[M] Verdict IC

[GraftRaven]

The colony ship Triton, 5000 passengers headed to a new world to become its first colony. But right now they were all milling about in the passages adjacent to the bridge. A few hours ago a shuttle had landed in the diplomatic bay just behind the bridge and an announcement had gone out: “All passengers will please form a cue outside of the bridge, this will be the last psychological examination before landing.”

It was another psychological examination; the danger of having a psycho on the first colony was too great to pass over on any mission. The passengers had done as requested and lined up outside the bridge, they were being taken in four at a time going through a five minute test, and leaving out of the other side. To do this for all 5000 passengers would take a while, but there was plenty of time.

The next group was called in, Karli Nindollie, Drevon Layat, Lith Ak'culash, and Baathul Karansha. Entered and were subjected to the test, but Karli Nindollie, Drevon Layat, and Lith Ak'culash were asked to stay and another group was called in.

The three were taken to the front of the Bridge where Krath Xysi dressed in his usual coat and pants stepped out from behind a computer console, his arms crossed behind his back. “You three have been chosen for a special mission. Gather your things and meet back here in 15 minutes.”

He turned and started talking with the captain. “You’ll be coming with me in the shuttle; you can show up on a nearby planet, I can’t afford to lose my best deep cover agent…”


((if you're lost, go get your bags and come back... simple))

[nonangelic92]

Karli wondered what was wrong with her that made her go on a special mission. As she walked down the halls, she began to think. Nothing really was special about her. She was Nordic but that was all she was. Her job on the ship wasn't special or important. She just sewd and created clothing for people. She entered her room and began to place her necessities in her duffal bag. She had no idea where she was going or how long she would be there.

After finishing collecting her supplies, she switched off the last light in her room and said goodbye to it, for now. As she made her way to the bridge, she stopped by one of the portholes and looked out at the black nothiningness of the sky. In the distance she could see the planet they would be landing on soon. She sighed and bega to think of the past. She shook her head furiously, No....stop right now, she told herself.As she made her way back to the bridge she saw the two men talking and decided to wait to approach after they were done talking.

[Higurashi]

Drevon Layat stood at attention as he passed through the line. The psychology test was pretty standard if not abnormally so. Normally they would at least look for specific mental disfigurements as suited the place they were going. he shrugged the though of and went through the test without a problem. When he was selected to go to the bridge he was surprised. He had been one of the ships part time mechanics and that was about it. Unless he was going to be driving or maintaining mechinery where they were going he couldn't really see the use of his being there. Regardless when he was ordered on a special mission he shrugged it off again. Stranger things had happened to him in the past. He went to his quarters, gathered up his things and brought it back with him to the bridge. He noticed that the pretty seamstress he had noticed earlier was there ahead of him. He wondered vaguely what her lips would taste like but quickly killed the thought. He took out a puzzle he often messed with but could never figure out and started trying to pass the time.

[spirits breath]

Lith Ak'culash stood in a small line at a small bakery. While he wondered how the meat would be, he turned away quickly as he had some honor and a healthy body that didn't need the meat and the several preservatives with it. Ketchup did not taste like an actual tomato, and mustard made his mouth burn in disgust. That is when he realized that where he was, he wanted to see whatever is given to him being made, even if it cost a little extra and he had to wait for thirty minutes just for a seeded bagel.

He removed the small metal ring hin his tounge that enabled him to talk the common language instead of his native language. As he turned, he felt several stares on him, from the males. Mainly in wonder, questionable when the baker calmly stated. "Hope I didn't make you wait too ling sweet cheeks. You know where to find me if you want to get away from the several guys looking at your robes. Lots to.*ahem* fantasize about if you catch my drift."

Lith gave out a soft click that rolled into a small nod. As he walked, he couldn't help but wonder exactly what the man had intended. Then switched over to thinking, I wonder if I should tell him that right now I am a male? Give it a couple weeks and he will be right though... Well he can go buy himself a chicken breast if he wants to fantasize. Perverted humans.

He bent onto his knee, and placed his small ring into his bag next to some private items he would rather not let people see. One can only make run throughs of what would happen to find a few tampons and condoms in this bag. Let alone the other things in here. As well as trying to explain how I switch genders halfway through each month. it isn't going to be easy, but hopefully they don't try to take advantage of it.

As he walked towards the large grouping by the large ship called the Triton, he slowely thought about the last time he was with several males. They took the small ring from him, as well as his dignity in a night, all for the thrill of being dominant. They stripped Lith of his clothes and made him role-play a bird by nesting, cleaning his feathers with his beak, and then the humiliation of having to eat off of their drugged hands. That night marked the beginning as the four humans began to feel her up(at the time) and began to attemt to make out with Lith. She was rather powerless, and feared that if she tried to shift, they would just enjoy her when she was split up and cause more damage than they did. It took a month to fully recover her nethral region's wounds.

His mind continued as he moved along the line to the ship. Lith spent several minuted altering his form into that of a large serpent. Lieing in wait at their home, the four rapists were caught off guard as their leader was soon wrapped in over a hundred pounds of weight on his body. Lith tightened his grip, relishing in the sound of his screams that were cut off. Only to be released once his body passed out. Lith motioned with his head, and the other three soon found themseves ofer their friends body trying to get him breathing again.

As he moved forwards, he had noticed one of the three figures ahead of him. Definitly larger than he was the last time they meet, and more than likely in response to what happened. Saddly it wouldn't work like that. The line moved forwards again, working into the ship.
When he finnaly got in, him along with two rthers were to follow an overgrown reptile in fancy clothes.

He placed his bags on the ground, his beak parting in stating he was to be on a special mission with what looked like two odd humans. he spoke in a array of clicks and whistles, claiming disgust in having to work with humans after all of his memories seemed like something out of a 70's sex crazed video and he was the main character in it.
If they want to do anything, they would bring me to the flight deck and let me get used to the ships controls and get breifed on the weaponry. May not know how to use one that I have to hold up, but least I have some agility in me and a strong mind. A small smile, only visible if you were deliberatly staring at them rose. imagine the reaction when I can't control my several entities as a swarm? That would make a good explanation on not to mess with my mind at all.

He bent over, tail straight with his back as his flexible legs streatched to allow him to rummage though his bag for his tounge ring. Opening his beak wide, he slipped the ring into the centered hole in his wet appendage. "My apologies. Hard to remember exactly when it is in or not as it sounds the same to me." His voice was feminine, an understatement of what he wore. His robe didn't exactly say he was ready to expose his chest to the public like most males would do for sheer sense of freedom. "So sir, anything I must know of before I try to steer this thing in space, and hopefully not have to use this, but the kind of weapons that this ship has? Would help to know it before I sit down and try to do it all."

[GraftRaven]

Krath finished talking to the captain in a lower voice, patted him on the back, and turned to face the new recruits, one of which had asked a question. He chuckled a bit after hearing it because he knew the next part of the plan. "Lith, yes?" His voice was rather deep and wet sounding, "There is no need for such questions... not yet. Now please, allow me to show you to the shuttle."

He motioned to the passage to the diplomatic hangar with his hands, which were covered in their customary armor and artificial claws, and then led them, along with the captain, onto a small boxy shuttle where their luggage was stored away. As they entered the cockpit and the hangar outside was cleared in preparation for launch he patted the pilot on the head, the signal that they were clear to leave.

The bay doors opened and they lifted off into space, turned 90 degrees to the left and flew off towards an area of space that was oddly black where there should have been stars. Krath turned back to the recruits. "Gentlemen... lady" he said, bowing to Karli, "I present to you the Verdict."
At his words the ship dissolved out of the odd blackness and a hangar door opened on its side. "As you may have heard this ship was formerly a part of the imperial navy, but was commandeered by myself," here he placed a hand on his chest, "and my crew." he now gestured around at the pilots in the shuttle.

"Any questions you now have will be taken into consideration at this time, but you may want to sit down... the ride through the shields is always a bit rough in this shuttle." Instead of sitting down Krath grabbed onto the pilots chairs, but there were seats in the form of benches around the entire room.

[nonangelic92]

Karli smiled as the man acknowledged her. She imeddiately sat down when she was adviced to, she always hated being on a new ship and trying to get use to it. She truend towards the man that had acknowledged her earlier. "Sir can you please tell us your name? I don't know how the men feel, but I like using the name of someone higher up then me when I am talking to them. Also, we're will we be bunking at?" she asked thoughtfully.

[spirits breath]

Lith followed the large reptile named Krath down tha bridge. Lith's dulled talons clicked on the metal floor below him. While he yearned for grass and dirt, this was better than nothing.
He saw a large ship that Krath stated as the Verdict. While it seemed rather large and at this angle not at all formidable, the ship possessed weaponry to stand toe to toe in a sudden attack of multiple other ships at once.

As he walked forwards onto the small shuttle to get onto the actual militant ship, he couldn't help but mentaly protest in having his things taken from him. What would they expect to hear of an explanation in finding a few condoms and tampons in my bag? Let alone find a vail of a foggy white/clear venom? Course if you didn't knw it was venom, it would end up in further questions. What should I do? Play it safe, if they find it, jokes on them, but if not then I am in the clear.

As he continued along the small path, glad that he was at least able to keep his robe and hood up over his blue feathers on his head. They didn't need to find out that he could split his body into a swarm of insects or a swarm of reptiles. Now find out that he could turn into a large snake. Assuming that it isn't given away. A few small insects crawled on top of the feathers of their master, hidden from the light and concealed from veiw. They moved over to his shoulders, possibly out of curiosity, only to retreat back to the chest.

His body moved in a steady flow down into the small shuttle, watching the few others make their way onto the actual shuttle as well. As Krath began to state that he atually took over this ship, a few questions arose. "Sir, wouldn't they be able to track the ship then? Surely they would try to take it back after spending an unfathomable amount of money on it?" His tounge ring silently clicked back at the bottom portion of his beak, resting again.

Lith moved up to a seat where he could get a good view of the pilots motions, knowing he would have to do that job soon enough. He bent over, hiking his tail feathers up as he sat down. The wall behind the bench-like seat held his tail up in a way that the females in heat would have theirs while searching for a mate. Then add it in with an odd courtship ritual which can only bring some looks of other species on how exactly it attracts females to the males.

He looked down, then up at the large reptile. "I was also wondering the same as the human over there." His head flicked over, indicating towards Karli. "As well as who exactly will I be working with?"

His small clawed hand rose up to his left cheek and scratched at is lightly, the tip of the claw parting the fibrus hairs of the feathers. The small insects, a small beetle capable of flight over short distances, began to move even more lethargically than normal, and kept at their task of grooming the feathers so they wouldn't get any unwanted pests on their master.

(the beetles are actually a part of Lith, so don't fret about finding an infestation on your ship...unless if you really want one that is...)

[Higurashi]

Once they get moving Drevon puts away his puzzle and follows. Damn, he thinks. I almost got it that time to. He watches the odd, bird-like creature and the beautiful women as the pass. His alert eyes pick up a couple of important details as they walk. First there was their posture. The woman walked with an easy grace that came with confidence. The bird/thing walked a bit more hunched over but still with confidence. It was almost as if he was hiding something. Drevon kept his eyes on him for awhile, even as they boarded the shuttle. He picked up faint movement beneath his feathers.... almost as if there were thousands of living organisms living in them. Drevon shuddered at the thought and pushed it off, trying to focus on the shuttle. For such a new craft it had alot of problems. Drevon went about the space, fixing minor things that individually, didn't matter. But amalgamatedly they made the shuttle better. After that he made damn sure to buckle himself into the seat, he had had some bad experiences with such things before. He noticed the bird/thing go to the pilot station and strap itself in. After this Drevon assumed that the bird would be the missions pilot.

[GraftRaven]

Krath thought fir a minute, still holding onto both pilot's chairs, then he answered. "As far as I am concerned anyone can call me what you want, but Captain, Krath, or Xysi will do as they are my title and names." He looked back at Lith, who was full of questions. "It turns out that if you change the computer core out for a new one it actually disables the tracking device as they are a packaged pair... as for who you'll be working with it will mainly be me and you three." A small notification buzzer went off for a moment, and then Krath smiled.

"Reguarding the assignment you think you have I must make a confession. This is not an imperial assignment, nor any other organization's, merely my own. I am also not the official you think I am, but rather the captain of a pirate vessel. And now to do what we do best..." He gave the fire sign to the pilot, who spoke a code word into the communication headset at which point all of the available guns on the Verdict, which was now not far away at all, faced the Triton and fired, causing the colony ship to explode, burning all of the oxygen aboard nearly instantly.

Several seconds later the shuttle landed in the Verdict's diplomatic bay, but the exit doors did not open. "Before I allow you onto my ship I need your word that you won't try anything stupid... this plan has gone much too far to have you killed trying to get to an escape pod." Krath looked at each of them in turn, then tightened his grip on the chairs, making the leather on his glove armor squeak slightly. "I'd also bet that you'd like to know why you're here... and that will come very shortly, but I need your word first."

[spirits breath]

The odd feeling, like you want to beleive somebody is looking at you, yet not wanting to give in to the increasing urge to simply look to make sure. That feeling rolled through Lith as he sat up front by the pilot.

As the Krath began to explain how the computer core could disable a tracking device, he he began to turn his head back, curiosity beating him as his head crained back to see the red headed human strap himself in. As his head turned back, he heard the reptile say prettymuch his name, well names. "You know the first two I can do, but the last. Xy, zch... it isn't going to happen with me. But better than me making up a name for you in my own tounge. Though then you have to deal with the problems with trying to mimic it."

He scooted his body, observing the pilot as he began to do something regarding the shuttle. Was only an instant later that the little planet Lith was just on became a baren wasteland that wouldn't be sporting complex life on it for roughly a few hundred years at the least. He muttered a comment to himself, his beak only opening and closing slightly. "That is how they get you to join them. Have them join and kill the rest. No home to yearn for, no desire to leave. Makes a more loyal crew. " I never did see them blow up my home planet, perhaps it is still there.

Krath began to talk once again, asking for their word. Simple enough, but word of mouth meant nothing when it is stressed. Lith unbuckled the strap, and turned 180 degrees to fface the captain. His left hand reached inside his robes small pocket and pulled out his blade. Turning it upside down, the tip held to the ceiling, Lith gravely spoke. " Sorry sir, I cannot give you word of mouth of alleigence."

Lith stalled for a moment, wanting to make sure none of the venom was near the tip of the blade, eyeing it pool up into a small chamber at the hilt. "Word of mouth is for those who shall form a bond that would turn on the other when circumstances give way. I however must make a more meaningful oath." His head went down slightly, the beak now aimed at the blade itself, the liquid just about all at the bottom. "I wish to mark alleigence with my blood, as customs of my people would permit for these ordeals." Would anyone elso like to make one as well?" He looked up, scanning the small crew and then at the captain. He clicke a small valve closed and sealed the thick venom into the chamber, sure that it was all sealed. The leathiality of actually injecting oneself or someone else with venom would do nothing but make a midget yawn in fatigue and then pass. Of course that midget was hardy, and could resist the changes in being able to break down substrates with the venom blocking their enzymes from functioning.

[nonangelic92]

Karli stared at Lith with a type of disgust, she was not human. Sure she looked like one but she was certainly not human. She turned toward the captain as he was speaking. "Wait a second, you just blew up ship that we were living on. OUr friends and family were on that ship and now you suggest that we give you our word that we won't escape when we probably will or worst." She stood angerly her mind reeling, picking up mixed feelings from everyone

[GraftRaven]

Krath watched as Lith drained the poison off of his blade, and then his expression went blank as Karli spoke. This is the kind of resistance he was expecting, this was hat he was prepared for. "Listen up missy, Do you really think anyone on that ship would have survived that world? I've seen the environment scans and creature reports myself, and trust me, being blown up and dying in an instant is better than being paralyzed and eaten alive by a giant centipede. Not to mention suffocating on the gas emitted by a Venomthrope and dissolving from the inside out."

He looked around at the three. "That colonization was a suicide mission, you were going to be used as guinea pigs for various methods of survival, and all for deposits of extremely rare minerals and you wouldn't have seen a single credit from the profits." At this point Krath was gripping the pilot's chairs so tightly that his claws had ripped into them and foam was beginning to seep out of them.

A moment later he seemed to realize this and stood up straight, his hands clasped behind his back again. "Now, Lith i do like your thinking, but all I need right now is your word that you won't try anything stupid. At the end of the day you'll be free to decide if you wish to stay or not, and if not i'll let you get off at the next planet." He looked over them all again, his slit pipils coming to rest on Drevon. "And what of you, boy. You haven't said a word this whole trip."

[spirits breath]

The blade flipped, small valve opening once again at the flick of a switch, and was neatly placed in it's small sheath. the clawed hand rose up to his chest, left knee touching the hard metal gorund below him. His vision went from seeing only the edge of Kraths feet to only darkness as his eyes closed. "You have my word captain Krath. As without this I would surely be dead like the... well. You can't call them people now can you? But unless if it means saving my homeworld or leaving creatures to suffer, then things may change. But I wouldn't leave even if i was put into a metal box, and forced to drown in scorching oil."

He looked up, spotting the others. Slowely he rose up again. "Surely you can understand I have several cultural aspects, but some of them just aren't applicable in this environment nor with your species." His voice trailed of at the end. He moved with a semi-grace over to his small chair, once again looking at the pilots movements. "You would be surprised exactly how much of a difference just one more tiny body can do to a much larger event. Like what you call beavers to make a dam. Now that only would work if it was done with several beavers, never one."

Lith's head turned, his one eye seeing the figures behind him, his beak pointed at the pilot. "Karli, what seems to be on your mind? Sure several people died. But several of them aren't even ones who should walk the streets. Too many bad memories were there and they impacted how I look at humans. Mainly male humans, but I can bluntly say I can care less if a human ambassador that wanted to try and save millions of lives by donating money to the medical feild or to exploration. But I can also set them aside for even ones such as yourself and Drevon over there."

He turned back to inspect the pilot, his arms following the pilot in a sort of mirror way. His arms moving fluently, no doubt with the lighter weight on them, and that he wasn't holding much of anything as the half he was at currently was disabled. The small beatle-like insects moved off of his arms, and a few of them disapated into Lith's skin, becoming a soft feather as its remains. He only had a few left, mainly for the comfort of having them on him. He thought slowely to himself. Should I tell them what I can do, or actually am? It is too early, but what if they question why I didn't tell them? Or if this robe is lifted up or moved suddenly, and they see them? I don't want to get rid of all of them, but I feel as if I may. If they ask, tell them. Well show them as there is no way to explain it. But other wise wait a few days, find out more abut them and when comfortable then show them.

[nonangelic92]

Karli shook her head as she heard LIth talk, "I see your meaning sir, but thats not that point." She turned around and faced Krath, " And as for you sir. I'm a abeliever when it comes to survival. Whether we would have made it on that small planet noone knowns but as of now I guess not. Ande as of pledging my word to you, I semi do." She sat back down, "Now since we're stuck on this ship, can you tell me where I will be sleeping? Not with the men I hope, no offense." she asked with a bleak expression.

[Higurashi]

Drevon said nothing for a minute when Krath adressed him. He simply had nothing to say. When it became apparent that he would have to talk he said what he thought. "Well Sir, all my family were already dead before I even got on the ship. I was just a mechanic. I had nothing of value there, not a single friend. No, I am not giving you a sob story, I am simply telling you that blowing up that ship merely freed me for other work. No offense to either of you if you DID have friends or family on that ship." The last part was adressed to Karli and Lith. By now any pervish thoughts about Karli had vanished. From there Drevon continued sitting in his seat and took out his puzzle again.

[spirits breath]

Lith slowely gave a nod. It was true that he didn't have much to look back to on the ship that was just destroyed. All he had was a few bad memories, and a small room that seemed to smell like old meat. Or even the few figures that eyed him and felt several odd things when he spoke ot them in his lighter voice. That was what he had to look forward to.

His mind had moved over to a simple thought, picturing the human running around with other humans, without a care in the world. Then seeing him pull out a small puzzle, and seem to manipulate it easily with his hands. Makes sense I guess. mechanic that enjoys puzzles. I hate puzzles, not neough patience to figure it out after starting it. Slowely he moved his hands up to the several different controls, grasping the small handles for control. Looking over to the pilot, he simply asked. "May I?"

It wasn't long before he found himself actually helping to steer the small ship, easily getting the hang of it after about three minutes of the handles moving on their own in his grip. Must be hard having two beings try to move the same ship differently.

Lith called back to the few others behind him. "You know, I take no offense Drevon. I pretty much had nothing back there. But at least now I can do something. Sitting around unable to move or do much of anything without continuous stairs or some bold people trying to hit on you despite compatability issues is not a fun thing. Despiration, joy, and above all good ridance I say. You may of had friends, but well it is too late for that. I know how it is, but then again. Do you want to have them live as slaves then?"

He moved the handles forwards, speeding the small ship up slightly. "So Karli, what do you do on a ship? Like drevon is a mechanic, I am a pilot and also control the ship board weaponry."

[nonangelic92]

Karli smiled as Lith asked her a question about her profession. " Well I truth be told, wasn't truelly important but I was a seamtress. I designed clothes for men, women, children, even the exotic animal or two. I loved my job since I had a variety of fabric from the world." She looked to LIth, "But sadly I will probably not beable to design much clothing for the crew since basically all of my good fabrics were the ship that had just gotten blown up." she said." Anyways anything we should know about anythhing on this ship?"

[GraftRaven]

((First off, just to be clear, the ship has already landed in the hangar.))

Krath strode to the door of the ship, which was in the back at the end of the benches, he wore a slight smile as his three kidnap-ees got to know each other. He heard the question about the ship and stopped just short of the door, which was still closed, then turned around to face them. "Well Karli, if you'll all just follow me we can begin the tour."

At this point Krath turned an typed a few keys on the pad to his left and the door opened downwards, forming a ramp for them to walk down. "And don't worry about your things, they will be taken straight to your rooms, which are private and just off the bridge. Now, just through the door in front of you is the bridge, but that's not very interesting, so we'll be taking this elevator down to the forward laser battery."

The whole time he had been talking Krath had also been walking towards the elevator and now pressed the button to call it up, then turned to face his group again. "After the laser battery I'll take you to storage to answer a few of your earlier questions."

[Higurashi]

Drevon got up when the docking ramp was lowered. He was about to pick up his bags but he stopped when Krath told him to do otherwise. He kept a small pouch of tools with him however. It was more of a comfort thing. He stepped down the boarding ramp and followed after Krath to the Elevator. He was exicted at the suggestion of being near a massive laser battery. He had always wanted to work on one but the ships crew had never let him get close any of the few small, protective anti boarding mechanisms on the now eliminated ship. He waited, clearly impatient, right behind Krath.

[spirits breath]

((my bad on that one))

Lith got up from his seat that he had been mutually exchanging heat, leaving it practically the same temperature as the air within the ship. He turned slowely, leaning back like a cat would to streatch his legs, only on two legs, not four.

Walking down a small ramp, following the others before him mainly due to exit positioning. He fiddled the ring in his tounge around, rising it, and letting it fall softly onto his lower beak repeadidly. Krath noted that they were passing the bridge before turning sharply to avoid collision with what would be a thick wall regardless if it was even a centimeter thick. It was enough to snap Lith out of a mindless walk of him just clicking the ring in his tounge against his beak.

Lith stepped into the elevator. Despite it's size, it felt like it wasn't meant for any plural amount of beings at a single time. He felt trapped, alone, and overwhelmed at what was all around him. They can all simply turn around, maybe in the mood for a thanksgiving feast. My god! Whenever I figure out it is by thanksgiving, I am disapearing for the entire week before. That giant lizard might be bringing us to a trap. I don't want my blood drawn from me to see compatability issues flash to me.

His eyes seemed unmoving, body still with his hand ready to pounce onto his blade in one of his heart beats. He was in this situation before, his heart rate increased. Possibly thorugh anxiety, or that the ship was just warmer when in an elevator with a few other beings that are radiating heat by the second.

Lith's head shook, he brought in large breaths and exhaled softly and slowely. He did this four times before his body took a step back. "So... any idea what else is going to happen after we get to the storage room? Besides a few questions asked a while ago?"

[nonangelic92]

Karli kept looking around the elevator. "Sorry to interrupt LIth's question, but what exactly am I doing here. I'm just a lonely seamtress who can't do anything but make clothes for everyone. Sure I'm a pretty face and all that junk but what good use am I on a ship full of alien men?" she asked boldy. She crossed her arms, "And do not think that I will be a "pirate" groupie. Cuase if that's what you had in mind, then please kill me now."

[GraftRaven]

"Karli, you have no idea of the trouble I went through to get you three off that ship, and even less of why I did, but you'll find out in time... possibly a week or two if you stay." He turned his head toi look at them all, the side of his snout pushing the collar of his coat down as he did so, and noticed that Lith seemed to be having some sort of anxiety attack. "As for you, Lith, there's no reason to be alarmed, I've made it perfectly clear to everyone aboard that if they harm a single hair or feather on any one of you I'll feed them to the sand squid on Pygon-5."

At this point the elabator doors opened onto a large room dominated by a half-sphere built into the wall, which housed one of the turbolasers. Before the group stepped out Krath blocked the door. "Before we go in I'd just like to ask you not to touch anything, especially you, engineer boy." He said, talking mostly to Drevon, then he stepped aside and let them pass. He lead them around the sphere to the loading mechanisim for artillery shells, which were larger than a man is wide.

"For your viewing I present the crew of battery 3, we've taken care to come just in range of a stray asteroid for this demonstration." Krath gave a sign to the crew-captain and they all jumped into life, rushing to four control stations. The world outside was visible on a screen showing the view from a camera mounted on the end of the barrel, but the image was overlaid with various bits of information. As the asteroid came into view on the screen there was a kind of grinding noise from the sphere, the sound of the turret rotating, and sure enough the view on the screen was moving so that the targeting reticule was over the projected trajectory of the asteroid. At a command from the team captain the loading mechanism sprung to life, lifting a shell up a shaft and moving it through a hole in the sphere to the actual gun. For a second after this there was complete silence, then Krath pumped his fist in the air, the captain nodded, and an instant later there was a thunderous boom as the shell exploded out of the barrel.

A moment later the asteroid was hit by the shell and both exploded into a million fragments, a few bouncing off of the ship's Hull harmlessly. "And there you have it."

[nonangelic92]

Karli stared in amazement after what the crew and the pirate lord, she had wanted to clap but didn't wanna give the all mighty pirate lord's ego a boost. "Very impressive I must say. But what would happen if your guns weren't working as they usually do like someone was tryign to sabotage your ship." she asked in general then added, "And I wasn't meaning me if thats the way you took it."

[spirits breath]

His breathing returned to normal, a far back smile on his cheeks grew wickedly with a long exhale. He spoke almost coyingly, yet with a strong sense of confidence in his words. "Krath, I beleive there is no need for precautions like that. I would rather they expressed their true nature to me. If things get rough, I will personally get them back. No worries, you will still have your crew except I would prefer to earn my own immunities form them on my own."

His beak remained parted slightly, letting the air evaporate excess liquid in his mouth. His tounge clicked against his lower beak again. I wonder when I can take this thing out. Wears out my tounge. Though clicking this thing isn't helping much either. His tounge held firm against his lower beak, resting if anything.

The ship fired one of its guns at a asteroid. He couldn't help but want to be the one to fire it. His beak dropped, rising in pulsating waves back closed. "So, how did you manage to get onto one of these again? Even though it is an asteroid, this ship has enough fire power to knock out a lightly armored ship before it can even set up any targeting on this thing."

He scuttled his feet on the ground, feeling it up with his dull talons. He moved forwards back to the others, looking out to the window a bit more. "To sabotoge this thing would be a bit of work. Not essentially diffcult if you know how. Or if you go into a mass electromagnetic feild and any sheilding failed. Then this ship would be helpless. But then again, I would rather not die on this ship so that isn't as likely to happen."

Lith's body, by his legs gave an odd pulse. His eyes widened as he knew what was happening, but didn't want it to right now. He brought up his hand to his pocket, pushing into a open pocket to his legs. He felt between his legs to feel the once non-existant hole, widening. They can't know I am switching sexes. Not now. Why now, it wasn't supposed to happen until a few more days. Is it due to the amount of testosterone in the air that is signaling the estrogen production? He removed his hand from his pocket, he turned back to the others. A sigh was let out. The feathers on his head undoubtily was brightening, only a little, by the next four hours, they would surely be a purple color instead of a deep blue.

[GraftRaven]

Krath turned to face a messenger that had just run up behind them, and the young man immediately spat out his message. "Sir, we've found something on the [i]Skeller[i], we've located the onboard AI, but this one is different so we figured you should come and have a look at it before we booted it up." Krath looked back over his shoulder at the new recruits, then back at the messenger. "We'll be down in a few minutes." The messenger ran off back to the cargo bay.

Krath turned backs to face his recruits, folding his hands behind his back as he did so. "Lady and gentlemen, it is time to head down to the cargo bay. This way, please." He gestured to a hallway leading off of the gun room and down to the cargo bay, then led his small group to it rather uneventfully. When they entered the group could see crates and boxes of supplies and loot, including an area dedicated to fabrics, which were quite popular near the more aristocratic planets. As they passed the fabric Krath looked at Karli and issued a warning. "All of that is not to be trifled with now, but it is here for later."

The group entered the [i]Skeller[i] and came upon several engineers standing around a table that contained what was obviously a mobile projection unit. "Power it up, lads." He said, and one immediately pushed in the exposed power core.

(That's your cue TDR)

[TheDashingRogue]

The table hissed as the power core slid into place. Various lights blinkered across operating panels as the automatic release began to engage, the various lights from the dilapidated ship began to dim slightly. The table's glass surface split into two, with each half slowly sliding outwards from the centre and folding down by the table's side. A miniscule, almost fly sized sphere, adorned with various lenses and extrusions, floated up above the table and stopped in the middle of the room.

It began to emit a quiet bleeping sound, which accelerated between each repetition. As the bleeping sounds came faster and louder so did the light eminating from the device. Soon the sounds became blended into one constant tone which grew in pitch until it became inaudible. A flat beam of turqouise light projected itself perpendicularly from the device, scanning the entire room in a 360 degree rotation, its chequered surface playing over the various instruments and inhabitants of the craft. Once the sequence had finished a vague shape began to form slowly around the device. Humanoid in shape, the apparition was a hazy array of lines and blue static, the image wavering and distorting like a bad television image. The voice too was equally distorted, changing in pitch and speed, with the occasional repetition. After half a minute of recalibrations, the image became much clearer and some semblance of colour began to appear. The voice began to even out and finally became understandable.

"...*skrrt* what jus... *tssssh* Where am I? Who are you?" the figure asked, folding its arms like an unimpressed genie. The organics present stared in bewilderment, all but a large reptilian figure sporting a greatcoat.

"I am the sole property of the Tychon Corporation and as such am required to remind you that interference with Corporate Organics is a serious offence under district law. My name is Dax, designation MH-01, mobile hologram first series, and I demand you return me to my Commanding Operator, the Captain of this vessel. Speaking of which..." The hologram turned around in his levitated position, looking around the cabin. "Where is the rest of the crew?"

[GraftRaven]

After Dax's speech Krath raised what would be considered an eyebrow. "For your first question you are onboard the Verdict, for the second, I am Captain Krath Xysi, and as for the third it seems that the crew perished due to lack of rations... we found these" he picked up a small red book out of a partially open crate, then dropped it back in "instead of said rations."

Krath looked around at the members of his crew that were present. "Well, are you just going to stand there looking like a bunch of catfish or are you going to get back to work?!" The crewmen disappeared in a matter of seconds, going off to who knew where to perform their prescribed tasks. "And as for returning you to Tychon, I'm afraid that's not possible either, AI units have memories that are far too accurate to allow me to let one run around that knows where this ship is, and who is on it." Krath gestured to his three recruits and Dax to have a seat on several chairs scattered around the room if they wanted.

[TheDashingRogue]

"I can't say Im entirely surprised" he said, motioning towards the red book "humanoid error can be such a pain to deal with." Dax nodded to the captain's proposition, acknowledging the fact that he might never be able to leave. Well, at least it's not Tychon he thought. Ownership was ownership, and he didn't expect emancipation any time soon.

The other ship's crew dispersed, returning to their various posts. This Captain proffered Dax and the other remaining occupants a seat. They were an odd looking bunch of organics to say the least; perhaps I should run some scans later he wondered. The hologram decended to the floor slowly and walked over to the group of chairs, sitting down silently.