Return of the Runaway Bride
City Market - Paquin =>Paquin<=
This building is more like a large warehouse of assorted fleamarkets rather than a 'normal' general store. There are various stalls and vendors littered about the area hawking their goods ranging from basic foodstuffs all the way to parts that were 'legitimately' salvaged from across the 'Verse. Small groups of gypsies and travelers wander through the makeshift grid of stalls, talking and bartering with one another.
Kit is poking at items in the fleamarket as she waits for Esther. Her old captain, bless his stinky feet, was a good man but wanted that island paradise dream for himself, unfortunately it left Kit without a job. She's a bit old to be a junior engineer, but that she can also use a gun a bit makes up for it at times. Tall, as she is, the woman often stands out in a crowd. It also makes it easier to look for people. <English>
Esther isn't so tall. However, she also manages to stand out. The latina sword carrying woman moves through the crowd to the meet-up point. Once there, Esther reaches up to pluck a pair of mirrored shades from her face. She slowly looks about as if looking for someone. <English>
Kit is where she said she would be, next to a man flogging holophotos of kittens. Why these are popular she doesn't know, but it seems to be something people will buy as the man isn't yet out of business. Her own eyes are uncovered. She spots Esther and inclines her head. "You look just like Cappy said you would. Well if you're Esther anyway." She offers her hand. For an engineer it's remarkably unblemished. "Kit." <English>
Esther turns her gaze to look to Kit and then a smile crosses her features. "Ah! Nice to meet you." A hand is extended and she grips firmly, surprisingly so for a woman of much shorter stature. "I am Esther." She dips her head politely. "You are interested in the junior engineer slot? Doesn't mean you are a junior or makes any slight of your abilities. But, Storn has been holding it down for some time now. You will like him. He is a nice fellow." <English>
"I am interested. Cappy spoke really highly of you and said if you would take me on I'd never have a boring day and would learn a lot." Kit shifts her backpack higher up on her shoulder. "Hey, I am taking no offense at the title. I have a lot to learn still and I know it. I came late to the game, so to speak." She smiles, but there is a faint flicker of something behind it, an unspoken reason for her being older than most, okay nearly all, junior engineers. <English>
Esther smiles. "Well. I am happy to have you on board. Speaking of, if you want, I should show you the ship. It is really small and we are a bit cramped. But.. I am working on that. I intend to get a bigger ship. A Firefly. But, for now home is the small little Hornet." There is a pause. "We have a few enemies. So, you would have to be comfortable with a certain danger level." <English>
Kit seems relieved. Good work, from someone trustworthy isn't always easy to come by. "I don't mind having to sleep with a gun, in a way I prefer it." She moves away from the odd stall with it's kitten pictures and sets to follow Esther. "I have nobody chasing me, my record is clean." In case she was worried. Some are, some aren't. <English>
Esther smiles. "Well, that is good. We have plenty of people chasing us. We really don't need more. Though.. at least it isn't the law chasing us, but bonified bad guys. Slavers, drug runners.. that sort of people. We dared to take a stand against them. I can't promise that you won't get shot or stabbed ever while on my crew. But.. the medical expenses will always be paid for." <English>
Esther leads her to the ship. "We have a rather eclectic group of individuals here on the ship. My first mate follows the old code of the Vikings from Earth that was. He is a bit harsh at times, but will give his life to protect you." She gestures to a door. "That is the engine room. I am sure you will be spending quite some time in it." She gestures to the fore, "Everything else is that way. Though, if you do not mind, I need to check on my pilot. He umm.. got bit by a snake." <English>
"Oh? I know a bit of first aid if you want me to tag along," offers Kit as she looks around. She doesn't touch anything, just looks. "Snake...was he out walking where he shouldn't be or did he lose a bet?" <English>
Esther looks back, "Oh we umm.. went to a cave. There were five foot tall spiders and twenty feet long serpents. That's all.." She gestures dismissively with her hand. Though, her tone.. she is serious. "We believe they were some radioactive mutant experiment from hell or something... You are welcome to join me. Might as well as meet the crew." <English>
Radioactive mutant spiders...yeah that does give Kit a little bit of a pause. Not something you see everyday, at least not in her experience. She slips her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "Wonder if there is a market for their venom...," she muses. <English>
This room has been converted into a Med Bay..with all the necessary medical eqiupement including but not limited to a Doctor bed, a dental chair, and an autoclave for sterilizing medical and dental tools. Cabinets have been put in that hold all kinds of medical things...gauze bandages of all sizes and shapes plus medicines of all kinds...from nasal anihistamines to some really powerful pain killers. The room has been repainted white and actually smells like an ER room much like one would find in any hospital on any planet. There's also two beds aside from the Doctor Bed for any patients to rest in. There are two tables, on magnetic wheels, for the use by any doctor or dentist using this facility.
Conoger looks at Esther as she walks in and then see's the woman behind her, there is a look of possibly been impressed or just a dumb look of awe in his eyes. Then he grins and nods to Esther. " Well, that was my own doing, always got into shit when i was younger." then Conoger extends his hand out towards Kit. " I'm Conoger, second in command, chief security and viking." he says all this like he is proud. <English>
Kit stops in the doorway and looks first at the man in the horned hat and quirks a brow. She is focused on him for now and just glances briefly at the man on the bed because part of him is obscured by the frame of the rather large man whom she presumes probably has another eye under that hair. "Hello," she says shaking his hand firmly. "Kit. Nice to meet you. I do a bit of security dabbling if needs be too." She flashes him a friendly grin and then asks the pair of them, "Where did the pilot get bit?" <English>
Riley comes to again for just a very brief moment. He always did have a high tolerance for these sorta things. He sits up a little as his blurred vision struggles to focus through the dope induced haze. He makes out that the Captain has returned, but there is someone behind her. Another second and the other woman comes into focus. Riley turns white as a sheet. Like he's seen a ghost. "Kkki-Kitrina" he manages to whisper and then swoons. His head hits the bed hard and he's out cold. <English>
Esther watches the interaction between Conoger and Kit. She smiles as introductions are made. When Riley sits up, looking pale, she blinks. "Hey.. you two know each other?" She says, looking back to Kit. <English>
She has to lean to the side to see him, but when she does Kit's blue eyes go wide. Her mind whirls around the possibilities; how to handle this situation. What to say, what he'd want her to say, what he wouldn't...she licks her lips, the tip of her tongue running nervously over them. Her gaze flits to Esther, her new boss and then to Conoger and she says, "You could say that." Her brows furrow, drawing together over her eyes, "How ill is he?" <English>
Conoger nods to the new woman and smiles. " Good to know, for the longest I was the only security." then he hears Riley and blinks and hears him. Then finally he looks back to Kit and blinks. Obviously this is something that was in the heavens. " Well, lucky I suppose. As for his bite, it ain't not to bad, patched it up as best I could but the docs need to come and see him. Stubborn fool would be trying to walk again and cause more injury and drink more booze too." <English>
Esther frowns thoughtfully. She looks to Riley and makes her way to him, checking on her crew member. She has an odd sort of maternal nature at the moment. A blanket is taken and spread over the man as he is now unconscious. She isn't sure if it was from the bonk on the head or the medication that Conoger gaze him. "Is Chloe still on Jiangyin?" She asks Conoger. "I am not sure where Iniana is." <English>
There is a hesitancy about Kit which wasn't there before, but even still she moves further into the room. She looks down at the now blanket covered Riley and frowns. "He looks different...," she says aloud without realising it. The names Esther uses have no meaning to her, but nevertheless prompt her to ask, "Is one of them is girlfriend?" <English>
Conoger looks at Kit and then Esther. " Chloe is at Jiangyin a far as I know. As for Iniana, she may be at the manor, I'm not sure, not sure at all actually." then Conoger hears Kit and asks if any where Riley's girlfriends and chuckles lightly. " As far as I know, he does not have any, though he tries as far as I know to get his fill of fun." <English>
Esther snorts. "Tries, but is not at all successful." She says to Conoger. "He got kicked out of the Captain's Retreat for trying.." She smirks. "But," There is a pause as she looks to Kit, "It was all in distraction." Looking to Riley and back to her, "How is it you know him?" <English>
"We grew up together," answers Kit. "I haven't seen him since...in a long time." She realises her hands were moving out towards Riley and she pulls them back, shoving them into her pockets. She suddenly smiles a little, "He was much younger and didn't have a beard then. It seems strange seeing him with one." The tall brunette takes a deep breath and then looks at Conoger, "Will he be unconscious for long?" <English>
Conoger looks towards Riley and then to Esther. Finally he looks to Kit and nods slowly. " Interesting, yes indeed. As for him...he will be out for a while, he needs to rest and stay put." then he winks to Esther and Kit. " NO worries, he will survive and cause trouble again." then he starts to walk out. " Now, I best go and take care of things, should be back sometime tomorrow." <English>
Esther gives a sideways, a suddenly knowing glance as she looks to Kit. It is as if she has put a thing or two together. But, she remains respectfully quiet. Her gaze then turns to Conoger, "If you need anything, let me know." She says. "I am just an icom call away." She gives him a small smile." <English>
"It was nice meeting you," Kit says to Conoger and then adds as an aside, "And er, nice hat." She then looks back down at the slumbering Riley, a frown marring her features. <English>
Conoger looks at Esther and nods ot her. " Alright, no worries, should be back by tomorrow." then he looks to Kit and grins. " It's a helm and it's awesome." then he walks out, simply adjusting his helm slightly and whistling as he leaves. <English>
Esther looks to the departing form of Conoger, a gentle smile on her features. There is a look of fondness. But when he is gone, her attention turns to Kitt. "Well, he should be fine for now. I am going to fly us to Jiangyin to get a hold of Chloe. She is one of the docs on the ship. She is a really good doc." She reaches out and pats her on the arm. "You are welcome to join me on the bridge. Or if you wish to stay here with him.. Make yourself comfortable either way." <English>
Kit thinks about it and the says, "I think I'd rather see more of the ship. Knowing, Ri, he probably thinks I'm a hallucination anyway." She smirks a little, "Or a nightmare." Her hand still slips out of her pocket and reaches over to touch his face, or more specifically that beard she finds so odd on him - but only for a moment for she catches herself doing it and shoves her hand back into her pocket. "Also maybe show me where I might bunk down later? I don't mind if it's a small corner somewhere." <English>
Esther smiles. "Well. Most of the men bunk in the second bunk. You can bunk down in the third bunk. Iniana stays in the medical bay and Storn and his wife stay in Engineering." She says softly. "Though, wherever you are comfortable. Got a few pull out couches in the commons too." She winks. "I have really overcrowded the little boat. I just really hate saying no to a person in need of work. But, we will get more room once I get that Firefly. It's just.. taking foreverrr." She dims the light a bit to make it easier for Riley to rest. <English>
Kit nods as Esther explains where everybody sleeps. "I'll just find some space," she says and moves towards the door. She gives Riley one last look and taking a deep breath leaves the medbay. <English>
Esther smiles. "We will take care of him. Jiangyin is only a couple hours away. I'll be on the bridge if you need me."
