Elite roleplay: Off station

OFF STATION

Your ship, deep space, anything that is not happening inside the Citi Gateway or Ingaba...

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20 Nov 2022, 9:36pm
The Cabins look didn’t match the rest of her ship. The Bramble was made for work, but the twelve-person first class cabin was purely leisure. With a little inspection, the DIY modifications that turned it into a few personal rooms were obvious when looked for.

The decoration was Spartan to say the least; practicality was clearly in mind when Willow designed it, and it was made for someone that didn’t land anywhere with much gravity very often. If it wasn’t for a screen and a few dispensers here and there, it would be very hard to tell the floor from the walls. Thankfully, the doors were a big help when it came to orientation. Willow had gone for a quick shower, and left Descartes in the chill out room with all sorts of drinks and prepacked snacks.

With her hair still up in a towel, Willow touched down on the sofa opposite Descartes. Her Altairian treatment was still in effect, keeping her skin an even marble, but her dark makeup had been washed away with the grime and stress of the day. The clean-up had taken a little longer than Willow intended, she wasn’t going to fit the computer at first, but it was so nice talking with Descartes as she worked, Willow stretched out their time together.

As she sipped her cup of wine through a cap, Willow felt it she had to admit something else to her new friend.

“So ok, you know, I get shot at plenty on salvage jobs. I mean like, I know I’m no better than a scavenger when you think about it, but like, real raiders and scavengers will kill for a bit of scrap you know? But today was, like, different”

Another sip of wine turned into a gulp. She wanted to open up and thank Descartes, but Willow found it hard to communicate face to face, and she had a feeling Descartes had her mind on other things that didn’t involve Willow.

“Ok, today, I tried to deal with a dope-head that maybe out to get us, we got attacked, then arrested and interrogated, and then after I’m let go, I find out my jumping ship has been cracked and unpacked. Like that’s a lot, you know? And if I was on my own, I’d be real scared and I would be well on my way back to the bubble by now. So like, thanks a lot for being here to help me deal”

Her narrow legs covered in long black and white striped socks pushed against the table between the girls to keep herself seated, and she pulled her full length fluffy black robe tightly and hugged her self.

“Yeah so even with all that said, I’m still glad I waited around coz like, otherwise there’s a good chance you’d be up against all this by yourself, and like that would suck, and I’d feel real crappy for leaving you to it. And.. .so … like.. "

Willow took a breath to calm her mind. She was trying to explain everything instead of getting to the point.

"..I'm glad I met you, and thank you for being here is what I’m trying to say I guess”
21 Nov 2022, 2:50am
With system security evaded and now safely docked back on the station. Maul was moving the Nav beacon data onto the portable storage device in his backpack. While waiting he sent another message to Willow, who had automatically moved to the top of his “favorites” on his contact list. She was the only person he’d regularly exchanged messages with in over a month.

“Nabbed some data and just docked back on station. I figure we could look it over together and see if any of the ships or commander names stand out. Cause I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to be looking for here.

We can meet and I can hand it over or whatever. I’m willing to help more for the right price though. Just sayin! : )”

He stared at the message on the Insight AR projection in front of him and wondered if the smiley face was too much. Did it make him seem greedy or too willing to help.

He shrugged and sent the message along before closing his eyes and resting his head against the back of the seat with an exaggerated sigh.
21 Nov 2022, 6:47pm
What I should have said was:

'I'm here because you stumbled across a signal that you thought might be to your advantage, which turned out to be an escape-pod that could be recovered at a profit.'

Not that I was any different. That's how I survived; we all do. Spotting an opportunity wherever it comes from and being ready to jump at it. Even at someone else's expense. What kind of hard-hearted bitch had I become. Looking at her without the mask, wrapped up in something fluffy, I just wanted to give her a hug.

"It's all just a sequence of coincidences really. But for what it's worth, I'm glad too."

It was true. It had made me stop and take stock. Take the chance to change, do something different. I didn't need to 'chase the profit'. I had more ships than I knew what to do with. Maybe I should just replace my ship, take a leaf from Willow's book and kit it out properly as somewhere to live. Sitting here in comfort with someone who could be a real friend. Share hopes and fears. Take comfort from. Maybe this pleasantly tasting fruit-juice was not as benign as it tasted. I had drunk rather a lot.

She sounded now as if the mugging, kidnap, or attempted sexual assault, whatever it was, had got to her more than she had first admitted. Scared her?

"I just reacted to what was in front of me. Almost lost control of myself. It made me angry. Things like that always do."
21 Nov 2022, 7:42pm
"Yeah, that ape-face that was trying to pull you off his friend chewed my screw too. It was worth a bad hair day to amp up his nervous system" replied Willow with a smile.

It was getting late and Willow could easily fall asleep, but she was still worried that the people that had robbed her ship were still on board and could try again. Being with Descartes seemed safer all round. While she was thinking of inviting her to say, Willow noticed she was already twisting her fingers together.

"Um like.. so er, did you get chance to shower? Coz like, if you didn't the water is still hot" Willow looked away and jerked her thumb towards the bathroom "..and um I got a sp.. "

Willows pad chose that moment to creek like her first toolbox, her preferred alert tone.

Maul Montresor

“Nabbed some data and just docked back on station. I figure we could look it over together and see if any of the ships or commander names stand out. Cause I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to be looking for here.

We can meet and I can hand it over or whatever. I’m willing to help more for the right price though. Just sayin! : )”



Seeing a message from the forbidden contact derailed Willow, and she got stuck between looking at the message and staring at Descartes.


Last edit: 21 Nov 2022, 7:55pm
21 Nov 2022, 8:19pm
"Shower would be good." I said, standing up. Sp?

"You look nervous, something particular bugging you?"

She was trying not to stare at me.

"Bad news?"
21 Nov 2022, 8:46pm
There was no getting around it, owning up to your mistakes was a hard rule her mom and dad had impressed on all their children. It was the only way to survive with that many kids living under their feet. Changing her pad to text to speech, Willow pressed play.

Message from Maul Brackets, Possible Bad Guy, Brackets. Message reads

Nabbed some data and just docked back on station. I figure we could look it over together and see if any of the ships or commander names stand out. Cause I’m not really sure what I’m supposed to be looking for here.

We can meet and I can hand it over or whatever. I’m willing to help more for the right price though. Just sayin. Exclamation mark, smily face. Recited the pad in a robotic monotone.

Willow was a little embarrassed, and although the Altairian treatment kept her skin the marble-white she liked, it didn't hide her reddening cheeks.

"So, if he's telling the truth, that data could tell me what I need to track your ship, if it's not space dust, and like, I don't think it is. And like, he is a drug fiend, but .. I think he's just lost, not like definitely a bad guy"
22 Nov 2022, 4:12pm
"And if he's not telling the truth?" I asked, absent mindedly unzipping my jumpsuit.

"Tell him we need a copy of everything he found out, and the access codes to decrypt it. He doesn't need to know exactly what we're looking for. You can search through it later with an off-line machine."

"You can meet him in the pilots lounge. Give me time to get there first and see who arrives. Message him just as you enter the bar."

Still wondering what she was going to say about, ' I got a sp..' I went on.

"First things first, a shower."

I thought about asking if she anything I could wear. My clothes still smelt of embalming fluid.
22 Nov 2022, 4:55pm
Willow didn’t know if she had just been given sound advice, or told off by her mom. It sure felt like she was being given step by step instructions the why her mom used to when she was running out of patience.

In fairness, it had been a rough day for both of them and Descartes had been through a lot more before today. Just because Maul didn’t seem like the type to Willow, that didn’t mean her assessment was the right one; the best con-men right?

“Yeah sure” said Willow peering over the back of the sofa “Um so there are fresh towels in the warming closet and like, use whatever, but not the Altairian Skin Culture unless you wanna try the alabaster look”

Personally Willow thought that would bring the full blueness of Descartes to the forefront, but her excellent cheek bones would be lost with too light a skin tone.

If you want clean clothes, I got a few things that will fit, but most of it is gonna look real tight on you; I’m pretty small you know? Just leave your stuff, and wet towels in the hamper, kay? I’ll take care of it”

She was tired and Willow assumed Descartes would be too, so she sent another message to Maul putting him off until she had slept and recovered some. She was careful to make the message sound casual even though she was now a bit suspicious.

“Hi, so that’s great. We’ll meet up later and I’ll settle up with you. Gonna chill out after that wired-ass thing and the cells you know. Ping you later”

With that done, Willow laid down and rested her eyes.
22 Nov 2022, 6:35pm
I dumped my clothes in the trash. That smell would never wash out. The shower was a relaxing luxury. The warm soft towels were wonderful. Not happy about going through Willow's things I quickly found a pair of black pants and a t-top. They were tight, stretchy, and left a gap in the middle. She's shorter than me.

She looked as if she was sleeping. Like a child. It was because of her pale skin, slim build. I could only be a few years older. Reminded myself to treat her the way she deserved. A young woman starting on her own way in life. It's tough. But I'm not her teacher. I slumped in a chair opposite her and found myself dropping off to the edge of sleep. The overactive past few days. The drink, whatever it was. Almost bliss
22 Nov 2022, 7:25pm
The autolights had dimmed when Willow woke up. The towel on her head had unwrapped, so her hair was going to be a mess, but that would be tomorrow Willows problem; then she remembered she had passed out on company.

First, she was worried that Descartes had left because Willow had fallen asleep, but the welcome sound of soft breathing close by reassured her she wasn't alone on a station full of kidnappers and robbers. Descartes was curled up on the big chair asleep. She looked funny in a tee wasn't quite doing the job, and Willow enjoyed the picture for a moment before finding a quilt.

With Descartes tucked in, Willow floated off to bed. Unfortunately, even this close to the centre of the station, the spin meant her usual suspended sleeping bag was impractical, so she'd have to deal with the bed again. On the pulse side, that did mean she should have no problem waking up before her guest. She'd flaked out before helping Descartes find something to wear that may fit, and the spare room bedroom, but she didn't want to fail to make a morning brew and possibly heat up something for a change.

They would need a good start to deal with Maul the, open brackets, possibly bad guy, close brackets.
22 Nov 2022, 8:10pm
I woke with a start with a cover over me, wondering where I was i the dark, then remembered. Everything ached. Uncomfortable. Standing up to stretch I wobbled, off balance. Need more sleep. Wandered around, looking for a bed. Found one with Willow in it. Crep in beside her, pulled the cover over us both and fell asleep.
22 Nov 2022, 10:11pm
It had been a long time since her hair had got snagged on anything while she slept, but normally Willow had put her up to stop that sort of thing. She was very surprised to find her hair was under Descartes. The low gravity meant that her bed partner was easy to lift a little and she freed herself quietly.

Although it was nice to have company, Willow was still confused about waking up next to someone after she went to bed alone. After a quick wash and getting her war paint back on, she dealt with her wild hair. Once the pressure heater was on, Willow gently opened the doors through to her bedroom, so Descartes could smell the tea brewing.

Now she tackled the hard task of making some hot food. Everything Willow ate was from a packet, and she almost never needed to heat them. Experience had told Willow cooking was hard. Today, Descartes wanted Willow to deal with Maul, and she didn’t want to let her down. Courage worked best on a full belly, so Willow followed the instructions very carefully.
23 Nov 2022, 1:59pm
After the sleep of a thousand dreams I woke more relaxed and refreshed than for some time now. Then realised where I was and groaned. 'What had I been thinking. I wasn't thinking anything when I crawled in here', as I crawled out.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, hands in my lap, palms upwards, I closed my eyes, breathed slowly and began to quietly recite the hundred syllable mantra.

OM
BENZAR SATO SA MA YA. . .

After that I stood up slowly and followed my nose. Ravenous.

"Hey, smells good. I was so tired yesterday, last night, whenever it was. "I don't usually. . ." I trailed off. As if that excused my awful behaviour.

Willow was painted again. Disguise on.

"I need clothes from my ship. No way I'm crossing the docks like this, may I try one of your work jackets for size?"
23 Nov 2022, 2:46pm
“Sure, I got work jackets that will fit, and I got some clothes that should too, but there’s noting like your own threads right?”

Willow poked the pastry wrapped sausage meat that was under the grill with a knife. Usually she ate them cold, and waiting for them to turn brown, or browner, and become crispy was weird; she’d never turned the grill on before either. At least the omelet could be done in the microwave. That looked great.

“So about last night” said Willow as she dealt with keeping food on a plate in low gravity “I’m putting that down to the wine ok? I mean you were sucking it down like it was squash. But you know.. ok it was kind of sweet, and I did flake out on you, but I feel like you should ask before getting in the sack with someone you know? Just a heads up, no harm done ok?”

She put a plate down in front of Descartes and then broke open her own sausage wrap. After looking at it for a moment, she touched the meat inside with her tongue and withdrew quickly.

“Ow! Yeah it’s hot all through, so yours should be good too. Eat up”

A problem presented it’s self when Willow tried to make a start on the eggs. Eating out of the packet was so much easier.

“Um, so there are like, forks and spoons in one of the draws. You look for those and I’ll pour the tea"


Last edit: 23 Nov 2022, 3:01pm
23 Nov 2022, 5:52pm
'Consider yourself admonished Descartes.'

"You're right of course. I'm sorry. And, ah.. I don't eat meat, sorry again. But the eggs smell good."

I ate with relish.

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