Wei-Li looked up at Kale for a moment as she finished with the straps.  Her expression was one of half bemusement, half hope at Geoff's awkward comments.  She then gave him a look that didn't quite involve rolling her eyes, but she wasn't sure what to do or say with the way Geoff'd be behaving.

"Uh... it was a cinch," she answered with a slight pun and a forced lilt to her voice.  Then with a whistful sigh she turned back to Kale.

"I'll go get Dake's bike-- where you want it?"

She stood and dusted herself off the removed the bar from the cinch straps.

"I'll get it." Geoff said entirely too fast, almost tripping over himself to beat Wei-Li to the bay door.  It was rather pathetic but slightly endearing, "I mean, ya know, cause ya already did some liftin' an' all.  And, uh, ya know, that's my job ... well besides shootin' folk an' lookin' all intimidatin'.  I'm also good fer heavy liftin'.  Yep, that's me." Geoff rambled as he made his way out the bay doors and began moving the bike into the ship.

[From Destiny: Dining Hall]

Lei watched Geoff with a slightly amused expression on her face and then looked at Wei-Li and giggled before taking a seat on the stairs.

Kale looked from Geoff to Wei-Li, and then back to Geoff again.  Rolled his eyes and let out a sigh, "I don' have time fer this.  Just get the bike secure and close the bay doors behind ya." Kale said.

He headed for the stairs to the upper level hitting the comm on his way up, "Fire her up, Charlie, we'll be all shut up in a second."

Wei-li put her hand to her mouth to hide her own chuckle at Geoff's antics. At least he was trying-- she hoped that was a good sign.

When she heard Lei giggle she looked up, her smile reaching her eyes for the first time since they'd left the station behind. She gave her a hopeful nod, then focused on her work.

"I think there's space over by the mule," she said as she slung the bar over her shoulder and gave her best steavador swagger over to the space indicated.

Geoff walked the motorcycle into the cargo bay and followed Wei-Li to the are she'd indicated.  He chuckled at the way she walked.

Maybe there was still some hope.  He set the kick stand and noticed that Kale had already headed up.  "If you got this... I'll go close up shop."

Wei-Li nodded and set to work strapping the bike into place.  The last thing they wanted was something the size and weight of the motorcycle bouncing around the cargo bay.

She tightened down the straps and tested them, then added a second set just to be sure.  Once she finished she put the winch away and locked the cabinet.

Geoff gave Wei-Li an apologetic smile as he strode over to the controls and closed up shop.  He waited until the doors were closed and the air had cycled through before testing the seal.

With a satisfied nod he strode over to the intercom.  “We’re locked up tight.”

With the bay doors shut and Dake's capable hands at the yoke Destiny left Osiris behind - if only they could leave the painful memories there with it ...

The black was a welcome change from the core world which always made the crew uneasy.  But they all knew that peril lay ahead.  Rhaef was in danger and it there job to go save him.  However this was the most divided the crew had been since the first day Destiny took to the sky.  There was a lot of patching up to do before they reached Beaumonde and had to once again work as a team.

Wei Li began her yoga routine, fighting to keep herself limber and sane.  When she focused on controling her body and performing the more advanced poses, nothing else seemed to exist.  There was her breathing and the pose, nothing more.

Slowly she worked the kinks out and then with an impish smile she set the packing mats out and began a series of tumbling runs.  She knew she might never go home, but, as they always said, you could take a kid out of Paquin by you could never get Paquin out of the kid.

"I just don't think we should go in that heavily armed.  We got no idea what we're facin' and a gun like that is just a mite threatenin'.  Kinda ruins any chance of negotiation if'n that's an option." Kale said.

He and Geoff were standing outside the secret armory trying to make plans for what they were going to face once reaching Beaumonde.  It was strange not discussing this type of stuff with Rhaef but Geoff was his first mate now.  Until you get Rhaef back ... if Rhaef will come back ... Kale thought.

He looked back at Geoff who still hadn't responded.  The man was just staring off into space over his shoulder.

"Geoff, you with me on this?  I got just about no time fer you to be puttin' yer thoughts elsewhere." Kale said sternly.

Geoff's fingers idly stroked, what he fondly referred to as "Peacemaker", his favorite gun.  He'd been trying to convince the Captain that a gun like Peacemaker was just what they needed ... and some grenades.  Always good to have a few grenades on ya.  But to be honest he had no idea what the Captain was yammering on about now.  How was a fella supposed to concentrate when a pretty lady was just 20 feet away bein' all ... flexible.

He wasn't sure what to do about Wei-Li.  He'd ruined it all.  He'd been this close an' then everything went ta hell in a hand basket and now.  Well now he didn't know where they were at.  She was friendly enough ... Wei-Li had always been the nicest girl he knew but - but it wasn't the same.  Not anymore.

Ruttin' hell, Geoff, you gorram fool. And now the pretty fly boy had come on board ... Geoff didn't like him.  Not one bit.  He had no right comin' in and being all friendly like with Lei and Wei-Li both.  Who'd he think he was?

Geoff continued to watch Wei-Li ... the way she moved, that intense look of concentration she always got when she was focused on something, the way her hair fell across her face ...

Suddenly Kale's voice broke though Geoff's thoughts and he snapped his focus back, "Right, Cap'n.  I'm with her - you.  I'm with you." Geoff swallowed, "What am I with you on?" he added a little sheepishly.

Wei-li finished her final tumbling run and was about to start putting the mats away when she noticed Kale and Geoff by the weapons locker.

She closed her eyes and let her breath out slowly as she remembered watching Kyron forcing them off the ship with a very injured Rhaef.  They were her family now and Rhaef's life was once again in danger.

She bit her lip as she screwed up her courage and then made her way over to where the two men stood.  Then she paused, waiting for Kale to acknowledge her.

Kale sighed and then tried to cover his frustration with smile.  Geoff was trying his last nerve.  First with the drinking, and now the not focusing on the task at hand, "Forget it.  Bring the gorram gun."

Kale turned his head then to see Wei-Li.  He offered her a nod and a smile, "You got a piece to speak?"

Wei-Li nodded worriedly.  "Where do you want me?" she asked matter of factly.

"I'm decent at sneaking into places... " she offered looking him in the eyes.  "Climbing into tight places, things like that."

She paused.  "And I can shoot... not terrifically but I can."

Rafe had gotten her out of the hospital and through the nightmare that was his old life, it was the least she could do.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:20, Wed 17 Oct 2007.

Geoff shifted uncomfortably as he noticed Wei-Li standing right beside him and hoped she hadn't seen him staring and was coming to tell him to mind his own business.  She wasn't though.  She was coming to speak with the Captain.

'O course she is, she's got nothin' ta say ta you, ya big oaf.

Geoff tried not to stare, but when Wei-Li started talking he couldn't help but butt in, "I don' think that's such a great idea.  You comin' 'long an' all." he glanced at Wei-Li and continued on quickly, "Not that yer not capable, trust me, I know yer all sortsa capable but - I mean ... well, ya know, its gonna be, its gonna be dangerous and, and ... stuff."

Geoff didn't look at Wei-Li now.  He just, well he almost lost her at Torrance Station.  Didn't really want a repeat of that situation.

Kale stared blankly at Geoff's response to Wei-Li's question, "That was downright eloquent, Geoff." he said with a small smirk.  He turned to Wei-Li, "I'm thinkin' we could probably use every hand we can get though, and yer not weak."

Wei-Li stiffened slightly.  She'd been expecting objections to her volunteering, but not from Geoff, not after everything they'd been through together.  She was about to object when Geoff started falling over his words.

She took a deep breath and gave Kale a single nod.

"Thank you."

Geoff sighed as Kale went right ahead ignoring his input ... as usual.  And why would he listen to him, he was just a drunk, right?  And most of all - he wasn't Rhaef.

He was about to say something when he heard shouts coming from the upper level.  He looked up towards the dining hall entryway, "Do you guys hear ..."

[From Destiny: Dining Hall]

Dake came running through the doorway, his shoes clanging on the balcony as he ran, the bucket banging against his leg.  A few feet away from the entryway he stopped and waited for Lei to emerge, a balloon at the ready.

[From Destiny: Dining Hall]

The second Lei came around the corner she was greeted with a balloon to the face.  She let out a playful scream and tossed a balloon back at Dake.  Running after him as he took off, darting down the stairwell to the lower level.  She let out a laugh and dodged a second balloon.

Dake bounded down the stairs towards where he saw Kale and the others, "Kale!  Kale!  Save me!" he started laughing as he lunged toward them, trying to dodge Lei's balloon.  For the moment, he saw Kale just like he used to back in the good 'ol days, "I didn't do it!  Save me!" he shouted again, looking up at the balcony where he expected Kyoko to appear any second.

Wei-Li had begun to reach out towards Geoff when he looked up.  It took her a moment to realize what was going on and quickly duck behind Geoff and Kale.  Years of being the smallest in her clan had taught her that the safest place was behind everyone else... behind or above, but in this case there was no cover above.

"Oh no...."

Kale had to do a double take to figure out what the hell was going on on his ship.  One moment he was making tactical plans on how to save his first mate ... ex-first mate ... the next he was in the midst of complete pandemonium.  Dake was darting down the stairs, closely followed by none other then Lei.  Which was odd enough in itself and they were throwing ... were those surgical gloves from the infirmary filled with water?

"What - what the gorram hell is going on?!" Kale demanded.

(From Dining Hall)

Kyoko came onto the Cargo Bay balcony soaked and feeling more pissed off than she'd been in a very long time. She hoped that emotion translated on to her face.

She ignored Lei and Dake and pointed straight at Kale.

"Kale Galeway! I am completely humiliated! Lei, I can understand, but if you're going to employ someone like that gorram Hun Dun of a pilot, then I will be leaving this ship immediately! Preferably to some other ship where I won't be treated so basely!"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:19, Wed 17 Oct 2007.