Interstellar Cruise Ship Scorpio - IC

[VerifyinTr1gIDs]

Michael was still at the mall. "Hmm, I wonder what time it is..." He looked at his intergalactic watch, which even the narrator of this probably insufficient paragraph cannot comprehend how the watch works. It seemed to say 6:35 PM. "I'd best be going back to my room for dinner." So, Michael went back to his room and picked up a notification about going to the captain's table at 7:00 PM, "earth time, at some random time zone". He lies on the bed until 6:45 before going to the captain's table.

After he had arrived at the table, he saw a large empty table. "I'm the first person here?" He sat down at some random chair.

After a while, the steward came by and softly whispered, "Could you stand up when the captain comes?".

"I'm guessing that's Earth etiquette. Sure."

[Azazeal849]

Daniel was down on deck 4, seated in one of the benches along the promenade. He knew now where his target was but couldn’t act on that information until at least tonight when the crowds died down, and didn’t want to arouse the target’s suspicion by seeming to hang around for too long. He had already swept his well furnished cabin for bugs - of which there were none of course, but it did no harm to be methodical - and planted a couple of his own, so the only thing left to do was change into a plain evening suit and head down to the communal decks to relax for a bit.

Ostensibly he was sitting reading the news from a complimentary holo-slate, but his agent’s mind never quite switched off and he kept noting details of the people who walked past, assessing them out of the corners of his eyes.

Human, male, 25 to 35, expensive-looking Omni. Married, judging by the ring on his finger. Young couple, early 20’s, headed for the Grand Buffet dining room. Both slightly flushed - either they’ve been drinking or they’ve been enjoying the warp transition together in their cabin. Hands in each other’s back pockets suggests the latter.

It was these idle, automatic observations that caused him to notice the young humanoid meandering through the crowd. Even to a casual observer she would have stood out in her bright orange jumpsuit, but what Daniel noticed was the aimless way she wandered across the promenade, turning one way and then back the other according to the ebb and flow of the crowd. Daniel got up and carefully manoeuvred through the press of humans and aliens towards her. As he approached, he noted with some surprise that the girl wasn’t wearing an Omni.

“Excuse me, miss.” he said to the girl, “Are you alright?” He spoke in English, still the international trade language on most human worlds and therefore the one aliens were most likely to know. His speech was softened by his rich Londinian accent.

The alien didn’t reply, only smiled shyly as if she did not understand him. She wasn’t tripping on any narcotics that Daniel could detect, so the probable reason for her meandering was that she was simply lost.

“Here.” he said, tapping the holo-slate to bring up a map of the ship and handing it to the young alien with a kind smile. Again, the alien’s only response was a shy grin. Daniel doffed his hat to her with the tip of his cane and walked on.

Very strange. Still, he was expected up in the captain’s dining room at 7, and it would take him fifteen minutes to walk there from his current position on deck 4. He didn’t know why the captain had summoned him personally - indeed it seemed highly irregular - but for a Londinian gentleman such as himself it was generally considered inexcusable to be late for a dinner appointment.

He arrived five minutes early, and took a moment to cast an appreciative eye around the lavishly decorated captain’s table before moving to join the two aliens who had got there before him, who were making introductions.

[Sy23]

"With any luck" thought Kes, "They'll be some gorgeous Persephonian Houri, or one of the feline women form the planet Skhkreee, or the a Drakona girl - they say they have two, er, thingies... in any case, sitting at the Skip's table might be interesting. I'd better back-pedal on the naval talk, though. A Captain's bound to figure out I'm ex-navy - could bring up all sorts of awkward questions!"

He'd changed into his new Zirconium jumpsuit, the height of masculine fashion, and remembered to carefully secrete the small porta-stun in an inside pocket, just for emergencies. As he approached the table, he gave a wry grin. That guy with the cane - why wasn't he surprised he'd found his way to the Skip's table. And two aliens... hmm, nothing there suitable for passing the nighttime hours. Still, the night was young. Who knew what might turn up...

[Enigma]

All sorts of beings were in the corridor, mostly humans but there were a few aliens. They mostly ignored each other as they made their way.

“Excuse me, miss," said a tall man in a bowler hat, “Are you alright?”

The Wanderer turned and smiled at the strange man. Daniel looked close at her, then brought up the device he had.

“Here,” he said, tapping the holo-slate to bring up a map of the ship and handing it to the young alien with a kind smile. Daniel doffed his hat to her with the tip of his cane and walked on.

The Wanderer frowned, turning to watch the man walk away, then turned back to holo-slate Daniel had left her. Someone bumped into her and the holo-slate went flying out of her hands. She cried out, chasing after it as it got kicked from side to side by passing passengers.

It did not go unnoticed.

______________________________________________

"Sir, you better come have a look at this," the security officer sitting at the camera monitors said.

"Where is this?" his superior asked, watching the humanoid girl moving erratically through the crowd.
"Promenade amid-ships, sir."
"Orange coveralls? Looks like prison-wear. We're not transporting any criminals, are we?"
"Nobody in lockup, sir."
"Detail two security guards to question her."
"Yes sir!"

______________________________________________

In the Constellation Dining Room, John Paris Jr. a.k.a. "Shade the Assassin" appeared in the doorway, a few minutes before seven wearing a tuxedo. A waiting steward directed him to the bar to wait for the captain. He knew he should be looking for the girl - but this gave him a chance to mingle and pick up some information. And partially to piss off his hidden masters.

There were three others waiting, two aliens and another human who looked oddly familiar. Familiar people weren't always friendly. Shade stiffened slightly as he mentally reviewed the locations of his weapons on his person as he joined them.

"Good evening," he introduced himself lightly with a smile. "My name's John Paris Junior. I take it you three are also the guests of the Captain tonight?"

His eyes swept the two aliens, then turned towards Daniel. The silver-headed cane the Londinium carried could do some damage. Shade wondered if it was also a concealed weapon? But the bowler hat bothered him.

"Excuse me," he said to Daniel, "But by any chance, are you from Londinium?"

[Azazeal849]

Daniel saw the newcomer stiffen – so slightly that most people would have missed it – and it took him a conscious effort not to do the same. The man in front of him was a ghost. To most people he was the eccentric son of an Earth ambassador, who had caused a massive scandal on Londinium via an alleged affair with the Dutchess of Kentshire's youngest daughter, before vanishing into deep space for two years only to return just as suddenly and retire from public life as a taciturn recluse.

To the SIS, who made it their business to know something about everyone and shared limited information with their Earth equivalent, the TID, he was a rogue Terran agent who had been spotted working for several different organisations over the past several years. He had been reported dead at least once, but that information had evidently been false because he had reappeared in the employ of a Jiangyin cartel not long after. An SIS agent and her TID contact had last tracked him fleeing the murder scene of a prominent corporate executive, but Paris had given them both the slip, and that had been 8 months ago.

"Good evening," he introduced himself lightly with a smile. "My name's John Paris Junior. I take it you three are also the guests of the Captain tonight?"

“John Paris...junior?” Daniel repeated, pretending not to fully recognise the man, “The son of the Terran ambassador? How good to see you returning to the public life at last, an honour to meet you sir.”

He shook Paris' proffered hand. The man looked strikingly similar to his father, John Paris Senior, only with a grimmer cast to his features – hollowed cheeks and wary, slightly sunken eyes that made him appear older than he was. Behind his polite mask, Daniel's mind was working overtime. He had no orders regarding Paris – why should he? The man had been off the SIS radar for months now – but his appearance here could not be simple coincidence. Having noticed that his target Caesaro was also present for the formal dinner, Daniel began to wonder what was going on.

"Excuse me," said Paris, "But by any chance, are you from Londinium?"

Daniel smiled slightly, still keeping up his practiced facade. “Was it the accent? Yes sir, I am. Daniel Doverton-Hawke, historian and archaeologist.”

[GraftRaven]

Nemix nodded politely in confirmation of the latest arrival's suspicions that they were guests at the captain's table tonight. The only reason he did not speak was because he recognized the man, a while ago he had been briefed on a mission, and that mission had included this man, supposedly he was a part-time assassin, though his cover was thick enough to deflect everything but suspicion.

He set down hos drink and, on the pretext of adjusting his arm warmers, brushed over the twin blade mechanisms concealed there, a nervous habit. There was no way anyone was getting the drop on him tonight. He picked his drink up again and sipped at it nonchalantly. He made his way to the only other non-human guest. "Suppose we should get to know each other, I'm Nemix." He offered a hand to shake.

[Enigma]

"A historian and an archaeologist," John Paris nodded. "Interesting."

It could be a cover - but then having attended Londinium schools in his youth, it was utterly plausible.

"I'm just here as a tourist myself," he lied with a smile. "Helps that I have a few shares in the line."

The one called Nemix was introducing himself to the other alien.
"I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Nemix and...?" he hinted at the other alien.

[VerifyinTr1gIDs]

"Oh, I'm Michael." He shook Nemix's hand while looking back and forth between Nemix and ... John Paris, was it?

[Sy23]

Kes felt he had certainly been in happier situations.

He knew it was an honor to be chosen to sit at the Captain's table - and an accustomed one at that. He'd sat with the Captain plenty of times on active service, but always with the consciousness that it as master and servant. Now, as a passenger, and, technically, the Captain's employer, he didn't know how to react. He hoped his confusion didn't show.

And to make things worse, there was not a single attractive woman at the table. Well, not a human woman, anyway! With many species of aliens he was never sure...

He went through the ritual of introduction, telling them as little about himself as he could. He'd always used fake names when doing anything outside of the law, so was able ti use his own name with impunity. If they remembered his brief celebrity from the time of the test flight, he'd simply feign a headache, leave, and take the rest of his meals in his cabin. Though, surely, had the skipper known who he was, he wouldn't have invited him in the first place... too much potential for embarrassment all round.

He broke a piece of bread, and took a small sip of wine. There was something else nagging at him too... if only he could put his finger on it...

[Enigma]

At the doorway to the Constellation Dining Room, Captain Sharp paused, just out of sight as he made a last minute adjustment to his dining jacket before giving the nod to the steward.

The steward pressed a button on his control board, signaling the band to start playing the Zodiac Line march as a spotlight lit up the entrance, just as the captain stepped into it.

"Gentles, the Captain is on the Deck!" the steward announced with a flourish.

"Why's my table empty?" Captain Sharp asked, smiling at the passengers in their finery.
"Your guests are at the bar, sir. I'll send them over," the steward said, ducking behind the captain and headed to the group standing at the bar.

"Gentles," the steward greeted the humans and aliens, clapping his hands together. "The Captain has arrived. Please follow me to the Captain's table."

"This should be 'fun'," John Paris smirked, holding a glass of whiskey as he followed the steward.

Captain Sharp eyed the party gravely as they approached, then sat down.

"Gentlemen, you may be seated," he said. John Paris took the seat on the captain's left.
"Mr. Paris, good evening. I knew your father, a good man. How is he?"
"In very good health the last time I saw him," John replied, downing his whiskey then waving at a server to fetch another. Two pills he took before leaving his stateroom would nullify the alcohol - really a waste of good whiskey. But if it looked like he was back at his playboy ways, the more likely they would discount him later.


Then captain scowled at him on cue, then turned to his other guests. "Gentles, if you would introduce yourselves...?"


Below in the Promenade deck, the Wanderer was still chasing after the holo-slate when she ran head-first into a tall, muscular wall. With a surprised cry, she fell backwards, looking up at the two security guards.

"Ma-am, are you alright?" the guard on the left asked.

The Wanderer frowned, then began sliding backwards, away from the two men.

"Hey!" the two men said, diving for her. She rolled to her feet and ran, one paper slipper falling off her foot.