Karin raised an eyebrow.  "Hired? This was... Oh."

She cocked her head to one side then shrugged.  "I'm rated in infiltration and explosives.   Have a lot of years in EVA and trauma control.    Life is easier when you keep it simple.  Objectives and actions--nothing else matters.  More than anything, I'm an insurance policy. "

Baylee grinned and tapped her nose at the comment about being hired, "Oh, it was the other thing, too. We're about to make port, so I wanted to know who needs to be gone and who's gonna get invited to stay. But I also needed to know if I can trust folks. Dui a?" She paused and regarded the woman coldly for a bit then shrugged, "I can't trust you, but I don't mistrust you either. What you are about is right there to see and I can work with that. Susmaryosep, with this crew, I'ma need someone who can handle themselves."

Grinning now that her work had at least rewarded them a bit she sobered quickly, "Course, keep that to yourself for now. We got a few more of these things to go. What do you know about AMin?"

Not sure what I should roll for this. Rapport? Open? Trying to establish a thingy where me and Karin have "begrudging respect" or whatnot.

So, the Action is to Create An Advantage "Begrudged Respect"..

You have fought.  You could use Fight to represent this, sure.  But I suspect that, as a combination of physical fighting and tactical/strategy, you're probably better served by a Command roll.  I've pre-rolled her defense (if you choose to go with Command) so you'd need to roll Command[+1] (roll command target +1 or better).

In the way of Aspects if you succeed, you'll get create the Aspect with one free-invoke.  If you succeed with style, you'll get it with two free invokes.   The Aspect will continue to exist until something happens that triggers it's removal. Like, well, a loss-of-respect.

OOC: Can CSX assist Baylee's efforts/rolls?

Yes!

CSX has a Command(+2). Teamwork rules says you can add +1 to Baylee's roll.   You just gotta do something in the narrative to justify it.  And--if it goes really bad, you too will suffer the stress and consequences.

16:14, Today: Bai Ling-Li rolled 2 using 4 Fudge dice.  Command +2. Grudging Respect.

That's the base roll then for my described action above. IF Casks adds in something in the narrative, you can increase the roll.

As is, got a 4.

The older man nodded, regarding his newest crewmate thoughtfully.

"Did Amin really need us to get off the station, or... did he have another reason for bringing us along?  What do you think?"

"You pay me. I work for you." Karin shrugged.  "One changes, the other changes."

"As to Commander Amin.  He's got his own agenda.  Always has.  But he's had his pecker between the cheeks of... well, I don't know who.  Word is he was up for a transfer to a special projects division.  Stavros was pushing to get us attached, to get out of Ptolomen station. "

She gestured around her, at the ceiling and walls. "We lost three guys before we took this ship.  Amin didn't bat an eye.  It didn't matter.  If he wanted you, he's either got a niche to fill or a point to prove."

The older man considered her words.

"Please tell us about taking the ship.  What was the official motivation to do so?  Do you think there could have been other angles in play?"

Baylee grinned at the woman, that mercenary attitude suited her. It left room for more than it, but also less. Glancing between Casks and Karin though, she decided not to interrupt this and let the conversation play out. Though she had a suspicious mind, for sure, it was also far more a blunt instrument than the healer's. Baylee lacked subtlety on almost all levels. Best let the doc do the talking on this matter. Still, there was something worth saying, "I wouldn't get no ideas about a steady salary, di ga? Pero, you get your fair share of what comes through the door like everyone else. Ying wei more comes in, suo yi your share increases." Baylee shrugged at that. It was as ho0nest an offer as anyone could make given the circumstances.

Karin glanced at CSX, then nodded at Baylee, indicating that she wasn't upset about the arrangement.   It probably wasn't lost on her that she was getting on without being spaced.

"Motivation?" She echoed Sheng-Xin.   "Beyond my paygrade.   Command sent Stavros coordinates for an unauthorized burn vector.  Not uncommon outside the Atticus Rift.  Lot of smugglers use because the rift plays havok with sensors.  The whole damned area's rife with ghost stories.  Evidence of ancient tech.  It sends echoes back and half of them are just us.  But We get the word, we go.  But we found a ship, no.

Something changed as she talked... her manner of speaking, the cadence.  Not quite an accent, but a smoother drawl in her delivery.   "It was driftin'.  Power down and lights out.  Whole and unblemished, but not a sign of life.  Easy board.  Bear hacked the outer airlock. I stayed EVA with a pulse rifle to guide the umbilical if all clear.

Two by two, first wave shot down by MIRU turrets. Illegal.  Stav and BoyToy dropped.  Bear and Ox went in but the place was dead. System on lockdown, reactor cold.  No fight after the first breach.

Stav Figured the crew'd gone into the iron core.  So we linked up and made it to Virmeer.  Wasn't there three days before we told to drag it to Ptolomen.  No siege, no nothing.  That it's computer core holds something precious. And special projects was involved.

That's the Golden ticket. Easy money, better assignments, special dispensations.  See the galaxy, explore worlds and shoot brand new things.



--
As to the dialect change... I've no clue.  it just seemed to fit with the dialog I was giving her.  Maybe it'll be important down the road.  Right now, I've got nothing to hang on it.
This message was last updated by the player at 05:25, Tue 05 Apr 2022.

The older man absorbed both her words and emotions with interest, and nodded thoughtfully.

"What do you think of Amin and of Shy as potential recruits?  What do each of them bring to the table?  Pros and cons?"

Baylee raised her eyebrows as the description of the fight. She felt no need to add anything, but when Casks chimed in with his next question, she just folded her arms and let him do his things, for now.

"Not playing that game." Karin said carefully, enunciating every word.  "I don't know Amin.  He's command. I'm an enlisted contractor.  We don't exactly move in the same circles."

Shy.  He's a combat vet and a field medic.  You set him down, he'll find work.  But you're not making me responsible for whatever you choose to do next.

Baylee shrugged to Karin's response; it made sense as a position. While Baylee had not been looking for reasons to feel good about her decisions, it was nice to know Shy would be able to look after himself. As far as Amin went, she'd need to talk that out with the man himself as well as Casks and the rest of the crew. Most had opinions.

"Alright. Fair enough."

She hesitated then and considered the next move then sighed and nodded at Casks, "Next up is Shy then. Followed by Amin and the rest of that mob."

So, we can easily handwave the rest as far as I am concerned. Unless something incredible happens or has been planned, Shy's of no interest to Baylee. She wants no one who threatens her command. She views him that way.

As far as the remained of the faceless mob, that's our future PC pool, so just have them in the background or no? Whichever way you think works for the future.

Lastly, Amin is a relatively indifferent topic for Baylee. She doesn't like him but has no preference between spacing him, stranding him, or him being around and out of her way. As long as he gets that she is in command here, she got her grudge out of her system already.

Viper pushed the door, holding her can of paint. She felt her head spin, one of her withdrawal symptoms. She forced a smile: "Aye Captain. So has the crew grown?"

Baylee raised an eyebrow first at the pilot, then the can of paint, and finally at the question. "It has. Have you redecorated my ship?"

Gothique following on the tails of Maissa enters the room.  Still now was the time to be seen and not heard she is thinking so lets Maissa take the lead.

"oh this..." Maissa contemplated the can "...holds a lifeform we found in a cache. Gothique will find a lab to examine it. There are several caches aboard. Gothique, Gilina and I repaired some pipework and saved the ship from falling apart. More repairs needed. Repair droids broken. We do their job. for now. WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?!"

Maissa pointed at Karin.

"What is she doing here, the murderess, seated arms-crossed at the table with a snug smile in her face, and not clapped in irons or corpse drifting in the void?"

Baylee's eyes never even flinched as it occured to her that some aboard didn't like Karin. She simply let her gaze slide to the female marine then switch back to the pilot. "Ying wei I offered her a spot on the crew." Baylee struggled to remember who had gotten murdered; probably something about the tech that got scragged in teh control room, right?

"As for murderer... there may be many things that the government accuses me of that are not true... pero I know for a fact that I have killed people. Ying wei it's part of the business, suo yi I don't hold it against her. A bit brutal, si a. Pero..." Baylee trailed off into a contemplative silence then shrugged, "Pero, she can handle herself in a fight and her loyalties are predictable."

Baylee's eyes then slowly moved down to the can and her neck started to flush slightly as she regarded the offending device and slowly let the words Viper had spoken about her ship settle gently into place. "Now, can you explain, pretty please with a cherry on top, why my ship was nearly falling apart and why there are strange creatures aboard it?" Baylee's face was stony calm as she asked the question but the flush creeping up her neck and her pupils spoke of contents under pressure.

It was during this brief pause that Viper - who was tensing to the point of shaking - jumped the three steps to Karin, seized the corporal's right arm with her left hand and let her weight hold it down; Viper's right fist turned into a accusing finger that she pointed 20 cm off the warrior's eyes.

"Now, psychopath killer, a fair warning : watch your six! 'cause we know you like to murder people here and there, but we ain't no feable stowaway! We got our eyes on you, and we'll shoot ya without blinkin' if ya let yo'self loose, like when you blowed up the tech Jax. Got it? This ain't your dirty gang anymore. No violence towards anyone of this crew and no murderin' us and our allies, and only who the capt'in tells you to kill..."

Eyes still locked with the trigger-happy soldier, Viper added, in a hush : "now Baylee may tell you to fight her or fick her, but it's an expression she has, okay? She does not speak sgalap as well as I does. For you it means only the fighting option is left, because I'm the only one she ficks and I fick with her. Capiche?"

Viper had left her pep in its holster. Adrenaline pumped up, she got ready to dodge or withstand the inevitable blow response from Karin; a savage headbutt or a left sucker punch.

OOC : Ling-Li, your question shall remain unanswered for the moment, I'm afraid!

Gothiques yes go wide and she stands off as far away from what is going on as possible.  Having not been talked to at this point she stays out of it and any that look see her in the corner with her ears back as if she either did something bad or was scared of what was unfolding in front of her.

The older man quietly observes these interactions with mundane and extraordinary senses, monitoring each person's reactions.  The more he knows about those aboard, the better he can serve them.

Into the ringing silence following the words of the pilot, he murmurs quietly to the Captain, repeating the observation he previously made when bringing Karin in for the interview...

"'道不同，不相为谋。'"

^* "Those of different principles don’t work well together."

Maissa leaves the initiative of the first blow to Karin; she's in full defense mode with a +2 bonus. However, she wants to stand her ground, so the defence mode does not mean she'll roll over and run; more that she intends to parry and deflect blows. Also, augment by her aspect "What's Life Without a Little Excitement?"

Viper had her eyes locked with the corporal's, trying to sense when the psycho killer would attack. The pilot did not expect to overcome the soldier - she expected to be beaten to a pulp. Thus, Maissa would feel a different pain than her withdrawal's.
Baylee would likely intervene to stop the massacre, and maybe the captain would be moved that her lover was jealous.

Viper jumped the three steps to Karin, seized the corporal's right arm with her left hand and let her weight hold it down; Viper's right fist turned into a accusing finger that she pointed 20 cm off the warrior's eyes.  "Now, psychopath killer, a fair warning : watch your six!... no murderin' us and our allies, and only who the capt'in tells you to kill..."

Karin didn't move at first.   She was trying to read the situation.   There was no way she was going to be the omega here, but she wasn't gunning for the alpha spot, either.

She let a slight smirk twitch into place.   "Marking territory, Yuvari?"  she asked, letting the amusement touch her voice. "Not my treasure-chest, not my treasure."

Then, even while their eyes were locked, Karin shifted her weight, adjusted her position slightly, so that her center of gravity was a few inches lower.   It actually increased the pressure that Viper was putting on her arm, but it shifted Viper's center of balance as well.  "Got it.  No murdering you in your sleep.

Karin locked eyes with Baylee, though, a vaguely inquisitive expression which read "what do you want here?"

--
Viper:  Karin rolled a Fight +7 to Create an Aspect: Positional Leverage.   You have the option of opposing.  If you do not, it'll be opposed by your Fight(+5 rank (defaulting to an assumed Fight(+3) + Full Defense(+2) + 4dF(+0) roll) action.   As it stands, Karin succeeded.  Your roll could change that.  And, since I'm talking mechanics, the Full Defense prevented this from being a Success with Style.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:35, Mon 02 May 2022.