OOC this meeting is happening during the 6 hours travel to K-Zino

Viper entered the room while Rayfe was stating She sat and wiggled during the rest of the speech. She carefully avoided the stare of the captain, but still blushed.

When the hacker seemed to have finished his report, Maissa raised her arm and immediately unloaded all she had off her (high) chest.

"Woah, thanks for the info, Rayfe. And thank you captain for accepting to organize the meeting", she simpered. "I thought we could introduce ourselves when we spea- when it's our turn to hold the mike [giggle]. But then we don't remember much do we, and some of our memories seem to have been tampered with, right. So may be, I start by introducing myself. Well, I don't remember much and my memories seem to have been tampered with..." (burst out laughing at her own joke. Quickly went on before being interrupted.). "Why don't we see the bright side of things? We could start anew. For example, we don't know who our lovers were, so maybe we'll start a relationship as the first time, with the same person as before, or with another person. Right?"

"Oh, my rap sheet? Robing a minister's yacht? Sounds like me, and I'd do it again any time. Drug use and prostitution? Guilty of using my feminine assets, your Honor!" (proud scan of the male audience, "yeah, you judge me?" stance)

"See, I'm not hiding anything. But ruling a drug cartel? That sounds so much like a regular work! Why would anybody want to heap big crimes on someone as insignificant as me?"

An instant breath intake, and she started again.

"Anyway, change of subject. While the jump drive is no more installed on the ship, we did jump, and the IA - Ashe - mentioned, - she's listening to us, so be careful with what you say, unlike me - tranverse jump?? Definitely not standard. Must be hyper-secret, cutting-edge tech. Izenit exciting? You should be as excited as I am!".

The Viper was on the edge on her seat, eyes wide open, ready to start a little dance. But she eased on her seat and brought a crumpled note from her cleavage.

"Anyway. Captain, you requested to know the ID sent by the... [points to the ceiling] her to the beacons. You're going to get very excited, believe me.
Though She had transponder codes for a handful of different ships names, IDs, allegiances, including some of Scylla and some of Paix...

1. The ship is currently flying the colors of the Pai-Huai clan Lin... but with a bar strike. 'Wonder what that means. Captain?

2. It's owners are declared as - listen - "the congregation of the HMyP - hermanas mercedarias y pobres (compassionate and poor sisters) - Save the Orphans branch"

OOC a subsect of a subsect of a large, benevolent, peaceful religion.

3. The captain's name is... Madre Lin Li-Ling. The non-PaiHuay crew consists of Rescued Orphans community

4. the reason for travel is "mining, salvage, commerce, praying for the poor, helping the poor"

"We're a benevolent charity group?"  Lincoln raised an eyebrow.  He held a metallic mug in his hand, and whatever it was, it smelled wonderful.  Sort of like coffee but with  thicker, more robust scent laden with overtones of chocolate and undertones of, well, tree-bark.  "Better than it could be."  he said approvingly.

After a moment, he glanced over at Maissa.  "You know, the whole head-of-the-cartel thing?  Yeah, that just screams patsy or scapegoat to me.  Like you went down for someone or something else."

In reply to Lincoln (msg # 34):

The pilot shrugged and her tone darkened : "You mean more than scapegoats, we're lambs to be sacrificed : Baylee, as pirate captain/butcheress was sentenced to death. So, ""justice done"", the prosecutions die off with our execution, and the well-connected, real, culprits can go on with their lives.

There are reasons one could consider starting a pirate life, and if I ain't already one, I would sign for it.

Either that, or Amin added the lines to our criminal record and was about to make us an offer we couldn't refuse.

Which bring us to another point : what are we going to do with him, and with the Marines, when we reach the asteroid?"

OOC : "a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men AND WOMEN promptly escaped from a maximum-security PTOLEMON PRISON to the XGAB underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem... if no one else can help... and if you can find them... maybe you can hire... The ORISHI-Team."

She was just imagining her face buried in the rather pleasant mounds of the pilot when Rayfe finished his spiel. Blinking, she pulled her conscience away from the alluring vsions and frowned at Rayfe. Before she could speak, Viper added her thoughts. Listening politely was a task far beyond her hormone flooded brains at the moment and she found herself focusing more on various delectable bits of the woman instead. Eventually, she pried her vision away wholesale and focused on the table. Now was time to think, there's be time for other activities later.

Since introductions were in the conversation, She chimed in. "By the newcasts and records aboard, my name is Bai Ling-li. It's a PaiHuai name. PaoHuai are a local abhuman variants. About a hundred generations or so into being spacers and gypsies. Well, according to newfeeds, I was a half-breed. Mother PaiHuai father some unknown Paixois. Whatever they could do to cast me the villain." She chuckled darkly, "Well, as most of you have noticed, I am sure, I am definitely no saint. Butcheress? I'll believe it, from their point of view. Pirate for sure. It's a common profession for my people. And, I'd guess, from speech patterns and physiology, that I grew up in the Ihks-Gab. Sgalapeech is not my first language. I feel the dissonance in my thoughts listening to all of you." She shook her head then as even now she was working half in sgalap and half translating something else.

"I expect that means my old crew were mostly local as well. As well as the captain, whom I was not." Now she stopped and frowned. Something ached dully when she mentioned the captain. She knew it was important, but it slipped from her fingers as she grasped it. Her gaze now roamed around the room distantly as she searched for the meaning that seemed part of her yet eluded her. Still, some pieces of knowledge were filtering back slow as Scyllan glaciers.

"Anywho, I'm captain now. So call me Captain or Captain Baylee. Or, feck, just Baylee." Now some of the heat crept back into her voice and she smirked at Maissa. There'd be some more fun names later on. "I am not one for formalities or niceties. Anyway, that ID makes sense. PaiHuai are generally considered neutral in-system and religions are important here. I don't recall any particulars beyond what I read of the local beliefs, but that jives. Heh, charity. Well, we're in need of some." She pursed her lips and shifted her hips a bit to get more comfortable. "The cover holds and no one will question it on the roid. As for the folks aboard, I've got no hard feelings for any of them. We can't get too much more famous even after news of the break catches up. Warrants will be reissued, updated probably." She shrugs. "There's feck to be done about that. I've about a grox's worth of passed gas that I'm willing to give about it. We get to K-Zino, let anyone who wants off, off. Anyone who wants to stay, stay. IF you stay, you sign on as crew. I am sure we can locate a suitable charter or draft one. Priority for crew will be money, supplies, and repairs in that order. Yeah?"

She looked around for thoughts, comments, or additions.

Karnell spoke a little bleakly. "I think I do remember who my lover was, actually. And I have a feeling I need to do something about it. She died. I need to make sure those responsible join her."

It was a grim statement. But his expression suggested he was very much in earnest.

He pushed the idea aside for a while. "I'll call you captain, or Baylee, or whatever you want. I do not really have anywhere else to go right now. I'll get a change of clothes, sign your contract. I think you'll find me a useful addition to your crew. I'll get busy working on the database and the wider network. I can probably find information on everyone, really fill in those blanks we still have. And the whole transverse jump thing is gnawing at me. I can probably look into that, too. If the AI will permit it. Why the hells this ship would be fitted with experimental or secret tech is beyond me. No offence meant, Captain, but the Orishi is not exactly a cutting edge experimental vessel. But there's a reason for everything. All we have to do is hunt."

He stretched. His headache was easing, but he still felt like he could use a good shower, a large meal, and a decent night of sleep. "As for jobs, I'll go along with whatever you want to do. This is not the life I am used to, so I can't really suggest anything at this point. But I am serious about what I said - one day, I will be going back to the Unity. They took everything from me. I can't let that stand without a suitable response."

In the momentary silence following Karnell's concluding sentence, approaching footsteps could be heard and... smelled?

An aroma began to waft through the room, strongly beckoning those who might have missed a recent meal or two.

The older man entered, carrying a tray of... edibles.

To the eye, reheated rations were not overly impressive, though there seemed to be some unusual bits mixed in.

However, to the nose, a far more compelling tale was proclaimed...

The older man looked somewhat pleased, and somewhat thoughtful.

"Cooking without quite remembering how to cook was... interesting, but it seems that my instincts have not wholly deserted me.  We have much to be thankful for.  With a few herbs and spices that I managed to harvest from these plants, supplemented by some very limited supplies, and a wok... well, even the most humble fare can satisfy with proper care.  Please enjoy."

"I'm sorry for you loss", said Maissa, going for squeezing the hacker's shoulder, but halting the gesture before going too close to the madman.

When Chang came in, she jumped on her feet and applauded the display on the tray. "Yum yum!"

Karnell shot Viper a steady sort of look, judging whether or not she was serious. He reasoned that she probably was. "Thank you. I know she is dead. What I cannot remember is how, or who killed her. I am sure it was not my doing." The little girl was bent over the bloody corpse, weeping... No! Nobody was meant to get hurt!

He shook his head sharply, trying to stop from falling back into the bizarre vision he experienced when the ship had jumped.

"One other thing you might want to know," He gave a nod of thanks to the monkish man, and took food from the tray. He was ravenous. And had not appeciated how much, until the food appeared. "Amin is holding out on us. He said something when I carried him into the ship. Something about how he knew I was the right choice, or words to that effect. I was a... good pick. I am wondering... for what, exactly? There were plenty of prisoners in those cryo-tubes that he could have awoken. But he chose us, quite specifically. And when you put us all together, there's a great deal of criminal expertise. He went out of the way to get us off that station before it exploded. He did not need to. He had the codes. He could have just grabbed a shuttle and left us to die. Why did he need us alive?"

He was not yet sure about the older man. Sure, he had made decent food, but he just did not seem like a criminal type. Baylee was a self-confessed pirate, with the epithet Butcher thrown in for good measure. Maissa was a good pilot, and supposedly took a very expensive ship on an ill-fated joyride, to say nothing of her purported connection to the drug cartel. He himself had come within a whisker of commiting the largest bank heist in modern history. Their presence on a ship to a penal colony was perfectly understandable. But CSX... he seemed like a decent man. And yet, his files were redacted. As soon as he had leisure, Rayfe would break them open. If the man was a serial killer, they damn well needed to know that. Being stuck in a huge pressurised metal container, floating the vacuum of space, with a complete psychopath was not his idea of a decent vacation.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:52, Sun 06 Feb 2022.

In reply to Rayfe Karnell

Viper nodded with energy : "Captain, I suggest we throw Amin in the hold! Then he needs to be interrogated - not me! I'm not a torturer. But maybe we could all interrogate him.

But first, I suggest we bring all the other passengers in, an make a collective offer to join.
Eh, I'm even ready to leave some of the food for those who sign in, as a welcome gift!
And then they'll introduce themselves.", smiled Maissa, after having gobbled three portions.

"Gilina, will you join us, dear? We've got a mysterious jump drive to discover! And you could help us filtering the filth from the shaft (or a similar expression)"
This message was last edited by the player at 12:42, Mon 07 Feb 2022.

"Gilina, will you join us, dear? We've got a mysterious jump drive to discover! And you could help us filtering the filth from the shaft"

Gilina nodded, her look moderately pensive.   She winced momentarily and, reflexively, brought a hand to her ear.  Then.  "It works, Tika.  Come on up to the office..  I want you here with me."


"Yeah.  I've...  I've done a survey of the ship's status.  We've got some serious issues.   Commander Amin was convinced that the Orishi had hidden spaces in the bulkhead for smuggling.  While Lieutenant Jax looked for ways to bypass the biometric locks on the vault, we were doing a run and gun through the hardware.   A lot of the parts we removed are back in that cargo bay.   I mean, it's a miracle she's even space-worthy, and it's going to take a little bit to get her safe again.

No jump-drive.  I mean, there's no way.  I've worked on jump-tech.  Gates and cruiser-class installations.  The Orishi is maybe 40,000 square (feet). I've never heard of a transverse drive.   So, I guess that'll mean spending time with the colony library systems.  Zenda-Meier was a little narrow in it's research allowances.

"Anyway...  I'm part of this."  She glanced at Viper and Baylee and there was something guarded and defiant at the same time in her gaze.   "This is too interesting to walk away from.  And I...  well, I can't go back to Zenda-Meier.  There's reasons.  Things weren't great for me there.  So, as long as you don't put me into indentured servitude. .. She's a beautiful old girl and I want to stick around."

Now, I wanted to give you guys a heads up.  If you want me on-board, I'm going to need one other.   One of the sleepers--the girl with the blue hair and baby Mrrshan ears (cat ears)--she's really good with field systems.  Like, an intuit, even." 

Gilina pulled a small earpiece off of here ear.  It looked like a small wire that looped over and into the ear, but made of a slim semi-transparent fiber. "I don't know if she found em and got em working or if she made them from scrap, but we've got local comms if you want them.  pigybacks off the ship's internal comms."

"Between here, me and... Mr Karnell, was it?  I think we can patch the most serious issues.  If this colony has any serviceable parts, we can probably keep us from venting atmosphere on a hard burn or High-G turn."

[And that would be a cue to have Gothique arrive at the office.  Sorry it took so long.]

Gothique is absolutely thrilled that her new invention of sorts worked decides to head up to where Gilina is.  She actually skips the entire way there stopping at the door and checking on herself.  She is in the very plain coveralls that were found whish was much plainer than the outfit that her body was dressed in.  (See Pic)

Entering in she stops and turns to all there and for a moment you can see she did not expect so many but passes it off in a moment or two.  "Hi all. My name is Gothique!"  She says looking around and remembering what her 'best' friend mentioned about dropping all the likes she can from her vocabulary.  That itself was the toughest thing she needed to do but one she was going to attempt.  After her introduction she goes and stands beside Gilina.

Gilina nodded, and laid a light hand on Gothique's shoulder.  "I'll vouch for her.  But the rest...   They're all good at what they do, but... well, we were all working on the Orishi because Commander Amin pulled strings.  It was our last chance.  Criminals and fuck-ups.  Zenda-Meier has some... peculiar ideas about species purity, and most of us are a little more liberal than ZM likes.  They couldn't 86 us and they didn't want us infecting the ranks with our liberal ideas.  Just give us the shit jobs til the end of the contract.  As to the marines...  I don't know them.  At all."

I suggest that we pick one more Zenda-Meier Tech so we have them in the back-pocket as  necessary NPC if needed.   I'm gonna keep Bek & Spohr as "the backup muscle" of the group, but I've no problem if you want to keep two or three of the marines for that, too.

Baylee swallowed hard when the two techs arrived. There was only so much a girl's heart could take, really. Growling, she wrestled control of her emotions once more from he libido. There was an itch that was going to need scratching sooner rather than later or she was going to snap in a key moment, for sure.

She deliberately removed the hyper-cute, cat-eared girl from her vision and fixated on the ear bud Maissa was showing off. But focusing even a second on Maissa's ear meant noticing her neck, which led to her collarbone, then south. Baylee found herself shaking her head and growling again.

"Okay, yes, zhao cai mao and her wonderous inventions can stay. Let's see about getting everyone on coms then?" She addressed the last to Gothique while quite deliberately staring at her own fingers. She was trying desperately not to imagine them in all sorts of yummy places. "Okay, that's one. Plus Baldie. Two. If there's any other techies you wanna vouch for, bring em on. The marines... let me talk to them. That's my specialty. Get them up here."

She kept her eyes focused on her fingers. Dirty, short, ragged fingernails. Ball them into a fist, knock someone's teeth out, bloody fingernails. Her breathing slowly calmed down but now she was itching for a fight and she had an interesting idea. "OK, we got a plan for K-Zino, yeah? Get credits. Use credits for supplies: food, medicine, etc. Then, if needed, get more parts for the Orishi. Gilina, Maissa: will you two know what is NOT present and accounted for by the time we get there?  How long to put it all back... oh, and I'll see about remembering how to get into the fun parts of the ship."

Baylee was back to her more upright stance and her vision was still heated, but it was a different type now. Her breathing was heavy and she had a similar look to that as when she had thrown Amin through the reinforced window. "Pity Amin didn't die on the ship. Happy as heck to rectify that any time. I don't like that pathetic excuse for human dren one bit. But, imprisoned works for me as well. Let's see about those marines first though. Let's have them up here for now but we might retreat to the mess eventually for... hmm... trials?" She grinned like a wolf.

"I think I can help with that," Karnell spoke up. He pulled out the data pad used to interact with the main computer. "I already ran a complete diagnostic of the drive systems, and there's a list of what has been removed. I can easily extend that to cover all systems. It won't necessarily know about anything mechanical that was not linked to the main computer, but it should give us a clean list of everything that should be connected that isn't. I expect that the list is going to be long, I am afraid."

He then considered the new arrival. "Rayfe Karnell. Might I take a look at that coms device?" He extended his hand politely. New tech. He was right there when it came to interest in new tech! This person was going to be very much his cup of hot space fluid tea substitute.

So this is "Lesbians IN SPACE"? :D If Control had advertised it so, we wouldn't have dropouts!


"Hurrah!", said Maissa, who went for a high five with the named Gothique. "The more techies on a ship, the better the flight! I hope your wounded colleague will be grateful and join us, too. Are these your real ears?!", she wondered.


"Our captain his tired", whispered the pilot to Gilina and Gothique. "Or I haven't told her yet how poor my tech skills really are. She meant this as your job, G&G. You dismounted the ship." Maissa turned to the fierce Pai Huai, bowed slightly and joined her hands because... all etiquettes are similar, right?

There was a hint of sarcasm in her remarks. "Yes captain, we'll do a better work when the ship is surrounded by breathable air. Full repair and look for the transverse drive hidden in the spaces in the bulkhead, once-we-reach-a-workshop, yes."


"Oh no, boring trials again!" thought the repeat offender. "Captain", she jumped in, "We'd like to hear the witnesses before they could be intimidated." Maissa turned to G&G : "Tell us more about ZM, and remind me why the Marines and you were gunning in the dock instead of escaping together?"

With this she turns to Gilly and smiles happily when the news was given that she looks like she was going to remain in the group.  Then a second later she jumps and give the captain a hug as she is overjoyed! "Thank you very much.  You hear that Gilly we will be working together and that will be like epically awesome!  If there is anything at all I can do for you Captain do not hesitate to ask. I will happily do it!"  She says to the group and mainly the captain.  She then looks at the person holding up her hand and one can tell by her face she is trying to figure out what is going on before it registers to her that this person is holding up her hand for a hug as well and unless stopped she goes and gives one.

She also respond to the question the hugged individual has on if they are real even as her ears twitch, "Yes they are real.  So is the tail."  She says spinning around and showing but only partly as they had to rip a hole in the coveralls for it to be out.

(OOC - Sorry the person that made this commission was still learning on how to do tails)




At least this one she knew how to handle as she takes the hand shake as was taught by her adoptive father.  And on top of that she learned the name.  "Nice to meet you as well.  If there is anything at all I can do for you let me know."

She then spins to face Maissa who she did not recall giving her name.  "And you are?"  She does not do the same for Bai as in her head right now her name is Captain.

"Tell us more about ZM, and remind me why the Marines and you were gunning in the dock instead of escaping together?"

"They are--were--a Tactical Response group." Gilina said, obviously choosing her words.   "They brought the Orishi in.   There's... history between me and Corporal Eaven.  Like, bad history.    I'd put her out an airlock if I had the chance."

When the alarms went off, we set about securing everything.   But when the reactor countdown started, Shy and his thugs tried to space us from the flight-deck.  Jax was in the control room...  He was trying to... I saw what Karin did to him.  She didn't even blink.

We were trying to make it into the Orishi, but they started firing on us!   If you guys hadn't bust into the flight deck, well, I don't know who'd be on-board the Orishi now.

So, I guess that means Jax was the body in the control room that Baylee ended up throwing through the window.... Heh.

"So many names", thought Viper, and she sighed.

She remembered the scene between two of the Marines :


So, "Sergeant Shy" (thick set thick black hair) was a Combat Medic. Well that is very useful, and comes with ethics!
"corporal Karin" (blonde female wounded), was a marine, maybe too much distancing herself with criminals to be recruited by "the Butcheress".

Maissa blinked when she connected with Gilina's retelling.
"So, the sergeant Shy, the doctor, was the one who tried to vacuum you, the tech team?"

Feeling that Gilina was withholding information for fear of something, Maissa cuddled the tech. "Now darling, don't be afraid, you're among friends, you're free to do whatever you want. You are not the defendant at your trial. Do not try to hide bad aspects, this isn't a diplomatic cocktail! Now, what is the reputation of Shy's gang?
Where's Corporal Eaven now?
What was Jax trying to do?"

Baylee's eye were dilated and moved loosely in her head as the mao nu wrapped enthusiastic arms around her. The war in her hear to stay in control was lost and her mind had gone into full retreat. Afterwards, the captain stoof in a listless mass for several long moments. Her jaw was slack and her eyes unfocused.

Finally, just as it was seeming the captain might have permanently checked out from reality, she shook visibly and her eyes fixated on food. Moving almost dreamily, she helped herself to the excellent smelling meddly. Just as the first taste was hitting her tongue she seemed to snap back to her usual self just in time for Gothique to spin and wave her tail laden rump around. The nondescript overalls were not enough to hide the qualities therein. This time, though, Baylee rolled her eyes dramatically. She pointed hr spoon at Maissa, "There is an awful big bill coming your way as soon as this blasted meeting is done. I hope you got the credits to pay." The captain then ate her food grumpily whiel muttering rather rapidly and darkly in something to fast and muttered to understand, but her roaming eyes and general posture made it obvious the captain was tense.

At the mention of names and Maissa's musings about the marines, though, she perked up. Talk fo violence seemed to catch her attention. "Oh, she just had to be a Karin, eh? Maldita shuta! Biao zi! She don't keep her trap shut, I'll put my fist where the sun don't shine. And NOT in the fun way, either." She shewed some food thoughtfully the shrugged, "Still, if the puta can fight, she's welcome to sign the charter. Gotta work on that..." Back to eating. The sating of one physical need, though, seemed to have calmed her down mostly. "Oh, call me Baylee. Seems the trend currently. But Captain works as well." The last had a bit of a lascivious grin added.

The older man chewed quietly and observed as the group ate and discussed.  He focused upon Gilina as she began sharing with carefully chosen words...

Gothique was a disappointed and hope she did not upset the lady that would not give her name even after answering about her ears and even giving the bonus of tail information.  But for now she should listen and see what she can learn.

For now she learned the Captains name and felt mildly silly thinking her name was Captain but also being granted permission to keep calling her that made her feel good.  "Yes Captain Baylee.  If you need me for anything Captain feel free to call."  She says before moving back to Gilina where she leans in to Gilina, "Are we allowed to eat?"  She asks trying to keep the drool out of her mouth from showing lest it be mistaken as foam and maybe rabies.  "Or would you be able to save me some stuff if you want me to get back to work."

Gilina stopped for a moment and regarded Gothique.    She flicked a glance at the captain, then said. "Ask the man with the food."  But she motioned for Gothique to help herself anyway.

Gilina took a moment then offered Viper a small sad smile.  "It's ancient history.   Involving a boy who wanted off planet.  He stowed away and I couldn't jettison enough mass to keep him alive before the atmo ran out.  She pulled the trigger.  She's always pulling the trigger.  She's looking out for nobody but herself."

"This charter." she said after a moment.  "It's equal part, equal say?"

Establishing that there's tension, but not needing this to be a central key element--unless any of you want it to be so.

The older man immediately reached for an empty plate, and invited her over with a warm and gentle smile.

"Please, eat and be welcome, Gothique.  I am Sheng-Xin.  It is a pleasure to meet you."

It seemed that something within her perky youthful innocence struck a chord within the older man, for there was a slight touch of almost paternal fondness in his glance as he passed the plate to her...

Chewing a bit more sedately, Baylee raised an eyebrow at the provocative promise once more given. She wasn't sure how to take the rather excitement inducing comment, but assumed, for now, that it was vaguely innocent.

She had her target, after all.

She was mid-chew when she asked if she could eat and made to swallow to answer when the monk did that for her. Shrugging, she took another mouthful and considered the other question. Then, abruptly, she answered, "Bu dui a! Weighted say and weighted shares. Captain carries more risk and responsibility. Individual crew is never picked out and vilified, it's the captain. No one's looking to you to make decisions, the look to me. Equal? No. Pero fair, yes. It matters of combat, I get executive power. In decisions about targets or work, I get double votes. When it comes to loot, I get a double share. There would be, of course, articles for proper removal of captain from power and appointment of officers. But officers is a matter for larger crews than what we got. Pero, officers get larger shares based on their ranks."

There was generally more to a charter, but they served well in keeping order aboard ships out of port for long periods of time. She rather deliberately left off the traditional punishments for mutiny or insubordination: spacing and flogging respectively. Most the rest was covered by reductions in share.

She waggled her spoon at Gilina, "Ships are not democracies. Or tyrannies. A group this small can be more flexible than that." Baylee spoke with the confidence not of someone who had thought through all the matters involved but knew via received wisdom and experience. However, as her ramble about these things slowed down, she blinked at the others and then shrugged and dug her spoon into the food, "least, that's what makes sense to my mind. Not like I got the muscle to enforce my demands. We can talk it all over once we know who's looking to sign."