A Defiant 'Verse - In Character II by Defiant2thelast

Ava was at a loss. She had been stranded here, on this hell of a skyplex, for a week now, and she drastically needed to find a way off of it. Not drastic enough to call on whom she could very easily rely on, nor did she want to do any favors to buy passage on to a ship. She wanted things to be honest, though she believed her work was honest, just in a difference sense. Slightly contradictory by nature, but adorable to boot. Which could in turn be her downfall currently as she finally reached the start of the stretch of ships docked at the Thebarton Skyplex.

Heels clicking almost inaudibly due to the bustle around her, it appeared that she would have to act fast as the majority were closing down and shipping out. A soft frown graced her lips as she rubbed her torso with the palm of her hand, pausing near a firefly. Pursing her lips, she continued on by the ship, head turning as she noticed a group of people right inside. Her interest piqued as she continued by, eyes straying from where she should be looking causing her to run into... someone. Her body tensed slightly as the person grabbed her arms, startled while her eyes frantically reverted their attention on to what was at hand.

The smell of body odor and week old cheese hit her as she opened her mouth to apologize, closing her lips tightly while pulling away from the man in front of her. The look in his eyes disturbed her greatly, and his appearance made it that much worse. "Didja git lost girlie?" She only made eye contact for a brief moment before looking down, brushing her hand along her dress as she straightened it out, blinking a few times at his... question.

"Not lost sir, just distracted," brown orbs glanced in the direction of the firefly nearby that had caught her eye before returning her gaze to the dirty, fat man in front of her. "My apologies, I was not paying enough attention to where I was walking, instead daydreaming of finding passage away from here," she winced softly at her own words, chewing down on her bottom lip. This couldn't possibly end well, with that look he was giving her, it was obvious he knew what she was.

"Passage eh?" he inquired with a disturbing quirk to his grin, showing off the stains on the remaining teeth that he had. Ava just stood there, somewhat shocked, and somewhat frightened by the possibility of what might happen. Even after being here for a week she had managed to steer clear of any danger, since most of the stronger men were willing to play bodyguard in exchange for money or dinner, but this moment was not nearly as innocent as those prior.

The grotesque man glanced over his shoulder at the wreck of a ship, and she began to notice more crew members of a similar fashion start to appear. "Me an' me crew could uh, would be more'n happy ta give ya passage," he snorted greasily, looking at Ava directly before his eyes wandered down her figure, "Fer jist a lil' help."

Her face paled as she quickly covered her mouth with slender fingers, looking away from him before saying quietly "Oh my god I threw up in my mouth a little." Her body started to turn with her gaze when the man abruptly reached out to brush his hand rather forcefully along her arm before gripping her wrist to turn her around. She yelped at the force, not completely prepared for what had just happened so fell right against him, and his ripeness made her eyes roll back. "I dun believe we was finished talkin'," he sneered at her, pulling her dangerously close for comfort.

Her brow quirked at his remark before she reacted, slamming her heel down onto his foot and her knee into his groin. Ava didn't wait a moment longer to even try and support his fall before she was heading toward the closest, hopefully secure, place with people inside of it. As her shoes hurriedly clicked along the ramp, she made a mental note to personally thank her self defense teacher when she got a chance.

Hurrying along, she lifted her eyes, realizing she was in front of the firefly again, with a group of five people at the airlock. One, bearing a large framed backpack, was apparently entering, the other two, both women, stood facing the two men in the airlock's frame. There were many things crossing her mind as she bunched up the golden skirt of her dress as she made her way up to the airlock, noting their postures and the looks upon two of the males faces. It appeared that this may be the perfect place for her to find safety.

Closing in on the doorway leading from the outside in, Ava paused, letting the dress fall back to the ground as she lifted a hand to gently knock, as it were, on the outer frame of the door. "Excuse me..." she asked softly, the remainder of her question trailing off as she looked between all five of them as their eyes fell on her. Well now she felt slightly awkward for interrupting, but nothing could be as bad as cheese man implying that she do something to his... never mind that thought, it was better left to rot in the repressed section of her mind.

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Sunday, July 26, 2009 12:37 AM

Dale leant against one of the plasteel crates sitting halfway along the cargo bay, taking in the site of the newcomers. Three of them.
One newcomer, a girl with some pretty scary burns to half her face, was shot down immediately by the captain who'd swaggered up- practically dripping testosterone and command.
Dale was caught somewhere between a scowl and a smirk. Mainly scowl- he'd been blunt, rude and quite possibly wrong in not hiring her.
But.. it was always funny to see the captain be such a ju tou
without realising it.
The gruff, unshaven looking mechanic (if he'd heard correctly) came on confidently and strode by with barely a grunt. Were polite mechanics such a rarity?
He finally gave up on waiting for the captain when he started talking money with the last lady.
Those debates could go for a while.
It was only halfway up the stairs to the walkway that he glanced back.
Had he just heard someones whisper on the wind? Weird, that how polite feminine and properly pronounced (a rarity out here) speech could do that- travel greater distance and overcome babble.
Eyes tracking through the cargo bay door, he saw her.
A beautiful, brown eyed amber haired goddess, framed perfectly by the doorway, bunching up a ruffled silky golden skirt and looking hopefully through the doorway.
He stood, entranced for a moment before his head re-booted and he realized her intentions of boarding. That, and remembered his recent failures with maintaining indifference.
DA-SHIANG BAO-TZA SHR DUH LAH DOO-TZE!

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Monday, July 27, 2009 8:08 PM

Lincoln stood by as Nathan offered Whitmore the job. The left corner of his mouth turning up amused as she counter-offered, this girl knows how to haggle he thought to himself. At least two of the crew had also joined them, though he didn't turn to see who it was, he'd heard their footfalls on the deck plating.

Before the captain replied, he caught movement on the loading ramp and nudged the captain's arm subtly with his elbow. Not waiting for a response he moved casually around the others, with some effort as they were practically inside the doorway, and out the door, coming face to face with the newcomer. He made sure to move slightly to the left of the door, to allow Nathan to see the goings on, as well as to avoid the appearance of intimidation.

"Morning ma'am, can I help you?"

He held out a large hand, smiling as he considered her. She appeared out of place in the rabble of poverty that constituted the majority of the Skyplex citizenry. She seemed uncomfortable and he suspected she was possibly having second thoughts about approaching. He noted her attire and wondered briefly if she was an associate of Ainsley, or perhaps the doctor.

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"Progress doesn't come from early risers — progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." Robert A. Heinlein

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Tuesday, July 28, 2009 9:28 AM

Lincoln made sure to move slightly to the left of the door, to allow Nathan to see the goings on, as well as to avoid the appearance of intimidation.

"Morning ma'am, can I help you?" the man asked, as he held out a large hand, smiling as he considered her.

Ava smiled softly as a man approached her, eyes glancing back to the group then down at her hands as she nervously picked at a loose string on her bodice. She needed to fix that when all of this was said and done, but now back to the topic at hand. "I don't mean to interrupt," reaching out to return his handshake with delicate fingers barely noticing the man recovering from the knee she gave him.

"I was curious if you were taking on passengers, and perhaps if you were that I may acquire a room?" she side stepped so that her back was to the door, eyes able to keep track of the disgusting creature grunting about nearby. Allow she wasn't necessarily frightened of the man, she did not want that thing to tarnish her possibilities of boarding this ship.

Although the Defiant was nothing special to her at this direct moment, it was enough to be her ticket away from here, and away from the possibility of having to deal with more people like that man. Uncivilized to boot and unaware that things needed to be paid for or fairly traded, not just taken.

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Tuesday, July 28, 2009 7:10 PM

Lincoln glanced over to the piece of go suh docked at the next berth and the fat man seated on his ass, his crew milling about unsure. He had no clue what happened over there but judging from the direction the man was looking and his expression, he began to suspect this young lady had a hand in it. Or something else. He shook her hand politely and let her speak. When she was finished he glanced to Nathan, who was hardly paying attention. He decided to wing it.

"Yes, we have some vacancies. You'd need to speak with the captain, though. He'll just be a moment." He cleared his throat and turned around, saying "As long as you can pay I doubt it'll be a problem."

"Could we maybe take this all inside?" He addressed everyone at the airlock. If she did piss anyone off next door he didn't want to linger around and get caught up in anything.

"You can come in too." He said to the attractive prospective passenger, glancing back. He didn't know who she was but she seemed eager to get inside the ship and away from whatever happened to lead her here. She also looked to have money, and he figured Nathan wouldn't object to another paying passenger.

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"Progress doesn't come from early risers — progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." Robert A. Heinlein

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Friday, July 31, 2009 4:18 AM

DEFIANT2THELAST

KYLE MONAGHAN

Kyle strode through the market hub. The smell of sweat and spices burned his nostrils as he walked around, going through the different stalls and shops tasting and sampling various things that caught his eye. Occasionally he would check the time, rolling up the sleeve of his heavy brown trench coat to reveal a dinky old watch. He smiled to himself as he saw a group of alliance troopers smiling and laughing in restaurant beside him.

NATHAN

Nathan took the hand and shook it, confirming that was the deal. His eyes crawled across the cargo deck, sluggish as weariness set in. He suppressed a groan as yet another hopeful waltzed aboard, adding to the amount of work he’d have to do before lifting off and sleeping. He didn’t care to how pretty the girl was at this moment, it had been nearly thirty-four hours since he’d got any decent sleep. At least it looked like Lincoln was dealing with the initial proceedings.

For now, he had Kasper and Whitmore to deal with. Both of them needed a rack and he had yet to write paper work up for Shade. At least THAT could wait, he was unlikely to be surveyed about the legitimacy of their employment in a war, and even then he’d doubt anyone outside of the Core would bother. Nathan turned slightly so he could see both the new crew members better.

“Okay, so welcome both of you aboard as crew members. I’ll be giving a better briefing once we are all in the air, but I think it’s a more immediate issue of getting you both rooms an-” Nathan struggled to suppress the yawn and caught a glimpse of the bustle outside the Firefly.

Nathan turned about face and went to jab the console to shut the airlock. He couldn’t bare the thought of anymore work for tonight. To think, he’d gone a whole week with barely a murmur. Nathan didn’t get the chance, and the time between the pain and the sudden cold steel of the deck pressing against his cheek did not seem to exist.

KYLE MONAGHAN

Kyle considered himself lucky to have been chosen for such an honor. He counted the final seconds, grateful to know the time at which it would happen. Time seemed to slow, and the world around him became but a minor detail. The click of the second hand consumed his hearing. Then it went black. He felt the intense heat as the roar of each Alliance issue explosive went off, enough to destroy the market district and the merchant docks along side it. He smiled at the thought of the Alliance troopers eating nearby as his body was hurtled in several directions.

Lincolnz: Buttle... to duel with ones buttocks

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Friday, July 31, 2009 5:59 PM

Dale had been mentally cussing when suddenly, Bucket was next to him- offering a breath mint.

His first reaction was reflex acceptance- he did need one right now- and almost had the thing popped in his mouth when he caught himself.
And the pill.

Bucket had a cheeky expectant look on his face, which only got broader when Dale narrowed his eyes.
Bucket was messing with him.
Either this wasnt a breath mint, and it was some sneaky prank, OR he was just testing his nerves and paranoia with a real breath mint and a cheeky expression.
Dale decided-
screw it, nobody is THAT obvious if they're really pranking someone. And in this case at least- better to be bravely stupid than stupidly cowardly.
Dale relaxed, looked Bucket straight in the eye and tossed the little green pill up ready to fall in his open mouth.
He hoped he'd catch it, or else he'd look fairly stupid.
That moment, the green pill suspended at the top of its parabolic arc,
that was when the explosion hit.

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Friday, July 31, 2009 7:00 PM

He was heading towards the door when a feeling washed over him, like a tingling. He'd not remember it later but he felt something, a pressure change, call it what you will but things went to black a fraction of a second later.

The first thing, was it the first or the next?, he noticed was a buzzing, the touch of metal on his temple and forearm. He pushed against the feeling, he felt numb. The buzzing was soft but there was nothing else to accompany it. He tried to open his eyes but realized one was already open when the lights flickered then hummed back on, still fluttering softly in the smoke filled berth. He rolled over, his back to the bulkhead next to the door. Reaching up he felt the unopened eye, it felt wet and sticky. Blood. When did that happen?

"Nhhhgguh..." He groaned and tried to stand on wobbly legs.

The young lady was on the ground next to where he'd landed, he knelt down to check on her and noticed a dark shape at the base of the loading ramp, flat against the floor. There was another figure moving about just beyond that.

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"Progress doesn't come from early risers — progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." Robert A. Heinlein

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Friday, July 31, 2009 7:07 PM

ADDITIONALPYLON

Maurie took his eyes off the captain's back as the man strode away and looked to his left, eyes casting a lingering gaze down the docking berth as he bid his farewell to the skyplex, when a large portion of the bustling crowd suddenly and violently disintegrated into a flash of light and smoke. Moe felt it before he heard it; the pressure wave generated by the detonation rammed hard into him like a wayward semi truck, rattling his bones and sweeping him off his feet like a bowling ball hitting a lone pin.

His world went bright white, and he was flung backwards into the belly of the ship, the suitcases flying from his hands as he went airborne, feet dancing with loose abandon. He came down on the deck at full length, with the thick backpack cushioning his fall, gasping and dazed as his heart kicked back into beating.

He propped himself up on one elbow, his mouth hanging groggily. He tasted soot in the air, and his eyes felt like live coals in their sockets. "What in... 'the hell?" He coughed out a groan, blood trickling from his burst eardrums, and peered through the blur of tears and nausea at the devastation that spread before him. Bodies laid scattered about the smoked-filled hallway, charred, smoking, pulverized, and cobweb cracks spanned the length of the view-way. A deathly chill ran down his spine, and he bawled with all the air he could suffer to force out of his lungs. "Somebody get that door shut 'fore we're all breathing vacuum!"

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Friday, July 31, 2009 7:21 PM

Her eyes strayed between the two men as the one in front of her spoke, wondering how much the captain would take as an offer, or if she would even be allowed on the ship at all. Well obviously she was allowed aboard, but for how long was in question. She hoped things would go over well, work out smoothly, considering the look of distress and sheer exhaustion on the captain's face.

Ava smiled softly when Lincoln motioned her inside, curious as to meet the other faces just inside the airlock. She didn't get the chance however, since something stopped them before they could reach the safety inside.

The girl turned herself partially, looking back to the skyplex in the brief seconds that the explosion happened, and the falling began. She only remembered brightness and a pain in her chest, having landed on her back with a great force. For a moment she gasped for breath in her semi-unconscious state, eyes fluttering as they wanted to close but unable to due to the smoke and debris.

Ava couldn't move; she could only cough and fidget as she tried to get the energy and breath to stand.

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Friday, July 31, 2009 8:06 PM

She was moving, so at least she wasn't dead.

Lincoln put a hand on her shoulder and looked back out at the berth and the long hall that linked it to the closest ships. The smoke was thicker now and seemed to be moving around in swirls as if there was a wind coming from deeper in the station. He saw more bodies now and realized how bad the situation really was. Had there been some sort of attack? And more importantly, was it over? He checked the girl for injuries, but she didn't appear to be seriously hurt, and she seemed awake enough to be screaming if she was. He crouched and pulled her further into the airlock, right up against the bulkhead.

He hesitated a second and then descended the ramp to the other body, an old man. He lay face up, half on and half off the end of the loading ramp. He was awake and breathing heavily. As Lincoln approached the elderly man looked around as if in a daze. Lincoln grabbed his arms and shoulders and hauled him up the ramp as well.

"...body get that door shut 'fore we're all breathing vacuum!" He heard someone further inside yelling hoarsely, the voice was unfamiliar. His hearing was apparently back now, but his ears were still ringing and felt itchy and warm. He approached the door and looked inside for the Captain.

What the hell was going on here.

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<----<<{-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-}>>---->
"Progress doesn't come from early risers — progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." Robert A. Heinlein

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Friday, July 31, 2009 9:39 PM

One moment all was well, and Dale was focussed on the small spinning green breathmint.
The next he was slammed sideways into the wire balustrade, and tumbling over it.
Winded, spinning and falling and crashing onto plastic crates.
The strange combination of intense pain caused by serious damage, and the numbness that meant both that it was proper, perhaps dangerous damage- but also that it was bearable.
The numb, fuzzyness was also present in Dale's ears when he looked around, he could vaguely hear a voice yell something about doors and breathing.
It didnt make sense. Like the words were jumbled and spoken from behind a glass window.
He started to move, but found that moving broke the spell of numbness, and pain lanced through his ribcage. A yell might have escaped his gritted teeth, he didnt care. He was collapsed against the tumble of plastic boxes he'd landed on, facing the back of the cargo bay. He couldnt see what was happening, but he needed to. He needed to get up. He would make himself.
All he needed to do was to concentrate..

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Saturday, August 1, 2009 4:41 PM

SHADESIREN

Shade was glad to have the hard part done. All she had to do now was collect her stuff and move in, at least for the time being. There would be plenty of time in the black for the rest. She had been about to move, in the process of taking a step forward, when something slammed into her back, hard enough to slam her face first to the deck. She managed not to land nose-first, so that only her cheek actually made contact. For half a moment, with her brain knocked into total confusion, all Shade could think was that Captain Fatty-pants next door had come for revenge, and was currently sitting on her back, after making a truly terrifying leap through the air to land there. A moment or two passed, and she began to collect her wits, and she knew that was wrong. There was no weight on her back, now, only the settling of dust and people and debris and the moans and screams of injured people.

Something had exploded. With great effort, Shade pushed herself up, her cheek feeling raw and painful. She was sure she'd scraped it good, landing on it like that. Felt messy. Her back did feel like something had slammed into it - it was possible some of the debris nearby actually had. She managed to get her knees under her, pausing there to assess the others. Most people nearby were down, including all those on the ramp. Some were getting help - Lincoln was assisting the new passenger, Mei was.. Shade didn't see Mei. The Captain was just inside, down, but changing that. Shade's eyes went beyond the ship, to the people out there, some getting to their feet, some cowering. None of them her problem anymore.

Swearing under her breath, she heard the mechanic say something about shutting the door. Shade's eyes went out again, seeing the smoke and the people screaming, and she knew there was one thing they needed to do now.

LEAVE.

Since there was no one left for her to help, Shade staggered inside, glad the only belongings she truly couldn't live without were currently in her pockets - her small crate of 'other stuff' was now about to be salvage for whomever came along and cleaned up after the skyplex finally gave out. Just inside the door, near the stairs upwards, She paused, leaning against a tipped crate. Her back hurt, her cheek hurt, her knees hurt.

In any other situation, this would have been a great moment. SOmething exploded, she'd survived it, and likely with some new scars... but somehow, this didn't feel as good as it could have. Too many non-combatants, too many innocents. Instead, Shade felt weary and angry.

((SECOND EDIT: not wanting to be left behind because I never said I was actually INSIDE, I now am :P lol))

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Monday, August 3, 2009 1:40 PM

When Lincoln grabbed her to pull her inside, she gave him a bit of a fight. Squirming as he personally moved her from outside to inside, she only let a soft scream escape her lips, before the disorientation of her brain started to subside. It was then that she slowly sat up, groaning slightly at the pain in her back from where she hit, eyes groggily taking in the situation.

There was an explosion... a very bad explosion that was causing havoc and wreaking mayhem on the skyplex that so many called home. If she had not been trained for holding back certain emotions in a dire time, the girl would have broken down into a silky, golden crying mess of a person. But instead she started to lift up to her feet, walking out to assist Lincoln in helping the elderly man into the ship.

She glanced back out to the chaos as someone pinged over the intercom. He sounded frightened, panicked and she wondered if someone like that should honestly be taking the initiative to lift off. Not like she could do it, and the effects would hit her eventually, when she could hide it from the world, in the confines of her own room. Though for now, once the elderly man was safely inside, she was gathering the two bags that had managed to go flying around the ramp that held her belongings, heels clicking hurriedly inside the airlock before collapsing against a wall.

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Monday, August 3, 2009 11:30 PM

one...two...three...UP!

Dale wobbled a little, and hurt a lot more than a little- but he was up. Moving his neck around much hurt impossibly, so most of his observations were done by turning his whole torso.
The cargo bay was a mess.
Everything that wasnt tied down had been thrown inwards- and (as his aching chest reminded him)- that included humans.
A deep ship-shaking lurch went through everything, and Dale's focus returned to what needed to be done.
The door.

It should have taken two seconds to cross the floor, but he found his catalogue of pain free movements had been halved. Glancing out at the station as he hobble-ran, it looked as though the mechanic was right. They really didnt have much time before things collapsed outward around them.
By the doorway he could hear Bucket's frantic voice over the intercomm, and he didnt need to be told twice-
Lincoln was in, he and the curly amber had even just brought in an old man. He was about to press the button when she ran back out! To grab two bags from the ramp!! Dale cursed furiously under his breath for an extra two seconds and started the doors closing before she was fully back in.

He could only hope the two seconds didnt cost them all.

Dale leant on the intercomm button croaking in a voice he didnt really recognize-
"Doors closed- everyones in- please get us outta here"

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Thursday, August 6, 2009 7:01 AM

MESHAKHAD

Mei came to in the cargo bay, sprawled on the deck next to a large crate. She wasn't entirely sure how she ended up there. Had the blast blown her inside? Had she run in and passed out? Had someone carried her inside?

Regardless, she was now on board the Defiant, which was in space.

And, judging from the intercom call, was about to be boarded. By the Alliance.

Mei's instincts went in various directions. One was to take cover behind the crates and prepare to defend her ship. But this wasn't a Brownfleet ship, and it wasn't her ship either.

She decided to stand with the crew, telling the Alliance the truth about her - except the Browncoat parts. Her spacesuit? Picked up from a secondhand dealer on the planet.

But... FOR THE LOVE OF EXPLOSIVES!

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Thursday, August 6, 2009 7:47 AM

CELESTIA

She'd been watching, hiding in the shadows at the edge of the cargo bay when everything suddenly went berserk.

The ear-splitting roar and sudden rocking of the ship, bodies falling over each other, cargo careening across the open space, and sharp pieces of everything flying.

The searing pain in her temple and throat were the last things she felt, and then she was falling, too.

Jackie was unconscious when she hit the deck, blood spurting from her severed jugular. Her body emptied rapidly, surrounding her prone figure lying in the shadows with a dark pool of blood. Those who might have helped her were preoccupied with their own shock and the ensuing chaos after the blast.

She felt herself growing lighter, the pain disappeared, and her ears abruptly stopped ringing.

What was this? Where was she? Where were the others?

She walked slowly through the mist, wandering aimlessly with no sense of direction, and suddenly realized she had no shoes on.

"Jackie."

She turned toward the familiar voice, searching, and suddenly she was in his arms.

"Danny! Oh, gods, I've missed you!"

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Thursday, August 6, 2009 3:28 PM

YINYANG

You were busy trying to get yourself lit on fire. It happens.

Ainsley was starting to feel irritated, a little forgotten, and hungry, when the explosion threw her back. Somehow she avoided falling off the catwalk, but she ended up down on her side, sore and confused.

Where am I? What’s going on?

She pushed herself up with one hand. Her vision went white, and the room spun violently, so she laid back down. She heard noises, footsteps, a scream or two.

She knew she should move. She spent a few seconds contemplating moving. Finally, she rolled onto her stomach and pushed herself up to a sitting position. She felt disoriented, and her head hurt.

She grabbed the railing with the intention of pulling herself up, but things hadn’t quite stopped spinning yet. Maybe she should just sit for a while.

She gingerly felt at her head – no blood, good.

After a few more moments, she attempted to stand up again. This time, she was successful, although she held on tight to the railing. She felt like she’d had a few drinks too many, except her head didn’t usually hurt as much until the morning after.

Maybe she was at a party...?

No, wait. She looked down, and saw crates scattered. Her eyes scanned the cargo bay in front of her, until she remembered. She was on a ship. She was going to track down something about the Alliance. She needed a better bed for the shuttle.

Ainsley turned to face the other side of the room. There were a quite a few more people down by the door than she remembered, which was disconcerting. But, she recognized the captain and first mate.

Something was wrong. She started descending the stairs, slowing down after her foot slipped and she almost fell on her pigu.

“What happened?” she asked the crowd as she reached the cargo bay floor.

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Thursday, August 6, 2009 8:13 PM

SHADESIREN

Shade looked up as the dusky skinned woman nearly fell down the stairs. Her cheek was stinging, the scrape feeling oozy and raw. She was half-clinging to the railing of the stairs herself, still feeling a little dizzy.

“Some damn fool set off a bomb on the skyplex,” she managed, looking up at her. “We got clear, but it sounds like we got new troubles already.” With effort, Shade swung herself around to sit in the lowest steps. She looked around the cargo bay, finally, seeing the rest of the people picking themselves up, injuries galore.

“I was... not expecting that.”

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Thursday, August 6, 2009 8:47 PM

Lincoln helped Nathan to his feet and glanced back just as the door closed after the young redhead. What did she say her name was? He couldn't remember but he was fairly certain she hadn't given it. He felt that throbbing under his eye again and reached up to touch his cheek. He winced and felt where the skin had parted, as bad as it felt he was worried the gash went straight to the bone. He could finally open his injured eye, but his vision out of that side was cloudy and muted. Bucket was screaming over the ships comm system about a hailing call from an Alliance security vessel.

"...gahahhh! For the love of god captain the cargo bay better be clean!’ Bucket spoke loudly, his voice echoing around the ship from all speakers.

He glanced around at the faces, both familiar and new. The old man was sitting up, his back to the door glancing around dully. He met Lincolns gaze and squinted.

"What in the sphincter of hell just happened?" He said with a cough.

"Bomb, something... possibly. We're not really certain." Lincoln replied, his voice was scratchy from the dust he'd inhaled. He glanced around the cargo bay but the air looked relatively clean, little motes of dust showing in illuminated clouds around the lights. He noticed Whitmore moving to the aid of Ainsley, who looked to be injured as well. Where was the doc? He glanced around but didn't see her, he glanced to the door... had she left the ship?

They'd be boarded, it was standard procedure to lock down an area after an attack, especially during a time of war. He held out an arm and pulled the elderly fellow up, grabbing his forearm when he swayed unsteady.

"Let go of me man, I can stand.." He stumbled again and caught himself by leaning into the bulkhead.

Lincoln turned to the captain, wondering what he had in mind for this fine predicament.

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"Progress doesn't come from early risers — progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." Robert A. Heinlein

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Friday, August 7, 2009 12:34 AM

Dale stared fascinated and horrified, through the small diamond shaped window and the quickly closing gap of the outer cargo bay and it's door.
They were already detaching, but Dale couldnt pull his eyes away from the dreadfull chaos inside the station.
The structure was failing, and whilst shops and buildings, and decent sized supports were collapsing- often with secondary explosions of their own, he could also see that everything was beginning to get sucked up and out by a hull breach somehwere out of sight.
The millisecond view passed, and the ramp-door sealed off the hypnotic view.
Dale distantly heard bucket's commentary finish- signalling the start of the real task- flying out safely. Dale trusted Bucket and his constantly underestimated flying skills more than enough. There was no possibility of his failure.
No, he was surveying all present and surveying everyone for what scrapes they had.
Lincoln, the captain, screw it- everyone looked beat up. Most had fallen on their faces-hard which could mean broken cheek or jaw bones at worst, to minor consussions and grazes at least.
Either way, he was glad Doc Holliday was on board. He didnt wanna deal with all this himself.
Sure would be handy to have a proper trained doctor on board in case anything serious happened. He was just a student for christs sake!
A sudden idea struck him- that the doctor could likely train him in what he hadn't been able to finish at med school!
Dale frowned, he couldnt see her anywhere.

He started weaving through the assorted injured aboard, the adrenaline of the events almost masking all his pain. Not quite, but almost.

It was at the entrance down to the med-bay that Bucket's voice over the intercomm became panicked saying- ‘Uh... the party just got a bit bigger...'
He paused at the sound of Bucket's new fear.
'like a corvette bigger...'
The word- corvette- that turned him around.
What would they do? Would they run, would they submit? Whos corvette was it anyway? Which side was the cause of all this-
'we're being boarded... '
Death.

The alliance were behind this.

That also was the moment Dale saw Doc Holliday. Mrs Holliday. In a pool of blood.

His mind froze-
blank
but somehow it kept on goin with it's previous thoughts-
Only the alliance could halt every ship in the area and board all of them.

And his eyes kept on seeing-
She was pale, almost greyish already in some bits. And the eyes. Those wide blank eyes.

Only the alliance would benefit from the destruction of the skyplex.

Dale was frozen at the doorway between the cargo bay and the medibay lounge. His position in the doorway between numb loss and cold fury, however-
that was anything but frozen.

It had only been moments, but it felt like a lifetime- And Dale worked to move his mouth out of its lock.
When he did, hands shaking with adrenaline, voice shaking with anger, and mind hurtling through all the damage thatd been done by the alliance-
he ground out with deliberation and force
"ONLY
THE
ALLIANCE"

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Friday, August 7, 2009 6:59 AM

MESHAKHAD

Mei tried to stand up. A sharp pain shot through her right leg, and she collapsed instantly.

Go-se. She had broken her gorram leg!

"Help!" she called out. She could see that she wasn't the only one in need of medical assistance, but there wasn't much else she could do.

But... FOR THE LOVE OF EXPLOSIVES!

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Monday, August 17, 2009 4:30 PM

Ava was stationary as the bustle began, panic overriding most upon the ship, as a few tried to bring order back. Her eyes merely watched the chaos, scanning from the older first mate, all the way over to the young man who somehow managed to close up the ship to allow for takeoff. Too many noises were ringing through her ears, along with the white noise that the explosion had caused. She felt sick to her stomach, but now was not the time to act on that.

Blinking awake from her daze, she saw as the girl with facial scarring fell to the ground, screaming out for help. Who knew what could have happened, though from how instantaneous the fall was, Ava could only assume she had a broken something. Moving to her side, she smiled softly, offering a shoulder up. "There's not much I can do, though I could possibly help you to a less... open location." Since having a broken bone and being out in the cargo bay didn't seem like the best of places for it to get any better.

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Tuesday, August 18, 2009 6:57 AM

MESHAKHAD

Mei took the proffered shoulder.

"Xie xie. I didn't catch your name."

But... FOR THE LOVE OF EXPLOSIVES!

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Wednesday, August 19, 2009 12:26 PM

Ava only smiled as the girl took her help, glad that she hadn't fought her to try and be all high and mighty. "Ava, you?" she smiled gently to the girl, leaning away from her to help keep the pair upright as they slowly and tediously made their way toward the opening into where the infirmary was, at least that's where she assumed anyway.

On the way, they ran into one of the crew, she assumed, and as out of place as it was, Ava smiled at him. "Excuse me, would you mind help--" her sentence trailed off as she stepped in a puddle, glancing down to see the red colorization encircling her shoe. Her face paled as the nausea came back, glancing to the man, then leaning around to see what exactly had happened. A woman was lying on the floor in what had to be her own blood. Her face was white, eyes cold. Ava didn't know what to do in this situation, she wasn't equipped for it.

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Friday, August 21, 2009 1:06 AM

As often happened when his mind was focussed, Dales eyes were unfocussed- staring past the dead body of Doc Holliday. Shivers of hate ran through him, but he was steady. Steady and angry.
He needed a plan. A plan to enable the reaping of destruction. They had it commin.

Someone was talking at him.
He dragged his eyes up to see the amber-hair smiling at him, gesturing to the burnt-face-girl she was loaded with.

He blinked.
He couldnt actually hear anything properly. It was just too distant a reality from where he needed to be- plotting vengance.

Then the Amber noticed the body, and Dale heard a sharp intake of breath. The world of sound and sensation enveloped Dale again, washing him with pain, adrenaline, the touch of fabric, warm metallic air and chilly cold-sweat. In other circumstances he could even be frozen by it, overwhelmed. But right now he felt purpose, motive and determination. He had a plan. He had to be ready for when they boarded.
But first things first-

Dale grabbed Amber's shoulder, and surprised at the calm urgency of his voice said-
"Get Lincoln, I'll take your friend"
He turned to burn-face and made to replace the support Amber was giving.
He'd not have time to treat her leg, the alliance could do that. But she'd best be put in the infirm and drugged at least.

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Friday, August 21, 2009 9:25 AM

Ava stood frozen as well, staring at the young man in front of her in shock and disbelief. What had she gotten herself into? If something like an explosion could cause a death so easily, what in the 'verse would it take in space to cause it to slip out and slash your throat. Her gag reflex started to come back as the man grabbed her, eyes blinking confused as she stared into his, barely understand what he had said. The main word she hears was Lincoln, and simply nodded.

Allowing Mei's weight to be lifted off of her, she waited a moment as the pair disappeared down the corridor toward the infirmary, eyes glancing down to the woman in front of her. She had defined features, and from the sheer guessing, vibrant eyes. Not that they showed it now, but perhaps she was in a better place than this.

Holding back any sign of pain or grief, Ava turned back to the cargo bay, take a few steps out upon realizing she was trailing the blood with her. Not much she could do about it now, except perhaps take off her shoe, though what good would that do? Easy to simply replace a pair of shoes than wash the blood from your skin. Walking now while lost in thought, she practically ran into Lincoln, startled as she stopped mere inches from colliding, hands raised in the air. She was losing it... her composure, her essence, there was so much confusion and emotions whirling around her that she couldn't stop from picking up on, but that she wished would just go away.

"There... I..." she blinked a few times, trying to catch her phrasing. "There's a man, Mr. Bargara, that would like you to go to the infirmary, but there's a woman I..." she moved her lips as if to speak, though nothing came out, looking down to her feet, she lifted one shoe to show the reddish residue left from walking back toward the group.

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Friday, August 21, 2009 9:54 AM

Lincoln was just about to ask the captain what he wanted to do about the Alliance when the young woman careened to a stop right in from of him, hands out and up, her eyes were wide and he face was pale. He took her by the elbow firmly but gently to steady her as she stammered out something to do with a man, the infirmary and a woman. It took him a beat to gather what she was saying, it all came together as he look at the blood on her shoe. It looked fresh.

"Show me." He said almost stoically. "Nathan?" He added, glancing over to the captain.

The younger woman led him to the other side of the cargo bay, past the strewn about crates and cases. He noted the bloody footprints and then swore as he stubbed a toe on a broken tie-down that was sticking up. He shimmied around a large box of survey equipment and saw the Doc was laying face up on the deck. The first thing he noticed when he saw her body was the considerable amount of blood surrounding it, she was bleeding out. Was she even still alive?He looked in her blank, motionless eyes and found his answer. He'd seen that stare before, it was burned into his memory, surfacing in nightmares, waking and asleep, when he least expected. He closed his eyes and took a deep, steadying breath then looked to Dale, who was standing next to the scarred girl, staring at the departed doctor.

"Oh dear." He spoke softly.

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<----<<{-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-}>>---->
"Progress doesn't come from early risers — progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." Robert A. Heinlein

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Tuesday, September 1, 2009 5:26 PM