Tylen chews the offered root slowly, as if he only want to taste a little bit of the juice.  However, when  the flavour does come through, he cocks an eyebrow and chews for a bit longer.  "Sweet, but smoky.  Not what I was expecting." he admits to the vendor with as grin "Not at all bad." he adds with a wink to Shui.

Then he continues to chew as he waits for the vendor to respond to Shui's question.

Saskia continues eating, though not so quickly now.  Trying to stretch out the meal as she quietly observes the kids from the corner of her eye.  They could be trouble, she realises, and decides to keep an eye on them for the moment.

She has her gun, of course, in case they try to start anything.  But now she thinks of it, she can't honestly remember if it's loaded or not.  She doesn't keep it loaded in her locker, and has no recollection of putting in any ammunition before leaving.  She may have done so, but she doesn't remember with any certainty, having been thinking about lunch at the time.

And pulling the gun out here to check it would probably not be a good plan.  Sitting quietly and hoping to bluff the kids if it comes down to it sounds like a far better option.

Jago nods thoughtfully, "Hmmm...  Well we can ask him about it when we meet.  Talking of which, I suppose we should think about getting to our meeting, we've got an hour.  If you want to get changed, or anything, I can take the Bridge."

"The red ones are ripe," the vendor replies, "the brighter the better... the darker coloured ones are getting older and won't keep as long, but some people prefer them that way.  The greenish ones at the front aren't ripe yet.  They'll keep the longest, but won't taste too pleasant for another three or four days."

"Whether or not I can deliver them depends on how far?"

The noisy trio place their orders, chattering away in their strange language and laughing a lot.  "Atatu apadera, likhale mofulumira."

The waiter makes no move towards them, instead he replies quietly, "I thought the manager told you that you were barred.  He's not here today, so I'm prepared to serve you, but you'll need to pay up front."

Oh, this is bad.

Saskia sits quietly, trying to be invisible.  Not easy, considering how few people are in the restaurant.

I could call for Yas to come and help, but by the time she got here, I'd probably be dead.

The Engineer thinks, desparate to come up with a plan that could save her injury or death should trouble start.  And then, it happens.  An idea.  Not necessarily her best, but it might be good enough.

"Here it is!  Their money, I mean.  I'll pay for their food, on one condition -- I'm fed up with frelling sitting alone.  If you three want to share a table and talk to me, I'll buy you lunch."

"A vote of confidence," Shui notes with a smile for Tylen.  "There you have it.  I think I'll need a mix - a few ripe, mostly not.  As for delivery, I require them for a ship at the spaceport." She inclines her head with another smile, this one for the vendor. "Would that be possible?"

"I'm not sure battery operated is the best to start with.  A simple, reliable manual one would probably be best for a beginner," Yas broods briefly and starts looking over items fitting that general description.

"So, anyone in particular you like the looks of?  Colour, shape, anything?  I can advise you from there, or suggest a few for you," she says to Keryn, watching the younger woman as she waits for an answer.

The three youths look at each other, then at Saskia, before huddling their heads together briefly.  One lifts his head to look at the engineer, before ducking down again, and Saskia hears the words "bochok sosis" spoken two or three times.

Then one, the self-appointed spokesman, stands and says in heavily accented Anglic, "We would to be pleased.  You offworldie, yes?  And you are eating bochok sausage?  Very brave.  Not so many offworldies will have stomachs to eat it."

He grins from ear to ear, "We would to be pleased to call you friend.  I am named Knifes, he is One-Two-Cut, and that one is Dog Boy."

Keryn studies the merchandise on offer, perfectly happy to let Yas point her in the right general direction.  Eventually she points to one that takes her fancy.  "That one looks nice." 

"Oh, in the port.  That's no problem.  I can have somebody bring them over there today." the vendor smiles cheerfully, "Sorry, I had visions of you saying somewhere a hundred kilometres away, or something.  But here, in the port.  That's easy."

"Oh?  So what is a hundred Kilometres away?" Tylen asks without thinking.

"Thank you, Cap'n." Ash nods and stands to stretch for a moment, "It shouldn't take me more than a couple of minutes to get ready."  He locks his console before turning away.  The lanky navigator doesn't really have anything much more formal and he doesn't plan to shower beforehand, only wash his face really.

He trundles off to his quarters and true to his word reappears just under five minutes later wearing his well-worn, oilskin duster.  His hair might have been washed, but it was tough to tell given that it there wasn't that much there to start with.  Ash has quickly shaved; so, no stubble lines his pale chin.

"Ready when you are, Boss." he intones, then quips rather lightheartedly, "Anything exciting happen while I was gone?"

Riiiiight.  Interesting names.

Saskia beckons for her guests to be seated.  "So what do you want to eat?  Bochok sausage?

"Yes, I'm from a ship.  Engineering department.  Landed today and thought I'd grab myself something to eat."

She waits, while they order their food.

"So what about you?  What do you do around here?"

"Wonderful!"  Shui barely refrains from clapping her hands in delight.  It's the small things that she enjoys these days.  Larger concerns are best left to the people in the position to influence such things.  "I will give you the bay number and ship name, sir, and will look forward to the arrival of your goods."  She offers a small bow. "Shui Tiesi, ship's steward and doctor."

Tylen takes an interesting tack with his question; Shui hadn't considered it that way, but maybe there IS a reason the vendor chose that particular distance rather than just as some arbitrary number.  So she waits to see if there's a solid reason - a solid reason they, themselves, might find interesting.

The vendor shrugs, "I don't know.  Was just a nice round number.  Maybe some farms or a small settlement, there's a few of them scattered about."

He notes down the details of the ship's location on the landing field, then says, after some calculation, "That'll be 75 credits, Imperial, including taxes.  Do you want to pay now, or will you pay on delivery?"

Jago nods as Ash returns, "That was quicker than I expected.  Probably getting too used to the women on the ship.  Yas takes forever to get changed.  Always has to make sure she has the right gun to accessorise her outfit."

The unlit cigar travels from one side of his mouth to the other, then back again, in a desperate attempt to conceal his smile.  "And with the amount of the things that she has, it takes her forever to choose."

"Shall we get going?  I'd rather be early than late."

The youths look at each other, grinning, as the food arrives - something called "house specials" for all of them, and some sort carbonated soft drink - then Knifes replies, "We does what we want.  Nobody can to stop us.  We are... I have not the word in offworldie... we are puntako korrikalaria.  Not like other, live on outside."

Dog Boy interrupts.  "Him mean we no to confirm... no... not right... con-form.  We no to conform with others.  Live own way."

Tylen shrugs and grins  "OK.  We were looking for somewhere to visit, so I guess that just triggered the question." he says apologetically, as he waits for Shui to complete her purchases.  "So where would recommend for a visit?" he  asks the trader "Considering that we may not be here all that long.  Our captain working in strange and wondrous ways sometimes." he says with a wink for the vendor.

Ash shrugs slightly, then nods to Jago's request to be early, "Of course, Boss."  He gestures for the Captain of the Profit Margin to take the lead, ready to fall in immediately behind him.

As the lanky navigator starts walking towards the door to the crew lounge, he postulates, "Presumably, we'll catch a cab to get there?  Should I try to call in for one?"  Ash starts to pull up companies on his wrist comp, feeding the results to his eyepiece.

"It sure is... colourful.  But functional, that's what matters.  A bit small for me, but should be a good starter for you.  Easy to wear under your clothes without anyone noticing it, even," Yas comments, the lopsided grin growing towards the end, nudging Keryn teasingly.  "Plus, you won't set off any detectors easily with these material, that could be embarrassing otherwise..."

She turns to the salesman to negotiate a price, if he seems the kind to consider bartering a requirement as opposed to an insult.  Never know what culture have been adopted on different planets.  As long as she doesn't have to expend bullets she will try to make a deal either way.

Jago shakes his head, "I've just looked the place up on a map of the port that was in the official documents we were sent.  It's not far.  We can probably walk there and back in less time than it'd take a cab to get here."  There is a faint whispering sound from behind him, and he turns to retrieve a hard copy from the printer slot and studies it critically.  "Ten minute walk.  Fifteen tops.  You armed?"

The captain chuckles, "Oh, before we go, we should tell Corlan that he'll be the ranking officer until somebody else gets back.  It'll either thrill him or terrify him."

The vegetable vendor nods, "Ah... your skipper's unpredictable, is he?  Well, hopefully some of this produce will encourage him to stay for a bit longer, and you'll get a chance to look about."

Then the man seems to have an idea, "If you like sports, and you stay long enough, there's a kickball game tomorrow morning, just outside the fence on the far side of the landing field.  Strictly amateur level, and the admission fee is completely voluntary, but the local lads usually put on a brave show.  Frankly, they need the extra support."

The salesman smiles at Yas, "That's a popular model.  Not too heavy to feel right, but powerful enough to get the job done.  Price would be 1350 dollars, but I guess by you're accents that you're from off-world, so... " he starts scribbling some figures on a scrap of paper, "575 credits."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:27, Tue 10 Mar 2015.

Shui is more than happy to pay, and now, and offers to do so.  She listens in on the conversation between Tylen and the merchant, her brow creasing at the idea of the kickball game.  "Well, that game does sound interesting.  And close.  I would certainly be pleased to take in some of the local sports.  How about you, Mr. Orgesh?  Might one hope?"

She purses her lips.  "Staying a while...that might be nice as well.  It depends on Jago and his cargo, of course.  And our passengers."

"Oh, I see.  So you try to live outside the system?" This was interesting.  Revolutionaries of some extremely limited sort, perhaps rebelling on a very personal level.

"Interesting.  Are there many of you?  Do you have much say in things around here?"

The vendor smiles happily as he sees the credits, "Well, I hope you enjoy your stay, however long it lasts.  And I hope you get a chance to come and support the Hunters."

Dog Boy nods enthusiastically at Saskia, "Right!  Outside system.  Exact right.  Maybe three hundred of us, this region.  Most near port, so can get things from outside easiest.  Maybe same other ports."

There is a brief discussion, then the third member of the group, One-Two-Cut speaks up, "Not so much say.  Not more than others.  All people have say, but not all say same things."

Ash shrugs to Jago's timing, "I'm not the fastest walker in the Imperium..." and he pats his right leg instinctively, "but I can probably manage."  In all honestly, the walk will likely do him good.  At least, as long as they don't over do it and go too fast.

When the Captain asks about him packing heat, the lanky navigator of the Profit Margin pulls open his duster exposing his right hip for a moment.  Upon it, is a well-worn holster with a rather nondescript autopistol in it.  The grips have a slightly worn look to them.  Patting the sidearm, Ash nods slightly, "Yeah.  Though admittedly it is more for show.  A relic from OCS training in my naval days."

He pauses for a moment, and then asks rather pensively.  "You, uh," Ash stops and runs his fingers through his hair, "don't think that we'll need something bigger, do you?"  He doesn't seem to relish the thought, even as he continues, "I ... I can bring my laser carbine, if necessary."  He pauses after the offer, then notes, "Though, I'll have to get it from the ship's armoury."

"Kick Ball?" the gunner responds with a grin.  "Sure.  That sounds like it could be interesting for a bit.  So what time does the match start?" he asks, remembering that he can't just ask the local computer and comms system for that information.

Then as an aside to Shui he adds  "I really ought to do a bit of shopping as well.  I need to get a few more bits and pieces of uniform equipment.  I got some bits last time we stopped, but there were a few bits that weren't allowed by their local laws."

Jago nods his head, "Lasers are probably beyond standard local tech, so it might intimidate people who would otherwise feel like picking a fight.  I'll grab my pistol and shotgun on the way out too.  If we need anything heavier, then we'll be out of our depth anyway."

The vendor laughs, "Stupid me.  The game starts at thirteen hundred.  Should last for two hours, so probably two and a half with stoppage time."

"That price clearly includes all necessary... maintenance tools and articles for care," Yas states to underline the fact that she is not asking.  Not that she minded haggling over merchandise, but she as not about to pay too much for too little either.  Keryn deserved a good starter kit to enjoy, after all.

"My thanks, sir," Shui replies with a small bow. "Should our ship not be departing immediately - which I very much doubt - we shall do our best to attend."

She isn't so much interested in team sports herself, save as cultural expressions.  But Tylen likely is - aren't most men? - and does seem curious.  It should make a nice outing for them.

"As for your uniform, I'm curious to see what sort of accessories you desire."  One eyebrow rises. "Things that were illegal in our last port?"

"I want a different hand gun, mine don't look all that 'military' more like a custom pieces that look good in their holsters.  A military piece is liable to be blacked and have black grips ..."  Tylen responds, "As well as a few other bits and pieces as well." he admits.