"I see! From what 'I read 'bout the resort, it used to be an old mining facility that had an industrial accident. Killed a lot of folk, that did. Got bought cheap 'cuz ov' it. Its actually why I-"

But the intercom cuts her off. She listens, and as she does, her ears slowly change from their perky nature to low timid quivers. They perked back up at Borais, and Riddle looked thoughtful for a moment, thinking he might be familiar... Then forgot when Alezandaru spoke next.

"I'm not one to go 'a lookin' for trouble myself, but...  Jill, you a 'regular at disciplinin' unruly folk with 'yer ship?" She asked above her, and it looked like gears were turning in her head.

"Pirates?" exclaims Tytva loudly, standing to her feet.  "Here?  Unthinkable!  Captain Jill?  Blast them into the Void, please!"

There is a brief pause before Jill's "voice" comes over again. "It's not my experience that these bastards are given to backing down. But if you think you have an idea..." There's a moment's delay, and then a light blinks from red to green on a nearby comm unit. "I've given you access to comms. Unsurprisingly, the pirates are broadcasting on all frequencies. They'll hear you.  You have thirty seconds."

There's a slight lurch as the ship's inertial dampeners adjust to a sudden change in direction. "Riddle, am I correct in assuming you are a shiprat as well as a writer? I've unlocked the engine access port. And the gun controls. Borais, Tytva - I suggest you buckle up."

((OOC: If you have an action you'd like to take, please include a dice roll for it. The die roller should be set to default to six sided dice and to report only the highest die; roll a number of dice equal to 1 + your dice from any relevant ability, max three; if you want to roll your Insanity die, please separately indicate in your post what value it came up to, even if it isn't the highest die.))
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 22:40, Thu 04 Mar 2021.

Alezandaru looks at Riddle having no doubt a target would not be missed by keen eyes. He rushes to the coms "No personal kingdom is worth a damaged haul of low value with back up on the way. I don't want you dead but looks like the fuzzy one can shoot. If you value your crew you'll leave."


((OOC: Rolled 5, No insanity die))
This message was last edited by the player at 02:36, Fri 05 Mar 2021.

Borais speaks, low and intimidating. You can hear death in his voice. "Listen to me and listen carefully. You have had the misfortune to steer yourselves into your doom. Worse still, you have interrupted my vacation." He pauses, eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Your deaths would only do the universe a favor, but we must take the time to aid our brothers. Let us see if you have the wisdom to flee while you can."

((OOC: Rolled 6, no insanity die))
This message was last edited by the player at 02:39, Fri 05 Mar 2021.

Riddle drank her water in a quick gulp, then hopped down off her seat and headed for the engine room. "I'm thinkin' we pull 'em off the other shuttle, and once a safe space away, plas-burn the coils and pseudo-drift away. The leftover spike into space should mask us while they triangulate a section o' space we ain't at, and we fly to the resort-"

Riddle moved quickly and opened a hatch inside the engine room and glanced around.
"... Oh, upgrades, not plasma... Eh, same principle really, Grexi was more 'ta engineer than me. Just hook the drive line out of sync-buff and bypass the inverter dampener.."
Riddle tipped half her body into the hatch with the power generator and engine links, muttering and chatting.

"..That'll do it, I think. Now to the Weapon Controls and get ready" She wiped some sweat from her fuzzy brow and closed the panel.

18:35, Today: Riddle rolled 5 using 2d6, keeping the highest dice only ((3,5)).

Alezandaru watches Riddle disappear and shoots Borias a goofy smile and a thumbs up.

After a moment, a rough voice comes over the comes. "You fools think we are scared of-" The voice is interrupted by several others, talking over each other. The phrase 'know that voice' can be made out amongst the din.

After a moment, the chaos settles, and the first voice returns. "Bah, fine. Rot on that rock, all of you. May you join our mates what haunt its innards."

There is a long pause, and then the pilot's synthetic voice returns over the intercom. "Well that was unexpected. Little disappointed I didn't get to blow them to scrap, but I suppose it's for the best. Looks like the Goal Runner has their engines figured out, too; they should make it to the resort a little behind us." A pause, and then, "Don't tell anyone, but I just disabled the payment server on the bar. We should be arriving in about forty five minutes, thanks to those engine tweaks. Try not to party too hard."

((OOC: Pirates rolled a 5 to resist being intimidated - lucky on only two dice, but not good enough))

In reply to Alezandaru (msg # 23):

Borais considers the thumbs up and nods, antenna straightening for a moment in a respectful Lashunta salute. He gestures to the bar. "I do believe we have earned a second drink. Please, allow me." Borais goes to collect a round for the party.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:31, Fri 05 Mar 2021.

Scanning the room, Tytva nods with satisfaction at the activity.  Her teeth show slightly in a look that might be a smile or the look of an excited predator.  Possibly both.

Alezandaru's head turns to the speaker hearing the pirates. Excited for the round he looks at Borias "Seems you're quite the intimidating man to have on hand." He turns his grin to Tytva "Though I don't know if you're more scary than this angel's blood lust." He gives a chuckle as he returns to leaning on the bar waiting on that round.

In reply to Alezandaru (msg # 27):

Tytva seems to become self-conscious, and then preens a little at the 'praise'.  Offering Alezandaru a polite nod and the same delighted smile.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 03:37, Fri 05 Mar 2021.

Riddle walked back into the room and closed the engine room bulkhead after undoing her tweaks to the power generator and engine. "Best way avoidin' a fight is without firin' a single shot! Way more cost effective!" She said giggling as she climbed back onto her seat.

"Now, that reminds me, I had a notion you had familiar traits. And it would seem them and those on that 'scrapper had the same." Riddle has pulled her bag up and produced a notebook while chatting, and as she flipped to her bookmark the faint scent of lavender whiffs from the yellow pages.
She was writing in her native language in the book, and its pages looked well used and well taken care of.

"Now, there wouldn't happen to be a sensible reason for that?"

In reply to Riddle (msg # 29):

Borais raises an eyebrow, and the ghost of a smile flickers at his lips. "Perhaps. Some know me as Borais the Avengeant. I have earned a... certain reputation among those who would seek to spread evil and destruction. I doubt one such as you would have reason to know or fear me though." He softens this with the barest hint of a smile and passes Riddle a refile on her water, this one with a fruit twist.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:15, Fri 05 Mar 2021.

Riddle's intricate scribbling started to slow while listening, as if trying to pull a distant memory out of cold storage. "Oh.. That sounds familiar-like, kinda' like a exovid I saw.. It escapes me now, it wasn't really relating to my interests, per say-" She realized he refilled her glass, gave it a sniff, and dipped her tongue politely to taste. Realizing it didn't have alcohol in it, she enjoyed it more casually. "Thank 'ya, a smart twist that one."

She raised her glass and toasted to her traveling companions.
"May the rest of our stay be more pleasant and rewarding!"

This was the moment when Riddle realized that half of them were heavily armed, and the group looked like an old exovid she saw from Earth. Her blue eyes twinkled again with curiosity. "Well, y'all wouldn't happen to be interested in ol' ghost stories and the paranormal, would ya? I'd say a hair auspicious, considering our choice to New Elysium for a vacation."

"Oh, that sounds delightful. The - ghost - stories of other races are so amusing and intricate. " titters Tytva.  She moves to the bar where she takes a dry glass from Borais and raises it briefly to the others before sipping.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:15, Sat 06 Mar 2021.

In reply to Riddle (msg # 31):

Alezandaru listened lazily to the exchanged. At word of stories his head perked up. "I'm with our diplomat. Nothing passes the time better than a few stories. Do share friend Riddle." He said expecting a pleasant ride in.

Borais gives a brief nod and finishes handing out the drinks before reclining on a bar stool, attention focused on Riddle.

"Well, Jill wasn't wrong, my actual passion and profession is collecting... Stories, Events, Extra-Things, things that make your fur twist or your scales rub wrong. As if an invisible hand pushed your mind to see something... Something Different. Something Paranormal"

Riddle spoke differently now, it was slower, methodical. As if putting on a well-loved suit that fits perfectly, but the ritual of putting the clothes on was the key. Not to check if it fits, but to enjoy a different taste within the ritual.

"... A shipwright, Groassus, described it well enough that I wrote it in the beginning of my book, 'Ghosts of Akito'-"

She pushed aside the book she had been writing in and produced from her leather bookbag another book, one pristine and rich in purple color. It's letters seemed to be a mix of gold and black filigree ink. She opened the cover and the spine creaked, as if it had never been opened yet, fresh off the press.

"Keep in mind, Mr. G is human, and his word choice reflects that. Ahem,
'Imagine your in a room, sitting on the couch, staring at a beautiful painting. That's your world. The room. and the Painting. Most people are content with just that.
Some people, like you and I, want to look behind the Painting. What lays hidden. You move and adjust the Painting enough to see the hole behind it. You realize then, in that moment, if you are the person to sheik away from the unexplainable. The Unfathomable. The things outside the walls of your world...
Or if you are the kind of person to wonder, and set the painting aside.'"

She let the pause linger in the air, fermenting. It took a few moments longer for everyone to realize she had ended it there.
She flipped a couple pages.

"This one is short. A precursor anecdote. Interesting enough, I got this here 'Tale from another human. She didn't want 'er name 'tah be used, so she is ScoopWhoop here. Ahem-

'When my sister Betsy and I were kids, our family lived for awhile in a charming old farmhouse. We loved exploring its dusty corners and climbing the apple tree in the backyard. But our favorite thing was the ghost. We called her Mother, because she seemed so kind and nurturing. Some mornings Betsy and I would wake up, and on each of our nightstands, we’d find a cup that hadn’t been there the night before. Mother had left them there, worried that we’d get thirsty during the night. She just wanted to take care of us. Among the homes’ original furnishings was an antique wooden chair which we kept against the back wall of the living room. Whenever we were preoccupied, watching TV or playing a game, Mother would inch that chair forward, across the room, toward us. Sometimes she’d manage to move it all the way to the center of the room. We always felt sad putting it back against the wall. Mother just wanted to be near us. Years later, long after we’d moved out, I found an old newspaper article about the farmhouse’s original occupant, a widow. She’d murdered her two children by giving them each a cup of poisoned milk before bed. Then she hung herself. The article included a photo of the farmhouse’s living room, with a woman’s body hanging from a beam. Beneath her, knocked over, was that old wooden chair, placed exactly in the center of the room.'"

Towards the last couple sentences, Riddle's voice had decreased in volume to a haunting whisper.

In reply to Riddle (msg # 35):

Borais listens to the story, nodding slightly at the high points. When it is over he raises his glass to Riddle. "Well told. An interesting hobby to be sure. From the threats those pirates spouted i'd say you will have some luck collecting more such stories this trip."

In reply to Riddle:

"Ohhh.  So mysterious!" exclaims Tytva, with a toothy grin.
"So the dead mother was trying to kill both children and hang herself - again? So preposterous! Hehehe." chitters Tytva.

"The idea that a ghost would stick around to repeatedly try to murder children - and fail - is hilarious." more chittering laughter follows.

The ghost stories are interrupted by the intercom crackling to life again.

"Sorry to interrupt again, but this is the end of the road. If you look out your starboard viewport you will be able to see we are coming up fast on New Elysium. We will be docking shortly; I hope you all enjoyed your ride, excitement aside, and that you enjoy your stay at the resort."

True to Jill's words, it doesn't take long for the Jumping Jack to smoothly berth itself inside the docking station of the asteroid resort.

((OOC: If you have any last things to do before departing, or if you want to RP with Jill or gathering your things from the ship, do that here; I will be making a new thread for the dock.))
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:24, Mon 08 Mar 2021.

After Jill finished speaking, Riddle gently closed and tucked her published book away and quickly made some notations in the other before it followed suit. She finished her fruit water, nodded a 'thank you' to Borais, then quickly gathered her things. Excitement was growing and the resort looked breath-taking!

Before she disembarked the Jumping Jack, she accessed the intercom.

"Excuse me Captain, I just wanted tah' say thank you, and give you something, if that's permissible"

There's no response over the intercom, but after a moment a door opens and Jill makes her way into the lounge area. Her insectoid features are hard to read, but there is something like surprise on her face.

"Certainly I appreciate the thanks, miss Riddle, but I'm just doing what I was paid to do; I don't see as a gift is necessary."

"I believe if gifts were 'tah be a requirement, they'd be called just payments *wink*. But 'ya also were in gear to help the other shuttle-" She said cheerfully as she handed a copy of Ghosts Of Akito to Jill. "-and most business-folk don't much like assets riskin' assets, 'specially that I've heard. So.. Thank you."

After Jill touched the book, it softly chimed, like a purchase was conducted. Upon further inspection, on the inside of the cover is a tiny exochip with a datascreen to the side, scrolling "Legal Owner, Jill, Thank You!" across its surface.
"Oh don't worry'nun, it didn't actually charge you, my copies just do that so its harder to get stolen. I know most folks don't care 'bout holdin books nowadays, but I feel it carries a different weight than just a exopad." She quickly hugged Jill and trotted out, feeling pretty good about herself.

"This is going to be a great vacation!"