Lei grinned at Wei-Li comment on her kicking and she visibly brightened at Geoff's account of her potential. She turned back to We-Li as she was offered to be taught some skills, she nodded rapidly.

Then she turned toward Geoff, looking for permission, "May I, *Ghuh?" It was a new term for her to use, but she loved the sound of it. She weighted the idea in her head, of how Geoff was her ghuh.



*Big Brother

"Try a few million creds." Walton said, "It was the worlds most expensive stamp back on Earth that Was ... now it is the most valuable in the 'Verse.  'The Black on Magenta' its called.  It came into my family around the year 2000 ... has been with us ever since until recently.  I've discovered its exact location and I have a contact very interested in purchasing it ... I merely need it back in my possession now.  The money from it should be enough to supply this entire city with enough Pasculin-D to last at least a few years - perhaps longer ..."

Kale let out a low whistle when Walton said the stamp was worth over a million.  "For a ruttin' scrap of paper..." he muttered and listened to Walton speak.  When he was through Kale sighed and nodded his head.

"Alright, where is this museum at exactly?"

"You'll do it then?" Walton asked.

"I've been disreputable fer worse causes." Kale said with a grin, "S'pose saving a colony from Bowden's is one 'o the better things ta be spendin' my time doin'.  You'll owe me though." he said, knowing he'd never expect the Professor to pay him back anything and knowing Walton knew that too.

Walton smiled then set about getting down to business, "The museum is on Athens, they have a high tech security system - but don't worry I have a contact for you planetside that should be able to help you bypass the systems no problem.  Connor O'Sullivan, genius when it comes to that sort of thing." he proceeded to explain what plans he had in place, Kale nodding along until well into the night.

Although there were plenty of spaces to sleep back on Destiny no one really wanted to be pulled away from the professor's warm and inviting house.  As a result the crew of Destiny ended up dispersed about the small house taking all manner of sleeping arrangements.

They were awoken by the smell of bacon.  Walton, having woken up early was now in the kitchen cooking breakfast.  The inviting aroma of food wafting through the house.

The sun had begun to come through the windows, warming Walton's house as light took to the surfaces, casting away shadows and awakening this side of the planet for a new day.  It beamed through table legs and drawn curtains, slowly casting up on Charlie.  She'd curled up on the floor, hardly sleeping in a bed unlike the rest of a crew.  While she'd started on an overstuffed armchair, and as comfortable as it was, she just couldn't sleep in it.  She'd thusly curled up on the floor, arms crossed under her head and hair splayed out wildly around her.

Charlie let out a murmur, banked in sunlight like a cat, stretching out her arms and legs on the floor before she got up.  The smells of hot food made it's way to every corner of the house, permeating everything within.  Charlie ran her hands through her hair, knowing it wouldn't look right until she fixed it.  The last time she had actually fixed it, however, was when they were on Paquin...when she had a proper wash in the lake.  She pulled the dark locks away, bundling them back behind her head with a rubber band, leaving the errant strands hanging as they usually did.  Good as new.

She padded into the kitchen, bare feet on the wooden floors, smiling a bit.  "If'n I didn't know better, y'know, ah'd assume you'd be tryin' to keep a few of us from stayin' with all'n th'hospitality."  She spoke to Walton, her words more of a murmur due to just waking up.

Rhaef stirred as Charlie moved from the library to kitchen. He had settled on the hallway floor as a place he could hear any problems and be there quickly. Plus, he had slept in far worse places in his life, so the wide, warm hallway was not an inconvience for him. Stretching and standing up, he rubbed his hand across the stubble of a beard that was forming, and followed Charlie into the kitchen.

"Charlie's right, Professor. You keep feeding us this well, ain't no one us gonna want to leave." Rhaef said with a smile.

Lei had slept in one of the rooms near Geoff and filled with books. She had fallen asleep reading books, but had managed to create new blue prints for a greenhouse that would easily fit the inside of the ship. Her sleep had been mostly serene, but she saw the dark shadows coming in again, whispering about data.

She woke up in a light sweat, trembling from the images. She piled up her blanket to her and headed to where she knew Geoff was. If he was asleep, she would crawl in his embrace beside him, if he was awake, she would tug at his hand.

Walton smiled at the two and chuckled lightly, "And what makes you so sure that's not the plan?  It get's mighty lonely in these parts." he winked at them and began shoveling the bacon out of the pan and onto a plate.

"Pull up a chair, breakfast will be served shortly."

"You know Professor, that's a mighty tempting offer, but I ain't ready to settle down yet." Rhaef said as he walked to the table and pulled out a chair for Charlie before sitting down himself.

"Not a matter'f settlin', Rhaef.  'S a matter'f gettin' t'be here, y'know, day in'n day out fer all that."  Charlie sat in the chair Rhaef pulled out for her.  She didn't think twice about the geustire, but mostly as the smell of fresh breakfast was setting her on the edge of the seat already.  "'Sides, without a ship'n such, we're pretty much useless, y'know?"

Wei-Li lay out on the veranda watching the world come to life.  She loved sunrises back home-- it always helped her center.  Here the view was different and the hues of the sky were brighter but after a night of watching the stars and thinking-- it was a welcomed change.

So many disorganized thoughts had passed through her mind, keeping her from sleeping.  She knew she'd have to organize them-- but she had to find out where she stood with others.

She pulled her knees into her chest and clasped her hands around them.   She could hear the others stiring and could smell the bacon cooking.  Soon she would have to go in, to try and figure out what she wanted-- but for now, she sat focusing on nothing but the cool morning air and the wold coming to life.

Walton smiled fondly at the two seated at the table, a slightly knowing smile ... one day he sincerely hoped those two would stop dancing around their feelings and do that settling down bit Rhaef claimed not to be ready for.  He went about setting down plates full of food onto the table, scrambled eggs, bacon, and a stack of pancakes.

Leaning out into the hall he called out, "Wake up call, folks.  Breakfast is served!" and waited for everyone to begin filtering in.

Rhaef took some of the food and ladeled it on to his plate, wasn't his fault the others were late. "I don't know, Charlie, I hope my life ain't only a ship. I want it to be somethin' more someday, y'know."

Ren rolled over, laying on his side, watching Acacia sleep.  Part of him felt bad for glomming the one spare bed-- but there were too of them.

He smiled softly and gently brushed Acacia's cheek.  "Hey, sleepy head... time to get up" he said softly.

"Yeah, sure.  Y'can believe it, 'cause you're somethin' 'for you set out'n the black, y'know.  What was I doin?  Nobody, that's what I was doin'."  Charlie began collecting food for her own plate, smiling at the smells.  "Lemme tell ya, I was twenny-four'n livin' with th'whole Bourdain family.  Six brothers'n sisters 'long with m'folks.  Don'get me wrong, I had m'own room n'all, but...y'think I'd be headin' back t'that?  Nah...tol'ja, where I not on Destiny, which'd be a cold day'n hell, y'd find me on some other fixin' what needed t'be fixed.  No way I'm goin' back t'Whitefall, bein' a part'f that 'gain..."

Rhaef smiled back at Charlie, knowing that her grammar probably drove the Professor mad. "Y'know, Charlie, there be plenty of places to settle down that ain't Whitefall, and plently of folk to do it with that ain't kin." Rhaef said, his cheeks coloring slightly, realizing what he'd said.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:54, Sun 21 May 2006.

Walton cringed visibly at Charlie's grammar ... or lack there of.  But honestly not even knowing where to begin correcting that last speech of hers he let it slide.  "Family is a very valuable thing, not to be underestimated.  However, Rhaef is right." he gave an innocent smile and shoveled a forkfull of egg into his mouth.

Geoff hadn't slept much the previous night, but that suited him fine. He was never much for sleep that wasn't induced by liqour. He had dozed a few hours at the kitchen table after making sure Lei was comfortable as she could be where she had fallen asleep, her nose still in a book even as she succumbed to the call of sleep. He had smiled fondly at that, thinking that Lei was definitely a friend...a sister to be proud of.

After sleeping his few hours, he had risen well before dawn and had left the house to enjoy the outside as much as he could before he was back on the ship. Destiny may be home, but he would never get comfortable with being so enclosed for so long. He had reentered the house through a back door and made his way towards the smell of cooking bacon.

He paused before reaching the kitchen, however, as he felt a tug at his hand and looked down to see Lei. He smiled to her and gave her the usual tousle of her hair as he greeted her. "Mornin', Little Lady! Ya get yerself a good night's sleep after all o' yer readn'?", he said with a grin,"I wouldn't be surprised if ya had stayed up all night readin' the way ya were goin'. I'm gonna hafta see if the professor will give up a couple o' book so we can get ya a little library started on Destiny."

He nodded to himself at that and then looked toward the kitchen at the sound of the professor calling out for people to wake up and have breakfast. "But I guess we can ask him 'bout that while we get some breakfast. Ya hungry, Little Lady?"

Lei offered him a small smile, "I had a nightmare, but I'm okay now. What is that smell...?"

She nodded at his question that she was hungry and easily headed toward the kitchen with him.

Soon the entire crew was gathered around the kitchen table, shoveling platesful of steaming eggs, bacon, and pancakes onto plates and into stomachs ... it was a far cry from anything they ate back on Destiny - especially anything Kale attempted to cook.  With full stomach's it appeared to be time to start getting down to business however as Rhaef prompted Kale to disclose the new caper.

Kale took another bite of his bacon and leaned forward in his seat between Ren and Walton.  "We'll be settin' sail fer Athens.  Museum break-in." he said, "'Pears Walton's got somethin' that done been taken from him.  A stamp.  Worth a fortune, we'll just be droppin' by to take back what ain't rightfully there's an' bring it on back here."  He looked around at his crew then, and taking a deep breath continued.

"The money's goin' to the people of Regina.  Seems Alliance ain't been making their supply runs 'o Pasculin-D.  Ya'll familiar with the Bowden's problem, they don't get that medicine they ain't long for this world.  Walton's got the notion to use the money to acquire large quantities, let these folks live in peace an' health for a spell.  Quite a long spell given the worth of the scrap 'o paper we'll be gettin'." before anyone could interject, namely Rhaef, he went on, "Yes, this is a charity run, so I won't be askin' ya'll to go if'n you don't want to.  Them's that feel like it can stay right here at the Professor's, but Destiny's going."

Rhaef shook his head, and looked at the Captain, "Athens, museum run, sounds pretty risky, are you sure its worth it Captain?" Rhaef had to say it, he felt horrible for doing so, but this was a charity run, and potentially a very dangerous and complicated one, and he needed to make sure Kale's head was in the right place.