The busy streets of Osiris.
This message was last updated by the GM at 18:32, Tue 05 Dec 2006.

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?"

Charlie followed Geoff along, not adding her own thoughts about how they would find Lei.  She was somewhat resourceful on her own, and not completely helpless, but there were all sorts of untrustful people in the 'verse who also happened to be resourceful.  She pushed the thought out of her mind, focusing back on the tablet.  They need you to be focused right now.

"Nice...s'even in my colour."  Charlie smirks as she gets into the passenger side of the car, shutting the door and attatching the buckle.  Geoff isn't exactly known for his grace, and if he drives like he lives...well, safety first.  She looked at the tablet, then back at Geoff.  "You think y'know th'way, then?"

Geoff grinned and shrugged to Charlie as she entered the car. He smiles especially widely when she buckles up. "Heh. Now that just makes me feel like ya don't hjave faith in my drivin' ability, right there. I mean, true, I ain't exactly used ta drivin' and I tend ta go a bit fast, but I don't think bucklin' yerself up is needed....yet.", he remarked as he started the car and shrugged again,"And sure I know the way! It seemed easy enough ta tell on that there map o' his. I know the way....I mean, basically I do. Yeah, basically." With that, Geoff drives off as fast as he can get the car to go, heading in the direction that he vaguely remembers as the correct one.

"What'cha mean 'basically?'"  Charlie asked with a raised eyebrow.  The question was forgotten when the car peels off, and Charlie falls back into the seat, watching the road now.  Geoff was still a new crew member, and while she had nothing against him, she'd learned something new about him today.  Don't let him drive.  Her heart began to beat a little faster at the exhiliration, starting to hurt and making her a bit dizzy.  She closed her eyes, ignoring the feeling as best she could.

"I'm...we're prolly not gonna be able 'ta drive t'the dot here'n the tablet, y'know?  I'm just sayin', we'll hafta be on foot for a bit'f it."  She looked at the tablet for a moment, and then back at the road.  "I'm supposin' it goes without sayin' that, if'n we're findin' that she'd been nabbed or somethin'...you're plenty capable'f dealin' with those folk without me havin' t'hold another gun, right?"
This message was last edited by the player at 17:08, Tue 28 Feb 2006.

Geoff kept his eyes on the road as he drove, a wild grin on his face as he directed the vehicle at as high a speed he could manage. Geoff enjoyed driving quite a bit, as rarely as he had gotten to do it. It was a highly exhilirating experience. Well, it was the way Geoff did it, anyway. Mostly due to the fact that Geoff learned to drive while driving getaway vehicles or cars freshly stolen. Which meant he learned to drive fast and reckklessly.

Geoff steered the car in the direction they needed to go and shrugged at Charlie's words. "Well, no worries. We walk when we hafta and we drive while we can. Heh. 'Course, I'm gonna regret leavin' this fine piece o' machinery behind. Handles better than I thought it would.", he remarked and then chanced a sympathetic glance to Charlie before nodding and looking back to the road,"Sure enough, Charlie. If'n there's any shootin' or fightin' ta be done, ya just step outta the way and let me handle it. That's what I'm here fer. Ta make sure that none o' y'all ever hafta pick up a gun 'less ya really hafta. All ya hafta do is keep yerself and Lei safe when we find her. Leave the rest ta ol' Geoff, dong ma?"

"Good. Shootin' one man, bad or no, was one more than I'd like in my life."  It's mostly said to herself, a hand on the door to keep her from being jostled around on the ride.  He definitely was enjoying it a little too much.  It was easy to tell when the turns became a little too tight, or the speeding became just a bit unnecessary.  Men never really were about tact, then again.

A siren rings out behind the car that Geoff is driving and he can see the flashing lights of a Capitol City police car coming up behind them.  The officer at the wheel motions for Geoff to pull over, and disgusted expression on his face as he has to swerve to the left to follow the wreckless driver who is swerving in and out of traffic at speeds certainy well above the law.

Geoff had been having quite the nice time with his driving. He always did though so that wasn't surprising. Nor was it surprising to him when he heard the sound of a siren behind him. Almost all of his drives ended up with that happening. Authorities tend to frown upon his way of driving, as they tended to frown upon most of his ways of doing things actually. Geoff looked over his shoulder quickly and considered pulling over as he was being told to. Of course, that would mean having to deal with a Fed when he was fresh out of an Alliance detention center, armed and in a car that does not belong to him.

Putting it that way, he really didn't have anything to consider. He smiled ferally and pushed down the accelerator even more than he already had been. "Heh. Yer gonna be wantin' ta hold on there, Charlie. Gonna get ta be a bit o' a wild ride...", he said as he looked over his shoulder one more time, smiling quite widely, and then looked back to the road, ready to do exactly what it takes to lose the police car behind him.

[OOC:  I thought we weren't waiting on me, but it seems that we were (at least, that's my best guess), so I'll post.  Natch.]

Charlie was just about to speak when the sirens cut through the air, letting out a howl behind the car that Geoff was recklessly driving through the streets.  "Geoff..."  She spoke as her hands reached the edges of the seat, simply holding the tablet between her legs.  "I'm guessin' it's just not an option t'be pullin' over?  I mean, we just got out, we're cleared n'all, right?  Or...yeah."

Charlie closed her eyes, beginning to trail off as she set her head against the headrest, swallowing hard.  Her vision was beginning to swim in her eyes, and she could feel her heart begin to beat faster and faster.  At this point, there was nothing she could say.  She could simply hope that her heart didn't beat itself out of her chest, or burst in the following moments...

(OOC: Sorry guys I should have posted sooner - been kinda waiting on Rhaef and Wei getting to Larry so that I can get Lei out of there before you guys arrive.)

The officer tailing Geoff frowns as Geoff steps on the gas and begins swerving even more wrecklessly.  "Goddamn hot shots." the man mutters and presses down on the accelerator as well, pulling out his radio for back-up.  He might have been able to forgive a slight venture over the speed limit but now the car was a danger to the rest of the citizens on the road - not too mention he was obviously running away.

He swerved tightly to the right and placed himself almost on Geoff's bumper, his sirens still blaring.

Geoff noticed that the cop was definitly not giving up - 'course, neither was he.  Where would be the fun in that?  The trick now was to lose him - and at the same time keep heading in the general direction of where they last knew of Lei.  Lei came first of course, he had to find Lei.  So he stepped on the gas, and noticed that the fancy cars were made for more then just looking pretty.

After about five minutes of a good hard chase Geoff managed to lose the cop by making a sharp right into an alley way.  The cop hadn't expected it and had sailed right on past.  Forced to make a U-turn Geoff now had a few mintues on his hands to get him and Charlie out of the car and away on foot.  Luckily they were very near Old Town Osiris now.

((OOC: Sorry, sorry! I was being lazy, I admit it. So very sorry, won't happen again. Uh, probably. Heh.))

Geoff had been trained to drive during high speed chases so it wasn't that hard at all for him to lose the cop behind him. In fact, he had reveled in doing it. It had been too long since he'd had a good old fashioned police chase to contend with. Far too long since he'd had action of a sort that reminded him of the old days. It was a strangely nostalgic thing and it caused a wistful smile to come onto his face. A strange expression to have during a high speed chase, but Geoff was a strange guy.

As he turned into the alley and saw the cop shoot past the alley without stopping, he gave a triumphant laugh and looked to Charlie with a grin. "Holy hell, what a rush!! I love that part o' things!", he exlaimed and then looked about where they were before nodding and opening the door,"All right now. We gotta get outta this car and go on on foot. They'll be lookin' fer us in this car and we're close enough ta be walkin' ta where we need ta go. Ya ready, Charlie?"

[OOC:  Shame on you, Geoff.  Happens again, no cookies...]

Charlie laid her head back in the headrest as the car stopped, eyes squeezed shut and breathing hard.  The exhiliration had really caused her pulse to race, and she had broken out a bit of a cold sweat on her forehead.  "Yeah, i'm...mmm...yeah, i'm ready."  She unbuckled herself from the seat, opening the door and placing both feet on the ground.  There was a second before she decided that her feet would support her, and then she was up, leaving the door ajar as she walked around the vehicle.

"Let's just...y'know..."  It was obvious she was a little light-headed, trying to focus through it as best she could.  "C'mon, Lei's prolly waitin' for us 'round some corner'r somethin'.  I've been luckier n'all..."

Geoff had nodded a bit, though he looked to her a bit worriedly, when she said she was ready and left the car. He moved to get out of the car too and moved around the car to join Charlie. "Yeah, I bet she's just right around here. We'll find her...hey, Charlie? You okay? Ya ain't lookin' all that steady.", he said with a concerned glance towards Charlie and then another worried glance towards the end of the alley. He didn't want to rush Charlie if she was feeling all wobbly, but he also didn't want to hang around here too long and run the risk of getting caught.

The sound of sirens is coming closer again, they don't have a lot of time before the cop will be down the alley after them.  The alley is rather long, Geoff had only driven the stolen car a few yards in, but the exit on the other side is almost a block away, they'll have to run.  Or alternatively there is a fire escape ladder hanging down where Geoff and Charlie could easily climb atop the car and reach it.

"I said I'm fine, 'kay?  Don'cha be worrying 'bout me.  We need t'get outta here, might fast if we can, y'know?"  Charlie looked around, keeping a hand on the hood of the car, doing her best to not make it obvious that it's the only thing holding her up while her heart rate slows down.  She scanned in both directions again, biting her lip as she looked around.  Had the cop seen them?  Could they be tagged from a view through the rear windshield?  No sense in risking it.

Charlie's gaze fell upward, seeing the fire escape and pointing to it.  "There.  We're gonna be makin' our way up, tha's th'fastest way."  She stepped up onto the hood of the car, biting her lower lip hard as she focused on her shaky legs, doing her best to keep them from buckling as she grabbed the rungs of the ladder.  Thankfully, she still had strong arms that had never buckled under worse times...and came through when it counted.  This was one of those times.  She pulled herself up on the rungs, not even chancing a look down as she climbed.

Geoff gave Charlie an appraising glance before sighing and shrugging. Even if she wasn't okay, there wasn't much he could do about it. They had to move and move fast. So he nodded as Charlie pointed to the fire escape ladder and climbed up onto the hood of the car to grab onto the rungs and climb. She climbed steadily enough so Geoff decided that she must be okay enough for them to get the hell out of here. He climbed onto the hood of the car also and climbed up right after her, moving as fast as he could manage. He looked up as he climbed to make sure Charlie was all right and then chanced a look towards the entrance to the alleyway, still wondering if the cops were as close as he feared.

Charlie finally reached the top of the ladder, pulling herself up and over to the roof, sliding back down onto her feet and kneeling down.  She placed a hand on the ground, steadying herself as she took a few deep breaths.  She had fought the dizziness the entire way up, and it was finally beginning to pass...all it took was a second for the roof to stop moving in her vision.

Charlie stood up as Geoff came over the top, looking over the edge.  "Y'think we gotta keep runnin'?  I mean...that's not enough, y'think?"

Geoff climbed up quickly and pulled himself up and over onto the roof. He stood up and looked down in the alley quickly before looking to Charlie and gesturing for her to get away from the edge. "We should be fine fer awhile, but we'll hafta move in a bit. Just don't let 'em see ya though. Get away from the ledge or they'll see us.", he said and walked slowly away from the ledge to look about the roof for an entrance into the building or a way to the next building.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:20, Thu 16 Mar 2006.

Charlie stepped back from the ledge, brushing her hair back from her face as she looked at Geoff.  Her face was a bit pale, but she looked like she was on steady legs and wasn't short of breath at all.  "Right, we'll...did ya hafta drive so fast?  We just got off th'hook, y'know?  Kyoko's not gonna bust's out again."  She asked Geoff, but it was obvious that she was joking...on some level, at least.

Geoff continued to look around, but turned to Charlie with a grin when she spoke to him. "Heh. Well, look at it this way, Charlie. If'n I had stopped and let the cop talk ta us an' such, he'd be seein' a rough lookin' fella like me with guns at his sides and, after checkin' it out, in a car that didn't rightly belong ta him. Maybe that wouldn't a meant nothin', seein' as how he coulda cleared it with Kyoko, but it woulda been wastin' a hell o' a lot o' time. I wasn't gonna be doin' that.", he remarked and then smiled in an amused manner,"'Sides, she woulda gotten us out again. Well, she woulda gotten ya out anyway. She likes ya. Me? I don't think she's all that fond o' me so I'd probably end up havin' ta bust myself out. Wouldn't be the first time..."

"Right, right."  Charlie sighed, looking at the datapad in her hands.  "We need t'be gettin' on foot here.  Th'chase took us ina  bit'f th'wrong way.  We're not, y'know, seriously humped'r nothin', but it's prolly in th'best interest if'n we get t'movin..."  She stood up, pointing off to the side of the roof.  "Tha's th'way th'signal's got us goin'."

In the alleyway below Geoff and Charlie can hear the sirens of the cop car.  They need to move again, most likely the cop will just give up looking for them but just in case ...

There is a door that to a stairwell that leads into the building whose roof they are now atop.  They also can walk to the roof of the next building which is just a small drop below this one and right alongside it.  From there they can probably find another fire escape ladder leading back down into an alleyway.

Geoff nodded to Charlie and spotted the door on the rooftop with a slight smile. "Right then, Charlie. Let's get movin', like ya say.", he said as he heard the sirens from the cop cars in the alley,"Yeah an' we should prolly make that fast. That door right there looks like a good bet." With that, he headed to the door and, hoping it wasn't locked or that it didn't lead them into more trouble than they already had heaped onto their plate.

Charlie followed Geoff, holding tightly onto the datapad as they went.  Running from the cops wasn't really helping them find Lei at all, but there was no need to say that...it would be stupid to think that Geoff didn't realize it.  She had no clue whether the girl could even hold her own, being as they originally found her in a locked box.  "We need t'get back t'tha ground level, we're gonna find her.  If this leads to a stairwell'r somethin', let's just be goin' t'tha ground level, first'n fore."

The door is not unlocked and it does lead to a service stairwell leading down four flights and to another door which looks like it emerges into the building however.

Geoff shrugged to Charlie as he opened the door and looked down the stairwell. "Sure enough, Charlie. Down ta the ground and back ta lokkin' fer Lei. Ya know it.", he said in a serious tone as he headed down the stairwell. He truly hadn't wanted to get so off track from their goal, but he couldn't fight his instincts when they had told him to make a getaway when the cop had tailed them. It had probably not been all that smart to do though, in retrospect.

He laughed slightly to himself and shook his head at that as he headed down the stairs. He walked down the four flights of stairs as quick as he could and then cursed quietly as he realized they wouldn't be getting straight out onto the streets from here. They'd have to go into the building from here and that may not sit well with whoever currently resides inside. Taking that into account, he moves a hand down to grip one of his holstered pistols and looks to Charlie with a shrug. "Looks like we gotta go in, Charlie. Dunno how that's gonna go over so....just be ready fer anythin'. Never know how people are gonna react ta a coupla people just up and breakin' inta their building uninvited, after all.", he said in a low tone.

"I do, y'know?"  Charlie smirked as she followed Geoff down.  Until they needed to fix or rig something, she was pretty out of her loop.  There was a moment inside her head, a moment of "how did I get here" that popped up.  It wasn't a real question, as she was aware...but it still seemed awkward.  Part of her couldn't help but to think that she should have slid under the engine turbine when they boarded the ship, hid until the soldiers left, and then stayed there.  The only thing that kept her going was the hope that she would prove to be of some help.

Her thoughts shot back to where they were as Geoff spoke, seeing his hand rest on one of his pistols.  "Jus'...you go first, an' I'll follow ya.  Don'go shootin' anyone until you're sure they're tryin' ta shoot you'r me, kay?"

Geoff looked over his shoulder to Charlie with a wry grin on his face. "Well, of course, Charlie. I won't be shootin' nobody 'lessin they're lookin' ta be shootin' us. I mean, whaddaya think I am? The sorta fella that jus' goes inta places with guns a-blazin' and yellin' out battle crys?", he said in an amused tone as he looked back to the door and opened it,"That's only when I'm drunk...or bored."

Geoff cautiously opens the door ... looks like they're in a lobby of some sort.  He glances briefly both ways and then grabs Charlie's arm to pull her through the doorway with him.  The two of them look perpostrously out of place among the quiet, neatly dressed businessmen and women wandering about.  Geoff's boots clang loudly on the marble floors no matter how lightly he tried to step.

The two of them kept their eyes on the doors leading out onto the street but before they reached them a security guard shouted out.

"Hey!  You there!  What are ya -" Geoff and Charlie didn't hear the rest as they sprinted out the door, dropping all pretense of attempting to blend in.  The man followed them a few feet out the door and then let them go.

The two of them ran a few more blocks before Charlie stopped Geoff,

"Wait, here we'are." she said, placing her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath ... and also to let the pain in her chest subside.  Permenant damage. flashed in her mind for a moment but she shook it off and pointed down a dark street the no cars seemed to be going in or out of ... except for one taxi.  The two of them watched the tail lights fade away into the dusk.  The sun was almost completely down now, in a few minutes it'd be night.  And night in a black out zone probably wasn't too safe.

-----------> To Old Town Osiris

Wei-Li shivered as she tried to deal with everything she'd seen and heard.  She gave Rhaef a smile of thanks, but it was a haunted smile at best.  She forced herself to concentrate on the cars they were following without being too intense.

She didn't want to spook the cabbie.

Rhaef sat quietly in the backseat as well, mentally reviewing all that had happened since the shootout with Kyron. He cursed himself for allowing much of it to happen, and for having to endanger one of ship's passengers in the process. He should have tried to escape without her, or at least split off, and sent her to Kyoko. Wei-li should not have had to see his past, and who he was. He hated himself for allowing having to become that again, and he could only imagine what she and the others would think of him in the future. He fully expected Kale to leave him behind, and Rhaef could not blame him, he was more trouble than he was worth these days.

Wei-Li bit her lip.  Looking over at Rhaef, she could sense that it had effected him as well.  She reached out and gently placed her hand on his.  A simple reminder that he was not alone.

Her Uncle Seamus' words came back to her.  "It is a role you play-- it is not who you are..."

Rhaef looked up and with heartfelt gratitude, Wei-Li's gesture had touched him deeply. "Thank you, I needed to hear that. I wish I could that was not the man I was either, but that would be a lie. I wish I had sent you to Kyoko's and kept you out of this, but I didn't. But I also thank you for standing by me, not sure how many people would have." He sat up straighter, this was not the time for whallowing in self-pity, Lei was in trouble and he and Wei-Li might be the only people able to save her.

Wei-Li smiles at him and shakes her head, many snipits of her uncles philospy fill her mind-- but in this, they'd sound trite.

She shrugs.  "I can't say it doesn't matter-- but... it is not who you are.  Besides-- you kept me safe... or as safe as one can be around those men."

Rhaef nodded, "Thank you for understanding. But if we catch up with them again, you run before they can catch you. I don't want you get injured or worse because I was careless, okay?"

Wei-Li nods solmenmly then smiles. "But I think I may be more of the mind to shoot first, then run."

Rhaef nods, "I understand, and I want you to know that its not that I don't value you in fight, I just don't want any more of the crew getting hurt on my account or because my failures."

Wei-Li looked at him now and slowly shook his head.  "There have been no failures... if you hadn't gone to those men... we wouldn't have known Lei was in danger let alone where she was," she said in a gentle yet stern voice.

"Because of that-- we are in the right place-- to hopefully rescue her... You had nothing to do with those men taking her-- they had her before we got there-- and..."

She sat up a little straighter and met his gaze. "WE are going to get her back... her expression was determined, but then a slightly impish smile crept in, and she added in a quiet voice, "I'm just not going to get shot doing it this time..."

Wei-Li's words were the metaphorical slap in the face that Rhaef needed to come out of his doldrums. "I just hope the others see things like that. But you're right, we have to rescue Lei, and my moping won't solve anything." Rhaef said his gaze becoming hard and determined, but was absent to cold, harshness of earlier. "Larry Ducket will rue the day he threatened her and you."

Wei-Li gave a simple but determined nod.  "Alright then..." she said, then turned to once again watch where they were going and to keep an eye at the line of cars.

Somewhere in there-- Lei was in trouble, and probably scared out of her mind.

His talk with Wei-Li having reaffirmed him, Rhaef allowed himself to begin mentally prepared himself for what was coming. He was going to get Lei back and keep her and Wei-Li safe, and that liking meant killing men, potentially a large number of them, on a core world. There was not a lot of chance of getting out of this one unscathed, but if he could spring the others that would be worth it. He only hoped he could get his hands around the neck of Larry Ducket before this was over.

The taxi began to slow down and Rhaef and Wei-Li could see that the black cars were stopping a ways from Lake Ceaurel.  Rhaef tapped the back of the cab drivers seat and told him to drive past the black cars and let them off a few blocks away, out of sight of Larry and his croonies.

----------> To Grand Yacht Party

----->From Old Town Capital City

Geoff walked through the streets with little on his mind except his destination. The news flash about the party had been helpful and gave them an aim so he had used the tablet to guide them from their current point in the direction of the party. As they walked, Geoff said nothing and didn't even bother with the glaring he had been throwing about while walking before. All he could do now was focus on getting where he had to go and placing one foot in front of the other. That, in itself, seemed to be a monumental task at the moment. All he wanted to do was lay down and let everything go. But he couldn't. He had to do his job. So he continued to put one foot in front of the other through force of will, consulting the tablet every so often to make sure they were heading the right way.

He thought idly about getting a cab, but his mind just wouldn't put the thought into action. It was all he could do to just walk, after all, so actually taking any sort of initiative into hailing a cab and talking to the driver just seemed to be entirely too much exertion. Too much for him to even consider attempting. So he just continued to walk.

Charlie walked alongside Geoff, nearly just as lifeless as he was, finally subsiding from the choking sobs that had struck her when she first heard the news.  She kept an arm through Geoff's, mostly as she was just as questioning of her balance as he was, but she also felt completely alone.  Three people had been lost since they were tagged by the feds, they were stuck on Osiris, they still didn't have a ship.

"They're...down this way."  She pointed down the road, half-hearted with gestures.  "You think we'll ever get outta here?"

Geoff continued to walk in silence for a little while before finally speaking in a low monotone. "Yeah. We will. We'll get the ship back....and we'll leave this gorram ball of dirt behind us. Leave everythin' behind us.", he said softly as he began to move in the direction Charlie indicated in her half-hearted manner. That's all that kept him going right now. The fact that he had to get Charlie to the ship and then they would all....all of them that were left would be able to get the hell off of this core world hell that they had found themselves on. Get off and move on and leave everything behind. Leave it behind.

To do that, though, they had to get to the captain so he didn't let his introspective and dark thoughts get in the way of his moving in his plodding manner towards the party. He didn't much feel like going to a fancy core world party, but they needed to talk to the captain. Besides, where there's a party, there's liqour and that's what Geoff wants more than anything right now. To numb everything with as much alcohol as he can find. Just another reason to hurry up and get to where they needed to go...

---->To Grand Yacht Party

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 ...
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:48, Wed 25 June 2008.

The hum of the fans under the limo changed pitch as Dake maneuvered the monster into place at the docks.  Monster may be too harsh of a word.  It was an older L model, so had none of the sleek designs of the newer limos.  The judge had plenty of opportunity to buy a new one, but he said he liked the roomy feel of this one.  ‘Why pay more for less’ he would spout if asked about the subject.

Dake didn’t really mind.  The limo was seldom used, so it’s exterior belied the power of the larger engine.  It wasn’t a skiff, but with the extra power he was able to maneuver the beast in ways other drivers couldn’t dream of doing.

As the limo settled onto it’s titanium skirt, Dake relaxed.   He took off his gloves and hat and put them on the dashboard.  Now it was time to get to work.  He had arrived early so he could get the back set up for Judge Taylor.  He got out and stretched listening to his back and neck crackle and pop.   He then got into the back, flipped on the heated seats and turned the air conditioning on low.   A few ice cubes in a glass and two fingers of bourbon were left in the chiller, and only the sports, living, and investment section of the paper were downloaded onto a pad on the seat.

Having set things up, he got out and checked his watch.  40 minutes until the flight got in.  Dake shrugged; time would fly when the other drives got here.  He never butted in, but always listened to the racing news and laughed at the predictions the other drivers would say were sure locks.  Even after all this time, he still couldn’t forget the excitement of racing.  The judge had said he would make enough money to get back in racing, but that prediction was turning out to be flatter then the racing prediction of limo drivers.  He had a good chunk of change, but not enough for this own skiff and team.  It would take him a decade of driving limos to do that.  If he could find a little excitement he would jump at….

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Brock Jenson in his boss’s new extra stretch ride.  How does such a nice guy work for such a prick.

Brock hopped out of Mr. Kim's new limo with a huge grin on his face as he closed the door, and raised a hand to wave at Dake over his head, "Oi!  Heya, mate!" he called out, "Didn't 'spect to see your face round here today.  Ain't there some big race goin' on?" he didn't wait for Dake to answer, just kept right on talking - it was Brock's way.  The tall and slightly wirey young man came a slapped Dake on the back, "So how you doin' you 'ol buggar you." he laughed, "Ya see the new wheels?  I'm right proper businessman now, eh?  Got me a real limo to be driving, sure I got a pay cut when I went over to Mr. Kim, but I figure it all even's out with the workin' environment.  These fancy limo's are far cry from the taxi cab."

"HoooWeee, son.  You done gone and hit the big time!  Limo's definately an upgrade from the taxi."

He grinned at the race comment. "Not today, here earnin my pay instead of a day of play."  He shrugged.  "Besides, we both know that Faison Racing isn't going to give me a shot at driving.  It just took me longer to figure it out then you."

"So what's the word on the street?  Anything juicy?"

Brock laughed, it was a rather high pitched sound that most people found annoying or at least funny in and of itself, "And the rest of the blokes had just been sayin' you'd never come to that conclusion." Brock said, "Harley had been goin' on about something call 'Dake's Mistake', I'd never heard of it before, but he said that even if you did round up the creds Faison still wouldn't take you on." he poked Dake with his boney elbow, "But don't you worry, I told the bloody hun dun to go shove for you."

He pulled a pack a cigarettes out from his jacket then and lit one.  He inhaled deeply and then turned to his right to exhale, making sure to blow with the wind so that the smoke didn't come back at him and cling to his clothing.  It was his pathetic attempt not to smell like cigarettes when he got back in the car, "Word on the street, eh?  Sally May just got let out of the detention cells last night and she's right back to workin' 45th and Dennison." he laughed again, "Harley said he'd give her 100 creds if she tried to work Alliance Way.  But Sal's no fool, she knows she'd be picked back up right quick and thrown back into the slammer if she did that.  Harley's  an asshole." he took another drag, "But hell, we may not have to put up with him much longer.  Some old piece of fei wu freighter touched down this mornin' looking for a pilot.  Harely said folk like that from out on the Rim are desperate, said they'd take just about anyone on.  He set up an interview with some poor, dumb bloke Kale Galway.  Said he'd be hired on 'fore you could say "Arse lickin' 'Lliance".  Woe be it to that crew if he's right."

Brock's laugh always made Dake smile.  It would be annoying as all hell if it wasn't so genuine.

Dake grimaced at the reference to his so called mistake, and said, "I didn't...  In typical Brock fashion, he didn't give Dake time to explain.   He was on to the news on the street.

Dake chuckled at Harley and Sally May.  What Brock didn't know was that Harley was in love with Sally May, and wanted her to keep getting arrested.  At least if she was in a cell, she was eating right and not in danger.  He even gave her up to the Alliance this last time.    Harley may be an asshole, but he would do anything for Sally May.  I still remember the call he placed while he was drunk and thought he was calling the police.  He spilled his guts to me without even knowing it.    Dake felt sorry for the poor bastard and turned Sally May in to the police, and never let on that he knew about Harley's feelings.

"Yeah, what an asshole."

Harley?  A pilot?  Since when? and leaving Sally May behind?  What the...

Then Brock mentioned Kale Galway and it was like someone had punched Dake in the gut.  The air went out of him, and he didn't think he was going to be able to breathe for a moment.  Then in a whisper he said, "Did you say Kale?  Galway?"

Brock flicked the end of his cigarette and ashes floated through the air to rest on the street, "Ya, Kale Galway he was sayin'." he glanced over at Dake then, "Hey, you alright, Dake?  You look like you just saw a bloomin' ghost.  You been eatin' alright and everything?" True to character though he didn't give Dake a chance to respond, just kept barreling on, "'Cause your hard up, you can always stop on by my flat.  Becky, can whip you up something right quick." he said referring to his wife.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:11, Thu 07 Dec 2006.

"Ghost?  um.  What?  Yeah.  I mean no.  I um..."

Kale?  Here now?    Memories of Kale and Nate being dare devils gave him an instant headache.    Aww, Nate.  Dammit.    Tears threatened to start.    Kale!  You bastard.  Nate is dead because of you.   He was still so angry about losing Nate.  He missed him, but when he thought about it he missed Kale, too.  Kale was as close to a brother as he had left.  There were just too many feelings for him to sort out.

He looked up at Brock.  "How far down did you say that ship was that Harley is going to?   I have to go...I have to talk with him.  Keep him from going."

He just needed to find Harley without running into Kale.  That should be easy enough.  Shouldn't it?
This message was last edited by the player at 20:39, Thu 07 Dec 2006.

Brock arched a brow at Dake as he responded and shook his head and laughed, "Hell, I don't think you know what you mean, mate.  After we get off though I insist you come on by.  You know Becky's got a friend or two, bet I could get her to invite 'em over.  What you need is a decent gal." Brock said, nodding his head knowingly as though he had just solved the mysteries of the universe.  When Dake looked back up though it was obvious he hadn't heard a damn word Brock had said.

"What?  Wait, Harley?  Why the hell do you want to be goin' after him?  He's a big boy, Dake, let 'im take off into the 'Verse if he's got the fancy."

“Yeah, yeah.  Dinner with you and Beck would be great,” Dake said absentmindedly.

”A gal?  What are you talking about.  I need to know where that ship is.  Did you hear what dock and slip it is in?”

He shrugged at the comment about Harley.  ”He doesn’t know what he is getting into.”

Brock laughed again, that high pitched irritating sound, "Oh, an' like you do know what he's getting into?  Hate to break it to you, Dake, but your a limo driver.  What do you know 'bout flyin' about the 'Verse." he had finished his cigarette now and tossed it to the ground, snubbing it out with his foot, "'Sides, I rather envy him.  Not that Osiris ain't nice and all, but I figure it be a sight nicer to get out there and actually have a good romp."

Dake tried to keep the frustration from his voice, but then he checked his watch.  Damn, only 25 minutes until the judge arrived.  ”Brock.  Focus for me.  Do you know what dock and slip the ship is in?”  Dake's voice was louder then he intended, but he had to have the info if he was going to get back in time.

He loved him to death but getting anything done quickly with Brock was a tedious task at times.

Brock blinked, surprised to see Dake looking so serious, "Yeah, mate.  Yeah, Harley said it was in docking bay 6 - ain't right sure about the slip number.  Said it was called Destiny." Brock looked out over the docks for a moment and then back at Dake, "Say, what's it do you where this ship is?  I don't see why we're makin' such a fuss over some Rim worlder."

"Dock 6, got it."    That is only three docks away.  I can easily get there and back in 25 minutes.    He raced for the driver's seat.  "I'll be back."

He didn't wait for Brocks reply.   He shut the door, brought the throttle up and deftly adjusted the fans to slide the monster out of his parking spot and away from Brock's ride.

Out in the open, Dake threw open the throttle and slammed the fans to full angle.  They roared as they bit in to the air, and the monster lept forward.  He raced down the docks, weaving the limo at speed around the obstacles that presented themselves.

Coming up on Dock 6, he slowed the monster and drove slowly.  The first ship that caught his attention was a Dingo class.    Just like Rusty on Hera.  I do miss the real flying.

He lowered the monster to the ground and got out to take a better look at the ship.  For just a moment he forgot about the ship he was looking for and admired the lines of the Dingo.    With a pulse engine too.

He followed the fuselage until he saw the name on the ship.  Destiny.        No way.  That's Kale's ship?   He shook his head.       Leave it to him to pick a Dingo to captain.   Kale.  The thought of seeing him again scared Dake a bit.  He decided he couldn't do it.  He took one last look of the beautiful ship and started to get back into the limo.    Too bad you aren't my destiny.     Then something or someone caught his eye at the ramp of the Destiny.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:00, Fri 08 Dec 2006.

He saw a blonde woman walk up the ramp like she belonged on the ship, but that is not what attracted his attention.  It was the woman already on the ship talking to another fellow.

She was beautiful.  Even from where he stood he could tell she had a slim, shapely figure and long dark hair.   She moved with a grace and assuredness that he couldn’t help but watch further.

His fear of meeting Kale again started to fade with his growing curiosity of the woman.   Was she part of the crew?  Were she and the fellow together?  He took another few steps toward the ship.

[From Destiny: Cargo Bay]

Kale walked up to Dake a huge smile on his face ... inside he was dying, inside his head was screaming to run away, screaming that he still - after all these years - wasn't ready for this, "Well look who it is.  All grown up an' everything." he said wishing Dake didn't look so much like Nate, "It's really good ta see ya, its been ... well its been a while there."

But not long enough, there was nothing good about seeing him, but still he stood there with that stupid smile on his face. Standing there uncomfortably trying to decide if he was supposed to hug the other man or offer him a hand shake or if just a nod of the head would suffice.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 22:12, Sun 10 Dec 2006.

Kale startled Dake.  He hadn’t seen him standing in the cargo bay, and when he finally did see him there was no way to avoid eye contact.   He watched Kale step down off the ramp of the ship, and silently cursed himself for not getting into the limo and leaving when he had the chance.     Too late now.  Distracted by a pretty girl, and now look where it landed me.  What they hell am I going to do now.  Just the sight of him makes my stomach turn over.

When Kale approached, Dake put on his best professional smile.    Make nice, smile and nod, and then feed him a line and get out of here.  ”It has been a while.  You are looking good.”     If he asks me to stay and chat, I turn him down and get back to the judge.

Alright, Dake's nodding his head, I'm goin' with the head nod. Kale thought.  He was surprised to be greeted with a smile, his hand reached up and rubbed the back of his neck a sure sign that he was uncomfortable, "Righ' uh, thanks.  You too.  Yer lookin' nice an' ... healthy ..." Kale finished lamely. Oh God, oh God why in the gorram hell did I come out here. There was a silence then as both men stared everywhere but at each other.

Alrigh', ya gotta say somethin'.  Say somethin' cause this is ruttin' awkward.

"Uh ... how ya been?" Kale said.

Looking healthy?  That is almost as lame as me saying ‘you are looking good’.  What am I doing here?

”Hanging in.  Driving a limo for a judge here in town."  He shrugged.  ”It ain’t flashy, but pays way more then the interplanetary hauling job I had."

Get out now.  Tell him I have to go, get in the limo, and drive away.  Why am I still here?

"A limo?" Kale arched a brow - that was probably about the last thing he expected Dake to be doing, "Well ... well ain't that shiny." he said with a nod of his head.  The silence was back.  The tension was palpable.  Kale wanted to make a break and run for it but he couldn't.  Years of growing up together with young man had him rooted to the spot.  He coughed in the second awkwards silence and looked back up at him, wincing again at how much like Nate he looked.  He was going to say something, anything but no words came out.  So he was just standing there looking like an idiot.

Dake didn't know what to say.   Yeah, I am driving a limo.  It ain't what I want to do, but it may just pay my way back into a skiff.

He wanted to say something, but he couldn't think of anything.  The silence stretched.  He loved Kale like another brother, but how could he forgive him for taking Nate away to the war.   Nate wouldn't have gone on his own, but he wouldn't let Kale go alone.

Finally, Dake stammered out, "Yeah."  He shrugged.  "Like I said, it ain't exciting, but it pays the bills and then some."     Isn't that what I just said?  Mentally, he slapped his forehead.

Then it hit him.  Harley!  "Hey, before I forget, if a guy named Harley shows up to take the pilot job, don't hire him.  He has family here to take care of.

Kale actually chuckled a little as Dake ended the silence by saying the exact same thing he's just said, "I see ya been improvin' that vocabulary there.  Got two ways 'o sayin' the same thing now.  Good fer you." Kale smiled and for just a second it was like old times.  Just like when he and Nate used to rag on Dake when they were younger.  He immediately felt awkward again, "Sorry, uh ..."

Then Dake blurted something else out, "Harley?  Don' reckon I even know what yer talkin' 'bout.  Don't got no interviews with a fella by that name.  Don't got no interviews at all.  Think I mighta lost the last damn decent pilot in the 'verse ..." Kale said, his voice tinged slightly with pain.

Just for a moment Dake saw the Kale he remembered.  The guy he idolized with his brother.  Without realizing he what he was doing, he let down his guard.

"Puhlease.  Any of the cargo haulers on the dock could fly that ship just fine.  I have flown one before, and it is a pretty simple set up."

When he finished he was half smiling, and then he met Kale's gaze and he could see something was bothering him.  The silence returned.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:42, Mon 11 Dec 2006.

Kale looked back up at Dake for a second he was angry at him for being insensitive to the fact that he'd lost Ren ... but Dake didn't know that.  There was no way he could.  He hardly registered the fact that Dake said he had taken to piloting friegthers like Destiny before when the silence started up again.  He was going to tell him good day and be done with this, but when he opened his mouth that wasn't what came out, "Ya got anywhere ta be tonight? You'd be welcome ta stop on by fer a meal or somethin' we could ... catch up." Kale said.  Immediately he regretted saying it.  What was he thinking.  The last thing he wanted to do was sit around and 'catch up' with Dake.  What were they going to talk about?  'Man do you remember that time when Nate, you and I jumped from the Talpas Bridge, and oh ya, remember how Nate's dead now?'  That'd be loads of fun.  About as fun as it had been having a harpoon launched through his gorram shoulder.

No.  Thanks.  I have to get back to pick up the judge.  No possible way I could be back tonight.  Thank you for the offer.

"Sure."

What am I doing?  Say no!

"Getting caught up sounds good."

I don't want to get caught up.  Say no, you idiot!

"What time is good?"

Gorram it Dake, ya weren't s'pose ta accept. Kale mentally cursed the other man.  "Whenever ya get off is fine, we normally do meals 'bout 6." he said instead.

Nodding, Dake checked his watch.     Ai Yah Tien Ah!  I only have 5 minutes til the judge touches down.

He looked up at Kale.  ”I have to pick up a passenger, and am running behind.  I will see you at six.”   He reached out to shake Kale’s hand, and then walked back to the limo.

He open the door and started to get into the drivers seat, but stopped like he was going to say something more.     Tell him now.  Tell him you can’t make it, and then go and enjoy yourself with Brock and Beck.   You have a good thing going here.  Don’t mess this up.    Instead he only nodded again, got in, and roared back the way he had came.

Dake held out his hand to shake Kale's and for a moment he completely blanked on what to do.  His mind was still processing the fact that he's just invited Dake to come eat with the crew and he'd said yes.  There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach.  He was not up for this.  He shook his head then.  Go on, shake his gorram hand. his mind told him.  His own hand clapsed in Dake's for a second and then Dake was taking off and Kale was left staring at the skid marks that his limo had left.  Limo or skiff's, that boy was still hell at the wheel.  Kale stood there a moment longer before heading back to the ship, his last thought was that they didn't even have any decent food on board ...

[To Destiny: Cargo Bay]

Dake raced back to the pick up area for the judge's flight and saw that the transport had already touched down.

No doubt he was one of the first out and has been waiting.  This isn't going to be good.

It took him 10 minutes to get to the front of the line and in that time he mentally made himself ready for a lashing.  When he saw the judge standing by the side of the exit ramp tapping his cane on the ground impatiently, he knew it was time well spent.

He landed the limo expertly next to the judge, grabbed his hat off the seat, and jumped out to open the door.

He opened the door.  "Good evening, sir.  I hope your flight was well."

Judge Taylor ignored him and got into the back of the limo without a word.

Not a word.  This was going to be bad.

It took until Zurich street and the entire bourbon before the judge said anything.  He started by clearing his voice.  It was a sound like stones rolling along the bottom of a creek.

Not good.  The clearing of the voice is never a good thing.

"Mr. Collins.  Another clearing of his voice.  "May I ask what took you so long?"

Dake knew better then to answer the question.   Judge Taylor was not looking for an answer, he was just ordering his thoughts for the tirade.

"I pay you an exceptional wage to drive my limo, but it seems to me that you believe punctuality is not inlcuded in your duties."  After a moment of silence, Dake heard two more ice cubes hit a glass and then some more bourbon being poured.  "I was one of the first off the transport, and then stood to the side of the line while others were picked up by their limo drivers.  Limo drivers who were on time to pick up their employers.  Employers who pay their drivers less then I pay you to make sure I do not stand out in the cold.

After another silence, the judge sighed.  "Mr. Collins, let me make my expectations perfectly clear.  In the future, you will do everything within your power to make sure you are to every pickup at least ten minutes early.  Every time you fail to meet that expectation, I will dock your pay.  Do not test me in this, Mr. Collins, or you will find yourself in need of a new job."

There was only silence as the barrier behind Dake rose to the ceiling.  'Non-early' a couple of times, and the guy has a near heart attack. I swear, if there was a way to get away from all these stuffed shirts, I am taking it.  Racing or no racing.

About thirty minutes later found Dake done with his work for the night after swinging by Baker St. to pick up Judge Taylor's wife from her hair appointment at one of the those ridiculously expensive salon's she went to and then it was off to their pent house apartment.  His phone rang as he watched the Judge and his wife enter their building.

He put in his earpiece and activated the phone.  He put on his best imitation answering machine voice and said, "Hi, it's Dake.  Did you think you missed me?  'Cause, ya didn't."  He reverted back to his regular voice.  "Who dis?."

Brock's high pitched laugh filled Dake's ear - just a bit too loud for an ear piece, "You bloody sod - you think your funny don't ya?" he didn't say who it was, but there could be no mistaking, instead he just plowed right on, "So, Taylor chew you out for bein' late?  I saw you pullin' up just as I was gettin' ready to pull out, mate.  Tough break, I don't know why you went through all that just to be keepin' Harley here." Brock said.

Dake found himself mildly amusing, but Brock’s reaction made him guffaw.  It had been a rough evening, and Brock’s voice was a relief.  Brock always made Dake feel good.

”Oh yeah, quite the reaming.  Then, I had to listen to him question my integrity with his wife while the screen was down.  I so wanted to tell them ‘I can hear you’, but I played the good little driver.”

”Honest, B.  I went to see that guy Kale.”  He didn’t know why he was telling Brock other then the conversation with Kale kept running through his brain and was threatening to make it explode.  ”He knew my brother, Nate, when we were growing up.  We were really good friends until Nate died.”  He paused again, not sure where he was going or if he even should continue.  ”Anyways, I felt a perverse need to see him.  It felt like shit, and I am looking forward to a few drinks and jokes with you and Beck.  End the day on an upside.”

"Kale?  Oh ya mean the Cap'n fella?  I didn't know you actually had friends growing up." he said in jest making fun of Dake.  His joke was immediately followed by his own laugh as Brock was always laughing at his own jokes, "Well, ya have a nice catch up, and all that?  Always nice to be seein' old friends." Brock had begun to say when Dake told him it'd been awful.  There was actually a small pause and then Brock's voice spoke up once more, "Well then you get right on over here, Beck's finished cookin' and everything.  We're having a pot roast and if you don't get here soon there won't be nothin' left - if Becky let's me touch the bloody thing.  Keeps smackin' my hand away and telling me I can't have any 'til ya get here.  So hurry up mate.  That's what I was callin' to say anyway.  Hurry up."

Dake couldn't help but laugh.    None of the heavy stuff for Brock.

"I am on my way.  I just gotta put away the beast for the night, so give me 20 minutes."

He ran through his list of things to do before he could head over and decided 20 minutes would be cutting it too close.  "You had better make it 30 minutes, so don't wait for me if you are starving"

He gunned the big vehicle into traffic and headed for the garage around back.

"Thirty minutes?  Blimey, could ya take any longer?" Brock complained, "Alright, alright, thirty it is but your bringing over something to drink then." he said, "See ya soon, mate."

Brock hung up and the phone line went dead.

He finished with the limo in record time, put on his leathers and was starting his bike when his promise to Kale flashed through his mind.   He tried to shake it, but it was persistent.    No.  I am not going.  I don’t owe him anything.  Not after what he did.       He slammed on his helmet, pulled on his gloves and raced out of the garage intent on getting to Brock’s on time.  Then his hands turned his motorcycle in the opposite direction.      Ta Ma Duh! What are you doing?   You don’t have time for this Niu Shi!      He tried to take the exit ramp to get turned around, but only succeeded in fighting the motorcycle to a stop on the side of the freeway.

He got off and threw his helmet on the ground.   A primal scream ripped from his throat and then he sat down next to his helmet oblivious to the traffic whizzing by.     Why?  Why do I have to do this?     Nate’s smiling face danced through his mind.     Nate?  Are you doing this to me?   Why?   Nate, I don’t know if I can do it.   It hurts to much.   It still hurts too much, Nate.   Please.   Don’t make me do this..     Tears streamed down his face.    Thoughts of his brother and Kale taking him on their adventures brought a forced chuckle from him.     For a long time, he sat thinking of the three of them, and what Nate and Kale meant to him.   He didn’t know how long it was before his thoughts ran out and left him tired and shaking.

Gorram, you two were a cuple of crazy bastards.   Nothing you wouldn’t try.   And you always let me go even when I was a pain in your ass.  You don’t know what that meant to me.  I never told you.   I owe you that.

He put his helmet back on and zoomed back into traffic headed toward the docks.  He had just enough time to make it, and if he pushed it a bit, he might still be able to stop off and bring something to drink.