

He gives Kale what he hopes is in encouraging smile. looking to the others for confirmation.

Charlie was quiet as they entered the building, looking around with wide eyes and keeping her arms crossed.  She was mindful about touching anything, as in this large expanse, she felt very small and unimportant.  Growing up on a farm, and then moving to spending her days in an engine compartment...well, this is something that she wasn't simply not used to, she was downright uneasy with.  She manages a smile at Ren's look, looking back at Kale, trying to speak without sounding so...overshadowed by their surroundings.

"Cap'n, you'll be doin' just fine.  'Sides, it's for Destiny...she's like th'daughter y'have n'all, y'know?"

Acacia had been quiet since leaving the detention center.  She mostly kept to the back of the room, sitting to the side out of the way.  This wasn't something she really could help with.  She kept her eyes on Ren, she liked watching him.  She liked the openess now, like she was toying with the idea of running to him, but he was busy.  So she just watched and let them do their work.

Geoff grinned wryly at the thought of the captain at one of those fancy core world parties. That would be something to see. Still, he figured that the captain would be able to pull it off. He pretty much had to if they ever wanted to be able to get the ship back. So Geoff knew the captain would do his best to do what had to be done. Still, the thought amused Geoff highly. "Well look, Cap'n. I think ya'll do right fine at that party but, I'll give ya some advice anyway ta put ya more at ease. If ya find yerself confused 'bout what ta do or what ta say at any point, just think, "What would Geoff do?"....and then quickly do the exact opposite. Everythin' will go right smooth then, I reckon.", he said with a wide grin.

Despite the grin, Geoff found himself fidgeting with nervous energy and anxiety as they moved up the stairs, far too slowly in Geoff's mind. He seemed altogether very anxious to get to the room Kyoko was leading them all to. This is mostly due to his worry for Lei. It's not that he doesn't trust Kyoko at her word when she says that Lei is all right. It's just that Geoff trusts what he sees with his own eyes more. So, when he sees that the girl is all right with his own two eyes, he'll feel immensely better. For now, though, he just continues to fidget as a bored school child would do waiting for the dismissal bell, drumming his fingers along his arm and looking about the building with quick and darting glances as he follows the group up the stairs.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 04:45, Thu 23 Feb 2006.

Kale smirked, "Anything fer Destiny that's the way I see it." he said, and although he was smiling there was a very serious undertone to his voice, "I fully plan on gettin' our girl back."

He and the rest of the crew emerged onto the top floor then and Kyoko stepped forward to open the door as they all stepped inside.

Kyoko nods. "Glad to hear it, I would rather not have to discuss a lease with another captain, it would be tiresome to break in a new one. We'll have a few items to discuss and go over..." Kyoko stops and picks up a tablet, tapping in a few codes. "Alec, the authorities seem to have called by... and Lei isn't in residence.." She looks up as she taps in the number to building security.

Geoff had very nearly pushed his way past everybody in his rush to get through the door. He entered quickly and looked about, his gaze desperately seeking out Lei. He didn't see her on first glance and his brow furrowed in worry as he turned to ask Kyoko about this. That's when he heard her speak to the man who seemed to be her servant and say that the authorities had been by and that Lei wasn't in residence. He stared as if struck dumb for a moment before shaking his head and looking to Kyoko with incredulous disbelief.

"Hey, wait! Not in residence? What the hell d'ya mean, "not in residence"?! Ya said she was here. Ya said she was safe!", he said in a tone near frantic before turning from Kyoko to move about the room, looking for hiding places Lei might've gotten into. He knew that Lei's first inclination when faced with a threat was to run or hide. He held to the hope that she had hid somewhere and fallen asleep ot something like that. It was the only explanation in his mind that didn't make him sick with worry so he sincerely hoped it was the case.

Kale's brow furrowed and for a brief moment all he could do was think about the complete contrast between the cool, calm, and collected Kyoko, and Geoff who had now begun frantically searching the apartment, pulling cushions up and the like as though the girl could be hiding under them.  Then his wits returned to him.

"Lei's not here?" he asked Kyoko, but didn't wait for a reply, "If the authorities came by they mighta taken her, is it in their records that they got someone, cause if not ..." he trailed off as he noticed the balcony door was slightly ajar. "She's not here." he said firmly, "She ran.  Gorram hell.  A little girl like Lei wandering around a big city like Osiris ..." he didn't have to finish his thought everyone knew how dangerous it was.

"We've got bigger problems, ladies and gentlemen." he held up the tablet that he had taken from Kyoko.  There was a picture of Lei on the screen beneath big red lettering that said 'MISSING'.  It was from Blue Sun Corporation.  "We're not the only ones looking for her."

"Alec, we'll need the best trackers in the system. Fast. As in NOW. Captain, we've got to find her AND get the Destiny, because if we don't get her out of system, these people will find her." Kyoko thinks as she walks, all of her thoughts focused on her young freind. "Alec, I'm curious as to why the Blue Sun Corporation is interest in her." Kyoko takes the tablet back and thinks for a moment.

"She was studying the piloting program.. she had a tablet. Perhaps we can track her/contact her though it." Kyoko says as she looks up from the tablet.

Ren's expression was one of concern as he held Acacia just a little bit tighter, as if to resassure himself that she was still there.

He let out his breath slowly.  "Is there anything we can do?" he asked softly.  Unsure who to even ask under their given circumstances.

"If I can find folks to guide you and help find her, I'll need folks she trusts, and I can't go. Neither can Captain Galway, we have to work on getting the Destiny back."

Geoff hadn't even been paying attention to what the others were saying at this point. By now he had finished looking around and knew that she was gone. He knew for sure that she was out in the city and she didn't have anybody to watch after her. No way in hell was Geoff going to let that stand for long. So he checked his guns, making sure they were loaded and nodded as he headed towards the door. "I'm gonna go find her. Hire who ya want, but I'm goin' now...", he said in a low tone and looking altogether irritated and worried.

"Geoff, you will need to have somoene show you around. I know you can take care of yourself, be we need everyone she trusts to be in place to find her." Kyoko says as she walks up to him.

Geoff looked to Kyoko and scoffed lightly. "Don't need nobody to help me find her and ain't nobody she trusts more than me.", he said in a short tone,"'Sides, I ain't waitin' fer some ruttin' trackers while she's been out there for who knows how long by herself. Shouldn't have been left by herself in the first place..." The last part he said with a bit of accusation in his tone, knowing it's unfair to be blaming anybody but caring very little at the moment. He's worried and confused and distressed and all of those feelings are things that Geoff isn't used to. And Geoff's way of reacting to things he isn't used to is usually hostile...

"Would you have brought Lei into the confinement center?" Kyoko says quietly with an air of menance.

Geoff turns on her with anger smoldering in his gaze. "Maybe I wouldn'ta brought her right in, but I wouldn'ta left her alone in some place she don't know. Ya don't be leavin' a girl like her all on her own. She don't know nothin' 'bout people 'sides us. She don't know nothin' 'bout places like this. She's a scared and confused little girl who don't got nobody but us! So I wouldn'ta left her alone!", he snarled out,""Ya coulda brought her and left er in one o' those fancy cars o' yers. Ya coulda had this ruttin' fancy butler fella o' yers watchin' her. Hell, ya coulda done any number o' things! But none o' that matters now, do it? None o' that happened and now she's gone and I'm gonna go find her right ruttin' now, dong ma?!"

"And where are you going to look? I asked her if she wanted to come? I knwo she's foolishly sweet on you, in a little sister sort of way, but you can not go running off blindly. I need you.. because if she's in someplace risky, we'll need someone with a talent for violence to help her get out. You want to blow it? I don't."

Charlie stepped in front of Geoff, holding out her hands.  "Yi qi shen hu xi!  No one's forgettin' about Lei, y'know?  Don't matter much whether she shoulda been watched or not, she's still gone.  Same's we gotta find Rhaef, and believe me, no one's forgettin' 'bout any'f that."  She patted his chest once, looking him in the eyes.  "'Sides, if you're goin' out ta find her, it'd make more sense if'n ya got someone else with ya.  Right now, though, y'gotta take a second, cool down.  You're not gonna be findin' her when you're seein' red like that."

Charlie looked back at Kale, speaking up.  "Cap'n...what should we be doin'?"

"Okay, enough!" Kale said, stepping between Geoff and Kyoko, "Ain't gonna do us no good ta be arguing or pointing fingers or anythin' of the sort." He turned to Geoff, "I need ya ta not lose yer head, alright?  I know yer worried, we all are, but we'll find her." he looked around at the rest of his crew trying to formulate in his mind the best course of action.

"Kyoko's right, her an' I have ta worry 'bout gettin' Destiny back.  It won't do us no good ta find Lei if we can't get her off this here planet.  I don't however think its a good idea ta pull in outside trackers - we don' know what Lei's story is.  She could be in a lot a danger, it ain't to common ta find little girls in boxes and judgin' by the fact that Blue Sun is lookin' for her I'm guessin' she ain't no ordinary girl.  She's somethin' special.  An' with that pretty little reward fer her return I don' think I trust no one ta be lookin' for her 'cept us." he took a deep breath, he knew that Geoff wouldn't sit around waiting no matter what he did so he might as well send him looking.  "Geoff, Charlie, if I send you two out can ya promise me ta not get into no unneeded trouble?  Kyoko said Lei had a tablet with her, we should be able ta track her that way.  We locate the tablet and you guys go find her.  Ren an' Acacia will stay here 'case she comes back.  Kyoko an' I got some preparations ta make."  He looked at Alec, "We can trace her with that tablet right?  Should be a simple matter yes?"

Geoff had to literally bite his tongue to keep himself from saying something he would really regret as Charlie and then the captain came between him and Kyoko. Part of him knew they were right. Knew that he had to calm down and keep his head straight if he wanted to find Lei. There was a part of him that knew that, but an even bigger part of him that didn't give a damn. "...Fine. Ruttin' whatever.", he said in a voice only barely above a whisper that trembled lightly with his impatience and anger as he leaned against a wall amd looked to the ground.

Geoff listened to the captain outline a plan and looked to the captan quite seriously when he asked if he could not get into trouble. "Can't promise a damn thing, Cap'n, and it don't matter if you send me out or not. I'm gonna go find her and do what needs ta be done ta do that.", he said in a low tone,".....But, since things'll go smoother if I keep things quiet and since yer sendin' Charlie with me, I'll try my best ta keep things all nice and shiny. Try and keep outta trouble. I'll try...."

"That's all I ask." Kale said, looking quite seriously at Geoff, "I know you want to find her, that's why I'm tellin' ya to go.  You bring back our girl."  Then he looked to Alec and waited for his response on tracking the tablet, it was probably they're best bet.

Alec half listened to the conversation as his staff techinical explained how they could track Lei through Kyoko's tablet.  He nodded understanding enough of the technobable to try and explain what they were going to try and do.

"According to Mr. Jerremy, who handles the more technological aspects of our buisiness, it is possible to track the Tablet.  Since it it accessing the cortex through the citywide-grid, communications would be relying on the tablet's unique identifier.."

"He said that he can locate it by sending diagnostic relay signals, that the tablet is programmed to respond to.  He said the hard thing would be getting its ID, but since she did access the Cortex, through the penthouse's relay... he should be able to get it's.."

He trailed off as he pressed his head set closer to his ear.  "Mr. Jerremy has identified one of two possible ID's for the tablet.... "
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:11, Thu 23 Feb 2006.

"Yeah, see?  Nothin' t'worry about."  Charlie gave another smile to Geoff, looking back to Kale and giving him a nod.  There was a good chance that she was more going to look after Geoff than look for Lei, but it's what Kale wanted, and she had never been one to question what he requested.  She looked back at Geoff, patting his arm a bit.  "I'm still thinkin' you should be leadin' here.  You've been spendin' th'most time with Lei n'all, so if'n anyone has th'idea where she'd be headin' ta, it'd be you, y'know?  C'mon, let's go, maybe we can find somethin' of a trail or somethin'..."

"Hold on there lil' Charlie." Kale said, "If this fine gentleman here can track us down where the tablet Lei has with her is you an' Geoff can go right to her." he looked to Alec, "Do you got a location?"

"Two." Alec said, listening to his headset, "Either in the market district or .... Old Town." he looked up at the group gathered around, all wearing worried expressions, "Old Town's almost one big black out zone - I think we best hope that the little girl went to the market district."  His fingers flew over the tablet and he pulled up two maps.  He turned the tablet around so the Destiny crew could see it.  "These are the last known locations that that tablet connected to the cortex." he pointed to two red spots on the maps, "If she still has the terminal with her, she'll be around one of them." He handed the tablet to Kale who handed it to Geoff.

Geoff still wasn't entirely calm but he was a bit cooler than he had been. Especially when he heard it said that they may be able to track Lei right off. Though, in all honesty, Geoff could have probably found her on his own. All he needed to do was ask where the poorer and darker parts of the city were. Lei was good at hiding and she would naturally go wher there would be less Feds to worry about and where she could find a corner to huddle in and think. She was a smart girl, Geoff knew, but he still didn't want her to be out alone for too long.

When he heard their options for looking for her and was handed the tablet, he looked a bit confusedly at the piece of machinery and handed it straight off to Charlie. "Ya best take care o' that stuff, Charlie. Ain't much fer any machine better than a gun and I don't wanna be screwin' it up.", he said and then looked to Alec,"Which o' those places is closer? The market or Old Town?"

"Yeah, I'm not so keen on th'idea of splittin' up or anythin' more'n we have.  We'd best be lookin' as a two."  Charlie spoke as she looked at the tablet, tucking a stray strand of hair behind an ear.  "I can follow it, though, I'm thinkin'.  These are th'last known location, I'm hearin' ya say...how recent's the signature, y'know?  I mean, are these up t'date, or are they th'type that refreshes every certain amount of time?  Or even just th'last time they were accessed'n such?"

"The spots are where the girl ... uh, Lei, was it?  Yes, Lei, where she last accessed the Cortex, it should automatically update if she logs on again and light up a new red marker.  As of now however, that is what we know." he looked at the large man and replied "Well, the market district is closest, if the girl has any sense she'd go there, stay where its nice and clean and safe.  Old Town is dark and dirty.  Black out zones like I said before.  You don't want to be caught there ... of course, the Feds don't patrol Old Town so you shouldn't worry too much of being caught."

Geoff nodded as he mulled the information about the locations over in his head. The market was the closest place and it probably had a bunch of people that she could blend in with. However, it was just that that would make her shy away from the place. She wouldn't fit in with most of those people, most like, and the feds were probably all over that place. Old Town, on the other hand, is a dark and dirty place and free of Feds. In other words, it was the sort of place Geoff himself would have hid out in in his youth.

"Ok. I think Old Town is our best bet. Best place fer a person ta hide and that's what Lei would be doin'. Lookin' ta hide. 'Sides, the way ya describe it, I'd probably be more comfortable searchin' there than anywhere else. Sounds like where I grew up.", he said and then looked to Charlie with a nod,"Come on then, Charlie. Best we get a move on." With that he headed to the door, waiting for Charlie before he left the room.

"Yeah, yeah, let's get goin'.  She couldn't be too far, y'know?  I mean, she's only how old, y'know?"  Charlie smiled back at Geoff, walking out the door before him and looking down at the tablet that she had in her hand.

"Right.  This's just a matter of, y'know, findin' where we are n'all.  You'd best be leadin' until we get ta that part'f th'city, and then I'll be takin' charge with this.  I don't think ya'd need t'worry, I'm sure she'll be fine.  Hell, if she's managed t'get along fine on Destiny for more'n a week, she'd be survivin' anything..."

Geoff turned towards the captain and the rest with a nod before he headed out. "All o' y'all...take care while I'm gone. Wouldn't wanna hafta come back ta be savin' yer asses after I go and save Lei's, after all. Only so much ya can be expectin' a fella ta do, after all...", he said with a light smile before heading out and down the stairs,"Sure enough, Charlie. I'll get us ta the place and then ya get us ta her. We'll probably find her all safe and snug. Just fine, like ya say."

It is unclear whether he actually believes this or just wants to believe it when he says it, but that doesn't matter. He'll find Lei, no matter what. But, first, he needs to get them there. So Geoff walks down the stairs and out of the building. He spots the two fancy cars of Kyoko's still sitting in front of the building with the drivers in the seat and he grins lightly as he heads for them. He moves tot eh driver's door and opens it up, smiling widely to the driver as he grabs him roughly by the shoulder and tosses him out of the vehicle. "Sorry, fella, but I'm needin' this more than ya and ya won't drive fast enough fer my tastes.",he said as he took a seat behind the wheel and opened the passenger door for Charlie,"Yo, Charlie. Need a lift?"

Once Charlie and Geoff had left Kale turned to Kyoko, Ren, Acacia, and Alec, his face still set and business on his mind, it was time to retake control, it was time to get his home and his family back.  "Okay, so now we need to get Rhaef and Wei-Li out of that hospital." he knew that Rhaef could not afford to be questioned, the tattoo on his arm was not just decoration ... and Wei-Li ... well there was a reason that he had changed her last name in their passenger records, but a simple bloodtest and some good interregation and they'd know that she was a Latran.  "Is there anything you can do?" he hated to have to keep asking Kyoko for help but he had no power here on the core and Kyoko apparently had a lot.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:46, Tue 28 Feb 2006.

"I think we need to see how that is going." Kyoko says as she pulls out a slender headset and sets it dialing. "Alec, how is the release of the injured crew members coming?"

Alec was about to respond but Kyoko's call went through and she held up a finger to silence him so she could speak.  She had to go through a few menus but eventually she got an actual person on the line.

"Capitol City Hospital Emergency Room." a bored woman's voice said, "How can I help you?"

When Kyoko inquired about the health status of a Mr. Rhaef Sorandash and Miss Wei-Li Steal the woman asked her to hold for a moment.  Classical music filled Kyoko's ear as she was put on hold and everyone in the room looked on at her anxiously as it took far longer then any of them would have expected for the woman to come back on the line.  When she did it was only to say.

"They are not here Miss Monroe - our people are on it.  Please call back later." and with that she hung up.

Kyoko frowns at the comment and sudden disconnection. "Seems our wounded associates have.. self checked out. Alec, I've got another job, we need to find them as well." Kyoko says as she sighs and puts away the headphone.

"For now though, Captain, we've got to get you properly dressed, and breifed on how to behave."

Ren gave the others a worried look.  "Uhm.. 'Cacia and I'll just... uhm... " he tried to find a better way of saying it rather than 'Sit around doing nothing.'

"Hold down the fort?"

Kale's brow furrowed when Kyoko frowned and hung up the phone rather abruptly.  When she explained that they had checked themselves out Kale felt a small pang of worry, Rhaef was capable though ... a little injured at the moment ... but Kale had never known that to slow the man down.  If anyone could get himself and Wei-Li out of a heaviy guarded, core-world hospital it'd be Rhaef.  So he said nothing, hoping that perhaps this Alec fellow would be able to help out in tracking them down.  Kale wasn't too happy about the fact that his crew was rapidly disappearing on him along with his ship.  He still hadn't even gotten word on Kendra ... or uh, Amber yet either.

He nodded to Ren, "That exactly what you an' Acacia are gonna do, if Lei ... or anyone fer that matter comes back here then we'll know where ta find people." he looked to Kyoko then with a rather grim smile, "An' I suppose we best be gettin' started if I gotta be all gentlemanly like by the party tonight." he said.

"Coordinate Reiner, not hold down the fort, don't forget we have the shuttle here and both groups missing know how to contact it. So they might try to do taht. Now, Captain, we've got some fittings and a lot of lessons on decorum to get done in a short time. If you'll follow me?" Kyoko asks as she leads the way into her study.

Ren laughed and shook his head.  "Thanks Kyoko, it does make it sound a lot less like ... sittin' around doing nothing... but.. unless we hear from anybody.. that's pretty much what we're doing...

He turns to Acacia and smiles lovingly.  "Although... the companionship couldn't be better."

Kyoko leads the way into the study, the holo of the man and woman still playing as they enter. "Would you like something to eat or drink captain, this will be a very busy session. The tailors should be here in under half an hour and I see no reason not to start before their arrival."

Kyoko walks over to the desk and settles down as she cues up the computer display and queries for information on the party they will be going to.

Kale grins at Ren and Acacia, then grimaces slightly as Kyoko leads him off to the study, This will be interesting. he thinks and steps inside.  A holo of a man and woman dancing playing is the first thing that Kale notices and that just fills him with a rather sick feeling in his stomach, knowing that there will most likely be dancing at this party they are to be attending and Kale had always known that he had two left feet when it came to that.

"I'm fine." he said, in response to Kyoko's offer of food and drink, "Just want ta get this gorram show started so as I can get Destiny back."  He does sit in one of the comfy arm chairs however, bouncing slightly on it.  He hadn't ever had such fine things in his life.

"So, what exactly am I gettin' myself into with this whole party thing?  Just lot's a stuffy rich folk congratulatin' themselves on how successful they are?  An' am I gonna be expected ta be doin' any dancin'?  An' what exactly do ya got there on that terminal 'bout the Caddigan fella, I want ta know what I'm playin' at." Kale knew he was asking a lot of questions but he was out of his element here and he didn't like it one bit.  He wanted to find someway to get his feet planted firmly back on the ground.

"It's an annual event, very formalized with a LOT of high society. There will be dancing, and yes we will be mingling. So, quit pouting and get ready to learn something. As for Mr. Caddigan there are few things you'll need to know. He's into pharacuticals and is more than rich, by simple stint of being at that part it puts him in a very small percentage of folks in the system. He is fixated on titles and positions and he dotes on his daughters. Who, according to file, are both plain and spoiled. They, Captain, are the ones you will need to ingratiate yourself with. Some dancing, smiling, and pleasantly LIGHT converstation will make many points with them." Kyoko sighs as she sits on the desk and watches the holo for a few moments. It appears to be a very private moment for her, before she leans over and clicks it off.

"I shall have the fun task of getting Mr. Caddigan to consider your issue. I warn you, you might have to.. talk about purchasing the Destiny from him, or do some contract work for him. I think you'll definitely not like your initial greeting from him, which is why you have to work though his daughters. It's a weak chink in his armor."

Kale grinned at Kyoko, "Hey, don' you worry. Flirtin' with the ladies I can do. I ain't too sure 'bout the dancin'.  But with a fine companion like yourself ta teach me I'm sure I'll be a pro in no time.  I know I already got the rugged good looks an' charm." he offered Kyoko his most winning smile.  "An' I'm sorts of a joy ta have a friendly conversation with."  Then he watches as Kyoko stares down at the holo for a moment, an odd expression crossing her face. Kale probably would have commented but now did not seem the time or place.  And personally he wasn't really one to pry on what appeared to be a very private moment.  So instead he leaned forward in his seat, listening as she continued.

"Well, I ain't so rightly sure 'bout buyin' back Destiny.  I mean, we ain't got that kind 'o money an' I already paid fer her fair an' square.  Put everything I got into that ol' girl." Kale frowned.  This whole mess was absurd and completely unfair.

"And I suggest you listen to my lessons, that way we maximize our chances to get the Destiny back." Kyoko reminds him as she waits for the arrival of their tailors. "You SAY you would do anything to get her back, and your best chance would be do as I ask."

Alec pokes his head into the studying.  He had been working furiously on his terminal trying to cope with the detention facility paperwork and trying to figure out how to clear the crews names, searching for possibly sightings of the girl that had gone missing, figuring out party arrangments ... it was all a little much.  He wasn't entirely sure why Lady Monroe would wish to entangle herself so deeply with this crew who was obviously nothing but trouble - and a lot of it at that.  But he respected the young woman's judgment so he would do all he could.

"The tailor is hear, Miss Monroe." he said.

"Thank you Alec." Kyoko says calmly as she stops by him, giving him a smile and reassuring squeeze on his arm. "I appreciate how much effort you're putting forht for this.. I really do." she says quietly enough that he hears her but not enough to carry across the room.

"Send him in, the sooner we get the Captain outfited, the sooner I can get about getting him ready for the party. The sooner we resolve the theft issues, we can see about getting all the crew out of trouble." She sighs as she considers how she'll have to get the last crew member out of trouble.

Alec nodded politely to the beautiful woman and acknowledged her praise with a soft smile.  "I will show her in at once." he slipped out of the room then.

A moment later a short, plump woman with a mop of shocking red hair and bespectacled eyes stepped into the room.  Her broad grin seemed to shine like the sun.  "Ah me, Lady Monroe!" she said clapsing her hands over Kyoko's.  "I heard you needed some assistance and just jumped at the chance.  She'd delightful, isn't she?" Slyvia commented to Kale, "An angel, an absolute angel." she then did a double-take back to Kale and her wide grin contracted quickly into a terse frown, "Is this the gentleman?" she made a clucking sound with her tongue, "My, my do we have our work cut out for us."

"Thank you for coming Slyvia.. I know your time is at a premium. And take heart, you have to make him LOOK like a professional, but I got to show him how to BEHAVE." Kyoko says with a smile and a glitter in her eye. "We'll need something suitable for a small, but formal engagement, but suitable for the climate of a water vessel at night."

Kale refrained from making any comment when the Slyvia woman looked at him with obvious disdain but couldn't stop himself from making a face at Kyoko when she made it explicitly clear that it was going to be quite the task to get him behaving decently.  'Course he realized he was being childish but for the moment he didn't care.  He stood up then and went to greet the woman, "How do you do Ms. Sylvia." he said in his most proper english.  He took her hand, bowed slightly and kissed it gently, then grinned at Kyoko triumphantly.

Slyvia fanned her face and giggled, "Oh dear me, he may not look the gentlemen but, well I dare say your work shouldn't be too hard." she blushed then reached into her bag for a measuring tape.  "Alright, alright, all play and no work makes Jack a dull boy ... or something like that ... I do always get those sayings mixed up ... Arms out boy." she instructed Kale and began taking his measurments.

"Still, Slyvia, we need to make him look as respectable as possible, he's going to have a very hard night. So, we will want confort, respectablilty together." Kyoko says with a wry smile, resisting the impish to push for something more 'ethnic' like a kilt.

Sylvia took Kale's measurements all the while gabbing happily.  She left then with the reassurance that she would have his suit completed in the next four hours.

Kyoko then set to work trying to make as civil as she could manage on such short notice.  Not exactly the easiest of tasks and there were lots of curses uttered from Kale and exasperated sighs on Kyoko's part.  Occassionally Alec would poke his head in and give Kyoko updates on his progress trying to track Lei, get Kendra out and just keep things running smoothly in general.

After an exhausting afternoon Sylvia returned with the suit and soon both Kale and Kyoko were dressed to a tee and ready to make their way to the boat party.

"Huh, will ya look at that.  I might not be no gentleman, but I surely do look like one." Kale said, looking at himself in the floor length mirror in Kyoko's pent house.

He turned then to look at Kyoko, she was absolutely breath-taking in her gown for the occasion.  "Well, don't we look just right proper." then his face set in a very serious expression, "Let's get to it then.  I want ta get my girl back."

Destiny meant everything to Kale.  He was the reason he had gone on living after the war.  Destiny and everything she meant to him and everything she stood for.  He was not going to let this day end without having her back in his possession.

"I've given you every hint and mannerism to use I can Captain." Kyoko says as she adjusts his tie and looks in his eyes with her firm gaze. "Just remember..this is for Destiny and the crew."

Kale nodded.  She was right.  And because she was right he knew he was going to do everything he could to do this correctly ... or course, he had a bit of a fear that his idea of doing this correctly might not mesh exactly well with what he was supposed to do ... Kale swallowed hard.  "For Destiny." he said.  Then he and Kyoko stepped into the main room.  Ren and Acacia were both seated on the couch, Acacia appeared to be asleep, her head resting in Ren's lap.  Kale smiled slightly.

"You'll hold down the fort, right?" he said to Ren, sure that Ren would do just that.  And also hoping that this time would allow him and Acacia some time to speak and rest after all they had all been through.

Alec approached him and Kyoko then.  "The cars are ready." he said.

Ren watched as Kyoko and Kale finally left and headed off to Kyoko's party then turned towards Acacia. "Hey Red..." he called.  He was still a little preoccupied, but he knew they needed to talk.

Acacia looked up at Ren from her spot on the couch, a smile crossed her face but it was a little distant.  She felt like she still hadn't had any time to recupperate from everything that had been happening lately. Now she just wanted to sit ... and she didn't really want to talk.  "Hold me?" she said in a small voice.  She just needed to feel Ren's arms around her, making everything else just go away.

Ren looked at her and smiled.  It all seemed so much simpler when he held her, but he knew there was so much more... so many things they needed to think about and not just hide in eachother's arms.

He sat down, moving so that he was slightly behind her and pulled her back so that her shouders were resting against his chest.  He sighed, amazed by how right this felt... but.. .this was her world-- where she belonged.  Not curled up in the arms of some frieghter bum.

Acacia sighed as Ren pulled her close to him and closed her eyes.  If they could just sit here like this it'd be perfect.  She opened her eyes then, taking in the beautiful surroundings of Kyoko's pent house.  It reminded her of home.  This is the world she had come from - perhaps not quite so exquisite ... but she was startled to realize that she felt far more comfortable in these surroundings then onboard Destiny.  Maybe they could stay here ... just her and Ren.  Get a beautiful little apartment.  She could work at the hospital.  They could live a respectable life.  No more running from the law ... no more guns being held to her temple ... Acacia found herself shuddering involuntarily at the thought.

She leaned her head against Ren's chest, "Everything about this feels right." she said, and she was not just referring to being in Ren's arms, it was the whole thing.  Sitting in the beautiful apartment, on a core-world, in Ren's arms.  Safe.  That's what she felt ... and she hadn't felt that with such certainty in a long time.

Ren felt her shiver and tensed slightly, but when she settled down and told him how right things felt, he smiled and kissed the top of her head.

"I could stay like this forever," he told her.  "You in my arms.. though it would make pilotin' a little interesting..."

Acacia turned her head to face him then and her expression was rather serious,  "Could you?" she asked, and Ren could tell that she meant more then staying in her arms.  "I mean, stay here.  Like this.  Forever.  Just you and me?" she bit her lip, she knew it was a lot to ask and she hoped that Ren would understand what she meant.  Hoped that her even suggesting such an idea wouldn't make him angry or something.

He looked at her, his expession falling slightly.  "Be with you, yes... God yes, but here... 'Cacia... I..." He shook his head.

He could feel it all slipping away.  He was a fool to think she could lead the life he loved.  He loved her more, but he knew he would die in a place like this.  There was too much light, too much air... and even the black of night was diminished by the city's glow.

He gave her a pleading look.  "... the black..."

Acacia shook her head and pulled slightly away from Ren, "I know, I know ... You're right ... it's too much to ask.  I shouldn't have.  It's just -" she sighed.  She wanted Ren to be happy, she wanted them to be happy.  She knew how much being out in the black meant to him ... but was it worth it.  Risking their lives just to stay up in the night sky. "This place, the whole environment ... it reminds me of home.  We could build a real life here, Ren." she gathered his hands up in her own and kissed them lightly, "No more running from the law or scrapping to get by.  We could get married, raise a family ... you could still fly.  Local ships, of course ..." she watched his face closely.

Ren tensed slightly when she pulled away.  He was asking too much of her.  He listened, trying to believe her, trying to see things through her eyes.  He could feel the tears wanting to form and bit his lip.

He tried and he could see how important this was to her.  If only... if only things were different, but the verse was what it was... and Reiner Harris was who he was, a pilot... a deep space frighter pilot.  He cold live for years in the black... but only months in the core.  It wasn't his world, and as much as he wanted it to be fore Acacia, he knew it couldn't work.  He tried to gather up the strenth he needed, but he wanted her, he wanted a life with her... forever... it sounded so good.

"You belong here," he finally said, and though he didn't mean it to, inside it felt like good-bye, like the bright sun on the horizon had just vanished.

"Don't do that." Acacia said, fear gripping her chest, "Don't look at me like that ... don't - don't say that." she had heard the tone in his voice, he was saying goodbye.  Tears were filling her eyes and she quickly reached up a hand to wipe them away, she stared hard a Ren and found that her voice was rising slightly as she went on. "Don't you dare start saying goodbye to me now.  Not after all we've been through." Acacia shook her head fiercly.

"I love you, Ren.  I. Love. You." she kissed his hands again as she said each word.  And as she looked into her eyes she knew ... there would be a million new towns, a million new places, a million chances for them to start all over again ... but there was only one Ren.  There was only one man that she loved.  "I want to be with you forever Ren ... and if that means making Destiny our home - then that's what we'll do."

She smiled up at him, "I have one request though ... you move into my bunk." she gave him what she hoped was a mysterious and sultry look and was sure probably wasn't.

Ren looked at her, feeling like he'd just walked into the black without a suit.  He was shaking.  It was as if she'd thrown him a life perserver, but he was so afraid to take it.

She was so... everything he ever wanted or needed...

He opened his mouth then closed it, fighting to find the words.  "I.. I don't want to say good-bye... not every but... "

He looked at her, his eyes tearing over.  "I can never give you... this.." he said gesturing around the apartment.  And then it sunk in.

"... Destiny... you... "

He looked at her afraid to hope.

"I know, Ren, I know ... I don't need all this though.  I need you."  She felt better just saying the words. "This is it, Ren.  You an' me.  Forever." she smiled and leaned in and kissed him.  Then laughed, looking around.

"And ya know, this is you an' me.  Alone." she grinned and wrapped her arms around him.

Ren looked her, knowing what she was giving up... what she was willing to give up for him.  Part of him hated himself for doing this to her, but the rest of him let go of everything else.  She said... forever.

In spite of himself he smiled as she pointed out that they were alone.  He gently pulled her to him.  They could have it all, here... if only for a little while.  They were together, and everything else, simply faded away.

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.