At Dake's words, Lei's gaze was drawn back to him, searching his eyes to see if he was really sure of what he was saying. Unfortunately, this meant she was much more distracted than she should have been and therefore taken completely by surprise as she was suddenly grabbed by none too gentle hands.

Whimpering and flinching away as best she could as she felt the cold metal of the pistol against her head she couldn't help the terrified look she gave Dake, another small whimper escaping her as the man who was holding her tightened his grip. However, with the gun held to her head she was far too scared to protest verbally, nor to struggle all that much. He was much stronger than her, anyhow, so she was quite sure it wouldn't do very much good.

Kyoko tumbled to the ground, caught completely unaware. Before she could even react one of the men had snaked Lei and was pointing a gun to her head. Kyoko sat up, but remained on the ground, glaring at the man.

This was beyond undignified! And to think, holding a gun to a little girl's head! What kind of savages were these men?!

Connor held his hands out in both directions, at the man who was now holding a gun to Lei's head and Dake.

"Everyone, gorram think about this situation for two seconds, please!"

He turned first to the leader of the men.

"I get the whole hostage taking thing, but really...placing a gun to a girl's head?! Why not let her go back to the lady on the floor and you can point the gun at my head..."

Connor turned to lock eyes with Dake.

"For the love of God, do not mess things up. Put your gorram hands up!"

Connor turned back to the leader.

"Nobody needs to die today...everybody needs to calm down..."

Dake frowned when Connor started talking.  He was right though and a rush of adreneline shot through him as he realized what a huge mistake he had been about to make.  Might well have gotten all of them shot.

He put his hands up then, hating to concede but not wanting the man to shot Lei, the little girl was the one thing he liked about this gorram ship, "Alright, my hands are up, don't shot." Dake said and walked slowly down the stairs to join the others.

"That's better." the man said, "Your buddy here's a smart man, saved all your lives, he did." he said, motioning to Connor.

"Now I want everyone to sit down on the ground, no funny business, this here is a wait it out situation.  So wait."

The crew all complied and sat on the ground, the men kept their pistols trained on them all.  No one felt much like talking so they sat in silence.  Perhaps ten, maybe fifeteen minutes later a group of six more men came holding between them Geoff who was just barely starting to regain conciousness and was obviously causing the men a lot of trouble.  He was a big guy, and he had been dead weight all the way here.

His hands were tied behind his back and there was a large bump that was bleeding a bit on the back of his head.  The men dumped him unceremoniously on the floor before turning to talk in hushed voices to the man who had been doing all the talking.

There was no sign of Kale, Wei-Li, or Rhaef ... or for that matter Charlie.

[ From Beaumonde Underground ]

Curses and epithets were fresh on his tongue, and Geoff had absolutely no compunctions about uttering them.  Unfortunately the knock to his head made everything come out in an unintelligable mumble.  Even the tone of that mumble was unclear.  Only after he'd made contact with the ground - that was gonna leave a bruise - did a clear comment pass his mollasses-in-winter lips.

"Gorram fuzzy-headed pi-goh..."

Whatever else he'd been about to say was cut off by a wave of nausea.  He bit it back.  He'd had worse days than this while drinking.  Except, when he was drinking he at least had the pleasant part first.

Geoff tried to kick at one of his "escort", but they were too quick for him.  Instead, he did his best to roll onto his knees.  Even with his hands bound behind him, if he could stand up he might be able to deliver a parting shot.  Okay, so it was extremely unlikely, but action was better than inaction.

As pain blossomed in his head, Geoff let out a low groan and decided that perhaps, just this once, inaction was better.

Connor looked over as the thugs dropped a clearly beaten Geoff into their midst. Something he didn't think he'd ever see.

This was insane, clearly they'd wandered right into a gorram trap. Perfect. Connor sat there and just prayed nothing else went wrong.

And then it hit him. Where was Charlie? He looked to the leader of the thugs, debating on whether or not to ask him.

Lei kept her eyes trained upon the ground, staring so intensely at a tiny scratch upon the floor that she didn't even seem to be blinking. All her energy was going into not crying at the moment, and staring at the floor was apparently a delicate part of this process of holding herself together, as was the way that she was hugging her knees in tightly to her chest.

It wasn't until she heard the sound of others approaching that she looked up from her fixed spot, dark orbs widening in horror as she caught sight of Geoff. Tears stung her gaze as she quickly scrambled over to him, completely ignoring the pistols that were still trained on the lot of them. "Geoff?" she whispered shakily, reaching out a small hand to touch his cheek.

Geoff turned his head to look at Lei.  His voice was thick and a little slurred, but soft; an attempt at comforting her.

"It's okay, mei-mei.  No tears, little one."

He gave a warped smile, pulling back the groan that threatened in his throat.  He wasn't hurt enough to worry Lei.  He would never be hurt enough to worry her.

He was worried though.

"Where're Kale 'n' Wei-Li?"

"Was about to ask you that very question."

Dake was feeling pretty low, and watching the kid touch Geoff's face in obvious concern just about made him feel even lower.  If he were to die right now, they wouldn't have to dig more'n three feet under to dispose of his body, that's how low he was feeling.

And it wasn't just because he was blaming himself.  Which he was, of course.  Well, himself and Kyoko.  He might not've been able to figure out just how it was her fault, exactly -- maybe for being such a suo xi hu li jing that he'd actually believed she wanted to harpy at him over earlier again.  If he hadn't, maybe he'd have picked up on the fact that something was wrong.

He was worried.  Where were Wei-Li and Kale?

And what would Kale -- no.  What would Nate do in a situation like this?  Dake just knew that it'd be something clever and funny, and somehow after he did it, it wouldn't matter that they were outnumbered by a lot.  He'd probably just kill the badguys with laughter.

So when Dake spoke, it wasn't very loudly, and he wasn't exactly looking Geoff dead in the eye.  He didn't like Geoff, but he didn't like seeing Geoff beaten up -- well, maybe in another situation... Say, with Wei-Li clinging to his own arm and Geoff crying an apology and about how Dake was the flashest person ever while he magnanimously said no no Geoff it's shiny just get up we can be friends now that we've had it out...  And Wei-Li didn't even have to be clinging to his arm, although that'd be nice, she just had to be smiling at him with that look she had and... Yeah, maybe in that situation.

But not in this one.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:25, Mon 23 June 2008.

"That ain't none o' your concern.  Now I think I remember tellin' everyone ta sit down an' shut their traps.  Order still stands til yer all told otherwise." the man said as the crew began starting up a conversation.

He thought the baby-sitting job was gonna be over when the rest of his team returned but they were supposed to be showing up with three people, not one.  Now he had to hang around until the rest were returned.  Damn Curio and his code of honor.  It'd be much easier to just take them all out ...

[From Beaumonde: The Underground]

A few moments later Kale stepped up the ramp, the men still at his sides escorting him.  He wasn't exactly surprised to find his entire crew sitting in the cargo bay surrounded by men toting guns.  This Curio sure knew how to spring a trap right.  All bases were covered.

"Well, I think it's safe ta say you all know it was a trap." Kale said as he was nudged towards the rest of the crew.  His eyes scanned each of them.  Dake looked angry, Kyoko exasperated, Connor surprisingly calm, Lei terrified and Geoff a whole lot worse for wear, but the condition of the crew that was present didn't concern him as much as the fact that two of his crew were missing.

"Where's Charlie and Wei?" Kale said sharply, the question directed at both his crew and the men holding them.

"Never mind them." the man said.  Now that the captain was on board his order were to make sure they took off, leaving Rhaef behind.

"You are to follow these coordinates," he handed Kale a disk, "we'll be tracking you, any attempt to stay or turn around to come back will result in the immediate termination of your ship and all those on board."

Kale shook his head, "I ain't goin' nowhere without the rest of my crew.  That wasn't the deal.  Curio said that I do my bit and me and all those on my ship walk free."

He glanced at what crew he had.  He thought that Wei-Li would have been brought back to the ship with Geoff and it disturbed him that she wasn't here.  Even more troubling was Charlie though.  Putting two and two together he had a bad feeling that Charlie being gone had something to do with Rhaef.

Kyoko looked at the captain and closed her eyes for a moment. Logic dictated that she talk the captain down. That these men clearly had an upper hand, and that they were probably ready to kill them all at a moment's notice.

On the other hand, loyalty to this ship told her to stand by Kale and demand the safe return of the missing crew. Either option was not particularly appealing. But Kyoko had friends in high places, and she didn't think that her going missing was something the Guild would just miss out on.

Time to take a shot. She stood and walked over next to Kale.

"Gentlemen, your posturing has grown wearisome. I sincerely doubt that you're going to lay waste to all of us with those guns, so please, let's not be silly..."

She took a breath.

"Besides, I've been off grid long enough to make my Guild begin to worry...when they get worried, they start looking, and they're a tad bit higher up on the food chain than you all are. Nobody likes it when they're angry..."

Kyoko had no idea what effect her bravado and posturing was going to have. If they were smart, they'd at least play ball, but chances were, they were just going to posture right back...still, maybe an opportunity would arise?
This message was last edited by the player at 05:18, Mon 23 June 2008.

Connor looked at the captain, then, at Kyoko as she rose up to stand by the captain's side and said her piece.

They were both gorram insane. Connor was shocked the armed gang didn't open fire on all of them at that moment. Then again, Connor was expecting that from the get go anyways. His mistake?

Connor didn't say a word, merely stood up and positioned himself in front of Lei and Geoff. If things went down, he'd try and buy them some time...or act as a shield, in Connor's mind, they were more or less the same thing.

With a gentle smile, or what was supposed to be one, to Lei, he murmured faintly to her.  "Untie my hands, little one.  Quick-like."

The man smirked at Kale, "An' I don't see what the problem is.  All those on yer ship are walkin' free.  Curio didn't say nothin' about those not on the ship though." his smile deepened.

He outright laughed at Kyoko as she stepped forward, "Missy, I really don' think you know who yer'll dealing with.  No pack of whores are gonna get us shakin' in our boots.  Now you got yer orders an' we got ours, lets do this civilly." he said, although it was clear to everyone that he'd probably like nothing more then for them to decide to fight back so that he could do things the way he liked them.  Uncivil.

Kale sneered and shook his head.  So that was the game Curio was playing, a twist of words here and there and he got exactly what he wanted.

"On my ship or not, I'm not leaving without every one of my crew - an' that's a promise.  You tell me where -" Kale cut off as two more men stepped up the cargo bay ramp with Wei-Li in tow, "Wei-Li!"

Kale glanced from the girl to the man he had been speaking with but he looked more surprised then Kale.

[From Beaumonde: The Underground]

Wei-Li was led up the ramp and into the cargo bay where she was tossed, yet again, to the floor.

"What's this?" the lead man demanded, turning to the men that brought her.

"Another one of them." one man said, the way he said them made it sound like a dirty word and he sneered at the crew, "Curio said she was supposed to be brought back.  They can go now."

The lead man looked slightly skeptical but accepted the other mans words with a brisk nod before turning back to Kale, "Well there ya go, got what ya wanted after all."

Wei-Li did her best to roll with the toss but with her arms secured behind her back, all she managed to do was pretty much nothing.  She winced, but looked around.

She'd heard Kale's voice and things sounded and felt like Destiny but until she could see it for herself, she knew to hold her tongue.

Curio had already proven himself a master manipulator and now was not the time to fall for one of his games.  She tried to push herself up, but finally decided that waiting might be easier on her system

In her mind she retraced the steps that had brought her here, trying to lock as many of her senses into the trip as possible.  She was going to need them if they were going to find Charlie and get to her while Rhaef was still able to fight Curio.

Kyoko glared at the man as he snapped back with his response. It had been more or less what she'd expected, but that didn't mean she had to like it. Still, she'd shown solidarity with the captain, and now it was time to shut her mouth and let Kale do what he did best.

Get them out of sticky situations.

Trying to allow herself to be comforted by Geoff's attempted smile, Lei brushed the back of her palm beneath her eyes, pushing away the tears there. At his request, she glanced down to his hands, flicking her gaze quickly to the surrounding group thereafter. As everyone became preoccupied by Wei-Li's entrance, she forced herself not to look on to check if Wei-Li was okay, instead busying herself with untying Geoff's hands as he had asked.

One glance at the knot and she already seemed to have it unravelled in her mind, small fingers plucking at its chords until quite deftly she had managed to render the tie useless, and Geoff's hands free. Catching his eyes, she tilted her head questioningly, her fear still evident though she now had something to do to try and distract her from it. Voice only barely a whisper, she questioned Geoff cautiously,

"And now?"

While the others were distracted, Geoff twisted his wrists a bit, trying to get circulation back into them.  He kept his arms behind his back, allowing the illusion of bondage.

Though his whispered words were slightly gruff, the compassion and approval for Lei were strong in his eyes.  "Check on Wei-Li.  Untie her if you can, but tell her not to move."

Geoff still felt like his head was about to split apart - from the inside out - but he had no time to nurse himself back to health.  He released a quiet moan, watching Kale.  This time he would wait for the captain's signal before moving.

At least Wei-Li was back.  That was good.  Wasn't it?

Kale looked a moment longer at Wei-Li to make sure she was alright, she was still conscious and she wasn't gritting her teeth in pain so for the time being she seemed to be fine.  Once relatively sure that she was unharmed he turned his attention back to the man in front of him.

"I'm still down one." Kale said.

Geoff moaned to his right and Kale's eyes flickered that direction for a second.  A second was all he needed to catch the look in Geoff's eyes.  Something had changed.  Geoff's look meant he was ready for action.  He then noticed Lei, positioned almost directly behind him ... maybe ...

He was careful not to look at Geoff again as he continued, he had seen that Lei was heading towards Wei-Li so he purposefully started walking around the lead man, taking his attention away from where Wei-Li was.

The rest of his crew were untied, but still a fight would be dangerous.  Kale counted fourteen men against the seven of them.  There was no doubt in his mind that Charlie - and Rhaef if they could get him - were worth the risk though.  He'd have to wait until Lei got Wei untied however or the girl would be helpless.  He needed to stall.

"Now you see, those mighty fine pistols of yers might convince me to tuck in my tail an' go.  Only one problem.  The crew member you ain't returned to me yet, she's my mechanic.  And it just so happened she was supposed to be fixin' the ship while we were visiting your boss.  With her gone this bird ain't goin' no where."