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

[Dnafein]

Michelangelo watched as Cori lead the two still in the bay off on a tour of the ship. He watched the empty bay for a few minutes as he finished eating. Gathering his plate and utensils he headed towards the galley; Stopping in the cockpit he flipped a switch, causing the inner cargo bay door to close. Keeping unwanted vermin, especially those in the employ of an unliked badger, from invading the ship.

Entering the galley the pilot froze, struck still first by beauty than by horror. “Madre mi dio,” Mikey started. “Jefe no.”

Rushing across the galley, neatly dropping his plate in the sink, Michelangelo pushed the back of his hand first to one covered pan then another. With a quick nod he gathered a clean plate, which he immediately layered with rice. Uncovering the second pan he expertly gathered a pair of eggs on laid them across the rice. The pilot then spooned additional ranchero sauce across the top of the eggs and rice. He spotted Junk in the back and nodded in her direction.

“Forgive the captain. His manners are at times, simple. A distinguished guest deserves a distinguished meal.” He set the plate before the companion, with a smile. “Huevo Rancheros Cardones; Old family recipe.”

“I'm Michelangelo Sanchez Villa-Lobos Cardones, Pilot.” Mikey gave a little bow, “And you must be the Lady Amaterasu, as your smile seems to light up the room.”

[Ushima]

Michael looked around the gathered crew. "Ok everyone who doesn't know I would like to first introduce our new companion. Second, we have a job."

"Hi thats me.” Mei added with a giggle and a wave when michael mentioned about the companion. She began observed each crew, wondering what is the personality of each. It would be lovely to get along with them and what kind of job does the captain took.

Cori looked Mei over finally getting a chance to see her, earlier she had been more focused on a friendly sparring match with Fluke. The woman was beautiful, then again all companions were, it was one of the job requirements. "Having a companion on board will get us into places in the core worlds alot easier. With the core worlds open it might be a good idea for a little more muscle as well. We picked up a soldier with our passenger. Fluke and I served in the war. She's an acquired taste but trust me she's good in a fight. I'd like to bring her on to the crew."

Michael scratched his chin. "We could use more fighters." It had been him and Cori being the main fighting force for so long. Having another gun on board would help. "If you think she'll be a good fit, we'll see how she handles on this job. It goes well, she'll get a full spot."

"A trial run, fair enough." Cori said, "King you want to pass the tablet around?" She was glad Michael had it not her it could have easily been damaged in her fight with Fluke. Thinking about it the medication in her pocket could have been damaged. She didn't check it right then not wanting someone to make a comment about it. She wasn't sure anyone would bit didn't feel like finding out. Judging by the fact her pocket wasn't wet it was still intact. "Basically we have been contracted to steal a fancy new guidance system from the Alliance. Well not directly from them but Rhycom the company designing it. The station is near Sihnon which is why we were in the market for a Companion. We'll launch an orbit around Airen while our companion conducts her business with the guild. From there we I'll infiltrate the research lab. I figure we can pose as researchers or Alliance soldiers. Both will be risky perhaps we can do a combo of both? What do you guys think?"

Michael pulled out the data pad and brought up the details, passing it around the table. “If I have to I’ll pull out my old uniform and dust it off. I could pose as an Alliance inspector with his personal team? Regulations are strict enough that surprise inspections happen all the time.”

[Griff]

Francis left her belongings in her assigned room. It hadnt been much to look at and fairly cramped, but she'd have to get used to it since it would be her home for God knows how long. It was more comfortable than the run down flat she'd lived in under the crime boss' employ, so at least that was a step up in the world.

She'd spread the comforter over the small bed and sat a couple pictures up where she could. Her family had had few taken, and her father had never bothered much with the technology. He'd always preferred to draw, and that's where she'd inherited her own talent. She had spent hours as a child, tracing over and copying her father's hand drawn anatomical diagrams. She hoped one day to take all that he'd done and publish it, if at any time she could use his name without repercussions.

Apparently, the ship had a medic so her skills wouldnt be needed. That was a partial relief, although she would have liked to work off the passage, she'd already given Cori the money and in exchange was getting the opportunity for some time to herself.

The war exploded in ferocity during her study and between classes, testing, and her volunteer shifts at military clinics, she couldnt remember a time when she'd slept in all those years.

And then directly after, being dumped almost penniless and her name dirtied passed redemption, she'd had to struggle to find a living. The past few years had been an everyday scratching.

And now, she had a chance to breath.

Her curiosity, however, was not as worn down as her mind. It nudged her toward the medbay. She wanted to look at actual sterile conditions again, and flex her knowledge.

The medbay was cold. It was always cold. Anika frowned at the chill on her skin, distracting her from her task. She was calculating how many more supplies the ship would need with the added passengers. Hopefully they didn’t attract as many injuries as the rest of the crew, but she knew that would be unlikely. She couldn’t tell if trouble was following the ship, or if it was following her. Either way, her skill as a medic was at least useful.

She was lost in thought when foot steps began to sound in the hallway outside the bay. They weren’t familiar, did they belong to a passenger? She assumed so. Continuing to look down at her notes, she called out, “Is anyone there?”

The accented voice made Francis hesitate just a moment. She needed to psych herself up to meet a new person. And she didnt particularly care to walk into an open doorway when she was expected, because usually the sight of her was a let down in comparison to whatever had been built up in the waiting party's mind.
But it was a long trip and a small ship. She had to deal with it now rather than let it fester.
Frankie took a breath and said as she entered, "Its-er-just me."
The woman she greeted was not what Frankie had expected for a medic during her walk to the medbay, but made sense based on the voice she'd heard call to her in the hall. Middle aged, with a stern but friendly face, at least to Frankie's perception, the medic was not intimidating as much as all the others she had met so far. It was a relief and she felt herself relax for the first time.

She put on what she hoped was an at least friendly smile, knowing it usually ended up awkward and lopsided and greeted the woman with a namaste, both hands together like a prayer and a soft bow, as she knew to be custom, "Im Francis. Or Frank, or Frankie, whichever you prefer. My father wasnt much for long names." She shivered. "Id forgotten how cold these places are."

Anika nodded, running her hands over her arms. “At least it makes it useful to store all the bodies.”

An awkward silence followed.

“Ah, that was a joke,” she grimaced, and stuck out her hand, “anyways, I am Anika Mehren. The ship’s medic and resident old woman."

The woman's joke took Frank by surprise and she struggled to regain her composure. The last thing she had expected was someone who shared her dry wit.
She snapped too when the woman confirmed it was joke, and she chuckled and stammered, "Yeah, yeah- I mean youre right."

Anika introduced herself, holding out her hand, and suddenly Frank felt uncomfortable that her Namaste had been to over the top. If Anika didnt use it than Frankie had made assumptions about the woman's heritage and practice, which Frankie likened to a slur. She covered her nervous guilt by clasping the woman's hand in a shake. "Have you been on the ship long?”

“Just a few years. Most crew have the need for a medic every once in a while,” She left out that her crew needed a medic nearly every day, “and what about you? What brings you on the Aurora?”

Francis had a feeling the woman was holding back just how often the crew on this particular ship ended up in medbay. She'd seen the most of them, trigger happy and quick to throw fists, the lot.
But if info wasnt offered, she wasnt going to pry.
She shrugged. "Id like to make it back home to Muir, eventually. But for now, I just wanted off that trash heap of a planet. You smell enough urine soaked drunks who got knifed trying to pick pocket and you just, you know, need some fresh air." Francis inhaled deeply, tasting the cool, clean air. "It has been a long while since Ive been in an actual med room." She paused a moment before continuing. "What made you choose this ship? I mean, no offense, but with your experience and....maturity." she said kindly, addressing Anika's age, "You could have an easy job in a center planet office. I mean, this just seems like a lot of...danger when you dont have to face it."

She chuckled at the maturity comment. “I spent most of my life in a small farming village on Prophet. There was no danger to speak of. After a time, I just grew bored. I took a leap of faith, and here I am. It gives me stories to tell, if nothing else.” Anika looked at Francis’ clothing and her stance. “And what about you? Are you the type to spend much time in a medroom like this one?”

She grimaced. "Not so much now, no. A degree doesn't get you very far these days does it?" She chuckled and shook her head. "You know, I'm just realizing, I could have changed my name ages ago and could have skipped-" she waved her hand to indicate the planet and the ship, "-all of this."
If she had, it would have defeated the purpose her father had instilled in her, for which she'd fought for with fervor. Clinging to that purpose, had landed her on Persephone and outcasted from the medical high society, however, and she didn't think her father had counted that, and his own death, in the original plans.

Anika nodded in sympathy. “If you decide to stay on for long, I could always use more help here,” she offered, “it’s hard to stitch two people up at once.” She chuckled. Francis reminded her of many of the medics she used to work with, the new ones, with both skill and a friendly demeanor. The older you get the more that goes away. Maybe someone less cynical than her would be a good help? If nothing else, Francis would probably have better bedside manner than she did.

Frankie felt herself relax. She gave the older woman a genuine grin. "Id like that."
She had skipped the lunch offered by the Captain, hoping to avoid meeting too many people at once. It would only upset her anxiety, and she was sure on a trip like this, and a ship of this size, they'd all end up knowing each other more than was comfortable anyway. Why rush?
"It would be nice to refresh some of my skill with the use of actual equipment. Ive been getting by on bourbon and bedsheets. Makes a decent death shroud, but not so much a bandage."
A flash of memory tugged at her mind. The light hearted joke had stolen her mind to somewhere she didnt want to go. Fingertips found the charm around her neck and her expression went slack as the wash of cries and scent of blood resurfaced. She'd been bright eyed and sheltered when the war came. The horror of it dampened any childish optimism that had remained. To many dead when she could do nothing. To many failures.
In a moment, she snapped out of it and smiled in an attempt to regain her composure. Her hands shook. "Anyway, give me a shout if you need a hand. Im sure Ill be around."
Frankie chuckled as she backed toward the door. She gave the woman a final wave before ducking out into the hall.
There, she leaned against the wall and took a few deep breaths to steady her nerves. An anxiety attack taunted the edges of her mind. She closed her eyes and pushed away the swimming vision, focusing instead on calming the pace of her heart.
After a moment, she swallowed, more calm, and started back toward her room. She could face them at supper, maybe. Not now.

[Q]

Fluke leaned against the wall next to the bulkhead leading to the cargo bay while King and Sutton spoke their piece. Though flattered with Cori's good word, she wasn't sure whether she would live up to the expectations. Rid anyone who dared to stand against the Aurora's crew? Sure! Taking orders from some pompous core-worlder, she couldn't promise.

When the tablet got passed to her hands, she inspected the plans. A Rhycom-build superlaser. It wasn't the first time she heard about this - browncoat resistance was terrified of this weapon. Maybe the Dust Devils' goals and those of the Aurora's crew would align. Maybe...

Fluke pushed herself off the wall and raised her hand, joining Cori, King, Michelangelo and the companion in their circle around the table.
"I'm familiar with purple-belly procedure."
She shot a subtle glare at Cori. If only the rest knew what trouble it gave her on Du-Khang.
"You get an extra uniform and I'm with you, cap'n."

She passed the tablet on to the next.
"Who's the buyer?"
The intimidating amazon kept her cool and insinuated she was okay with selling an alliance superweapon to some backwater crimelord, instead of blowing up the research lab and all of Airen with it if she had to. Perhaps Sutton could see through her pokerface, but unlikely. She looked a bit off herself.

[Dnafein]

Michelangelo nodded to the companion as the captain introduced her. He was slightly surprised when Cori mentioned having a friend, although on his second examination of her phrasing realized she never called the soldier such. “That must have been the dying cow that bellowed your name moments ago.” The youth said.

The pilot listened as the captain started the briefing and the planner in him shook his head. Mikey's pranks generally went off without a hitch cause he never just discussed the plans. The captain didn't even check on the cargo bays entrance before he started the discussion. Much less moved it to a smaller more monitorable room. He just started discussing it in front of an unknown, albeit beautiful, woman; Which even if she wasn't a spy, removed plausible deniability from her options should she be questioned.

Michelangelo shook his head at the woman's question when she moved from spying in the doorway to take the tablet. He turned to Sutton and raised an eyebrow at the suspicious behavior. Taking the tablet from Fluke, the youth scrolled through the information. “Should probably find out what the normal patrol route would be. Don't wanna run right into them on the way out.”

Mikey would take some time to look over the charts between Sihnon and Airen, he wouldn't really need them; But they'd be handy to have. “I have a cousin who works in air control on Sihnon,” The young Mr. Cardones had family members working everywhere throughout the rim. Among the core worlds they were rarer, but remained priceless sources of information. “I will drop him a line and see what he can share.”

[AngelDellaNotte]

Looking up from her beer she noticed Fluke was standing in the doorway when she spoke. The former soldier seemed to look over the tablet then volunteer for the mission. There was something about the glint in her eyes that was familiar to Cori. It was the same look Fluke got when she was about to do something either very heroic or very stupid, which one it was only being determined but the outcome. Fluke had the luck that more often than not it came out as heroic. Cori made a mental note to keep an eye on her but decided not to mention anything about it to King until she knew more. Could be that Fluke was just excited to get back into the fight. Cori had been the same way when she first signed on with a crew. Seeing Fluke now made her recall her requests for additional weapons, Fluke liked her big guns however smaller arms worked better in space. You didn't want to go blowing a hole in the side of the ship. "When we are done here I'll take you down to the armory to find you a new toy or two. Only on loan until you get something that isn't over kill." Cori said, the continued on about the mission. "That bastard Badger says the buyer doesn't want to be connected to the heist should it go sideways so he won't put us in contact until after we have the system. I don't like it but that's the way it is."

Mikey was next to look at the tablet and immediately started looking at the star charts. As much as she hated to admit the kid was good. And had family connections all over the verse. "Good idea kid you never know when we are gonna have to high tail it out. Best to have a clear path." Cori said.

[Heson Shadowbane]

Junk just frowned, hugging her knees up to herself in her little secluded corner as plans were made for the heist. "Y-you'll need me th-then won't you?" She didn't like getting off the ship. Even more so when it was getting off in a military place. Still, if they were going to be an inspection team, Junk was best suited for the inspection. Not to mention she had a way with locked systems.

Sure locked systems were a bit on the bitchy side, but she could usually coax them open. She had helped Cori and King do it on a mission before, although it was her unease and timidness that had eventually made the mission go sideways. "Should... Should I make sure that the mechanic suit is... Still in date? Or will you be okay?" She whimpered a bit and ducked her head down in her knees, glinty eyes peering over them.

[Ushima]

"Junk will have to come." Michael said, looking to the mechanic. "She's the only one who can take the module apart in the short window we'll have. I want to get in, grab it, and get out before anyone there decides they want to complain to someone about a surprise inspection." Engineers and researchers always like to talk an officer's ear off about something. "Last thing we need is the base finding out there is no surprise inspection. "So we get Junk in, she works her magic and talks to the device into coming with us, then we book it. Junk, the only ones you'll have to really talk to is me. Maybe Cori." Junk's nerves kept her on the ship most of the time when they were out in the verse, but this technical stuff was beyond him and the others. Michael was pretty sure the buyer would want the equipment intact, or else they'd be seeing a serious pay decrease. Maybe even none at all. He couldn't afford to let that happen.

"Young blood will keep the ship on standby while we go about our business on the space station. Just in case. Like always." Like most outlaws they didn't always make a clean getaway. Numerous times he's had to board the Aurora while under heavy gunfire. But it was fun none-the-less. "If Fluke is volunteering to be the second of my attaché and Junk is one of our engineers there is one more slot to fill in. Therefore I'm asking for volunteers." Michael pointed to their pilot. "Not you, don't be funny. You got a very important role. We're in town for two or three more days. Uniforms will have to be acquired. Cori go over with Fluke her cover ID. Seeing as you two are close faking camaraderie won't be necessary at all." Michael took one of the IDs and moved over to Junk. "Here's yours, study well, in the event someone tries making small talk and ask about your personal life while I'm not there to scare them away." Michael turned back to face his crew. "Any other questions? Concerns? Ideas?"

[Nope]

Frankie heard little noise from the rest of the ship. She assumed that now, it was finally empty of the rest of the crew, as they took advantage of the final days docked on world. She then felt free to move about the ship.
She wondered across halls, down to the cargo bay and back.
The murmur of voices met her ear.
She hesitated a moment before following. She was only a passager and nothing more. Anything going on on this ship wasn't her business and had nothing to do with her.
She's spent so many years careful to overhear nothing in the hospitals lest she be picked out for questioning. She wanted no part in the war.
It had been a more difficult task than one would think, sick and feverish men cried out anything and everything in thier delirium.
But this wasn't the war. And they had thier money. So what information could be worth more than that? Besides, if they were putting her in danger by proxy, she had a right to know. After all, this wasn't a simple transport ship. She knew that. But how much did she actually know about these people?
Zilch.
Frank traced the voices to a doorway and she leaned against the wall to listen, out of sight. Eavesdropping like a child was pathetic but she couldn't just march in like she belonged.
She heard words about a weapon and the tablet. She assumed it was the one she'd seen them leave Badger's with. So were they working FOR him or just using him for information? Badger isn't one to be used without him getting his own cut.
The things she heard made her brows furrow. Breaking and entering. Stealing. Identity fraud. Who the hell were these people and what in the hell had she gotten herself into?
What of the crew was caught in this little heist? Would she be arrested too? Probably.
It was clear they would do it. And Frank would be pacing the ship wondering if the authority was going to come onto the ship and take her away. She'd chew her nails to the quick.

Of course, they haven't left yet. She could leave. She probably wouldn't get her money back. But she could find another ship, after saving again. After working for Badger again. Or delivering babies that would die of starvation or neglect in a back alley within the month. Bandaging wounds of criminals. How is that better than this?
We'll meet again. He'd said. Ugh, why did he have to be so cliche?
He wasn't going to be right. Not this soon. She couldn't handle seeing that rat faced smirk at her return not a day after she'd left.
No. And she could not handle waiting to be arrested.

So it came as a great surprise, to herself, and she knew it shown on her face when the Captain asked for volunteers and she stepped into the room and said, "I'll do it!"
She glanced around at the faces present, swallowed, set her jaw and said more calmly, "I mean, I can help."

[Q]

Fluke took a look at her ID. She frowned.
"Aria Hauer?"

"Oh, hell."
She couldn't have thought of a more detestable cover-name. After reading Aria's short biography, she grew even more irritated. Her tired eyes narrowed with incomprehension.
"This cunt just stuck with satellite weaponry for the whole bloody war!"

Fluke turned her head back to the rest, refusing to read another word from Aria's printed biography.
"Hey, these purps better be wasted, or-"

She got interrupted by Frankie, who boldly offered her help. Fluke was intrigued and equally horrified on going on a mission with her. This was gonna be such a fucking mess, she knew it from the start. Didn't stop her from participating, though. A true browncoat remembered - and would do anything to prevent a second Shadow.