Alpha Panda, Serenity RPG IC

[Erasmas]

Cole
Streets of Frisco Town

Spotting a necklace made of silver and pink stones, Cole walked in to the Ormond & Lovett Store and moved straight over to the pretty bauble. He inspected the thing closely, making sure that it was the right choice. After a minute or so, he looks for someone working the store and called over.

"How much's this here necklace?"

[Adlan]

Ormond and Lovett Store
A typical rim world store, less over crowded than most,The shelves are neat, but not crowded, and the floor space is mostly bare. A cage to the left of the entrance holds a number of baby birds, odd ingredients and the ubiquitous home remedies found across the 'verse. Unlike most rim world towns, but along side most other stores in town, the junk pretties and fabbed jewels* are made with real silver.

The Two Sino Men who run the establishment are cheerfully bickering in thick Mandarin, and eager to sell, though they seem a little disappointed at your initial response.

"35 Silver." Say's one, and then with a grin. “A guy has to do what it takes to survive — and all the credits in the world won’t matter if you’re pushing up weeds, right? Hey! Lovett! You Tian Di Wu Yohn*!"
He turned to the other man, who looked like his kin of some sort.

Stop playing with that Joo Fuen Chse* and do some work for a change!”


*Fabbed, Fabricated**. Rim Slang.

* “Completely Useless”
* “Pool of Pig Droppings”



**When you can control gravity, most jewels become very, very cheap. Real Diamonds ect. are worth more, but the only priceless ones are prized for their history, not their size.

[Lentrax]

Sia
Frisco Town

Sia feels weird walking though the streets of Frisco Town.

It wasn't the town, she was used to unfamiliar places.

It wasn't the dress, she's worn plenty over the years.

It was the feeling of a normal life.

It has been... 10 years? Since she felt remotely normal. But walking down these streets, going to meet her man, stopping in front of this window to look at that amazing looking braided hat...

She felt almost normal.

[Creed]

Morgan

Morgan wasn't much of the social type, for obvious reasons, so, as he stepped into John Saviors Saloon on the Main Street of Frisco, he kept his head down, despite the armory of weapons adorning his body.

The mercenary walks up to the bar, leans heavily on it, and runs his eyes over the assortment of drinks. It never hurt to get a drink in one's stomach when you hit dirt. Never knew how long it would be before you had the chance again.

[Aneurin]

Jack
Alpha Panda

Well, the others are all out by the looks of things. Seems it's just him... and them, of course. But then, the ghosts are always here, always lurking, always whispering on the edge of hearing.

Bridge

The viewing panels across the bridge are mazed with cracks, courtesy of a near miss by an Alliance frigate, and the air's growing hazy with acrid smoke that the overworked ventilators can't extract fast enough. Somewhere in the guts of the ship, something's shouting it's protest at being shot full of holes.

"Captain! Heaven's Light is launching life boats, she's going down!"

"Incoming fire, brace, brace, brace!"

"Bring the helm about, two degrees Port, five Landward,"

Mess

The meal's all set out - standard ration packs, but not bad for all that. Folk are always grateful to the lunatics who pull them out of certain death, or bring them dinner, and they tend to pay back with small things; a pinch of salt, a sprinkling of seasonings or a dash of pepper. All told, they make for a pretty decent meal.

"Hey, stop feeding the cat scraps, already. She's getting fat,"

"What? You were the one who started it! Don't think I don't see you do it!"

"Lies, slander, and treachery! Fie on you, calling your senior officer a liar!"

"...and that's when she says; 'well, it didn't do that before!'"

"I should hope not, engines aren't supposed to look like that,"

Infirmary

There's blood and there's screaming. The place has seen a lot of life and a lot of death since it was hastily bolted in to place a while back.

"Aargh! My leg, my leg, Doc, I can't feel my gorram leg!"

"Ta ma duh! This isn't a battlefield hospital, it's a damn infirmary - Carrie, punch up the Cap'n again, we need real med teams here stat or we're going to lose these boys. We can't handle it here on our own!"

"Hey, doc, we got more wounded coming in. Lots. The rutting Purplebellies just made another push on the hill,"

"Captain says we've got to hold on, doc, Alliance have closed off the skies - we're all there is,"

Engine Room

Somehow, the low hum of a living, breathing engine combined with the faint lighting it provides is soothing. The large jug of home-fermented something helps, too. The dim lighting reaveals two figures reclining side-by-side against the bulk head, staring at the almost hypnotic rotations of the beating heart of the ship.

"Well, that's that, then, huh?"

"Yeah,"

"Still can't believe you turned down Ariadne, though. And full Captain,"

"She's too big for me. Ship-of-the-line. Not to my taste,"

"Yeah, but now we have to put up with you for even longer," the female figure adds with a grin to her companion, a dark haired man in a long brown coat who gives her a playful shove.

"There's an old military saying; hard luck for you,"

"You should've taken it, though. According to the buzz they want to promote Petty Officer Rogue again - and you don't want to be outranked by the ship's cat, right? Old Harry's fit to bust a rib at the news,"

"Seriously? At this rate, she's going to be Lord-High Admiral within a year,"

"Hey, that works for me - might give us some better orders,"

Jack snorts indelicately, and takes another swig of whatever kuh wu concoction is within the jug.

"Yes, but we'd be sent to raid Alliance cattle ranches and string factories,"

"There'd be fewer people shooting at us,"

"True..."

[Erasmas]

Cole
Ormond & Lovett Store

"Don't carry no silver. How many credits you take for it?"

Cole walked over to where the man was, carrying the necklace draped over the fingers of his offhand and held out before him as he still inspected it.

[Shadow_Elf]

Greg
J.W.''s Speech
Greg hangs to the back of the crowd, and simply watches the M.O.P. speak. Occasionally he furrows his brow at a turn of phrase or nods approvingly at others. If a dolt like Jaydubbl'yuh could make it this far, maybe things ain't so bad after all. Upward mobility's a glorious thing t'behold, he mutters to himself, and then he smiles.

[Adlan]

Ormond & Lovett Store

"2 Credits"

More Handsome and exuding a salesman's charm the apparent Lovett, the other man, pipes up and makes his way over. “I perfectly understand your concern, True — the price is high, but with the blockade on…."

He turns to his brother, or relation in some degree. “Mei Yong Ma Duh Tse Gu Yong*! Can’t you leave me alone for just one second? I happen to be with a customer, Dohn-ma**?”

He turns to Cole.
"Ignore my brother Sir, he doesn't realise the value of the stones, a rare mineral full of crystal powers and health some goodness, from the silver mine"

*Motherless goat of a Motherless goat.

**Understand.

[Erasmas]

Cole
Ormond & Lovett Store

The soldier laughed at the men, "I don't know what kinda sideshow yokels you boys typically deal with, but that ship ain't gonna fly. I fig'ur this here necklace is worth about a tenth of a Cred and I don't buy no hogwash about no gorram 'crystal powers'."

He just now took his eyes off of the bauble and now let them come to rest on those of the man he was haggling with. "So I'll tell you what. I'll pay you a credit and you gimme back 200 silver - that's a 15 silver piece profit on your '35'. And that way, we can finish this business like gentlemen and put the subject of 'robbery' to rest... since that's what yer tryin' to pull."

Cole then allowed his main forearm to come to rest on the back of his pistol, his hand draped harmlessly forward of the sidearm... but with it close enough to get the point across.

[Adlan]

Ormond & Lovett Store
"As you Wish. bái mù mán zi* He mutters under his breath, and takes your proffered 1 cred note (the worst, crinkly one you have). A small pile of gold and silver coins is proffered by the one who must be Ormund.

*Stupid Foreign Barbarian

Saviors Saloon
While the outside of the saloon looks accommodating enough, inside it consists of several worn tables, a few creaking chairs (several of which are broken), and a worn bar. A large cloth curtain separates the back of the bar from what you assume is the store room.

The man behind the bar looks more like a preacher than a saloon keeper, and the Bar's patrons look to be rough miners or members of organised crime.

Morgan's kind of bar. The Booze is cheap and atypically for a rim world mining town, there dosn't seem to be any kind of gambling going on.

J.W.'s Speech
As the Speech Winds down, Greg overhears them announce the afternoon parade will reconvene, back here, about an hour before sunset. They sure do like their local MP round here.

[Creed]

Morgan

Morgan leans heavily on the bar, and points at a bottle of whisky with a nod, fishing credits out of his pocket with his other hand.

[Erasmas]

Cole
Ormond & Lovett Store

Cole smiled after the exchange was done and pocketed the necklace. He then made his way towards the exit.

"Much obliged, shu jhing huin."

The soldier then left the little shop, glad that neither of them had been dumb enough to draw down on him. Jack would've been extremely displeased with him if he had had to gun down two locals before they were even able to make the drop.

Spotting Sia coming down the thoroughfare, Cole ducked between two buildings and hid, waiting for her to pass him. Once she had, he steps back out onto the street and lets out a loud cat call.

"Boy howdy, Miss; yer likely to make a man blush lookin' like that!", he yollered after her in his best "countrified" voice.

*- Incestuous Dirt-Pushers

[Lentrax]

Sia
Streets of Frisco Town

Sia keeps walking from shop to shop. She occasionally goes inside to look at so etching, or to try something on.

As she walks past a small shop displaying small souvenirs, Sia hears a man catcall.

"Boy howdy, Miss; yer likely to make a man blush lookin' like that!"

Sia smiles, recognizing the voice, even with the outdone yokel accent.

Without turning, Sia instead stops, pretending to look at something in the window of this shop.

You try that on all the women around here, or just the off-worlders? Of course some folks is liable to take offence anyways. Though I should let you know, I am waiting for someone. Big, tall, handsome. Seen him?

[Space Lawyer]

Lei
Streets of Frisco

Lei strides casually down the dusty streets. Her head was swimming a bit from the antihistamine, but it was better than the dirt-flu. Her steps are a little exaggerated, but real gravity tended to make her do that, regardless of the actual g. A sudden gust of wind nearly knocks the tiny woman off her feet. "Gāisǐ de fēng! Wǒ bù yìng gāi lái chǔlǐ zhège!" she yells. Her voice lowers a bit. "Wǒ zhǐ néng xīwàng, zhège xīngqiú shàng yǒu yīxiē xiàngyàng de bùfèn. Wǒ bù huì bǎ bù hégé de bùfèn zài Alpha Panda".

Gāisǐ de fēng! Wǒ bù yìng gāi lái chǔlǐ zhège! = Damn wind! I should not have to deal with this.

Wǒ zhǐ néng xīwàng, zhège xīngqiú shàng yǒu yīxiē xiàngyàng de bùfèn. Wǒ bù huì bǎ bù hégé de bùfèn zài Alpha Panda = I can only hope this planet has some decent parts. I will not put substandard parts in Alpha Panda.

[Adlan]

Out-Side Balley Sackett's
Frisco

Lei Arrives outside the engineering shop just time to see a large sign in the Shop window saying back after the Parade. And a broad shoulder balding man, locking up the shop door as a group of his friends or customers wave and depart in the direction of, presumably, the saloon.

Saviors Saloon
The Barman leans back on his kegs, polishing a glass in hand almost pontifically, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but ye be filled with Spirit" he quotes, and pours a stiff slug for you.

[Shadow_Elf]

Greg
J.W.'s Landing Pad
The negotiator/tactician thinks about it for a moment, and then decides he'll try to meet the M.O.P. and chat about what's happened since the war. He makes his way towards the vessel for that purpose and tries to scope out the security to ask one of them what he'd have to do to have a chat.

[Space Lawyer]

Lei
Streets of Frisco

Lei looks on with an unimpressed expression. The shop closing down for a parade just meant more time on this dirt-ball. Lei preferred the sort of job where they made the money then left, but that apparently wasn't going to be happening this time.

Lei pulls her broad-brimmed hat low to fend off the sun, then walks off toward the saloon. It seemed there was nothing to do but wait.

[Adlan]

Street's of Frisco

Having found herself having crossed Frisco to reach Balley Sackett's, Lei has passed several, the nearest, across the street from her, is the largest, and cleanest looking one she's seen so far, however, as she turns and squares her shoulders a voice calls to her.

"Kin I help you 'lil lady… you lookin' fer me?

He approached, quite handsome for a gentleman of certain years, and despite bulk, well built.

"I mean, fer my shop. I'm guessin' you're off the Alpha Panda?"

[Erasmas]

Cole
Streets of Frisco Town

"Well then, I guess I outta make this ling duon quick!" The soldier set, keeping up the act, as he came up behind Sia and put both of his arms around her waist and hauled her into the air for a moment. He took a few steps, as if he intended to make off with her and set her back down as she made noise enough to cause a few passerbys to stare.

Setting her back down, he embraced her and even snuck a kiss, not caring who saw. Then, with the thought reentering his mind, he said, "Oh... I got you somethin... a surprise. Close your eyes!"

When she had, he took the necklace from his pocket and affixed it around her neck, gently turning Sia so that she could see her reflection in a mirror that was setup in the display window that she had been looking into.

[Creed]

Morgan
Saviors Saloon

Morgan lays credits down, then takes the bottle from the man, sitting it next to his drink with a nod of acknowledgement. The soldiers knocks back the first drink, losing himself for a moment in the refracted world in the bottom of the glass. Then, he sets it back down, and pours himself another.

---

As he poured himself a glass, Morgan Blake, Alliance Special Forces, glanced at the men sharing this bottle with him. All soldiers, like him, press-ganged into the most dangerous outfit in the entire damn army.

It had been a long time since any of them had a good drink.

It never hurt to get a drink in one's stomach when you hit dirt. Never knew how long it would be before you had the chance again.

These men had become like brothers to Morgan, more than his real brother ever had been. They fought, they killed, and, if need be, they would die, together, side by side.

Morgan took a moment and reflected on what he was fighting for, as he sipped calmly at his drink. What had the Independents ever done to him? What had the Alliance done for him, aside from turning him into a hound of war? The Independents just wanted a better life for themselves, after all. But wasn't it the hording of Alliance technology that had given him such a comfortable youth, that kept his sister safe, that made his father rich as a king?

It was then the Morgan realized that he didn't fight for the Alliance.

He fought for himself.

He lost himself in the bottom of his glass again.

---

As he sits the now empty glass back on the bar, Morgan swivels on his stool, surveying the crowd of Saviors with an appraising eye, leaning back on the bar with an air of confidence that only accompanies a man who knows his life is the only thing he has worth losing. anymore, and even that ain't much.

[Space Lawyer]

Lei
Streets of Frisco

"I mean, fer my shop. I'm guessin' you're off the Alpha Panda?"

Lei gives a bit of start when the man first calls out to her. Strange men in their home port on a backwater planet calling out to tiny female spacers could bode very ill. "Looking for me?" could be the start of something very bad indeed. The man's follow-up puts her more at ease though.

"If you are the lǎobǎn of Balley Sackett's, then I suppose I am looking for you." One hand darts into a pocket and rummages around, then pulls out a grease-covered sheet of paper. "I have a bit of shopping list. I hoped you might have the parts. Nothing fancy, just a few coils of superconducting cable, 15 meters of grade 3 fuel line, a few cleaners, and a housing that'll fit on JL-35 grav stabilizer, or at least something to patch it up."

lǎobǎn = boss, proprietor, shopkeeper

[Shadow_Elf]

Greg
J.W.'s Vessel, Exterior
The negotiator puts his kindest smile on and approaches the balding officious looking man at the base of the on ramp. "Howdy, sir. Name's Gregoire Reaufort, of the Alpha Panda berthed right o'er there. I'm a pal a Jaydubbl'yuh's from years ago. Was wonderin' if I could have a chat with the old boy, 'fore the big parade? I spoke with him earlier over the comm where we was swappin' landin' pads."

[Adlan]

J.W.'s Vessel, Exterior
The Short balding man turns to you, and introduces himself.
"An old friend of JW's is a new friend of mine, I am John Blake, " he says with an air of self importance, clearly everyone in town knows this local fish.

"While I'm afraid Mr. Mclarrain is much too busy to see you before the parade, perhaps you'd care to accompany me during it? I'll arrange for you to speak with him during the Evenin' sometime. There's to be a picnic supper and a Cotillion Dance with IceCream!"


Streets of Frisco
Balley Sackett chuckled,
"'Miss, you are a rare one. I reckon I can bring you most of those later this evening. I'll drop them by when I come see Alpha Panda later on tonight. Of course, I'll have to haggle on them.'

His smile indicates he's looking forward to it.

"I'd be mighty obliged actually, Would you be so kind as to accompany me to the Parade a little later this afternoon? Accompany by my Barn, y'ken check for the housing y'kneed and write me a list. I have a little project that that I think you'd really enjoy…"

[Shadow_Elf]

Greg
J.W.'s Vessel's Exterior
The tactician nods. "I'd hafta make sure the Cap'n won't be needin' me, but shouldn't be no issue, far as I can see. Provided the Cap'n ain't in need a my presence, I'll meet y'all out here just 'fore the parade starts, pod.

[Adlan]

Later
The ParadeLater.
The band is playing. The ladies of Frisco are all pretty once more and the gentlemen of the town are sweating in their suits. And JW is finally available, emerging from his ship.

The town council has planned – under the direction of Nora Blake and her Ladies Celebration Committee – an extensive and prolonged program of events that will keep J. W. busy well into the night. The celebrating starts with a stately parade up the length of Main Street ending at the bank. J. W. will be last in line, moving at a slow walk in Balley Sacket’s incredibly beautiful carriage, the 'little' project is his pride and joy. More speeches and presentations will then take place in Burke’s Hall. These will last well into the evening, ending in a picnic supper in Sweetside and a cotillion dance with ice cream back in Blake’s Hall.

Greg accompanies the Town's Bank Manager, John Blake, and is sitting pretty. There's some slight concern as Balley has yet to arrive, but As Balleys' Carriage hoves into view with Alpha Panda's own Lei in the assistant groom's spot, the gaudy monstrosity of a horse drawn form of locomotion drives unto it's assigned position at the back of the parade.

Blake dismounts, and begins checking the horses, all seem's well, until suddenly a hoof lashes out, and Balley is bellowing in pain and curses. Limping back to Lei, he hurriedly confers with her.
"Take the Carriage to Lawrences Saloon, as soon as JW is onboard, and I'll not charge a silver for all the parts you want."
Medical attention is running over, and Balley submits to their ministrations as JW. tipping his hat to the cheers of the crowd, advances towards to Carriage.

[Lentrax]

Sia
Frisco Town

Cole! It's... It's beautiful! You shouldn't have! Sia exclaimed, looking at her reflection.

thank the Black, it weren't a ring. I don't think I could have handled that kind of gift. Not yet.

The doctor beamed as she turned back to her lover. She snaked her arms around his neck, and kissed him, long and deep. When she finally broke off, she looked up into his eyes, a very impish grin spreading on her face.

You know, my love, I am going to have to repay you for this somehow... Tonight.

[Erasmas]

Cole
Streets of Frisco Town

Whew... she likes it... oh... she really likes it!... the soldier thought to himself as he received his thanks. His own grin mirrored that of the doctor's.

"You know, with all of the chung wha jui highfalutin' that's going on tonight... we likely could head back to the Panda after dinner - we'd probably have to whole ship to ourselves."

[Space Lawyer]

Lei
Atop Balley's carriage

Lei looks upon the massive beasts with awe. Driving a multi-hundred-ton ship was one thing, but these were real, live horses! They were more finicky than a fusion drive with a faulty output stabilizer! Despite her trepidation, and the still omnipresent planetary gravity, she feels a good deal of her natural giddiness return. She grins at Balley through the crowd of medical personnel. "I've never driven a carriage before, but I'll give it my best!"

She draws herself up to all of her diminutive height, trying her best to look like a proper carriage driver. "Are you ready to depart, Mr.Representative?"

[Adlan]

Streets Of Frisco

Cole and the good lady Doctor could hear a commotion across the streets of Frisco, the band was striking up and the parade was starting.

Atop Balley's Carriage
The local made good, the richest man in town, and quite possibly on the planet made his way into the rear seat. Smiling and waving to the crowd, he notes the attractive young pilot in a ships suit, and nods a greeting to what he sees as another agent of the Godfather.

As Lei takes the reins, the horses pick up the pace a little, and the Band subconsciously increase in tempo to keep up with the carriage.

[Space Lawyer]

Lei
Atop the carriage

Lei thinks to herself about the best way to do this. These horses were enormous, and if they wanted to go somewhere, there wasn't much her tiny body would be able to do to stop them. Wait, animals were supposed to be comforted by talking to them, right? She leans forward, and in her brightest and cheeriest voice (not all that difficult to muster, given her excitement), speaks to the big animals. They probably didn't speak Chinese though, given the cultural base of the planet. "Hello, horsies! I'm Lei! How are you doing today? Look at you, all big and strong! You're so pretty. I'm going to hold these reins for a bit, because we have somewhere very important to go. You should be nice and friendly to me, and behave yourselves. If you do, I promise I'll find you each a big carrot to eat afterwards."

Willpower (getting the horses to do what she wants) + Animal Handling modified by Sweet and Cheerful (0 skill, but modified +2 steps)

1d6

+

1d4

Alertness + Perception to notice if the animals are about to suddenly bolt

1d10

+

1d6