Episode1Epilogue

CAST

• Michi Nom
• Karl
• Dorota Kowal
• Sarah Lee
• Carina Yuzu

EPILOGUE

It's been a few days. You've all been laying low, living on the hospitality of Felix Gary. He comes into work every morning, whistling a happy tune. His crew is fast and efficient and they break down the Stalker Class ship faster than one might think possible. Apparently the rumors of this moon being a smuggler's haven is true as they drag the ship, bit by bit into underground tunnels where they are boxed up and readied for shipping out. Within a few short days, the ship is dismantled and the Kobukson has been fitted with a Shiny new engine.

It is the evening before you plan to head out, you decide to have a crew meal to discuss your job, future thoughts about where you might want to go next, and perhaps just bond a little bit as a crew.

"Job's simple. Go to Darcke. Pick up the cargo. Come back." Michi says as he waits for Karl to bring food to the table. "Sixteen hour trip, all goes right. Hopefully no complications. Go there, come back, get paid. Still, we'll keep eyes sharp. Mister Gary's proved he's good folk but he ain't exactly on the right side of the law, either. Complications can happen."

"Good shakedown," Dorota says. "We can't tell exactly how the new engine will integrate until we fly."

Sarah nods, looking a bit tired, "I'm just glad that we were able to revive Hughs." She smiles a bit wanly, looking over at Michi and Carina, "We'll need to talk about /that/ at some point, as well."

While the food that Karl prepares isn't haute cuisine, it is at least edible, and that's what counts right? Being able to eat it and not have it make a surprise visit later. That's the man's cooking in a nutshell. He isn't much for chatting while he cooks...or really at anytime, but when he comes out carrying the casserole du jour and a bowl of salad he does speak up, "I'm all for not inviting trouble."

"Even still, everyone is armed if they leave the ship and no one goes out alone." Michi notes, "Carina, I don't think we'll be there long enough for you to visit a client, even if you could find one."

"I haven't made it to Darcke yet. What's the rep?" Dorota asks. She's not questioning Michi's opinion, just wanting more information.

Carina listens to what others have to say while quietly 'drawing' something with condensed water from a drinking glass on the tabletop. She would have cooked, but it's Karl's turn, so she lets him and tries not to get in the way. "I just want a chance to log into the Cortex from a planet where we're not in hiding, and see if Long was stupid enough to try to start anything with the Guild. Beyond that, I have no desire for a client just now." she speaks up as she scoots her head and arms back as food arrives.

Sarah shakes her head, "Not sure on that, between going through Doctor Long's notes and getting that serum for Hughs..." She has been burning the candle at both ends, drinking heavily from some coffee before taking some salad and casserole, "Thanks Karl, appreciate it."

"Its a waystation." Michi leans forward and serves first Carrina and then himself. "People go there to get to Newhall. Leave from Newhall, stop there. Only people who live there are either Tong or work, service the travelers, or work for one of the companies on Newhall that keep a branch office on Darcke."

"No wonder I haven't made it there. Dot on a map." Dorota shrugs a bit.

With everyone digging into the food Karl pours himsef a drink and sits down to do eat as well. The thanks from Sarah gets a grunt of recognition, a right wordsmith he is as he listens to the others discuss the upcoming whatever. No reason to add is two credits just yet.

Carina nods to Karl. "Thank you." It may not be haute cuisine, but appreciation is appreciation. They've been together a long time, and respect is due to everyone. "Everything else looks good, as far as we can tell before actually flying?" she queries Darota.

Dorota is also eating. She swallows, then, "All set as far as we can tell. Ground tests are looking good."

Sarah nods, "Sooner the better, there was some injuries here, as in some sort of fighting." She shrugs, "One of them was a gunshot, nothing serious, but when I asked they told me the less I knew the better."

"Good. Last few days have been hectic, what with people coming in and out, so let me lay down the rules of the ship." Michi takes occasional bits of food between words. "First, we've all got obvious jobs. Captain and pilot. Co-captain and first mate. Medic. Mechanic. Cook and all-around help. But that's only part of it. We're all crew, so we all got chores. You let a ship get dirty you smell it real fast with the air recycling like it does in space. Carina has a chore chart which she'll add our new crew members, too. Everyone gets a turn cleaning the head and the showers, even her and me."

"She and I." Carina murmurs very softly, in a teasing and friendly tone. "Michi's right, though. It's important."

"Just don't ask me to cook. Dishes, I'll do," Dorota quips. "Cooking I am abysmal at."

"Karl cooks. That's what we hired him for." Says Michi. And it gives him an official job if they're ever stopped by the authorities.

Karl finds the chatter all well and good but something that Sarah said earlier is starting to eat at him "What else do you find out when looking through that stuff you downloaded?" at the mention of him being the cook he just gives another affirmative grunt.

Sarah hmmms, and looks over at Karl, "Doctor Long was testing chemical compounds for some genetic comparisons, basically she was looking to reproduce disease symptoms without the actual disease. She found ways to enhance aggressive behaviors, self-mutilation, and extreme violence... as we saw first-hand." She frowns, "She was trying to get information from the Blue Suns about similar notes for comparison purposes, and was also looking for a Dr. John Chan's information on the subject. He is, apparently, deceased, during the war it looks like." She coughs a bit, realizing she carried on for a bit.

Carina nods as she listens to Sarah's run-down. Naturally, being as incredibly well-read and scientifically grounded as she is, she has been helping with all of that. But she has, admittedly, not quite shared everything she knows.

"Figured out how to make her own Reavers. Or near enough as makes no difference." Makes Michi's skin crawl. "Chan's long since dead and ain't coming back." Funny how this little trip found a way to touch on pretty much everyone aboard's past. "It hasn't gotten to mine yet," Dorota quips. "Which means I'll probably somehow run into somebody I know on Darcke."

"I don't like that. Wonder what we can do about it." Dorota muses, then she tucks into more food.

Well the reminder of the poor crazy violent bastard that had to be put down is enough to turn Karl off his dinner. The plate is pushed away, meal half eaten "Bastard had it coming." he mutters. Sure killed in the war, if that's the story, he will stick to it.

Carina isn't saying a peep about dear John Chan. No way. No how.

"Doesn't matter now anyway." Michi says. "As soon as food's done, dishes get done, we'll be taking off. Might as well get this job done, get a little paper in our pockets. We'll be heading towards a race after that, probably. I need to get my laps in."

Dorota doesn't ask. MOstly because she doesn't want to lose *her* appetite too, over whatever is bothering Karl.

Carina glances up at Karl, saying nothing, save with her eyes. Then back to - a bit more methodically - eating her dinner.

Sarah manages to keep eating, though it's not as enthusiastic as it was before. She sighs a bit, shaking her head slightly.

Michi stands up. "I'm going to go do the preflight." He says. "Carina will go over the chore chart with you while I'm doing that. We'll be in the air in about an hour so if you've got anything to do on this rock before we go, now's the time." With that being said, the captain heads for the bridge.