[IC] Aurora Dreams: A Firefly Story [M]

[Lleona]

Mei was able to see the person that michael king was talking to. The person seemed to be a woman with a bulky figure. She has a short black hair which was cut with a pixie style. The woman looked like she has a permanent frown on her face. Mei can feel dangerous vibe seeping out of her, but it's not out of bad intention it's more like an aura collected and hone in the battlefield, kinda like what michael king has. Though man's aura feels like a sheathed blade about to strike while the woman was like a blade already drawn out waiting to cut your head.

The second woman, was the person behind the toughish woman. The woman seemed to be near her age and stand's at 5'4 she seemed to have short red shopped hair and what look like to be emeraldish green eyes. The woman has an aura of a refined scholar and eye's that radiate intellect and curiosity, it's a pity that she is here in Persephone mei feel's like the woman is more suited in universities and colleges at the core.

The third woman that came has the same aura as the first woman. If the first woman has a fiery like temper this woman seemed to be the completer opposite. Her aura feels like an 1000 years old ice on top of the highest mountain, a sharp dagger closely held to your neck. Luckily all these woman radiates the feeling of sanity although the third one seemed to be holding on to it by a tiny thread. But oh well sane is sane as long they don't cause unnecessary fights.

When she was done observing the three, another woman run past her very quickly. She seemed to be like a mouse scurrying on her feet but mei found her adorable. It's rare to see that kid of people nowadays. Majority of the population, are scum, politician's and business man, jaded people, traumatized people and two peopled faces.

The third woman approached her and offered her hand for a shake towards her while introducing herself as cori sutton.

"I'm Mei nice to meet you Cori sutton."

Mei introduced herself rolling cori's name off her tongue, giving the woman a charming smile as she shaked her hand. After that she saw cori turned to the first woman, which she now knows was called fluke, with fist balled into a ready punch. Seeing the action Mei giggled since it was very unusual to greet a person like that. From what she learned about this people so far is that they don't seem to follow the usualness of the things in this world. Which for her is very interesting and entertaining.

[Ushima]

Michael watched the exchange at the bottom of the stairs with interest. Normally whenever he met someone Cori knew they tried shooting at her, and at him for being associated with her. He really needed to start making himself disappear whenever someone recognizes her instead of standing around next to her. While people were mingling at the bottom of the ramp Junk was sneaking back onto the ship. Michael gave their shy mechanic a nod as she brushed past him. Like him she had powers of her own, she could talk to the ship. It was a unique bunch they had on the ship. "So you two know each other? And you're not trying to kill each other?" Michael chuckled as he walked down the ramp a bit. "Well any friend of Cori that isn't out for her head is more than welcome." Then Michael turned to the other woman. "And Francis yes please come aboard." He ushered them inside, leaving the ramp down to let in some natural lighting. "Welcome to the Aurora." They were standing in the middle of the cargo bay. Currently we're preparing for a trip to Sihnon, that's where the work is taking us. If you have a specific destination you need we'll hit it afterwards. There are some rules for you passengers. We are not a pleasure crew. Which means you'll be asked to help out if need be. And, if the need arises, fight. Now we'll be sticking around for a day or two to gather supplies so use that time wisely." Michael finished his speech to the new comers and rejoined Mei. "So they are probably still looking for you. Might I suggest staying for lunch? More than likely call off the search after."

[Nope]

Frankie had gaped when Cori had claimed not to know her. Her mouth had fallen open, absent of words. She felt heat the heat of frustration just before the woman clapped her on the shoulder, the strength of it almost making her buckle. But with it came relief. She was still leaving.
Frank didnt have much experience with jests. Most jokes made in her presence were not really meant for her own laughter, rather the laughter of others. She'd been made the punchline. Again.

The Captain ushered them inside, and Frankie entered with her head bowed, trying to fade into the cargo. The ship was not as nice as the one that had transported her from Muir to Osiris. That one had been almost regal. Nor was it like the Alliance ship that has dumped her here from her last shift at a military hospital. This one looked well maintained, if clunky and smelled....well not any worse than Badger, she had to admit.

The Captain didnt ask anything of her that Cori hadnt already mentioned. Helping out, rules, all fine. What made her stop short and pay attention was his mention of fighting.
She snorted softly. They'd all be severely disappointed if they expected her to fight. The nearest to swinging a fist she'd ever done is waving to her mother. She'd never even held a gun. She'd avoided it successfully. She went an entire war without touching a firearm, or harming another person unjustly.
She thought that was commendable.
Something made her assume her present company would not.
She found herself studying the hydraulic brace Sutton wore. She wished she had the equipment to look into it further. To really get in there and see the affected nerves, the muscular degeneration...she shook the thought from her head. She felt as if even approaching the subject would be a rabbit hole. Keep to yourself. Just as you always have. The world was full of hard nosed criminals, all worse off than the last.
The way she saw it, everyone has a choice. They could let the things that happened ruin them and therefore they ruin others. OR they could learn from it all and help make the future better.
She was saddened and annoyed by those that chose the former, but in the end, she never blamed them. Some days, she didnt know how she went another day after the suffering she'd seen. She didnt think she would have had the strength to hold it together had she been in place to actually pull the trigger. That sort of trauma isnt healed and cant be ignored.
And in that moment, she felt sorry for them. All of them. Everyone who walked the streets with a grimace and a gun. And that included the people on this ship. She sighed. She missed home.
Now all she needed was her room and her books. And maybe sometime this year, she'd make it there.

[Q]

Mid-way into Fluke's conversation with the captain, her words got interrupted by a fist mashing into her cheek.

"Argh! Blasted!"

She spat out some blood, gritted her teeth and looked at her assailant. A devious smile appeared - a rare sight on Fluke, even if the rest of the crew didn't know her yet.

"Suttoooon!"

She responded with a low tackle around the belt and enthusiastically returned the favor of face-punching. Someone perceptive could see Fluke's hesitant muscle movement; for instance, she used her fist to punch instead of her instinctive elbow-smash. It was getting obvious this was their way of greeting eachother, though rough-and-tumble.

"A-aaah, you dirty...!"

After Cori regained the upper hand and was shoving the palm of her hand where Fluke's bulletwounds had been, Fluke kicked her off with her metallic foot. She stood up, looking even worse for wear than she was before. Fluke gave Cori a half-assed salute.

"Nice coat, Corporal. I bet you're not as bored as last time I saw you."

-- --

When she was done shuffling around with her sister-in-arms, she picked up some pieces of the captain's speech. Two more days on Persephian soil and heading for Sihnon. The destination was perfect - it was right were she needed to go. Another night on Persephone however, slightly worrisome. It was likely Qillaero would come looking and the Komodo-class was her obvious first choice. Next to a Firefly, of course.

Still, she couldn't have asked for better transport. The crew looked nice and it was good to see Cori again. If she wasn't so burdened with winning the lost war, this could have a good time to recuperate. Alas, taking a rest wasn't in Fluke's mind. She was destined to suffer because of superfluous worries.

The captain only seemed like a real naive-looking alliance-vibes core-worlder. It didn't bother her directly, it's just peculiar that Sutton, of all browncoats, would team up with this clown. Hmm. It would be hard not to pry. Fluke was on a mission, though. She'd best keep her focus on the job, it was risky enough as it is.

[Lleona]

Mei's heart skipped a beat when she heard the word sihnon. It was here home, her family was still there. It was once her territory but that changed when she need to flee. She felt a little down cast at the though of her home. How may years has it been sine she left her home. Just hearing about it brings her nostalgia and homesickness. The feeling of wanted visit her family in sihnon bloomed, but she crushed it immediately as it rose. She doesn't want to bring any trouble to them.

While lost in her thought she still payed attention to the person called fluke and tori. It was entertaining to watch them threw a punch at it others unfortunately for her if she saw colleagues from her past, what the will be throwing were not their fist but honey coated words hidden with dagger. Companion's can sometimes be petty, they are so used in being loved and pleased that they can't get used of having some one more loved than they are. Most of the companion that she knew were narcissistic, unfortunately for her. She also developed some of that narcissistic tendencies because of her line of work. Snapping out from her thoughts. She saw King comes closer and offered her to stay for lunch.

"Thank you Sir Michael, it is pleasure to join you and your companions for lunch."

Mei's face bloomed with a smile and slightly bowed her head to michael king's way making some strand of black hair cover the side of her face. Bowing is the way that companion's show their gratitude other than lip service. Mei raised her hand and gathered the fallen strands then tucking it at the back of her ears.

"Would it be too much to request Sir Michael for a tour around your ship before lunch comes around?"

[Ushima]

“I’d love too. Besides,” Michael reaches into his pocket and pulled out a tiny sack of platinum, tossing it up and down a few times to make it make noise. “How else are you gonna get that goon’s coin” Smiling Michael turned to Cori. “Cor you handle the nickel and dime tour for the pax. I’m headed to the galley. Once everything is settled and I’ve set lunch out for our guests we’re having a team meeting to discuss details. Lady Mei if you want to get paid follow me please.” Giving her a wink he turned to lead her into the ship.

Mei giggled and follow Michael King. What a sly man he is, mirth filled her eyes at the man's action. It's quite unfortunate that she won't be touring with the other people, but this is fine the way it is. Never did she expect that she would be able to recoup her losses.” Hmmm So Sir Michael. What bring's you the idea of having your own ship?" Mei asked, trying to have an idle talk as they walk. She caught up to Michael king and tried to matched his pace while curiously looking around.

“Well to answer your question after the war I was a bit down on my luck. Family disowned me. Nearly all my contacts on the core worlds ran dry save for a few really really old friends.” Michael was giving her the slightly above nickel and dime tour. Guest quarters this way, Medical bay down here and so on. “I was a mercenary for awhile. Doing he jobs no one could be bothered to do. Until I won the Aurora here in a card game. Changed my life.” They Karen it to the kitchen and Michael pulled out a chair for Mei before opening the cabinets. “We don’t have a dedicated cook so we take turns. But what about you? What’s a lovely lady like yourself doing out this far? No husband looking for ya?

"Hahahah! Ah Husband? With my line of work sticking to only one lover is a big no no!" Mei brought her hand to cover her mouth and looked sideways while releasing bell chimes like laughter and giggles. She became a little bit teary from trying to hold those giggles from escaping. Mei took a deep breath and calmed herself down. "I'm sorry about that. Making you see a foolish scene of my self." She coughed a little to hide the embarrassment rising up. Her cheeks dusted with red tints from the earlier episode and also because of her embarrassment. “I don't know if you have guessed or noticed, But i work as a companion at the Persephone's Companion Guild." She added before sitting down at the chair offered.

Michael nearly dropped the lunch meat. He was making an assortment of sandwiches for everyone. “Wait you’re a companion? Like legit papers and everything?”

"Yes. I've been raised as one since i was five." Smiling lightly as she placed her arms on the table and lazily leaning her head on her hand like a cat as her charming eyes followed Michael King.

“What a coincidence.” Michael was all smiles as he set what he was holding down on the counter. “I’ve been looking for a companion to join our merry band of adventurers. And today I literally run into one.” Approaching the table Michael pulled out the chair across from her and sat down. “Mei, if I were to be so bold and ask this, would you be our companion? I know we don’t look like much and I’ll understand if you say no. I won’t take offense.”

Mei momentarily froze for a second before composing herself once more. She weighed the pros and cons on her mind. Since she was about to leave Persephone, she might as well join Michael king and his friend on their travel and from what she heard earlier they are heading towards Sihnon which is definitely a plus for her. She might not be able to visit her home directly but at least she will receive first class information from her family, she can also pay a visit to her mentor at the Sihnon's companion guild. "I will gladly take that offer. It will be a pleasure working for you, Captain." Mei replied while offering her free hand towards her new captain Michael King.

“Excellent. Then my lady I think we have an arrangement.” Michael took her extended hand and shook it before bringing it to his lips, kissing the backside of her hand. “I’ll announce you during our crew meeting, make you official.”

[Heson Shadowbane]

Junk looked at herself in the mirror, most of the black oil having gotten washed off and to be filtered through the ship's system. She'd be getting dirty again sooner or later, but it was always nice to feel clean. She exited the bathroom, glancing around to see if there was anyone around before scampering off to the engine room. It was time to go grab parts for maintenance aboard the ship itself, get proper parts to fix up things she cobbled a fix together for while they were between ports. She grabbed the list of expected parts she'd need with expected prices along with her own personal money stash.

List in hand, Junk left the engine room and closed her eyes to listen to the ship, whispering a question as she laid a hand upon the wall. After a few moments she would give a nod and head towards the galley. The ship told her the captain was there and she needed to get her ship shopping list approved with some of the ship's coin to get it. she spotted him making some sammiches, her tummy giving a grumble to remind her she had only a protein bar today, and almost froze when she saw someone new upon the ship.

She stared at her for a bit before giving her a timid wave. "Hn... Hi.... Captain?" And like that sure turned her attention away from her, holding the list to the captain. "P-Parts list. J-just... Approval to use ship funds for some of the.... Important things?" She tried to not stumble to much over her words, but speaking with actual people was hard for her. She couldn't feel them as well as she did machines.

[Dnafein]

Michelangelo had just finished reloading his plate when the docs words came over the galley's intercom. He tapped the fork to the side of his goggles in salute and shifted the remaining egg and rice meal slightly to one side incase someone wanted to cook something new. The pil8t did a quick calculation and nodded, he figured there was at least four plates left.

Slipping out of the kitchen he made his way through the ship, somehow managing to miss the path the captain took. The youth came to a rest overlooking the ship's hold. Leaning on a railing to eat, Mikey studied the two newcomers below.

The darker of the two was obviously one of the soldier types Anika mentioned. Between the vaguely stiff way she held herself, and the visible battle scars it was pretty apparent she wasn't the companion. The pilot decided he'd have to be careful studying her, though he could always hide behind Cori in the worst case scenario.

Scooping up a fork full of rice, eggs and salsa fresca Michelangelo turned his attention to the red head; And for the first time since meeting her thought the doc had made a mistake. There was no way this one was a companion, not with those baggy clothes. And she hardly looked like the mercenary type, between her lack of weaponry and vaguely nervous shifting. Honestly Michelangelo thought she looked vaguely nerdish.

He leaned against the railing and ate watching those below. He noted the absence of the doctor's companion and the captain, and wondered briefly if the captain had bought time; Before quickly dismissing it, if nothing else Cori would have killed Michael before the plat hit the companions hand. Anyway the ship always seemed to come first to Captain King, which was fine by Michelangelo. A finely tuned and cared for ship flew better.

[Griff]

Anika wandered out of the medbay and down the hallway, tired of being a hermit. She ought to speak with at least one of the new people on the ship, lest she get shot at later by one of the passengers for being an intruder. Stepping carefully down the hallway, she heard bits and pieces of conversation from the kitchen. Michael seemed to be offering the companion a position on our ship. Odd of him to offer it up so quickly, especially without a decent background check, but Anika supposed that men tended to let their common sense leave them around a beautiful woman. She knew that firsthand, from her younger years.

As she stepped into the kitchen, still careful to avoid making too loud of a sound, she watched as Jun handed her supply list to the captain. Anika made a mental note to readjust her list as well, an additional 3 passengers might put a bit of strain on her supply. Lovely.

“Good afternoon,” she called out, “it’s good to see new faces. Who else is expected to join us on this journey?”

[Lleona]

Mei's eyes filled with laughter at Michale King's response. She expected for the other to shake her hand to seal the deal, but it seems like the captain has other ideas in mind and took her hand to his lips and kissed it. What a very charming guy. Then a woman walked inside skittishly handling what seemed like a list to the captains. On her hip's mei saw different kind of tools, therefor she deduced that she might be a mechanic or something like that. She remembered that she was the woman that flashed by like a mouse earlier. She look and seems adorable which gave mei a very good first impression.

Then a second person came by. She also met this person at the entrance earlier, though she didn't have any conversation with this person.

She waved her hand to the both of them, with a small charming smile on her face, acknowledging their presence. Since they are also part of the crew it would be wise for her if she try to create connections and get along with them which she is glad to do so since getting along with people was in line with her job.