1.0 - A Good King's Gambit (Closed)

[DJ P4NTSL3SS]

Urien, Dwappa, Lindsey, Eirene, Kesperziaiepr, Mahan
Aboard the Reclaimer's Intent, approaching Drinax's orbit

She smiles as she takes another drag, letting the smoke out slowly between ruby lips this time, "Of course, Mr. Mahan. I'm glad to hear the ship is shaking out well for each of you." Though its obvious that moments later, she catches sight of the feline on the screen. Her brow rises higher and higher, until it nearly disappears into her hairline as she takes in Astrid's procession.

Urien's words seem to stir her out of the confusion and she blinks, visibly shaking her head before an air of regal calm asserts itself over her once again, "Ah, yes. Well - as you all know, a jump takes a week regardless of time. As best we can tell, it was a week between Clarke and Torpol. And it took a further week for a tramp freighter sent out with the word from Torpol to reach us, very recently. As for agents, had I somebody on hand for you to work with then I suppose we wouldn't need a plan such as yourselves to assert ourselves in the Reach. But Keeper Malos is a friendly enough sort, on Clarke." A nod, "And for hiring mercenaries? I don't believe I can make it clear enough: you all have been hired to complete a mission. How you do that? Is by-and-large for you to decide. We just don't want bloodbaths and greath swathes of collateral damage, if it can be prevented."

And while Kesper's words make her smile, it is Eirene who draws her attention next, "I understand. But I'm telling you what I have. We've not been given description of the raiders or the full scope of the damage. Not that I can blame them. Imagine if their anti-orbital defenses were crippled, and they were to announce that to every pirate or raider in the subsector while announcing millions of credits at hand for pay."

[Kiro Haas]

As Mahan, Urien, Eirene and the rest of the crew speak with the 'Architect' on the projection, the doors to the bridge hiss open, and into the bridge strides a tall white-haired woman, dressed in what is presumably a suit of combat armour with the actual plates removed, underneath a long lab coat. Thanks to the way her hair is swept back and gathered into a pony-tail, the crew can pick out that her ears are pointed, unlike the rounded ears of humaniti. She is carrying what looks like a portable mediscanner in one hand, and a pair of pistols holstered on her hips. A pair of ruby red eyes take in the group gathered in the bridge, silently, before taking a couple of steps further and then politely curtseying to the projection of Princess Rao.

"Ah, your Royal Highness. A pleasure to see you again," the white-haired Darrian speaks up, before adjusting her lab coat again, brushing off some imaginary dust. "I assume this would be the crew you mentioned. A pleasure to meet you all. I am Rhane Te-Lari Kyra, Emeritus Professor of the University of Zhlod, and a Doctor of both Internal and Emergency Medicine, with full association in the associated surgical fields." She explains, before powering up her portable medical scanner, and promptly taking a scan of each member of the crew, Astrid included.

"Her Royal Highness hired me to see to your medical needs, as she is under the impression that you would require a competent physician on a regular basis, including one who is accustomed to combat and possessing certain other skills," the Darrian scientist continues, pausing briefly at Kesper's scan, humming lightly to herself as she examines some of the data.

"And did I not warn you against smoking those, Ma'am?" Kyra questions the projection of their employer and future ruler of the Empire they had been hired to form, and her tone conveying a note of long standing exasperation, as if it was an old and tired topic that had been covered many a time. "You know the health risks involved..."

[kostyora]

Lindsey turned to look at the newcomer and felt her hackles raise. Daryen may be technically human -- some even had Solomani blood; but she was reminded of the old Terran tales of the fae folk whenever she looked at Kyra's ears, and her people were Imperial allies to boot. At least with the Zhodani they had common foes to grease the wheels. And a doctor too. 'Wonderful,' she cursed silently in her mind. Sighing, she stood straight, and mindful she had the detritus of trying to prepare meals on her hands -- did not offer to shake but inclined her head politely to the newcomer. "It's my pleasure to welcome you aboard, ma'am. Please excuse the lack of a handshake, if that's the custom among your people. I am in no fit state to offer you one, as you can see. When you have the time, I'd appreciate if you let me know what you'd like to have for dinner. It's a tradition in the Solomani Navy that officers have a special meal for a ship's commissioning."

She allowed herself a wry smile as she was aware this was neither the Solomani Navy; nor were some of the present, officers. But a collegial spirit among the people on the ship could only be a good thing -- and if that meant making more of an effort than some deserved, so be it. The only one she couldn't hide her thoughts from seemed a friendly enough sort, so she wasn't worried on that front. Turning finally to the screen, she dipped into a precise curtsey, unwilling to be made to look boorish by this point-eared newcomer. "Thank you for the information, Ma'am. Rest assured, we will make good use of it. I am quite sure between us we can manage without causing unnecessary property damage or loss of life."

"All of you, when you are hungry, please let me know and I'll start on your food. I have done my best with what I can glean from you all, and I'd like for us to be able to eat together. That way we can discuss the more mundane details like chain of command, expenses, and how we are to divvy up the spoils of this campaign." She then fixed Mahan with a stony, but not hostile look. "And we are overdue already for that talk about administrative arrangements. You would seem to have a better grasp on the more belligerent side of this campaign than I, so I will need your assistance."

[Dastardly Tristar]

Urien said nothing as he listened to Rao's explanations. He didn't even turn to meet the newcomer, fixated on the details present to him and in Rao's room. To hear of the doctor's medical opinion gave him some insight to the mind of Drinaxi's royalty, but it wasn't anything he couldn't already figure out on his own. Hedonism was the cloak of royalty, and even the Princess cum Architect had her vices. 

So did everyone else, that didn't make her special. He turned his eyes away to briefly glance at Rhane and size her up in that moment. A Daryen wasn't too concerning for him, though her presence only served to slightly complicate the ship's dynamic. At least she was still in the sense, 'human' and not say, a walking caricature of a gecko. He closed his eyes whilst Astrid rubbed herself against his legs. 

"Thank you, your Highness. That will be all from me. " Urien gave a short bow, before moving out of the way to find a seat, where Astrid joined him on his lap. He passed the time teasing his cat, until Rao finally flashed off the computer screen. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his chest when it did, and he rubbed his face into Astrid's fur as he steeled his nerves.

"Food later." He replied to Lindsey, getting up from his chair and shaking off Astrid. "But I will have that talk - to go with a nice whiskey sour, if this rust bucket has a bottle lying about anywhere. "

Astrid meowed loudly, stretching with her claws out. As if on cue Urien rolled her over with his foot and gently massaged her stomach. Her instincts kicked in, and she clamped down on his foot, biting and scratching playfully. "Astrid will have the food, and hold the talk and whiskey sour for her."

[Emmettmcglynn]

Mahan nodded as the Princess finished her answers. "I think," he began "we should hold off on hiring until we are more esta- do you mind?" he broke off abruptly when a strange woman burst into the bridge and shoved a medical scanner in his face. Shaking his head in confusion as she distracted herself with the others, he tapped some of his pipe into an ashtray before continuing the conversation. "Er, regardless your highness we'll head out shortly and try to hunt them down. The tip is appreciated."

Once the Princess signed off, he turned to the others. "I'm fine on food for now, I'll just grab a snack from the pantry later. Still, I won't decline a drink. Surprise me." He said to the stewardess, once again tapping his pipe to indicate where his appetite went, "And I do agree with you, Miss Zhukova, that we ought to elect a Captain before we set out. An unclear chain of command will lead only to chaos. I can handle logistics as needed, having already served as an Executive Officer for some years, but having an established battle officer will be necessary for the completion of our mission."

[Sneaksby]

A Darrian addition to the crew wasn't in itself a cause for concern to him. It's not as though every race was a monolith and every member a representative of their government. He had other reasons to be displeased.

Under the sudden scrutiny of the scanner, Kesper adopted a perplexed and slightly embarrassed expression and looked down his front, as though checking for stains on his shirt.

He tried not to be offended at being scanned without his consent. Surrounded by aliens as he was he had to make an effort to tolerate their unseemly ways, but Kesper couldn't quite hide his irritation. By the Tavrian, he wasn't a prole anymore. He had the right to privacy.

The smile he gave the Darrian was a bit cold. "Hope your skills are better than your manners, doctor."

Edited April 14, 2023 by Sneaksby (see edit history)

[Niraverine]

„My imagination is already running wild so for the sake of my suspicious nature I will assume then that Torpol has a valid reason to be the more generous of the too”, she commented with a furrowed brow and a sardonic twist of her lips.

“Greetings”, she managed before making a rather desperate attempt at dodging the scan. “Keep needles far from me and we’re golden”, she warned offhandedly.

‘Food later’, she nearly groaned upon hearing it. “Clearly you lot were allowed to eat your breakfast”, she grumbled under her breath and leaned on the console again with a resigned expression. “Well, elect then. Flip a coin if needed.”

[Emmettmcglynn]

"I've only met one man who owned coins, and he was a collector." Mahan replied. "But I get your meaning. I'll be brief."

Standing up from his pilot's chair, he turned to face the whole ensemble. "I nominate myself. As a Drinaxian, I already have ties with our backers and can liase with them easily, as seen by Admiral Wrax's endorsement, as well as being the most familiar with the area we intend to operate in. Additionally, I spent eight years as a naval officer and have only recently left, filling the first pilot's de facto roles as executive officer and second in command. As such, I have nearly a decade of experience on the bridge and alongside the Captain."

Sitting back down, he continues to look at the room. "Any other contenders?"

[Kiro Haas]

The Darrian doctor consults the readout on her scanner while leaning against one of the bridge's chairs, idly humming to herself as she goes over the data and the health of the different crew. She smiles at Eirene, lightly drumming her fingers against the trim of the scanner. "Unfortunately not a promise I can make, miss. I will do whatever it takes to maintain the health of this crew, even if it includes unsightly and antiquated needles. But I will try to keep their use to a bare minimum," she promises.

As Mahan begins his election speech, she quirks an eyebrow and glances over at the Dirnaxian, a light tug on her lips to form a ghost of a smirk. 

"I too, spent eight years as a bridge officer, albeit in the navy of the Darrian Confederation, serving first in the science station before having brevet command. I left the Navy at the rank of Commander, having been recruited to a more investigatory and research oriented branch of the armed forces where I served for another twelve years, including conducting field experiments." She chimes in, noting Mahan's pipe smoking and Urien's comments about drinking in her files, adding it to their fresh scans.

"This is on top of the aforementioned status of being an Emeritus Professor in the fields of biology, chemistry, and being an M.D. of Internal and Emergency Medicine, with full association in the associated surgical fields," the white-haired scientist adds on, in an almost off-handed manner. As Astrid coils herself around Urien's legs, she takes the opportunity to take a quick scan of the feline as well. Just in case.

[Dastardly Tristar]

As the bridge turned into a familiar sight, Urien quietly disappeared along with Astrid. His presence (or lack thereof) was barely noticed when he returned, carrying something with a strong smell and crunching on something juicy. Astrid followed behind, sat upon her moving throne as she looked up at her master, mewing for her own food. "Mhm." He said, nudging her off the Domestic Servant. 

"Later." He quietly murmured in between mouthfuls of store-bought kimchi. He noted a slightly funky taste, and deemed never again to buy kimchi from Drinax's stores. It was a mistake to expect some countryside backwater space station (albeit built in style) to serve edible kimchi, but he was hungry. Not one to waste food, especially bought on his own dime, he returned to his seat and continued to eat, observing the proceedings. 

He had no stake in being Captain, and didn't relish in the idea of making the ship work with him. Still, choosing who to vote for was his given right, and he waited until all others had claimed their stake. 

[Niraverine]

The crunching of the weird sauerkraut-like thing was beginning to get on Eirene's nerves. She raised her eyes to the ceiling and started counting to ten. Then back to one. It was all in vain. The innocent victim of the diplomatic protocol and unhealthy habits of her companions huffed, then decided to speed up things a little before she did something drastic. 

"I vote for the ensign, but stay away from all small aircraft - it's mine." With that, she stuffed hands into her pockets and tried to storm off. The decision unfortunately brought her on a collision course with Astrid. Eirene managed to sidestep her at the last moment but the creature still meowed with indignation. She cringed internally. Last thing she needed was a small war over stepping on cat's tail.

As she stopped near the entrance to what seemed like a kitchen, Eirene decided that her immediate nefarious plans would need slight alteration. A cursory and wary glances showed a clear perimeter.

For starters, the corsair mused while skulking through the place, she would need to devise a plan to raid the pantry at night. To achieve that, some preliminary scouting was required. It was entirely possible that during the night, sometime between finding meat in the fridge and discovering tea in the cupboard she would also devise a plan to dismantle those huge jewelled doors from the palace. The corner of Eirene's mouth twitched upwards at the thought. Just to show that taking them was possible in the first place, of course.

[kostyora]

For a moment, Lindsey struggled not to lose her temper with this band of... characters. Especially Konicek. She knew the Confederation had all types, but she had rarely met a more dissolute and undisciplined naval officer in her life. The store bought kimchi wasn't a bit deal, it truly wasn't, but it annoyed her to the point she could not help a jibe at his expense. "Is that the only word you know? 'Later'?" She shook her head in exasperation. "I suppose I can at least be thankful I was right about where you come from. You had best hope you don't lose your appetite for kimchi, as it's what I've prepared for you to eat later. If you forget about it, it'll be in the refrigeration unit."

"Regarding captaincy; I neither want nor am equipped for the job. You, doctor, it would seem foolish to entrust both executive power and the responsibility for our health in one woman. If your need to fulfil the latter duty becomes pressing I do not feel it would be to our advantage to lose our leader, and delegating command to someone else during combat would merely undermine your authority. You... Kesper, is it? You may be a decent choice but none of us are familiar with Zhodani methods." She turned to face the Vilani woman only to find she was no longer there. "The Vilani might prove a decent choice as she has experience with piracy, but given she seems to have no interest in this deliberation anyway it would seem Mr Mahan would be the only obvious choice."

"I've said my piece. Decide among yourselves."

---

She returned to the area of the ship she had claimed as her kingdom to find a long fingered Vilani poking around it, and she observed the would-be thief for a moment with her arms crossed. She knew exactly what her shipmate was doing as everyone on a ship did it at some point. It was only wrong if you caught and thus she tried to sound polite - thought not totally succeeding - when she asked: "Can I be of assistance, Ms. Kovacevic? If you're hungry, I can fix you something now before we eat properly later. There are only six of us at present but I would like to make it clear I don't appreciate my pantry being pilfered. If you want something, all you need do is ask."

[Sneaksby]

As the others debated, Kesper started idly spinning around in his chair, his long legs stretched out in front of him. Staying in motion helped him think.

"I do have considerable command experience, but I was mostly groundside. Leading a boarding party is in my purview but not making command decisions for a whole ship. I wouldn't recommend voting for me."

He shrugged diffidently. Some might call him self-effacing but he was only being realistic. The success of the mission was more important than any one person's ego or ambition.

"Don't mean to call your skills into question, doctor, but I know Mahan personally and can vouch for his expertise. He has my vote for captain."

[Emmettmcglynn]

"Thank you." Mahan says with a nod. "Kesper, as the only veteran of ground combat I'll be naming you the head of any boarding or ground operations we engage in — I would be lost otherwise. Should I be incapacitated or unavailable for ship to ship action, consider the corsair in charge. She'll have the most relevant experience."

"For the Captaincy I don't see the need for an extra share, so I'll just take a room and the Captain's chair, and we can all take an officer's share of our... acquisitions. Any new crew can take a regular share, unless they're on the mission like we are."

 

Finally he takes a moment to breath from the initial set up. "With that settled, we should get passengers and freight on board then head to Torpol. Its the most recent target of the raiders and thus the one we're most likely to find a lead. Any objections?"

[Niraverine]

Eirene froze and cursed under her breath. She didn’t hear anyone coming. “Well, this is unfortunate…” She turned around with her hands raised in a placative gesture only to be met with a rather cold gaze of the steward. She asked herself what she had done in her previous life to deserve such bad luck. Animal abuse? Sacrilege? Tax evasion? Probably the last one, she decided before realising that the lingering silence is awkward at best and rude at worst.

“Look”, she started slowly, “if I stayed there any longer I would have to kill someone. It would either be your compatriot or myself. He’s been getting on my nerves since he boarded this ship and it seems I was the only one who wasn’t allowed to eat anything before the meeting with the king. I am easily irritable in such events. In short - yes, I would appreciate a meal.”

She pinched the bridge of her nose then looked sideways and shuffled her feet uncomfortably. “Understood. Apologies? But it may be a regular thing.” She glanced in the direction of the exit. Blocked. Blocked by the very person who was staring her down. “It’s not malicious, it’s not to spite you, I just sometimes need my bloody cocoa to sleep.”

The situation was potentially explosive and required evac, asap. She edged closer to the door and started calculating the distance between the frame and Lindsey’s shoulder. She tried to smile disarmingly. “So I am asking for understanding while you trip over me at weirdly late hours while I regretfully pilfer your pantry?”

Doable, Eirene decided, then dashed in the direction of the door and squeezed between the door frame and the steward. “Can we discuss it further in a place that isn't full of potentially dangerous kitchen utensils?”, she choked out with a wry smile then quickly retreated towards the bridge. In a hurry she caught the last of Mahan’s words but not their sense.

“The corsair? What did I do this time?” She crossed the bridge quickly and leaned on the console once more. “And I would advise Torpol, yes. There’s something we weren’t told about the situation there. Call it a gut feeling. ”