Geoff stood up as he finished his meal and picked up his dishes. He walked over towards the sink and stopped dead as Wei-Li planted a kiss on the new guy's cheek. He felt blood start pounding in his ears. His fist closed around his glass and he barely noticed as it broke in his hand. Yer not alone?

"I bet ya were wishin' ya were." He turned towards Wei-Li, afraid of accidentally killing Kale's guest with his knife. "Din't know it was that easy ta get yer company."

Geoff stormed back towards his bunk, tossing his plate and the fragments of his cup down on the table as he passed.

[To Destiny: Geoff's Bunk]

DC turned and put himself between Geoff and Wei-Li.  The rage in Geoff's voice raised the hair on the back of DC's neck.  He looked around for something to use as a weapon, but knew he was no match for the big man who already had a knife in his hand.

How many times you gonna step on your dick, son?  You knew she is had something with this guy, and you still came in here after her.  This could really be the end of ya.  You should have left when you had the chance.

He started to say something to Geoff, but he never had a chance.  Geoff stormed off, throwing his plate back on the table.

DC turned around with an embarrassed look.  "I really appreciate your kindness, but maybe I should leave."

Again, all he could do is shrug.

Kale looked up from where he was staring at his now empty plate, trying to avoid the obvious conflict going on right before his eyes between Geoff and Dake, when Ren's voice came on over the intercom.  For a moment it was as though everything were back to normal.  For a moment Kale actually forgot that Ren wasn't sitting up on the bridge snickering away at his little speech.  But just for a moment ...

Kale felt a pang as he remembered that Ren wasn't there anymore.  That stupid ruttin' speech was a recording.  Kale remembered the day Ren had set it as the wave warning.  He'd come onto the bridge with a bleeding shoulder from a gun shot graze and a cargo bay that was pitifully empty of any cargo.  And there was Ren sitting back in his chair with his feet propped up on the control board.

"Heya Cap'n, yer lookin' a bit worse for wear - job go south?" he asked with a friendly grin.  Kale scowled.

"Yer ruttin' right the job went south.  It was a damn ambush.  All of Mikeal's men were out there waitin' fer us, we  ... what?" Ren's face had turned a deep shade of red and he was now looking down at his hands, "What?" Kale asked again.

Ren looked up at Kale sheepishly, "We, uh, mighta gotten a wave 'bout that a few hours ago ... ya, ya we did -"

"What?!"

"Ya, Cortez told us ta lie low -"

"Ruttin' hell, Ren, and you didn't think that was information that I might be interested in hearin'?"

"Well communication ain't my job, Cap'n."

"Yer sittin' right next ta the damn wave screen, is it so hard ta push a button an' let me know when I got one?"

"'Case ya haven't noticed I'm a mite busy most of the time flyin' this boat."

"I want to know when I got a wave comin' through, end 'o story.  I miss a wave and we all die - it's yer fault."

"Well Mei Wen Ti*, I'll just rig us up a lil' warnin' system right quick here, let's see ..." Ren slid his feet off the control panel and leaned forward.  He pressed a few buttons and then picked up the comm link.

"What're you doin'?" Kale asked but Ren held up a finger for him to be quiet.

"I'm recordin'.  Shh!" he pressed another button and grinned as he began speaking, "Ladies and Gentleman - although all of your lives hang in the balance of me keepin' my hands at 10 and 2, at Kale's request I'm making sure that each and every one of you knows that we got us a wave comin' through.  This message was brought to you by your chief communications specialist - oh ya, and I'm the guy that happens to be flyin' this crate."  He winked at Kale as he finished and hit another button.  Kale rolled his eyes and left the bridge.

Now Kale wished he had argued with the man to just set the damn thing as a beep.    He swallowed hard and stood up, looking at the rest of his crew that was still in the dining hall, he cleared his throat in the awkward silence and said, "We, uh, got a wave - I'll go check it." he paused as though he might say more.

*_{no problem}

[To Destiny: Bridge}

Wei-Li stood there shock and anger shining in her eyes.  Suddenly everything was her fault.  Geoff had gone from not talking to yelling and blaming her.

“Great.  Just great.  Of all the… Kuh Wu  Gou Cao De …”

She shook her head.  “Its not your fault he’s being a Feh Feh Pi Goh. ”

She glowered at the door Geoff had retreated through.  “I guess all I am to him is a Jien Huo, who doesn’t want him.  Damn him.”

She sputtered then looked up at Dake.  “This is not your fault.”

She wavered between the work she was doing and Geoff.  Then the recording played.  It took her a moment to recognize the voice and then her jaw dropped.

Could this moment get any worse?

Of all the despicable, dog humping….
Baboon’s ass crack
Cheap Floozy

I am in trouble.  I am in such gorram trouble.  She is even beautiful when she is angry.   Those eyes.   Amazing.

With uncharacteristic calm, he put his hand on her shoulder and kissed her on the cheek just as she had him.  "It's not your fault either."

He raised an eyebrow when the recording went off.  It was obviously unexpected because her jaw dropped and the color drained from her face.

He moved his hand to her arm again to support her if she needed it.  "Are you ok?"

Wei-Li turned, grateful for the support.  She was beginning to doubt her own strength.  Finally she looked up at Dake, her expression all but lost.

"That was Ren," she said softly.  It wasn't just his voice, but his attitude that was reflected in the recording.

"...We almost didn't make it... it was... dark..."  she wasn't looking at him anymore.  She was looking at a place and time that wasn't before or after the station.  She was seeing it all again.

DC took the dish out of her hand, put an arm around her waist and guided her gently to one of the tables to sit down.  She looked unsteady on her feet, and he didn't want her falling down.

Once she was seated, he went for a glass and the vodka bottle, but rethought that immediately.  Instead he went back and got her a glass of water.

He set it down in front of her, and said "You know, someone who I just met, but has shown herself to be pretty wise once told me 'sometimes the pain lessens when shared.  You remember the good...'."

He waited patiently, wondering if she would trust him enough to talk about it.

Wei-Li took the glass and stared at it numbly for a momemnt before taking a sip.  None of them had talked about what happened.  They didn't need to: they'd all seen the nightmare, they'd all survived their part of it and lived to tell the tale, but they weren't telling it.

She looked up at Dake.  "It was bad... really bad."  She sighed.  "And the only good thing to come out of it just stormed off."

She started to tell him about the station, then shook her head.  "Let me tell you about how we were before..."  She took another drink, and the haunted look melted away as she began talking about the crew.

"Originally, I hired the crew for a bit of work I needed, but around here, simple never stays that way..."

"I was a performer on Paquin, and during a show, I'm waiting on Kale and the others."

She laughed.  "Don't believe everything you hear about Paquin and theives, but... well, a thief introduced us and I took advantage of that introduction."

"After the trip, and dealing with the south end of the trip, Kale asked me to stay on."

She'd never tell Kale, but he reminded her of her older brother, Sam.  She did tell Dake.  "And like a big brother he was watching out for me.... and I was kind of hoping that Geoff and I would... "

She shrugged.  She didn't know what she hoped, but he'd gotten her through the station, then left her once they were safe.  Maybe he was just trying to keep her spirits up.

"Now Charlie... I don't know if she'll ever trust me.  A theif robbed them and I was there, and from Paquin so... "

Her eyes twinkled slightly.  "But I've seen her face down a monster and come through.  She's a lot stronger than she thinks.  And she talks a lot clearer when she ain't flustered."

Flustered.  That was one word for it.  She told him about Rhaef leaving and Charlie closing up.  The only person who could reach her was Ren.

"Now Ren, he's a Paquin brat like me.  He never thought of himself as a performer, but... well.. you heard the recording.  He could light up the ship with a smile, or cast it into the deepest corner of hell with a glance.  He had presence, and a light that shone through when he was there... and now he's gone."

"Kale, I think he's a little bit of each of us, or he sees that part in us and draws it in.  But he's always been a bit... reserved?"

She'd always attributed it to the war.  You see a distance in some one's eyes, a need to bring people in, and an urge to keep them away at the same time...that's usually the war.

"When Rhaef left..."  She shook her head.  "That was at least leavin'  but Ren..."

She bit her lower lip, tears pooling at the brim, finall fell.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:03, Wed 04 Apr 2007.

Charlie stood up from her chair as Wei-Li and Dake had moved back to the table.  She hadn't really been in the mood for any more catch-up, and she already didn't like the hotshot that Kale had brought on board.  She mumbled a quick "excuse me" to the two as she slid out the door, her skin nearly itching with the claustraphobic sensation that the room was created.  She needed to get into the fresh air, and there was only one place that she could do that...


------to Cargo Bay--->

Kyoko watches WEi-Li and the newcomer bond and quietly smiles as she finishes up cleaning up the remains of dinner, guietly sticking them into the recylcer and silent withdrawing from the Galley. She had correspondence to answer and perhaps it would be the best for her to be elsewhere with these two talking anyway.

He was relieved to see her shoulders come up and a smile start to show on her mouth when she started talking about the crew.

I don’t think she is going to fall….What?!?  He is the only good thing to come out of what?  The gutter?  Is she talking about the Ai Chr Jze Se Duh Fohn Diang Gho I just met?  I must have misheard.   If I misheard, then why does she sigh and her face soften around the eyes when she talks about him.   Nope, she’s got it bad for the hun dun.

He refocused on what she was saying as she mentioned Kale acting like a big brother, and she hoped she and Geoff would…..

WHAT?  You and Geoff would become reading buddies?   Rut like bunnies?   Take a bubble bath together will long flutes of champaign?   WHAT?   Damn, this chwen has her locked up bad.

He could hardly believe that the wrench spoke any better unflustered.  That gal was severely tongue-tied.

The monster probably fled because he thought he had gone mad after listening to her for a few minutes.

When she started talking about Ren, her body language changed again.  She set her shoulders like she was trying to face something she couldn’t avoid any longer.  From the way she talked about him and the rest of the crew reacted to the recording of him, Ren musta been one hell of a man.  Sounded a lot like Nate to be honest, and he knew what it was like to lose someone like that.  It was more then hurt, it left a hole.  He hadn’t found anything besides racing that gave him any relief from his loss.

When she mentioned Kale being reserved, his thoughts spilled out of his head and into his mouth.  He whispered, ”He wasn’t always like that.”  He didn’t even realized he said it, and just continued listening to her.

He reached over the table and grabbed a napkin for her to wipe her tears, and waited to see if she needed to say anymore.

No matter what I think about a couple of them, this crew has been through hell.  What is amazing is they are still together, and no matter how dysfunctional they are at the moment that says a lot about how they care for one another.  I could do worse then hire on with a crew like this.  In the back of his head, a voice kept reminding him they needed a pilot.

 ”You guys are a tight crew.  After watching you talk about them, it shows on your face how much you care about them.  I think I am going to have to look past some first impressions.”


_{Crazy dog in love with his own feces
Bastard
Dumbass}

Wei-Li took the napkin, giving Dake a sad smile.  "Sorry, probably not what you were expecting when you arrived,.. come for dinner, stay for the show."

She held the napkin to her face, letting it soak up the tears, then set it down.  "Thank you."

She was being honest with him, so he felt he owed her an honest answer too.  "I didn't know what to expect from dinner tonight.  I didn't know how I was going to react to seeing Kale, and not really even sure I wanted to see him."

He shrugged again for what seemed the millionth time that night.  "It still hurts to see Kale, and I still have a hole where Nate used to be, but..."

but what?  but I think you all are as ruttin messed up as I am.  but I think you are a group of people I could be happy with.  but I think I could be as good for you as you are for me?   but I think you are gorgeous and I want your body?  but I should learn when to shut my face?

"...talking to you has..."

I am going to say this wrong.  I should shut up.

"...has made me see that maybe Kale and I are not so different.  That maybe all of you and I are in similar places in our lives, and I might like it here."

Oh well, there it is.  I would like to stay and give this a try.

Wei-Li gave him a dejected look.  "Does it get any better?"

She was tired of walking on egg shells with Geoff.  She was tired of soul searching, heart wrenching questions that kept coming up.

Dake shook his head.  "All of the years since Nate died, there has been a hole in my heart that can't be filled.  It seems to get smaller with time, but it hasn't disappeared.  I don't know if it ever will.  All I know is that good friends can help you forget.  Even if it is just for a little while, it is worth it."

He smiled the best he could.  "Brock and Becky fill that need for me here.  There are just some people that are so right for you that they help distract you."  He let out a big sigh.  "You just have to jump in with both feet when you find them."

Should I be jumping in with both feet?  Is this the crew for me? It sure feels like it could be.  What about Brock and Beck then?  You just going to leave them behind?  Yup, I am.  This feels right some how.

"Wei-Li can I ask you a question I need an honest answer for?"

Wei-Li thought about what he had said.  She knew she had to look a sight, her eyes red from crying, her face blotchy.  Well, there was no hiding the fact that she was upset, the time for that had long passed.

She looked up at him and nodded, not trusing herself to speak.

He wasn't sure how to procede now that he had her attention.  "I don't know what it is, but I have not felt something that feels so right, and I hardly know..."

Just spit it out, DC, you babbling idiot.

The words came out in a rush.  "...I havn't met anyone like you.  So honest and heart felt.  I am not sure why, but I want to stay.  You guys need a pilot, and I need a ship to fly.  Will you?  Will the rest of the crew have me?"

Wei-Li was about to answer when she heard Kale's voice on the intercom.  She took a deep breath and smiled at Dake, clearing rolling with the punches.

"Come with me and they will," she answered.  "That sounds... well, come on."

She stood and headed for the bridge.


====>To Bridge.

Startled by the interruption of the intercom, he only nodded to her silently and followed.

Here you go.  Is the Destiny your destiny. You will soon find out.

< to Bridge >

< from Bridge >

Dake looked around the dining area and tried to decide if he had pushed too hard on the bridge.

If you want to be on this ship, why the attitude, ya dumb hun dun?

Me?  Kale is the one who started it.  Talking all high-n-mighty like he did.  I don't need that niu shi.

It is his ship, he gets to act like that.

Ruttin rude is what it is.  He has lost some manners the last I saw him.

So have you.

The argument in his head ended with that.  Wondering if his attitude had talked him out of a job.  He shrugged and finished clean up from dinner, and got his things together to leave if need be.

Lei sat quietly by as Dake entered the room. She hadn't been on the bridge but she had easily heard the conversation.

"The captain doesn't like you . .. why?

Lost in his own thoughts, Dake hadn't seen Lei.  Startled, he said, "He likes me fine, he just doesn't want me around.  He and I remind ourselves of a very sad time in our lives.  Sometimes it is better just to try to forget those times."

He sat down for a moment and smiled at Lei.  "The Captain and I are also a lot alike at times.  We say things we don't mean when our tempers run hot.  This making any sense at all?"
This message was last edited by the player at 13:22, Sat 19 May 2007.

Lei wrinkled her nose and shook her head, "No, it's illogical.  When you like someone you like having them around.  And you can't forget something that you remember ..." Lei trailed off for the briefest of moments there, the white place flashing before her eyes.  She carefully filed the memory in a different location however and continued on.

Cocking her head to the side she looked at Dake, "And why would you say something that you didn't mean?  It seems like a very inefficient way of communicating."

Dake frowned for a moment as he regarded how blunt and honest reply.  He then started laughing and sat down next to her. "Yes, it is completely illogical, and I hope you never regret words you say when your manifold pressure is running high.  I have lived my life that way and it's beginning to lose it's charm."

"As far as Kale and me liking eachother, that is a tougher answer.  See, my brother was Kale's best friend, and he died.  It made Kale and I really sad, and sometimes that sadness affects how we see eachother."

He looked at her to if she understood what he was trying to say.

Lei cocked her head to the side as Dake looked to her to see if she understood.  She didn't.

"Like it makes your eyes watery so you have to see through tears?" she asked, trying to understand how the emotion of sadness could effect ones vision.  She had read a lot of the Professor's books and none of them had mentioned a correlation between the two.  But the longer she was on Destiny the more she realized that not everything could be learned from books.  Geoff was always telling her that some things she just had to experience to understand ... then he started drinking all the time.  Lei understood a few new emotions since then ...