Episode1Act3

CAST

• Michi Nom
• Carina Yuzu
• Dorota Kowal
• Sarah Lee
• Kenny Han

The Mei Mei Cafe

After Michi secures everything, the crew of the Kobukson refuses the use of Felix Gary's Hover Van and climb into the shuttle. They head off to Mei Mei which is west of Jie Jie. As the shuttle gets closer to the town, there are two prominent buildings, bigger than the rest. Both seem to be to the far west of the town.

Compared to Jie Jie and its polite blue collar residents, Mei Mie projects a step above the rest. It's buildings are relatively well kept despite their age with no visible grafitti. The streets are litter free. The residents walking around seem to be wearing casual business attire and some are even carrying briefcases. Hover vehicles bustle down the busy streets, everyone having a place to go, a place to be.

The Mei Mei Cafe is located in the heart of what looks like a business district with restaurants and shopping, including quite a few different tech stores.

Michi finds a nearby parking space and pulls in.

Michi's one of those folk who trust her own vehicles over other people's. Especially when she doesn't trust the other people. "Nice place." She notes, looking out the window of the shuttle. "Here's the plan. We go in. We see if our boy is there. If he isn't, we quietly ask around. If someone gives you grief, just excuse yourself and move on. We don't need trouble."

Sarah nods, "Especially around here." She hrms, looking a touch surprised at the relative cleanliness of the town as she makes sure nothing about her clothing screams, "Hi I'm from Jie Jie feel free to make my life miserable," to the locals.

Carina eyes Michi with a gaze that speaks volumes about how she would never, ever cause trouble. Of course, that isn't entirely true, but one cannot expect a Companion to //admit// to her faults. Not in front of others, certainly! "Very well. Shall we?"

"Might as well." Michi agrees. The shuttle will be locked up behind them. She'll double check to be sure. Then she'll walk beside Carina to the diner. Just a group looking for some information and some food. That's all.

Sarah walks along after Michi and Carina, taking the rear and keeping a careful eye out for possible trouble. Mainly because she's heard way too many things about Mei Mei to relax around here.

Dorota moves to fall in next to the others, glancing around. "This place seems...I don't like it," she admits. She was better off in Jie Jie.

Carina probably fits in here a bit better than most, honestly. She doesn't really do unclean, or less than the best attire. Not willingly, at least. And she's only too happy to be leading from the middle on the sortie out to the diner to ask around and see what they can learn. She greets those they pass politely, in a friendly but non-confrontational manner, just the way she sees them greeting one another.

As you walk down the street, an armored hover vehicle with the words Long Security across the doors drives by.

Dorota glances at the vehicle, making note of it, but nothing more for right now. Long Security...

Michi keeps on walking.

The Mei Mei Cafe has a different feel than the Big Sister Diner. It feels more formal, with tablecloths on the tables and actual menus.

Being mid-afternoon, the Cafe isn't particularly crowded with most of the tables sitting empty. As you pass some of the empty tables towards the entrance, you notice a few business cards littered here and there with the name Skytale Enterprises.

"Tablecloths. Wow. That's new." Michi mumbles. Sitting by themselves at a table won't do them much good. She angles for a counter, if there is one.

Sarah hmms, looking over the business cards, "Skytale... that must be the research center here. Astrolabe used to run this place, but pulled out a while ago."

Dorota pockets one of the cards, as they seem to be "abandoned." Well, she glances at it for a personal name first.

Carina enters and heads for the counter, hoping to make polite introductions with someone there and see where things can go from there. "Hello."

There is a counter where a waitress is currently fixing a drink. "Sit anywhere you like and I'll be with you in a sec." She says when Carina addresses her.

"That works." Michi sits and looks around. Right now, she focuses on noticing people. Is the man they were sent to find here?

At one of the tables, you see an asian woman with dark hair pulled back into a bun. She has a briefcase by her feet. The waitress moves around to serve this woman the drink she was missing.

Dorota stands out a little bit here...oh, she's clean and all, but she still gives off a very solid, reliable blue collar vibe. Mechanic, not posh. She settles down into a seat next to Michi, murmuring, "I feel as if I don't earn enough to be here." Carina is far too nice to explain to Darota that the reason she feels this way is because seh doesn't. It wouldn't help, after all. The Companion takes a look around, taking in the place and the people, and settles at the counter to wait until the waitress has time to return; a service professional will likely be more receptive to questions than a businesswoman.

Sarah looks perfectly at home, taking a seat across from Dorota, "Just relax, if you can imagine yourself feeling like you belong, then you'll look like you belong anyway." She smiles faintly, appearing perfectly relaxed while keeping an eye out.

"Woman looks like she's getting ready to go to work in the core behind us." Michi notes to Carina as she sits down. "Maybe you found yourself a client."

"I don't," Dorota says. "But then, I don't belong most places." That aren't engine rooms, that is. The mechanic shrugs slightly. As long as she isn't seen as a threat.

Sarah nods towards Dorota, "Well, you're fine, I assure you." She then glances over at Michi, "Who's our contact?"

"I am not looking for a client right now." Carina answers Michi quietly. "Besides, she's busy. She's not going to be very amenable to being interrupted, especially by something that doesn't serve her interests."

"Likely." Michi notes with a shrug. She picks up the menu and peruses it. Funds are low and she can't imagine prices are too cheap on this backwater. Real food to cook isn't exactly growing in wide open plains outside.

The menu consists of mostly overpriced drinks and a few meals consisting of various dumplings and noodles. The waitress returns to the counter to where the crew is sitting. She pulls a notepad out of her pocket. "What would you like?"

Michi winces, inwardly at the prices. What little cash is in her pocket is slowly dribbling away. "Bowl of wonton soup and a glass of water for each of us." Sarah murmurs, "A second mortgage..." under her breath, looking at the menu, then nods towards Michi, "Thank you."

Dorota tries not to wince quite as obviously at the prices. They're...well...what she's expecting. Expensive. Limited.

Carina looks up and smiles at the waitress. "If you wouldn't mind, I was hoping you could help me with a small question before we order? I am looking for someone, I was told he comes here often. Brennan Hughs?"

The waitress pauses her order taking. "Mr. Hughs? What of him? She looks at the crew more carefully, her eyes resting on the suspicious looking Michi."

Because, of course, the race pilot seems to be standing out the most right now. Dorota elects not to open her mouth, which would make HER more obvious for Not Belonging In A Place Like This and let the refined person do the talking.

Michi smiles blandly. "I love wonton soup."

"We were supposed to have a meeting with him, but he didn't show up. I just thought I'd ask when was the last time you saw him." Carina asks, simply enough. Not exactly confidential information she's inquiring over, ehre.

"Um. Well..." She considers the question as if she's thinking real hard then says. "Maybe a few days ago?"

Carina nods. "Well, thank you for the information. Very kind of you." She then proceeds to order the absolutely cheapest thing on the menu as if it were liquid gold, with the kind of class usually reserved for fake British superspies ordering weak martinis as if they were something special.

The waitress finishes taking the order and then disappears into the kitchen to get the orders.

"Scuse me. I'll be back for my soup." Michi slips off her stool and saunters over towards the woman in the business suit. As Michi walks over his posture straightens and his step develops just a hint of a swagger. Something in the way he carries himself, the slight smile on his lips, even the way he brushes his bangs aside suggest the captain has gone from "she" to "he".

"Excuse me." Michi says to the woman in the business atire. "You seem important here." Sarah sips from her water, noting the change in Michi with an arched brow, not having quite seen it flip just like that before. She seems quietly amused by something, but doesn't say exactly what.

Dorota frowns. "Never going to get used to that," she says, quietly. Well, she will, but...

The woman is leaning back on her chair, an amused smile across her lips. "Is that so? What makes you think that?"

Carina smiles. "You do get used to it, but it takes time and exposure." What she can't figure out is why Michi decided to approach the businesswoman, rather than just asking her to do it now that they've struck out with the waitress.

Michi spins a chair at the woman's table backwards and straddles it, leaning on the chair's back. "My name's Michi Nom. I captain a ship and heard a man named Hughs could point us to a job. That he liked this place. But he's not here. You look important because you're dressed like you belong on Shinhon, not this bowl of dust. You know the score. I'm pretty sure."

The woman chuckles and leans forward elbows on the table. "Everyone looks important here. You don't survive otherwise." She peers over at Carina and then back to Michi. "Names Kenny. I was told some goddess on two legs should be coming by any time now. By the looks of it, you aren't that woman. But I sees that you're more than likely travelin' with her."

"I haven't met anyone like...him...before." Dorota Hesitates on the pronoun. "I mean, I've known those who switch permanently, but not going back and forth."

The captain glances back at Carina. "She is that. If you're looking to speak to her, I'll arrange it."

Sarah chuckles quietly, "A useful talent, to be sure. Just thinking how handy that can be." She shrugs a bit, looking perfectly content to be boring in that regard, or at least predictable.

Kenny Shrugs. "If that's what you want. Bring her on over."

Only once Michi gives the signal does Carina turn from the counter and move over to the table, taking another of the chairs and settling primly, folding her legs at the kenes. "Hello." she offers her hand. "I am Carina. Pleased to meet you, Kenny." Once Carina enters the picture, Michi's happy to relax and let the Companion do the talking.

"Carina," Kenny smiles taking her hand. "I'm told you're looking for some information. About a certain Brennan Hughs?"

"I prefer my own talent," Dorota says, glancing over at Michi and Carina, but this seems to be for the captains to do.

Sarah just keeps an eye out, since Karl isn't here... well, someone has to. Though she chuckles at Dorota, "Me too, honestly."

Carina keeps up her smile, though she's worried now. She has to play the hand she's dealt, however. "Yes, I am. I do not suppose you have that information?"

"No one's seen him for two days. He's a regular around here. Loud as can be for a Mei Mei resident. Boasts about how he's a doctor though I wouldn't believe a word of that nonsense." Kenny's expression becomes serious. "Still, doctor or no, he works over at the hospital doing something."

A grin. "I'll fix the ship you fix the people?" Dorota offers, as if it was some kind of treaty.

"Hospital's interesting place to work." Michi notes. "Heard the whole area used to be corporate."

Kenny chuckles. "Whole moon was corporate once. This was merely their facility for doin' all sorts of experiments."

Carina hmms, and nods slightly. "I see. So if we want to find him and he has not been seen here in two days, then I suppose looking at the hospital would be our next best bet. Thank you, kindly, for the advice."

Michi stares off into the distance. Something isn't adding up. He reviews things in his mind, replaying the conversation the way he replays races, turn by turn until "... how did you know Carina was coming?"

Sarah grins over at Dorota, "Deal. Fixing a ship is well outside my current means." She sips again from her water, looking perfectly relaxed... but then, she almost always looks that way unless she's dealing with a stubborn patient.

"Reckon they've gotten any info or are they just flirting?" Dorota quips next, a little bit amused.

Kenny nods. "The hospital's your best bet." And to Michi she answers. "Because a certain someone didn't want you stumbling around and ruffling the wrong feathers." She leans down and picks up her briefcase. When she looks up, she has a frown across her face and her tone sounds more concerned than before. "It ain't like Brennan to be absent without checking in. Something bad's happened and I bet it's got to do with the hospital. I never asked him about it so I don't know more than that."

"Right." Michi stands up, "Things got complicated. Always do." He calls out, "Doc, you said I needed a second opinion on my burn, right? Seems like there's a hospital in town that can help us with that." He nods to Kenny. "We'll be on our way, then. Thank you. Take care of yourself."