Episode3Prelude

CAST

• Michi Nom
• Karl
• Dorota Kowal
• Sarah Lee
• Carina Yuzu
• Grandma
• Louis
• ShiLiuHuang License Bureau Clerk

LICENSE BUREAU

It's March 1st and before the Crew of the Kobukson can leave the desert moon, they have one more stop to make. Sarah knows a woman who can help with their identification problem. With Sarah in the lead, she takes Michi and Karl to visit Grandma in ShiLiuHuang. Upon entering into ShiLiuHuang, the first thing you notice is the smell of rotten eggs. This area is riddled with sulphur deposits which makes it a rank place to live.

Michi wrinkles his nose but does not cover it or pinch it shut. "Everyone changes clothes off ship before they're allowed back in. I don't want this smell driftin' from us to the air scrubbers."

Sarah snorts, "No kidding. But, well, this is where you go when you don't want other people bothering you." She grins, "Grandma should be able to help us, at least. Just be polite, be nice, and keep your creds handy."

"I can be polite. I can be nice. We got meiyou for creds." Michi notes. "So, I hope she's in a trading mood."

Well that's a smell that is going to linger in Karl's nose for awhile. He isn't sure if mouthbreathing would be any better either. Smell it or taste it, both are equally bad. Nostrils flare as he sends up a wish for quick nose blindness. "I'll just stand back and keep quiet than." it just works better that way.

Sarah nods over towards Karl, "Probably the best. Keep a sharp eye out. Sometimes there's a queue, which might mean trouble depending on who's doing the queueing. I've dealt with her before." She smiles faintly, "Good business, mostly." She passes a look at Michi, then glances around the buildings as they pass by.

"Right." Michi will land the shuttle and make sure it is locked up tight before following Sarah. "One step at a time."

After securing the shuttle. Sarah leads the way past the outdoor market and down the street into the ShiLiuHuang License Bureau where there is a line of two people waiting for a man behind the only counter in the entire office. He is of middle age and very slow. Watching paint dry were faster than this man as the sayin goes.

Michi motions for Sarah to lead the way. "We need to actually get in line or...?"

Karl keeps an eye out as he follows behind the other two. One never knows where trouble is going to spring from better to be cognizant of all the potentials. Going into the bureau he looks at the man behind the counter and the two people that are waiting. "Or do we take a number?"

Sarah steps in line, perfectly polite, leaning in to whisper to Michi, "We get in line, we wait, and we make sure no one else is here." She takes a number, out of perfect propriety, and waits. Occasionally chattering about something inconsequential, and looking rather ditzy as she does so. And eventually, when they get to the counter to see the lone clerk, she shows him the chit. Not the actual number, mind, but a different chit, along with a most unditzy look.

Michi does his best not to claw off his own skin. Everything he enjoys doing and does well involve moving. Standing in line is all sorts of hell.

Who would have thought time could go any slower. Finally at the front, the man looks down at the chit and slowly reaches for it. He drags it closely to his eye as if he can't see nothing more than a pinkie width away. And as slow as he moves, he talks even slower. "You...want....to........see........Grandma?"

Sarah smiles politely, unfazed by the slowness. And maybe just enjoying Michi's discomfort a little, though she's /very/ careful not to display it. "Please."

Michi contemplates finding out if this guy dies as slow as he does everything else.

Patience is something Karl has in spades. Waiting in line isn't a big deal, and he has picked up an old magazine that some previous customer left behind. He flips through it until they get their turn when he rolls it up and sticks it in his backpocket.

"I....will.....calll..." And he painstakingly lifts the receiver of a rotary phone, his finger rolling over the circular dial. Blip Blip Blip. Then he says. "Someone....to...see......................................Grandma."

About five minutes after he hangs up, the one back door opens up and a young asian teen walks out to retrieve the group and take them to a back room where you finally get to meet Grandma, the tiniest asian woman with silver gray hair tied into a bun and two chopsticks sticking out. She gives all of you a shrewd eye.

"Ah, Customers" Grandma says and then notices Sarah and points. "No Refunds. All sales are final. Take your thugs with you. We don't abide trouble."

Michi glances aside at Sarah and then puts on her blandest "dealing with the Korean relatives" expression. "Whatever business you had with my ship's doctor is in the past, ma'am. I'm here for new business. My ship needs a coat of paint to make her look like... new."

Sarah bows deeply towards Grandma, then smiles, "I well remember Grandmother, and yes..." She straightens, and let's Michi do the talking at this point, passing a quick glance towards Karl.

"A new coat of paint, eh?" Grandma looks between Sarah and Michi. She pulls out of a pocket a monocle, places it on her left eye and moves closer to look Michi up and down pinching his arm. "You could use some meat on those bones, young man."

Karl looks down at himself. Thuggish wasn't the look he was going for today, but apparently he failed at that. He gives the old grandmother a bow. "Annyeonghaseyo halmeoni." he greets formally. Hey he can be polite.

"I'm happy to eat any food you have, assumin' you're providin' it for free, ma'am." Michi says with just a hint of a smile. "New coat of paint. I'll be up front. Last job didn't go so well. Lost some of the cargo. So, we'd need to offer in trade.

We're hopin' to run to Persephone next and we'd be glad to reserve space for any cargo or messages you need hauled."

Sarah gives Grandma a wry look, "He doesn't really listen to his friendly doctor as much as he should, this is true." She can quip on occasion, as she gives Michi a grin.

Grandma turns her attention to Karl, that same eye practically reading everything she can see which may not be much. "Aren't you a sweet young man. She reaches up and pinches his chin since she can't reach much higher seeing as she's pretty short. Then she turns and says to the young teen boy. "Louis, go get some food for my guests." The young boy bows and leads farther back into the bowels of the building as Grandma sits behind her desk saying to Sarah. "You bring such nice boys to see me. They keep you safe?"

Sarah actually blushes a bit, "Well, mostly... safe as I ever get, anyway." She smiles and nods again towards Grandmother, playing the part pretty well. Or is it actually a part, considering the last time they met after all...

"Thank you. Food would be lovely." Obviously, there's not going to be business until then. Michi's happy things are starting to move. "Doctor does a good job of keeping us safe. She's patched up a few hurts since we picked her up."

Karl knows well enough that no true reply to the rhetorical question is required, so he just rubs at the stubble on his chin and bobs his head. The mention of food is a good one. Eating someone else's cooking for once would be a refreshing change. He quietly thanks her again using the word halmeoni to refer to her.

"You come at good time, Grandma needs assistance. You do me favor and I give your ship a shiny new coat of paint." Then Grandma pulls out a feather pen and a paper to go with it. She starts making marks on the paper though if anyone peeks, it looks nothing like any language that anyone has seen. Then she gets down to business. "I need Ident Codes and name for your ship, last ports of call, where you registered her. What did you want to rename her?" She speaks as if you've already accepted the trade, ready to get down to business while waiting for Louis to come back.

This Michi was prepared for. He withdraws the leather portfolio which contains the ship's papers and information. "Jeju sounds nice. Never seen one but I hear they're pretty horses." He sets it down on the desk.

Sarah smiles as well, looking patiently at Grandma, then she gives Michi a curious look. Possibly at the new name for the ship, then she tilts her head back to Grandma, waiting for her to unveil the favor to be requested.

Grandma takes chicken scratch notes, reviewing the ship papers. The young teen Louis comes back and sets down a tray of tea and finger sandwiches. Then he steps behind grandma and waits, eyes down. She asks some questions as she takes notes. When she is done, she stands up with the papers. "Very well. Come back in one hour and you will have new papers. The data will need a week to get to most systems so stay away from other ports until then. In return, you take Louis with you. Keep him safe for me."

"Grandma!" Louis looks up, surprised.

"Sounds good." Why does she want the boy on the ship? Michi has no idea. But it doesn't matter. They're over a barrel here. Or in one and about to go down the falls. Or over the falls without a barrel and this lady has one. Something involving barrels. "Pleasure doing business with you, ma'am."

Sarah blinks in surprise, then nods again towards Grandma, "Of course. We will keep him safe." She gives Louis a curious look at that, but saves the questions about that for later

Michi adds, "Karl, you're in charge of making sure Louis has a berth and a place on the duty roster." Everyone works aboard the Jeju.

"Grandma! You can't send me with them," Louis says above all the plans being made around him.

Grandma rounds on Louis. "Don't Grandma me! You get into trouble, you need leave until things blow over."

"But I didn't do anything. I swear." Louis proclaims.

"It don't matter if you didn't. She thinks you did," Grandma says.

Louis balls his fists, Karl can feel the anger coming off him and just under that, the fear.

Grandma turns away from Louis and turns to the group. "Come back in an hour and Louis will be ready for you with your papers and wrapped sandwiches for your trip."

"I've got two more on my crew. One of them is a vegetarian when she can be." Michi says. "We'll be back in an hour." He nods his head to the old woman respectfully and motions towards the others. "Let's go radio the ship, let them know we've got a guest boarding."

Well that was unexpected. Karl looks from Grandma to Louis, sizing the boy up for a moment as he feels the anger and fear from the kid. "Captain." he says to Michi. His way of saying he's on it. His brain is already trying to figure out how to divide up the duties and if the kid is a trouble maker keeping him busy is going to be important.

Sarah smiles and bows towards Grandma, "Thank you Grandmother." She then gives Louis a bit of a wry expression, "Oh, I'm sure it could be worse."

COMPANY RESEARCH

Meanwhile, Carina and Dorota stay back at the Ship, prepping. There is an engine to disassemble and final destination plans to make. Carina has two companies to research and locations to plot. For the moment, Carina and Dorota are in the Common Area.

"How goes the work on the disassembly?" Carina inquires of Dorota, as she continues tapping along on her keyboard, making notes of what she wants to look up, and what resources she should use, from which hubs. "Did you want another coffee before you get back to it?"

"It goes," Dorota says in somewhat pained tones. She's not enjoying the task, no, not at all.

She seems distracted, too. After a moment Dorota responds. "More coffee would be good."

"Sorry it's such a pain." Carina offers understandingly, as she pours the other woman another cup of coffee, then hands it over. Then she logs into one of the hubs and starts looking for more information. "C'mon ... where is he?" she mutters, prodding at the keys. "No, Marcus. Pay attention." she growls. "I don't want to know what you and Gary are planting in your garden. I just want the contact information for General Joe." She continues to narrate a bit as she struggles. "Finally!" A sound effect comes out as a message is packaged and sent to the contact info she has finally obtained.

"Doesn't that depend on the garden?" Dorota quips, taking the (cheap) coffee. "On the other hand, I'm learning quite a bit from this.

"Here we go. A lead on Esther Tsonji." Carina continues, murmuring. "Looks like she's going to be on Persephone for a fundraiser event. That's totally her sort of thing." And honestly one of the sorts of events Esther used to hire Carina to attend with her. "I'll mention that to Michi when he gets back. That might be doable."

After a while, another sound effect comes through the speakers, as a return message appears. "Hah! Way to go. Alright, Joe ... let's see if I can decode this." Carina gets up, heading into her cabin, and then returns with an actual paper book in hand. She flips through the book, checking against certain numbers, and puzzling things out for a bit. "Mmm. Madcap." More typing. "That's a moon of Kerry, in the Georgia system. Good old McIntyre, really has done well for himself. That's at least two shops he has going."

"General Joe McIntyre?" Dorota frowns, thoughtfully. "What *is* he up to these days?"

Carina pauses and turns her head towards the hatch to the engine room. "Well, he's running Border Joe's." Which is one of the companies they all agreed would be worth trying to get to sponsor them in the race. "He has two shops open, now. Why do you ask?"

"He is?" Dorota frowns. "My brother's ship was in some of the same actions. I haven't...talked to my brother since the war. I don't even know if he made it."

Carina hrms. "Well, Joe was one of my contacts for much of the war. But he moved on to legit work." She doesn't go on to explain just what it is //she// did during the war. Nunya. But apparently she knew Joe.

"Hrm." Dorota considered. "He might know something, he might not. Do you think it might be worth asking him?" After all, Carina seems to know the guy, she might be able to guess whether he would cooperate. Curling her hand around the coffee mug, she falls silent and sips slowly.

"Ask him right, respect him, sure, I think he'd discuss what he knows. You're family, after all." Carina offers honestly. "I might be able to make introductions, if things work out."

Dorota nods. "I'd like that. Which means the worst case scenario is that he has no idea what happened to Jakob either." Dorota hasn't talked much about her brother. He was...well...he was the criminal one, although she doesn't think that's a bad thing the way she once did.

Dorota finally looks up from the coffee. "Part of me isn't sure I want to know. Just in case." Which is worse...bad news or no news?"

"Only you can make that decision, Dorota." Carina offers. Yep. That sounded like a shrink. Then again, Companion. Go figure.

"I know." She finishes her coffee. "I think they'll be back soon?" She hopes so, anyway. Although she probably *should* get back to dismantling that poor engine.

FORMERLY KNOWN AS KOBUKSON

An hour later, the crew of the Kobukson soon to be Jeju, return to pick up Louis and their new papers along with a bag of tasty sandwiches, with actual bread and even some non-soy vegetables, enough for all of the crew and Louis. Louis' demeanor is defiant, fists balled, jaw set. He will follow Michi, Karl, and Sarah to the shuttle and then back to the ship, refusing to say anything for the moment.

"Lunch!" Michi shouts as he climbs down from the shuttle. Of course, Karl has the basket. "Carina, there's actual tomatoes on your's! We're taking off after we eat." The possibility of getting additional cargo on this mudball seems slim and Grandmother seemed sure the boy needed to be off planet asap.

Of course Karl has the basket. That's why he is paid the big credits. As soon as they get to the common area he unloads the basket takes a couple of sandwiches for himself and pretends that nothing is amiss for the moment. Just another day in paradise.

"Hey. Welcome back." Carina calls out. "Looking forward to lunch, definitely. By the way, I have a few leads for us. We should talk about that." She then comes around the corner and watches the approach of ... the passenger. "And this is ... ?" Dorota sets aside her empty coffee mug and gets up, moving to investigate the sandwiches. "Taking off..." And then she tails off. They have a visitor?

Sarah smiles a bit, "This is Louis, and he'll be staying with us for a spell it appears." She glances at Louis, then says, "Grandma seemed to think it best to get you off planet A-S-A-P, and it's always best to listen to her." Her voice grows a bit stern, in case the young man is thinking of being rebellious about that.

"Someone thinks Louis did something." Michi notes as he settles in and picks up his sandwich. He takes a bite. Chews. Swallows. "We're getting him in the Black and away for a while. Keepin' a watch on him. In exchange, this is now the Jeju." Michi withdraws the new papers. "Dorota, we'll need the new identity installed before we get near anywhere that'll pick it up."

Dorota nods. "I'll get it in right after lunch." She claims a sandwich, settling into a seat. "So, Louis, right?" Her attention, with a slight and apparently genuine smile, is turned to the boy.

Louis exits the shuttle following Michi and Sarah with Karl behind him. He sulkily enters the common room. Things seem to change though when he looks up at the voice that was speaking and his eyes catch Carina's. For a split instant, something cracks in the so far hard shell as his jaw drops. But then when Sarah speaks sternly he glares at her and goes back to angry boy pose. He crosses his arms defiantly. "You expect to fly this Gorram piece of junk? I'd be safer in a pit of lions. And I ain't done nothin'. Thems that say so are lyin."

Sarah smirks right back, "It does not matter what you did, Louis. What matters is they think you did it, and they'll put you in the ground before you can try and convince them otherwise. And I'm not getting in trouble with Grandma." Her eyes look right amused, "Don't hu che <talk nonsense>, you're riding, not flying."

"Some people think way to much for their own good." Karl says between bites of his sandwich "Just don't go planning anything stupid and you'll be fine once it blows over." he looks pointedly at Louis as if to say /yeah I know you are planning something/ There is a gesture to Sarah "What the doc said." as for the comment about the ship. He just lives here, so no offense to him.

"Kid, you're about to see what this heap of junk can do." Dorota winks at Michi. He'll probably take it as a challenge. Or is Michi a she right now? Hrm. He, she thinks. It's hard to keep track sometimes.

"This boat'll fly. We've got a good crew." Michi will let Carina handle smoothing the boy over. He remembers the effect Carina has on teenage boys. And girls. "We're off the ground in an hour. As soon as the new chip's installed. "I'll start with the pre-flight now."

"It's not very nice to speak ill of my ship, Louis." Carina offers, because she did NOT miss that reaction. Nope. Sorry. This is who she is, who she was raised to be, tough noogies. "And give you'll be board, I would think you would hope this would go safely. Unless you like sucking Black?" That said, the blonde makes her way to the table and sniffs at the sandwich offered her, and then contains her urge to drool as she opens it, and nibbles at it with painful slowness. She intends to savor this beyond all reason.

And with that, curtains close on the crew of the newly minted JeJu and a sullen passenger as they finish lunch and prep for their next destination where there are Hugs for your Feet and guns for your hands: Persephone.