One might pass the advice off as pedestrian, but it's commonly known because it's true.  Shui, herself, often advises people of the exact same thing.  Finishing towelling off the final dish, she moves quietly to check the room and the hallways for unwanted observers.  Then the steward moves back to stand close to Tylen, speaking quietly to avoid any possibility of another overhearing.

"It is frustrating, sometimes, that I have no authority to carry out my duties.  Captain Lanza frequently demonstrates a lack of respect for my position, going as far as to disrespect and belittle my decisions regarding overall crew health in full view of the entire crew.  I realize he does not do it out of any malicious urge, but the fact of the matter is that it happens."  Leaning back against the sink, she rubs a hand across her brow.  "It sets precedent for others to follow.  I am the ship's doctor, but my decisions regarding health are regarded as amusing suggestions, no more."

She shoots a glance at Tylen, one eyebrow raised.  "Can you imagine what might result if Captain Lanza did the same with our Security Officer's decisions regarding ship and crew security?"

The Steward rubs her forehead again.  "I have contemplated handing in my resignation as Ship's Doctor, only the Profit Margin cannot support both a doctor and a steward.  Hence, I would need to leave to make room for one who could do both.  I could stay on as a paying passenger, but for how long?  My funds are not unlimited.  And the situation would then change, regardless.  This is one of those things I shall have to put up with, I suspect.  But it becomes...frustrating to be treated so before the entire crew, even if there is no maliciousness behind the act."

Tylen grins  "Jago just needed to prove to himself he be in charge of something.   After all he had just got a severe tanking from Yas and Saskia, no matter what his intentions had been.  Anything would have done, he wasn't picking on you." he says trying to excuse the Captain his baconic lapse.

"But you can always win the bacon fight." he grins broadly  "Buy that low fat healthy stuff and cook it healthily.  Then every time he grabs another rasher, you can just smile at him -  knowing he is almost doing as he is told."

He pauses for a moment before continuing "He does respect you position though, as soon as there is an immediate health threat, he will hand over control  of the situation to you.  Just as he hands over control of immediate security situations to Yas, and engineering situations to Saskia.  But he handles the day to day things like scheduling the ship's service or and making the decision that we should go ashore in pairs and armed ... I guess he puts eating bacon in the same category." he adds with a shrug.

Shui studies Tylen for a long moment.  "There is no way to make bacon healthy," she points out, "nor cook it in a healthy manner.  That is precisely the reason it is so popular."  With a wave, she sets that aside, knowing it not to be his point.  "Sadly, this is not the first time, and we have had that discussion regarding his health before now.  Officially."

Pursing her lips, she paces in a circle.  "It is more like...someone refusing his order to go ashore in pairs or armed.  His prerogative as captain to make that command decision.  But should he decide it was not necessary, but Yasmine countered with her own, professional opinion that it was, do you think he would decide against her?"

One eyebrow rises.  "In front of the entire crew?"

Yasmine, Shui suspects, would be highly miffed.  And possibly offended.

"He would never even consider such a thing," she murmurs.

On the Bridge the external comms panel chirps for attention.  When answered, it's audio only.  "This is Varus Freight, Serr Callam speaking.  We've had a cancellation on a delivery, so we've started loading your consignment early.  It looks as though we can get it to you for... let me check... 09:30 your time.  Would that be acceptable?"

"Wasn't Saskia ashore alone?  While we were out shopping?" he asks rhetorically, fully aware that she was.  Then he pauses for a moment as he gathers his thought.

"I think Yas would pick her times to disagree with him very carefully." he says slowly and cautiously "And I suspect it wouldn't be a casual disagreement in front of the crew." he says reminding Shui that she had initiated the conversation about bacon and challenged Jago on his diet in front of the crew members.

"And Saskia and Yas did both challenge his authority at breakfast, and he had to shuffle really fast to try and save face.  Snagging the bacon was all tied up in that." he says slowly, uncomfortable that he can't find it in himself just to side easily with the Doctor cum Steward and ease her over this small discomfort.

Shui's other eyebrow rises.  "The specific example of the Chief Engineer has nothing to do with this situation, and I imagine that had Ms. Crow agreed with Captain Lanza's thoughts on the matter then found out Ms. Blake had gone out alone, she might have had words with Ms. Blake on the subject."

"When an engineer sees a problem happening with the engines, they do not wait until they can deal with it out of sight of any embarrassment.  When a security officer observes a security issue, they do not wait until it is over and the person has left the vicinity of the other crew members to stop said issue.  If I see a medical issue - one about which I have spoken with the person - I will speak of it immediately.  That is a matter of duty and responsibility."

Back to cleaning.  Fruitlessly, as everything is finished.

"If Yasmine observed one of the crew allowing a person aboard with a weapon-in-hand, for example, and that person was not cleared, she would halt them on the spot without regard for the crew member's feelings.  And she would be correct to do so.  This was an issue of health, and not one of opinion - Captain Lanza and I have discussed this as a matter of his last physical."  Temper flares in her and Shui spins away to march to the wall, facing it.  Without realizing it, she relaxes, her arms hanging loosely at her sides despite her inner tension.  "Should he have chosen to disagree with me, that would have been the proper time.  As captain, he might have then decided to alter my responsibility.  And if Captain Lanza wished to - how did you put it?  Save face?  - due to his discussion with Ms. Black and Ms. Crow, then he should have done so directly.  But this?"

Especially given her support for him during that point in the discussion.

"No matter." She makes a cutting gesture with one hand.  "His point is clear, and I comprehend it."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:58, Tue 02 June 2015.

Knowing that he has said as much, probably more, that he ought, Tylen keeps his mouth firmly closed on the matter of Captain Lanza, armed passengers, engine failures and bacon.  Instead he steps behind Shui and rests his hands lightly on her waist.  "Sorry." he says again.  This time, perhaps, he is apologizing for not being able to support her like he should.

Ash looks up from his console displays and then slowly turns to regard Saskia and her question.  He swallows hard, before saying anything, "I... I know that you and the other crew have been with the Captain a lot longer than I have; so, I don't know what is necessarily 'normal' for this crew."  But he readily agrees with the engineer's assessment, "But some tempers flared there."  He shakes his head slightly, "I don't think that Jago actually meant anything malicious by his comment about Ms. Taylor.  Nor was it an ultimatum with respect to her continued presence."  Ash pauses for a thoughtful moment before adding, "I mean think that the Captain was doing what he thought was right in simply offering Keyrn alternatives."

The thin navigator sighs slightly, his lips pressed thin in a rueful smile, "But he probably could have done it better, though.  Or at least, a little differently.  You know, in a way that could have been less misconstrued..."

His weight shifts slightly in his chair, "It does seems like a bit of R&R is in order for everyone."  He raises a quizzical eyebrow, "What do you think you'll do with a couple of weeks on Regina?  Will you stay nearby to oversee the annual overhaul?"  His question is casual enough and Ash hopes that it doesn't seem too forward; he just doesn't feel like he knows much about the Margin's engineer.

Of course, Ash's curiosity does get fulfilled, since the external commlink chimes in with its own opinion.  He taps a portion of his dynamic display on the console.  "Navigator Tescali, Profit Margin." he answers in response to the hail, "Thank you for the offer.  Please give me a moment to confirm that change works with our schedule..."

He taps out a quick message to Jago, ++Boss, Varus Freight can start early; they are proposing oh-nine-thirty.  Should I accept?++  He didn't see anything on the crew schedule, but Ash also knew that the Captain didn't always post everything publicly all the time.  It was his prerogative after all.

Wish a heavy sigh Yas sits down on the edge of her bunk.

"Nothing to it.  I'll just tell her the options available to her.  It's her choice.  Easy," she tells herself.  She is not certain she believes herself, however.  Rubbing her face with both hands she gathers her wits before pushing the comm button to Keryn's quarters.  Perhaps she isn't in there and Yas will have to hunt her down, thus putting it all off for a while longer.



A minute later Yas leaves her quarters with another heavy sigh.

So, if you want to leave...  Woah!  No, that implies something that isn't there.  I was wondering...  Nope.  Too personal.  Have you thought about the future of your child...  Duh.  Of course she has.

Maybe she should have let Jago talk to her.  But it felt like she had to do it, because she brought the kid aboard, and should Keryn get angry for some reason, it was better at her than Jago who had enough to worry about already.  Passing through into the crew lounge she spots the two lovebirds, as she refers to them in her own mind, and gives an absent wave.

"Hey, kids."

If only there was a pirate attack right now, it would save her from this pending talk, at least for now.  A moments pause.  Nothing.  She resumes walking, clearly low on luck and step out into the cargo bay.

Listen, Jago was...  No, no, no.  That would be unfair to him.  People so readily jumped to all wrong conclusions.  We're all worried about you, and...  What?  Just no.

Had the cargo bay shrunk?  She is already at the entrance to the passenger lounge.  She glances over her shoulder and confirms it does not appear to have shrunk.  Huh.

In the back of her head she wonders what the bit about the bacon was all about, and if Jago was OK.  Maybe she should talk to him next.  Or first.  No, Keryn was waiting.  Inhaling deeply Yas enters the passenger lounge and takes her time to close the hatch behind her before ringing on Keryn's door.

Hey, Keryn, I just wanted to...

Argh.

Frustrated, upset, saddened, offended, confused...Shui's emotional state might be described as tumultuous.  She's barely aware of the room around her now, staring into the wall, her thoughts chasing themselves around her mind.  She doesn't feel safe, suddenly.  Her desires unimportant, her perceived purpose useless...suddenly it's like she's back fifteen years, shoving baggage into a spaceport incinerator, forcing herself not to look over her shoulder.  With, of course, the accompanying fear.  She barely notes Yasmine passing by.

Hands fall on her waist.

It's not fast, her movement, but without hesitation, appallingly immediate and smooth.  Her body shifts-then-turns with the motion of her foot, just a touch off-centre to Tylen, her left hand crossing her waist to pin his right hand to her right side as she does - nothing fast, nothing to trigger his own reflexes, but without even the hair of a pause.  Her own right arm blocks his right elbow, straightening the limb for a barest instant, her full body weight not pressing but drawing him past her, just a touch off-balance toward the wall.  As he passes, her movement continues; not whipping, but a strong shift of the body that drives the motion of her right arm, hinging up and out in time with her body's motion.

The hammer-fist jolts to a halt just behind his occipital bun, where the skull sits atop the spine, as Shui's mind scrabbles to regain control of her limb and barely succeeds before the base of her fist slams into his brainstem.

Just as quickly as it appeared, the grace and smooth motion is gone, Shui staggering back from Tylen, eyes wide with her fingers slapping over her mouth. "Oh," she whispers.  "Oh, oh, I'm so..."  Her face takes on a greenish cast in the dim light of the kitchen, and she falls back against the sink, fingers slipping along the edge behind her, searching for a handhold.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:21, Wed 03 June 2015.

”Whaaaaat…” Tylen ejaculates, as his body gets moved around without any input from him.  Indeed, it takes all of his effort to stay on his feet and not plant his face firmly into the wall.  One moment there had been a woman I front of him, then suddenly she stepped away and behind and he nearly fell over.  Something had happened, but he wasn’t sure what.

”I didn’t think she’d take it that badly” sort of flows through his mind, competing with ”Where did she go? and That’s the bloody wall! all competing for space inside his head at the same time.  In that mental confusion he turns, looking for the Doctor,  ”S..sorry” he half stutters in his confusion. Seeing the woman collapsed against the sink, seems to throw him more.

”Are you alright?  What happened?  Sorry!  Are you hurt?” all seem to rush out at the same time – his words matching the look of confusion on his face.

There's a brief moment of relief; Tylen missed her slip.  Then the reality crashes in, and nausea puts bile in Shui's mouth.  'Slip'?  That somewhat undersells the matter.  "I'm fine," she whispers, rubbing her forehead, mind frantically casting about for some kind of legitimate excuse.  "Overtired, perhaps.  My apologies, Tylen.  You are correct; I'm making too much of this."

My apologies.

Pushing herself more upright, she runs shaking fingers through her hair.  Control attempt, her mind notes with some irony.  Simultaneously, her gaze flicks over his face, checking.  Her memory is correct; she didn't actually complete the first strike, even.  She hadn't hurt him, hadn't hurt him at all.  "Bad luck; I thought to get some water, and I expect we simply moved at the wrong time."


That might pass, she considers.  Everything had been perfectly, disgustingly natural in her movement.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:33, Fri 05 June 2015.

Tylen reaches for a chair and drags it around in front of Shui, ”Sit down.” he says solicitously, concerned about her pale complexion, shaky hands  and whispering voice,  ”Whatever it was really took it out of you.”

Turning back to the sink he starts to draw a glass of water for her, setting it on the side close to her hand.

”Do you want me to help you to your room?” he asks, ”I can finish tidying up in here.”
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 21:33, Thu 04 June 2015.

Jago lifts his eyes from contemplating the object on his desk, reads the message from Ash, then sends a written reply, + No problem.  The hold's empty, so they can start loading whenever they get here.  Just let Yas and Tylen know, so they can do their thing. +

The cabin door opens with a faint hiss, and a slightly dishevelled Keryn blinks sleepily at Yas, "What is it?  It sounded important when you called.  Did I do something wrong?"  She steps aside and beckons for Yas to enter, before closing the door behind the Security Chief.

"I think there were misunderstandings on both sides." Saskia responds, her tone firmly neutral and her eyes on the board as she checks readings and makes adjustments.  "But Jago should have cooled things down before it went too far.  And that stunt of his with the bacon -- for all we know, Shui is now so frelling furious that she's beating somebody half to death somewhere."

The subject of the vacation comes up, and Saskia chuckles.  Then, while Ash messages Jago, "Two weeks away from the ship?  Mostly I'll spend my time going farbotz about what some greebol port tech is doing to her while I'm away.  The little bit of time I have left over from that -- I'll be drinking and trying to relax in the best hotel I can find.  And hoping it won't catch fire this time.  You?"

Ash glances in Saskia's direction with a smile on his face, he seems about to laugh, when Jago's response floats across his console display forestalling his own rejoinder to the Profit Margin's engineer.  He unmutes the external comm line back to Serr Callum of Varus Freight.  "Serr..." the lanky navigator replies dutifully, "0930 would be perfectly fine.  Thank you for the expedite on that freight manifest."  He closes out the commlink after saying goodbye and quickly pushes the updated timetable to both Tylen and Yasmine over the common crew channel.  Nine-thirty is not that far off.

Then he returns to his conversation with Saskia.  "I..." Ash can't help but chuckle lightly as he posits rather skeptically, "find it difficult to believe that Ms. Tiesi has ever raised a hand in anger."  He shakes his head, "Even with the insubordination of the Captain with respect to any recommendations she may have made as his doctor."  He pauses for a thoughtful moment before continuing, "Wouldn't that seem at odds with her Hippocratic Oath?" he ventures with more than a slight tinge of playfulness, "I can just see it now, 'Doctor beats man to death over ingestion of food that might kill him'..."  The ex-Scout sighs and shakes his head once more at the irony and incredulity of it all.

With respect to his own plans for shore leave, Ash shrugs slightly.  "Well," he posits, "likely some sight-seeing.  Regina is the Ducal seat, though with all the wartime turmoil - and the rumors about ... well, ... the Duke's health, or lack thereof ... I guess we'll have to see how locked down the system is..."  He makes another noncommittal shrug, knowing that he hasn't given Ms. Blake much of an answer.

Still, curious minds have more pressing matters; he knows that she knows that he can't just let her idly make such a statement without more details.  "Wait ... What's is this about a fire on the Margin during the last maintenance cycle?" Ash presses Saskia for more information, "How much damage was caused?   And where was that?  Surely not at Regina..."

Shui eyes the chair for a moment, then slowly sits. "I...thank you.  Thank you, Tylen."  She leans forward, putting her face in her hands - not to weep, but just to rest for a moment.  Water rushes nearby, pouring into a glass, and the Steward glances up.  Silently, she takes the offering, sipping at it carefully.  When she sets it down, it's without a shimmer on the surface, her hands steady.

"I...I should stay here.  Finish up."  She flashes the gunner a wan smile - weak, but real. "If I draw you from your duties, it certainly won't help my stress.  But the offer is truly appreciated."  Frowning, she glances around.  "Though...we seem to be nearly finished.  Perhaps I should just go back to my quarters.  Rest.  There is nothing here I cannot complete in two minutes, later."

Things aboard the ship seem to be calming down...

Jago is working on something in his cabin.  He's stopped staring at the object, and is, instead, going over navigational records, going back a handful of years.  Every Jump Profit Margin has made since 1102...

On the Bridge, Ash and Saskia are having a chat about this morning's breakfast, and the upcoming shore leave.  All while going about their normal duties...

Shui and Tylen are about finished in the Crew Lounge, in spite of the sudden (and unexplained) interruption in the routine, and Shui's suddenly shaken state...

The door to Keryn's room is closed, and the privacy tell-tale is lit.  There is nobody currently in the Passenger Lounge to hear if voices are raised in the cabin, or if shots are fired or objects thrown...

Tylen smiles, relieved that Shui is going to take a break, and offers her his hand to help her out of the chair.  "A bit of peace and quiet will certainly help." he says repeating yet another folk remedy to the Doctor.  "And there is nothing you need to do at the moment."

Assuming there are no other interruptions, Tylen will then retire to his cabin to change into his security guard uniform, including his new military style revolver, various different non-lethal sprays and grenades, and the new shot gun.  Once he is fully dressed he will make his way to the cargo hatch.

"What?  Oh, no.  The fire was in the hotel I was staying at a few years ago.  Was on Rhylanor."  Saskia sighs, and shakes her head, "Some stupid Vargr tried to get into the hotel, but he'd been fighting, and he was drunk, so they turned him away.

"And later he came back and started a big fire.  I was terrified.  I even had to help some Aslan get out, and that's why I have an Aslan award in my quarters, and a document that says I'm to be treated as an honored guest if I visit the Heirate.  Also any ship I'm travelling on gets reduced taxes at Aslan ports, but only while I'm listed as a crew member or passenger."

Ash seems suitably impressed with Saskia story, whistling at the note of an award.  "That must have been a fairly important Aslan..." he ventures.  As far as he is aware, not just anyone is able to give a blanket tax break for saving their life...

Running his long fingers through his short hair, Ash muses quietly, "Yeah.  Those vargr can be mean SOBs."  His other hands goes instinctively to his right knee for a moment.  "The last time I interacted with a vargr," the ex-Scout notes off-hand, "he shot me through the leg..."  Though his tone is light, there is an edge to it - and a touch of sadness - as he reminisces.

Ash pushes off the moment, forcing himself back into the present.  He gives Saskia a wan, self-deprecating smile before apologizing, "Sorry about that."  He honestly hadn't meant to get all heavy there.

"Rhylanor, eh?" the lanky navigator rubs his chin thoughtfully for a moment, trying to switch topics and get back to a light frame of mind.  Then without even consulting a star chart, Ash notes, "That is not far from our eventual destination of Fulacin.  Only three parsecs further, I believe."  He watches the Profit Margin's engineer for any reaction as he prompts, "Perhaps we should stop by there afterwards..."

Saskia continues making adjustments, each one necessitating others, as she tries to get the ship's systems operating at something better than their optimum efficiencies.  "He was a kind of ambassador, and the son of some high-rank official, back at home.  Didn't speak much Anglic, and the females with him did most of the work -- a bit like the Margin, I suppose -- trade negotiations mostly, and service contracts, so that Aslan ships bringing cargo to Rhylanor could get repairs, resupplies and overhauls there.

"He was  bit frelling standoffish, but the females were friendly enough.  All of them were very polite though."

The comment about stopping at Rhylanor earns a slight frown, "That'd be up to Jago.  He decides where we go.  Unless you're proposing that we jump ship or kill him?"

And that is accompanied by a grin.

With Shui returning to her cabin for a rest, Tylen goes to get changed ready for his stint on watch.  Ash and Saskia are on the Bridge, going about their duties, while Jago is working at the desk in his own quarters.

Yas is, of course, on the passenger side of the ship, visiting Keryn.  Corlan and Eneris are also in their own staterooms...

An eerie silence settles over most of the ship, broken only by the faint humming, ticking and clicking of machinery, the soft susurrus of the air vents, and the regular bleeping, cheeping and whistling of assorted monitoring systems.  All sounds so commonplace aboard any starship that hardly anybody ever hears them, but would notice immediately if they stopped.

The ex-Scout has never had much interaction with Aslan; so, he simply nods to Saskia's assessment of the roles and personalities as they pertain to genders.  He's heard and read of such tendencies, but never interacted with them first hand like she has apparently.  "Polite, eh?" he rubs his chin thoughtfully and his tone becomes slightly more analytical and a touch distant, "Probably a byproduct of their strict caste society, presumably..."  But then he realizes that his mind is wandering and his eyes snap back into focus upon Saskia, prompting him to venture, "Wouldn't you think?  Morridan's Traveller's Guide to the Hierate seemed to assert so."

Ash chuckles at Saskia's joke about inciting a mutiny.  At least, he thinks (or perhaps fervently hopes) it is a joke.  "Well, Ms. Blake," the lanky navigator notes playfully to the Margin's engineer, "I may harbor delusions about owning my own ship one day.  But I don't intend to get it that way."

Shui manages to keep up her easy demeanor until she enters her cabin.  Once the door shuts and she is alone, the steward lapses into silence.  She moves through the cabin like a ghost, going about basic business: feeding her 'guests', checking the crew and passenger situation, updating her schedule.  Finished, she mechanically puts on a pot of tea and seats herself to wait.

The kettle wails for a good thirty seconds before cutting out, and cools, untouched.

Finally Shui rouses herself and goes to her fresher.  Briefly she studies her face in the mirror - drawn, grey.  With a shake of her head, she washes up changes clothing, forcing herself to move.  Another check in the mirror yields slightly more positive results, and the steward heads out of her room to continue her work.