Jennifer rossum/logs/npc4

Babbage is lying on a couch, passed out, with some steamy romance novel propped open on his chest. Judging by the cover art, this one's about archaeologists. Epona is cooking food at the microwave. Babbage rolls over, mumbles something about dusting off a hidden treasure, and tightly grasps a pillow that he's got near his head. <English>

Usagi comes back in looking rather dusty...apparently she'd been somewhere else for the time. She raises her hat and smiles at the two present, taking her duster off and heading for the front hallway. "Gimmie a sec, ah'll be right back. Jus gunna get changed a bit first" <English>

Epona pauses for a moment, turning away from the microwave to peer suspiciously at Usagi. "You-- oh, hey, welcome back!" she calls out towards the woman, tone equal parts surprise and pleasantness. "Babs, oy, wake up!" she calls towards the dreaming man. <English>

"Sometimes it takes a man's /vigor/ to open the temple's doors," Babbage mutters in his sleep, "But sometimes, all you need is the finesse of a woman's--" His eyes pop open when Epona's words hit him, and he stares down at the book with a disgusted look on his face. Babbage picks up the book and tosses it at Epona (it's a paperback and he's not throwing it hard, so there's little chance of it hurting -- /if/ it even hits her). In a teasing tone he says, "I'm never reading one of those things again!" He turns his head to Usagi. "Nice to see you again." <English>

Usagi stops at the door as he hears those words, and turns around to look at Epona. "Darlin, what on earth have ya been teachin the poor boy? Cause ah don't remember that kinda stuff in adventure books...at least not the normal kind" She grins a bit and heads into the hallway. She soon emerges later with a fresh set of clothes in hand, and a towel in the other. <English>

Epona holds up her hands and faces Usagi, as though defending herself. Mind you, the imagery is somewhat diluted by the way she's half bent-over, giggling up a storm. "I...I," she fairly whimpers, "didn't teach him.../anything/!" Moving carefully, she wipes the tears from her eyes, bends down to pick up the book, and...starts to titter some more. <English>

Footsteps can be heard working their way up from the medbay, and soon Sam's face can be seen. She's wearing an expression dread, like she's about to face her executioner. She looks at everyone present. "I . . . um . . . there's some things I think I should tell you all."

Babbage skeptically eyes Epona. "Sure, you didn't teach me anything." When Sam shows up, he turns to her with a concerned look on his face. <English>

Usagi stops long enough to put everything on the table and puts her hand down at her gun. "We're listenin" Her face has gone to dead serious in a heartbeat. She's not joking around right now. <English>

Terrible timing, on Sam's part-- though despite the book, Epona still manages to reign in that giggling and goofy expression, replacing it with a simple, soft smile. "Yeah?" she offers the scared girl. "You alright?" <English> Sam stares at Usagi's gun for a moment, and her expression grows even more fearful. "I haven't been entirely honest with you guys. My real name is Jennifer Rossum." She points at her face. "My parents didn't do this to me. I did it myself so you'd believe my story . . ." The color starts to leave her face, and her voice drops off as she just stares at Usagi's gun.

Babbage stares at Usagi, trying to gauge her reaction to all this. <English>

Usagi looks at the kid for a few moments, then sighs softly as her shoulders relax and her hand drops away from her firearm. "Good grief hun, ah thought ya were gunna say there was an assassin or somethin after ya, geez..." She takes a seat at the table and waves for Sam to continue. <English>

Epona stares at Usagi for a moment, before glancing back at Sam with a little cough. "Huh, was expecting something a little worse. From 'sagi, I mean," she mutters. "Guess the best question here would be 'why'?" she asks evenly. <English>

Sam (Or Jennifer) lets out a sigh of relief when she sees that hand move away from the firearm. "No assassins. Just cops. I kinda have a death sentence out there." She takes in a breath to mentally prepare herself for what she's about to say. "I'm an actress at a small theater on Persephone -- doesn't pay too well. I was gonna get kicked out of my apartment . . . I was desperate--" She suddenly bursts into tears. "I didn't /mean/ to kill them. The gun was just supposed to scare them, I don't even know why it went off!" She curls into a little ball on the floor.

Babbage bites his lip and looks away from the group. <English>

Walking into the Common Area from the direction, Kell seems to have just woken up from a nap as he enters with his arms raised up as if he was stretching. His steps slow to a stop as his eyes blink, looking at the four present. He seems to have caught the tail end of the conversation of Sam who is now Jennifer but for now he remains silent since the Captain and XO is present. When she basically confesses to murder though, Kell begins to frown as his hand reaches back for his sidearm, casually flicking the safety off but not drawing his weapon just yet. <English>

Usagi closes her eyes for a moment. She opens them up and glares daggers at Babbage for several moments before getting up from her chair and heading for the bridge. "Babs, get her hot. Now" <English>

And now it's time for Epona to relax. "Aaah-- cops." She shrugs a little bit, before slowly stepping forward towards the girl. A glance is given to Babbage, a small, reassuring smile-- as is a polite nod towards Kell --before she rather simply sits down within range of Sammifer. "Hey, hey, don't worry 'bout it," she murmurs, reaching out to simply touch the girl's shoulder. <English> Babbage gives Usagi an apologetic look, then sprints off to the engine room.

Jennifer looks around, confused. She had expected to be kicked off the ship or worse. She watches as the captain runs off and the engineer does the same, leaving Epona and Kell. Her conscience isn't clear yet, though. She looks at Epona, who seems to be the more sympathetic of the group. "I heard you guys talk a 'Bonnaventure' that's missing parts. Th-that's not a Harpoon is it?" There's a tone of shame in her voice as she silently prays that the answer to her question is 'no'. <English>

Usagi stops long enough at the doorway to say. "Yea. She is" She heads into the cockpit, likely knowing what Jennifer's about to do, but nonetheless continuing forward into the cockpit. "Dammit all..." <English>

As the others disappear to get the ship ready, Kell looks over to Epona for a second before glancing back at Jennifer as he folds his arms across his chest as he listens to Usagi answer the girl. He adds his own questions as he studies the girl in a new light now, "Why, have you heard of her?" There is a slight pause before he tosses another question at the girl, his tone isn't threatening or menacing but more to get the facts straight, "Did you bring the gun with you and do you have any weapons on you?" <English>

Epona gives a sloooooow nod. "Yeah, yeah it is. There's plenty of Harpoon's out there though, why?" she asks, trying to remain comforting-- while at the same time seeming almost to both know and dread the answer. She looks up to Kell and smiles weakly at the man; "Nice to see you again. How're /you/ doing?" she softly murmurs, equal parts sarcasm and sincerity. As he asks his question, she returns her gaze to Jennisam, eyeing her quietly. <English>

"I don't have any weapons." Jennifer says with a quivering voice, "I tossed the gun in a trash can and ran off. I think that's how the cops figured out it was me." She turns to Epona. "There's this guy I know, really into shady stuff. He hooked me up with someone who said he could help me make this all go away . . . but before he would help me, he made me help him steal some parts. Stuff to re-sell on the black market, I guess." <English>

Glancing momentarily at Epona, Kell gives her a nod of reassurance, "Doing good, the usual." His attention is focused more or less on Jennifer though as she answers him. The answer to the whereabouts of her weapon seems to satisfy the Security Officer since he doesn't interrupt her. When her story begins to unravel though, Kell's brows furrow slightly, listening to the details as they develop. <English>

Epona nods once more, either as a completely non-judgmental gesture, or for lack of much of.../anything/ to say. "...sounds vaguely karmic," she distractedly murmurs, adding; "Go on?" <English>

Jennifer shrugs. "Then I came in here and hid. He told me I should hide here until you guys go to Boros, and stay there until the cops stop investigating. He said I should bruise up my face, and make up some story to earn your sympathy if I'm caught." She wipes a tear away from her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Babbage steps in from the engine room, where he'd most likely been listening to the entire conversation. <English>

"So what made you change your mind to tell us what's going on instead of just going along with the plan?" Kell asks, somewhat surprised by her confession and her apparent tearful honest. For now he doesn't probe about who this suspicious character is just yet. <English>

Epona quietly listens, waiting for the answer. <English>

Jennifer chews on her lips, then glances toward the Cortex screen. "If my face isn't on the news yet, it will be soon."

Babbage stares at the door to the engine room, pondering whether or not to go in there and talk to her. For now, he decides to stay in the commons. <English>

"So what else is suppose to happen, are you suppose to meet up with that guy again?" Kell asks, perhaps trying further the investigation along for more information. <English>

Epona leans back somewhat; "Why? I mean-- why d'you think you'll be on the news? Unless it was /really/ obvious you'd done the shooting," she muses under her breath. "Well-- yeah, what Kell said. Any way we could find out 'bout this guy? He doesn't sound terribly...wholesome, yaknow?" <English>

Jennifer shakes her head. "I have a throw-away Cortex address. He'll wave me when it's safe to come back. Until then, I have no way to get a hold of him."

Babbage listens to all of this, but doesn't say anything. <English>

"So... he'll leave you a message on the address of when and where you are to meet him?" Kell asks, already formulating possible plans in his head for the future to catch the mastermind behing the saboutage. "And is he alone or does he have others working with him?" <English>

A voice calls out from up front. "We're in the black. Someone wanna come tell me what the heck's goin on while we get situated?" <English>

Epona stifles something of a dry laugh as she slowly gets up, stretching and crackling her back in the process. "I'm making tea. Y'all want some?" she offers, turning about and moving to the kitchen as she keeps on talking. "'sagi, I can fly us if you want to come back and chat 'bout all this-- we're workin' this stuff out right now. Long story short; don't stop for the pigs and floor that mo-fo." Her voice drops, and she glances back. "On /that/ note...what d'you want us to do?" she asks Jennifer innocently. <English>

Jennifer shrugs. "I don't know if he's gonna meet me or just tell me what to do via Cortex. He was alone when I saw him, but that doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't have others working with him." She turns to Epona. "If you could drop me off on Boros, I can disappear from your lives for ever." She gives a small nod at the offer of tea.

Babbage walks into the cockpit. He quietly apologizes to Usagi. "I'm sorry. I made my first major command decision, and I fucked it up bigtime." <English>

"Do you have a name?" Kell asks, trying to dig up more information on who the perpertrators may be in case the Captain does decide to drop her off on Boros. He doesn't go as far as to ask her to let them know when he contacts her though since it isn't his decision to make. <English>

Usagi shakes her head and continues to pilot the ship. "Live an learn, Babs. We ain't gunna get caught. We just gotta find a quiet place t'set down at...and see what we'll do next" She doesn't seem to look at him at all, instead focusing on piloting. <English>

"Oy!" Epona calls out towards Babbage; "You didn't fuck it up, you showed compassion, tap tap no debate-backs." Mind you, she says all this absolutely seriously and matruely, as though 'no debate-backs' were a formal argumentative technique. Back to Jennifer, the woman nods. "I'm not sure that we're just gonna /ditch/ you, but I'm not sure that we're /not/, either. That being said...is there anything, /anything/ else you know? Any information would help us at this point..." <English>

"Thespis." Jennifer replies flatly, "But I think that might be a fake name." She shakes her head at Epona. "I really don't know anything. I just figured he got off on being all mysterious-like. But I guess he was just covering himself in case I get caught . . ."

Babbage nods to Usagi and sits down at an open seat. He pulls up a sensor report. "Well . . . I don't see anyone following us." He turns his head toward the commons and prepares to say something, but that 'no debate-backs' shuts him up real quick. <English>

Usagi snorts at Epona's statement, shaking her head. She says rather quietly, mostly where only Babs can hear her. "Fer now...jus wait till later..." She finally sets the autopilot on, and gets up to head back to the commons. "So here's a question fer ya...how'd you get in contact with that guy in the first place? Did he meet ya while ya were runnin, or what?" <English>

"Thespis," Epona repeats softly, expression suggesting some level of recognition. "/Swear/ that's a Shakespearean term. Thes-- thespian, maybe? Ionno. It's a silly name either way," she mutters, glancing up as Usagi returns-- only to turn her gaze back to Jennifer, awaiting a response. <English>

"Some actor who works in the same theater as me told me to meet him." Jenny answers.

Babbage follows Usagi into the commons. Something about the word 'thespian' makes him snicker, which he tries to cover up with a cough. He turns to Usagi. "Should we contact the Bonaventure?" <English>

Usagi nods to Babs. "Yea. Go let 'em know" She takes a seat and swivels to face Jennifer. "Where'd ya put the parts at, if ya dun mind mah askin?" <English>

Epona slowly muds, murmuring; "Don't suppose you could put us in contact with the actor who chatted with you? Tell us where to look for them?" she asks, with that sort of tone that almost /screamed/ 'it's scooby time.' She opens her mouth again for /more investigating/-- but quickly shuts it at Usagi's question, deeming that to be exponentially better than 'was your contact wearing glasses?' <English>

Jennifer (who used to be known as Sam) stares at Usagi for a moment. "I gave them to Thespis. I'm assuming means to sell them." Her eyes widen. "Maybe you could find the parts on the black market and . . . somehow trace them to him? Or I could contact you when I hear from Thespis?" She turns to Epona. "The actor was Eddie Derkstra. All he told me was that some weird dude handed him an envelope to give me."

Babbage takes a step away from the crowd and starts talking on his iCom. <English>

[246.80 MHZ] Babbage transmits, "XO Charlie to Bonaventure, we found who stole your parts. Her name is Jennifer Rossum, we all know her as Sam. We're in space right now, trying to figure out what to do." <English>

[246.80 MHZ] Unknown says, " Roger that, Charlie. Does she still have the parts somewhere?" <English>

[246.80 MHZ] Babbage transmits, "No, she gave them to some guy calling himself 'Thespis'. He offered to help her hide from the cops, and she helped him steal some parts in exchange." <English>

[246.80 MHZ] Unknown says, " (muttered curse) Acknowledged. Get her full story, and +wave it to me. Then we'll decide whether to hand her over to the Feds. Over and Out." <English>

[246.80 MHZ] Babbage transmits, "Typing it up and sending it now. Captain Rabbit doesn't sound like she's planning to send her off to the feds, but I could be wrong." <English>

Babbage starts franticly typing something on his PDA. <English>

Epona gives something of a little shrug; "Couldn't hurt to talk to him, right?" she asks noone in particular. "I, uh..." She trails off for a moment, before smiling at Babbage; "I'm gonna go look up something real quick-- you mind?" <English> Babbage arches an eyebrow at Epona's cryptic and almost ominous comment, then gives her a nod and a wave. "Yeah, talk to you later." He presses a button on his PDA to transmit whatever he was typing. <English>

[246.80 MHZ] Babbage transmits, "Okay. Sent." <English>

Usagi mutters something into her comm, but otherwise seems to rather be listening to those around them. "Jus keep yer head down...alright?" <English>

[246.80 MHZ] Unknown says, "We'll see what happens." <English>

Danniella walks into the common area slowly. She is feeling a bit odd. She looks around the room at every one. She blinks and makes her way to the couch. <English>

Jennifer quietly nods to Usagi. "I plan on keeping a low profile. And I'll do whatever you want . . . I can stay with you and try to help you find 'Thespis', or I can get off at Boros and be out of your lives for ever."

Babbage stares at Usagi, waiting to see what decisions she makes. <English>

Usagi hmms softly. "Stay on. Ya got us into this little mess, yer gunna help see us through it. Stay on ship unless you absolutely have t'leave" She picks up her spare clothes on the table, as well as the towel to head to the shower. <English>

Danniella watches Usagi and B. SHe is very silent as she sits on the couch just watching people. <English>

Jennifer smiles at Usagi. "Thank you. Thank you /so/ much. I'll do whatever I can to help get Bonaventure's parts back. And if there's anything else I can do for you, just ask."

Babbage nods in agreement with Usagi's decision. He lifts a hand to give Danni a brief wave, but is otherwise silent. <English>

Danniella waves back to B. She looks doown at the floor then back up to be. She has an odd expresion on her face. <English>

Danniella waves back to B. She looks doown at the floor then back up to be. She has an odd expresion on her face. <English>

Jennifer sits quietly at the kitchen table for now.

Babbage walks over to Danni, and gives a concerned look when he sees her facial expression. "Something bothering you?" <English>

Danniella shrugs as she looks at B, "Not really, I just feel..... odd." She looks at Jennifer and then back at B. "I'm not sure why I feel odd and can't seem to figure out why. I don't feel bad, just odd." She shrugs again. <English>

Babbage nods to Danni. He tilts his head. "You think it has something to do with Redcrow? I know something like that would make me feel a bit odd." <English>

Danniella shakes her head, "No. I know how I feel about him. I just feel odd. I mean I don't even feel like cooking. At all." She looks at B. <English>

Babbage shrugs. "I guess we all have days where we feel like that. We can make our own food for a a day or two, if you want." <English>