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."