[From Destiny: Bridge]

Dake sauntered into the dining hall and inhaled deeply of the smells wafting from the kitchenette.  There was never much worth cooking but Wei-Li was one of the best on the ship at making protein taste at least half-way decent.  Far better then Kale.

"Woo-ee, someone's cookin' up a storm in here." he said with a wide grin, "Hiya, Wei-Li."

Dake moved over to lean against the counter beside the woman cooking.  Her dark hair was pulled up but a few strands had fallen loose and lay delicately against her pale skin.  She was one fine looking lady, there could be no doubting that.

"What's on the menu?" he asked.

Wei-Li smiled and laughed.  "Morning Dake, she answered with a node towards the pan.
"Well... we have protein powder... protein powder and uhm... protein powder."

She sighed and flipped the 'sausages' over.  "And a ton of spices to make them resemble ... sausage... eggs and something akin to flapjacks... if you dont look too closely."

She pulled the latest 'flapjack-like-object' from the pan and placed it on the serving plate.

"How're we doing on landing and such?"

Dake took in a deep breath, smelling the food, "Well, it smells right." he said with a wink.  He opened one of the overhead cabinets and pulled down a stack of plates and set them beside the cooking surface.

"We're all landed now, just finished wrappin' up the niceties with port control few minutes ago." moving towards the opposite end of the counter he opened a drawer and pulled out the silverware as well as he continued speaking, "Been a long time since I set foot on Santo.  Kale an' I grew up here, ya know that?  'Course not, "here" here.  Otherside 'o the planet really but I still know what's fun ta do in the cities.  if'n we ain't too busy with a job maybe you an' I could go see the sights." he said, slipping beside Wei-Li once again.

Wei-Li smiled and ducked her head slightly at Dake's attention and moreso his proximity.  The only person who had shown her that kind of interest had been Geoff and Geoff had been... well... Geoff.

She had at least learned with him that she wasn't on Paquin anymore and she had to act more like other women... but again, her role models of late... A companion, a mechanic and an adopted little sister... well... they weren't like other women either.

She tucked her lose hair behind her ear and shrugged.  "Might be interesting..." she answered.

It was a tad non-commital but... she took a deep breath.  What was she waiting for?  Geoff didn't want her... 'cept maybe as a sitter for Lei, and Kyoko had that pretty well taken care of.

"Sure."
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:20, Sat 09 May 2009.

Dake grinned, "I promise you won't be disappointed." he said with a wink, "Paquin may be all bright an' colorful an' hoppin'.  But no one does it bigger an' better than they do on Santo.  I even know some folk at the Sky Dome, well if they still work there.  They got these anti-gravity freefalls, you actually fly."

Dake met Wei-Li's bright blue eyes for a moment.  He'd always been the type to leap before he looked and he was pleased to see that Wei-Li was willing to take that jump with him.  Now he just had to make sure Kale didn't load them up with some job that stopped him from showing the lovely lady the night of her life.

Wei-Li smiled at the idea of anti-grav Freefall.  For someone who had spent much of her life defying gravity the idea was delightful.

"That sounds like fun," she admitted cheerfully as she began placing food on the serving plates.  "I really hope we have the chance."

She carefully arranged the food and made sure everything was ready.  "I wanted to make Connor's last meal with us special..." she explained.

[From: Geoff's Bunk]

Geoff could be heard and smelled before he was actually seen.  His heavy footfalls announced his approach, and the odor of stale alcohol followed not far behind.  Then, the behemoth of a man stepped into view, entering the dining hall with an obviously forced smile.  There were few sights capable of causing Geoff discomfort or unease.  He'd seen...and caused...enough in his time to have become more than a little hardened.  Seeing Wei-Li and Dake so close and...happy?...to be in each other's company was something that caused his stomach to stir.  And not at all pleasantly.

He practically crashed into his seat at the dining hall table.  "Well, good mornin' you two," he said.  "Don't y'all look...cozy."

Geoff wondered what it would be like to feet Dake his fists a knuckle at a time.  For a moment, the fake smile turned genuine.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:47, Wed 13 May 2009.

Before Dake had a chance to respond to Wei-Li he heard the loud sound of heavy footfalls moving down the hallway and looked up to see Geoff standing in the doorway of the dining hall.  Almost subconsciously Dake leaned just a fraction of an inch closer to Wei-Li.  He knew that there was some kind of history between Geoff and Wei-Li, not sure what, but he could recognize jealousy in another man and Geoff reeked of it just about every time he caught the two of them talking.  Dake smiled inwardly, he loved a challenge and the prize was most definitely worth it.  Besides, he couldn't be stepping on territory when the other man hadn't made any moves.

"Morning Geoff." Dake said brightly, flashing a winning smile at him, "Just helpin' Wei-Li here get together Connor's goin' away breakfast." he almost added 'and making plans for tonight' but he decided against rubbing it in.  He liked a challenge but he wasn't petty, "If it's half as good as it smells I think she might just have broken the record for best shipboard meal." he smiled at Wei-Li.

Wei-Li had been focusing on making sure everything was just right for the meal and had missed Geoff's entrance, though there was no mistaking the tone of his voice when he commented on how... cozy she looked.

She was about to say something when Dake chimed in with a compliment.  She ducked her head slightly and laughed.

"Well... when you're up against Kale... it's not hard to do." she said cheerfully.

She picked up one of the serving plates and took it over to the table.

If there was one thing that Geoff had learned in his time as a crewmember of the Destiny, it was that life was short.  These days, people were far less likely to reach their natural expiration dates.  Their lives could be snuffed out at any moment, like so many candle flames in the midst of a monsoon.  It was a lesson he had learned with some difficulty.  The losses of Acacia and Ren, the incident with the Reavers, Rhaef's own personal brush with death...not to mention Geoff's chosen profession...all helped to open his eyes.

Seeing Dake slip closer to Wei-Li, his smile oozing arrogance, Geoff couldn't help but be reminded of that lesson.  Life was short.

"I'm sure that's exactly what you was doin', DC," Geoff said.  Turning his attention to Wei-Li, he said, "And quit sellin' yourself short, darlin'."

He thought carefully about what he was going to say next.  The majority of his conscience was asking, in no uncertain terms, what the hell he was thinking.  The rest of him didn't really care.  Geoff had danced around Wei-Li for far too long, and it was time to put an end to the schoolyard games.  It was time to put the ball in her court.

"So rumor has it we'll be settin' down on Santo," Geoff said.  "Kale might end up havin' some work lined up for us.  But if we end up havin' the time...I'd like ya to let me take you out, Wei-Li.  Try to show ya a good time.  Lord knows the both of us could use it, right?"

Damn, Geoff, have you completely lost your mind? he thought.  What in the hell are you doing?

Wei-Li stared in disbelief as Geoff finally, after all this time made 'the next move' and asked her out.  Why did he have to do it now?  After Torrance and everything that they went through-- everything they'd survived together.

When she needed him, when he needed her... he'd turned to the bottle and he'd remained there ever since.  Why now, after she'd given up, did he have to come back and ask her out?

Wei-Li looked at him, her smile fading slightly, being replaced by a confused almost hurt look.

She gave him an apologetic shrug.  "Dake's already asked me out."

Dake turned his back to Geoff as a smile grew on his face.  He had seen the way she looked at Geoff with disappointment.  It was obvious she had feelings for him.  And for the first time since he had come on board, Geoff finally showed some interest back.  And what did Wei-Li do?  Threw it back in his face by saying she had a date with Dake.

Me over the big guy.  Take that Feh Feh Pi Goh*!

Dake lowered the intensity of the smile slightly before turning back around.

"Sorry about that, champ," Dake said to the first mate.  "I just know the planet a little better."

Dake wanted to seriously gloat, but the little voice in the back of his head reminded him that Geoff is quite a bit bigger and probably would not have a problem with inflicting pain on the pilot's body.

*Baboon's ass crack
This message was last edited by the player at 00:23, Fri 15 May 2009.

Geoff's own smile faltered.  He shouldn't have been surprised.  If anything, he should've seen it coming.  Dake had been paying more and more attention to Wei-Li lately, and it was only a matter of time before she responded in kind.  The look on Wei-Li's face told him everything he needed to know.  All along he'd done nothing but send mixed signals, resulting in her own confusion.  She had all but given up in him, he knew, and rightly so.  But she deserved better than Dake.  Was Geoff, however, any better?

For the first time in a long, long while, Geoff considered quitting the booze altogether and proving to her that he was.

He couldn't let this get to him.  It was far from the end of things.  He needed to take it in stride and move on, because by the end of the day, they'd have a job to do.  For him, however, this was a step...no matter how small...in the right direction.  He needed to use the momentum to his advantage and keep it going.  Somehow.

Don't let it get to you, Geoff, he thought.  This ain't nothin'.  Just move on and try again next chance ya get.

Geoff said, "Well, you kids have fun out there.  Just be careful, ya here?  Don't need nothin' happenin' to either of ya."  He grinned and winked at Wei-Li.  "You 'specially.

"So, when we eatin'?"

Wei-Li relaxed as Geoff accepted her answerand her eyes were twinkling when he told her to be careful.

"You know me..."  She paused then laughed.  When she'd first met Geoff she'd been playing 'catch the pick pocket' and doing arial work on Paquin.  'Careful' had different meanings for different people.

When he asked about the menu, she shruggd.  "It's mostly protein powder... in various disguises..." She set the rest of the serving plates on the table and then pulled out enough plates for everyone.

[From Destiny: Kyoko's Shuttle]

Lei stepped quietly into the dining hall to find Wei-Li, Geoff, and Dake already there.  She smiled at them but quickly sensed that something was a bit off.  They were all looking at each other kind of funny.  She stood there for a moment biting her lip before interjecting with the first thing that came to mind.

"Did you know that protein powder contains 17 essential vitamins and minerals."

She pulled out a chair slipped into it, sitting all the way back against the seat so that her feet dangled slightly above the floor.

---------------->from Destiny: Cargo Bay

Charlie walked into the Dining Hall alongside Connor, passing behind Lei and ruffling her hair as she did so, giving the girl a smile.  "Mornin', princess."  She grinned through the words, pulling out one of the wooden chairs and sitting down, crossing a leg underneath her as she did so.  She wasn't one to interrupt conversation, especially with these three in the room together...but it wasn't her place to guess what was going on, naturally.

"Smell'n good, Wei.  Dunno where's at, but Cap'n n'Rhaef are on th'way.  Surely gonna get bits'a crowded in a moment, y'know..."  She looked between the others as she spoke, nodding for Connor to sit at the table with them.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:32, Sun 17 May 2009.

Geoff's smile widened when Lei stepped into the dining hall.  He had come dangerously close to ruining their friendship after their encounter with the Reavers and Ren's death.  He continued to struggle to regain her trust, even more so now that Dake was sweeping in to take her away from him too.  Dake reminded Geoff of something called a "vampire"...there used to be legends of them on Earth-that-was.  They were bloodsuckers, and would come at night to drink the life from their victims.  As soon as Dake showed up, he started inserting himself between Geoff and everything he held dear.  He was still trying to figure out why.

"Mornin', sunshine," he said to Lei as she took a seat, reaching a hand out to gently, teasingly ruffle her hair.  Charlie entered not far behind her, and Geoff offered her a wink from across the table.  "And how you doin' over there?"

(From Destiny: Cargo Bay)

Connor walked into the room right behind Charlie, but he paused at the entrance way, soaking in the scene, knowing it was the last time he was going to get to for some time.

He closed his eyes, trying to lock the picturesque scene into his head, before inhaling deeply, grinning, and walking into the room, taking the seat Charlie offered.

"I must confess, the smells bouncing around in here are fantastic!"

(From Destiny: Kyoko's Shuttle)

Kyoko smiled as she saw most of the crew gathered to see Connor off. Kyoko hadn't had too much interaction with Connor in his relatively brief stay with Destiny, but he seemed like a reliable sort of fellow.

Somebody who'd be sorely missed around here...well, in her opinion.

Kyoko glided into the room proper and took a seat, smiling, but not really saying much.

"Good morning!" Lei said, in response to all of the greetings.  She liked how people said things like 'good morning' or 'goodnight'.  No one said things like that back at the white place.  There had been nothing 'good' back then.

When Connor filed into the room with the others Lei hopped off of her seat and snatched up the card that she had made.  She crossed the room to where Connor stood and tilted her head down while shyly looking up.

"I made this for you.  According to some of my reading it is customary to give people cards when they go away." in her small hand she held out the folded piece of paper to Connor.  It read:

Given the size of the solar system and the current population which occupies it there is a 34.576% chance we will meet again.  Goodbye Connor!

 - Lei

Connor took the card from Lei and read it and grinned. It was a wonderful card.

"Thank you very much, little lady!"

He tucked it into the inside of his jacket pocket, right over his heart.

Lei smiled a little sheepishly when Connor took the card from her and offered his thanks, then she skittered back over to her seat at the table climbing back onto her chair as Wei-Li began placing food out on the table.

Wei-Li deftly pulled out a muffin, also made of protein, and stuck a candle in it.  "Sorry it's not more... " she said as she lit the candle.

"But I didn't want you to have too much protein 'fore you left." she told Conor.

With a grin she set it in front of the technician.

"Jus' fine, Geoff."  Charlie smiled back at him, giving him a slight nod as she adjusted the chair beneath her.  She watched Lei give Connor the card, smiling as she saw Connor smile, wondering what it had said.  The thought was enough to push away her own worries about the conversation that Kale and Rhaef were having in the cargo bay, hoping that they weren't having any more conversations about Rhaef's questionable past.  Since Curio had been shot, she hadn't heard the two talk about it yet.  Here's to hoping that shoe doesn't have to drop.

[From Destiny: Cargo Bay]

Kale could be heard before he was seen, the sound of boots clanging on the catwalk outside announced his and Rhaef's arrival.  Kale smiled when he saw his crew gathered around the dining hall table.  It was nice to be able to give Connor a proper send-off.

"Smells good, Wei-Li, why don' we get this meal started." he pulled out a chair for himself and settled down beside Charlie.