[Log]

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Crew Commons, Grace O'Malley [?]
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Hatch chuckles as he gathers himself together a cup, "I don't know about the handsome part, want anything else while I'm over here?" He offers as he slogs over into the kitchen sipping at the steaming mug carefully, and pulling the towel off the top of his head to hang across his neck. "Everybody has secrets, sometimes they don't mind talking about them.. other times they get buired in the sand." He raises his shoulders in a shrug and drags out a large mixing bowl, then goes poking around for strawberries.


"Fine, you're just rugged then," Josephine agrees, to Hatch, from where she sits on the couch, holding a cloth to her head and looking sleepy. "And, yeah, I know it's all about decisions and choices, Ara," she is saying to the woman seated at the table who is looking at a PDA, "But I just..well. I worry, is all. Yet I don't suppose you'd be bringing anyone on board whom you thought would be trouble for us all... Kitchen slave, might I have some hot tea, when you have a moment?" she inquires, politely to the rugged man sorting out the strawberries.

Taking another bite of the green apple in one hand, Aradia munches on it for a few moments as her gaze drops back to the screen and she says, "If you've got honest concerns about it beyond that, then you know I'd have you voice 'em but if all you got is 'she could be making a lot of money and instead she'd rather travel with us,' then I don't know as that's anything more than something to be mindful of." Glancing back over her shoulder to where Hatch is poking around in the galley, she shakes her head and says, "No thanks. I ate already this morning," as if the apple in hand she's currently consuming doesn't actually count as food.

Not finding any strawberries, Hatch scowls a shade but continues about what he's doing selecting another route to get done what he wants to get done. Cream, butter, lard.. eww lard.. sugar, eggs. Then molasses? Yep a healty heaping of that into the mix before he's sifting cinnimmon, salt, ginger, ground cloves... the list goes on as he works. The dry is mixed into the wet, and as he's chatting mixed into a smooth batter. "I can make you some tea oh mistress, would you like it with honey and lemon or just straight?"

"Kitchen slave?" enquires Saienne as she enters the common area, just catching the tail end of the conversation. "Now I'm startin' to wonder what kind of a ship I've booked myself passage on..." A pause, and she frowns - not entirely seriously - round at everyone. "You ain't expectin' me to cook, I hope?" The frown dissolves into a lop-sided grin. "Because it surely wouldn't be in your best interests if you were. Mind," she says, glancing over at Hatch, "Looks like you've got it well in hand."

"Honey and lemon would be sublime," Josephine replies to Hatch, lazily. "And that smells really good.. What is that fragrance..cloves?" she is wondering, just before she starts laughing at the newcomer's words. "You must be our new passenger," she says, with a warm smile to Saienne as she stands up to greet the woman, offering her hand. "I'm the 'official' cook, actually, as much as there is one. But it's fun, on occasion, to give orders to the XO. Especially when he listens to me. My name's Josephine, by the way. The first officer is Richard Halpin, but we usually call him Hatch. I presume you already know the Captain."

No longer in a dress but looking no more like a Captain than she ever has, Aradia looks up from her PDA with a grin as she says to Saienne, "He's her willingly bonded servant actually. I'm sure they got plenty o' other names 'n titles they call each other but I don't think anyone wants to hear it outside o' their bunks." Bringing the bottle up from the table beside her, she gulps down a good half of it and says with a nod of her head toward the galley and the large urn on one counter. "Coffee's hot 'n kind of fresh. Only been sitting a few hours since I got up."

"Well I'm only really one persons kitchen slave." Hatch admits with some amusement, "Every so often everyone else makes use of me.. but the offical cooks giggling on the sofa." He says about the same time Jo makes the same statement and with a grin fall silent while she explains. "Howdy Ma'am." Hatch says in the end of it all as he pulls out a waffle iron and starts to heat it to make it ready. As thats starting to heat, he starts to steep a pot of tea for Jo. "Would you like anything while I'm at it?" Hatch asks as he continues to meander about the kitchen, starting to whip a bowl of cream in to submission.

Saienne's eyes widen a little - but only a little - and the crooked smile remains in place. "Is that so?" she asks, good naturedly. "Pleased to make your acquaintances, Josephine, Hatch." And, although she is not wearing her hat indoors, she lifts a hand to her brow as if to tip the broad-brimmed thing in their direction. "I'm Saienne," she says, by way of introduction and, turning to the Captain, says: "An' a coffee sounds pretty much perfect, thank you." She starts towards the galley counter and the urn.

"Oy you!" Josephine exclaims, blushing fiercely and feeling strongly enough to toss a throw pillow at Aradia in the hope that the woman will maybe possibly hopefully think twice next time before direly embarrassing her in front of a guest. Not that it's likely to change anything. "Anyway. Yes. So. As you can see, we're pretty informal around here, when the situation allows for it, of course. There's milk and sugar for that coffee, if you want some, somewhere or other where it makes sense for it to be. Hatch'll point you in the right direction."

Hatch shakes his head at Ara's comment, "Aye, a few whispers now and again.. other noises. Yeah." So much for making it into a joke about halfway through the sentence he's already turning a nice shade of red. His attention rather rapidly goes back to the cooking, soon enough a wooden tray of tea is carried out pot and all, along with toast and a bit of jam to settle down on the coffee table next to Jo. "Be right back hun, waffles are on." He says and darts back into the kitchen to start to finish that up as well. The sweet scent of gingerbread continues to waft from whatever he is working on, and soon that becomes apparent as he starts to close down shop and walks out to plant a platefull of gingerbread waffles on the table, along with freshly whipped cream, flavored with brown sugar and a hint of maple.

Grinning impishly, Aradia ducks her head and brings her hand up to knock the pillow off to the side just a fraction of a second too late as it swipes across the top of her head. Looking over to the waffles, Aradia just shakes her head and says, "Enjoy it while we can still afford to eat like this," before she shuts down her PDA and says, "I need to prep for flight."

Saienne turns to Hatch as he comes back round into the galley. Rubbing a hand across the stubble on the back of her head, she asks: "Er, you ain't got a coffee cup handy...?" Her stomach grumbles loudly as the smell of real food wafts around the common area, and it is her turn to blush a little. "Good gorram, I am sorry," she says. "Ain't that rude."

"You're both incorrigable.." Josephine lectures the Captain and First Officer as few cooks are likely to do. "But at least the rugged one brings me tea." She settles back onto the couch to prepare her cup of tea just before she sniffs at the air looking perplexed. "My goodness. What is that heavenly smell?" To Saienne, she smiles. "There isn't any reason to be ashamed of hungry. Just..enjoy. Ara, you need any of my incredibly useful help on the bridge?"

Hatch plants his hands on his hips for a moment, "Ain't so expensive when we can make it from scratch Ara." He says with a shrug, but all in all she's right and he knows it. He turns back into the kitchen and comes back out with a pile of plates, silver, and viola one coffee mug. "There yah go Saienne was it? Forgive me I'm horrible with names may take me a bit to recall it." He smiles at the woman warmly and nods.

The chair she's sitting on scrapes back against the plating of the deck floor as Aradia nibbles on the core of her apple and tucks her PDA away into a pocket. "You know you're always welcome Jo," Aradia says toward the woman as she heads over to toss the meager bit of apple left dangling from the stem into a trash receptacle and heads back to snatch up her bottle off the table. "Enjoy yer waffles. I'll announce when we're ready to launch," she says with a smile before she turns and makes her way to the fore corridor.

"Well, no," says Saienne, addressing Josephine. "It ain't the hunger that's rude, so much as the grumblin'. Ain't hardly met you yet, an' all." She receives the coffee cup with gratitude and another lop-sided smile. "Most obliged - an' Saienne is correct. Ain't no problem to me if you forget it - I'll just remind you." A grin. "Most probably loudly." She pauses, and then asks: "Any of you folk need a top up while I'm here?"

"Hatch grumbles all the time," Josephine says, cheerfully, bringing her tea to the table to come investigate these most unusual waffles. "No thanks, I've got my tea. Now I just have to decide whether I love the Captain more than I love Hatch and his waffle creation. It's a tough call, there."

Hatch circles back around to gather his mug of coffee, and dump his plate into the sink after a good rinse. As he often seesm to do, he manages to get some food into himself while cooking. One of those joy's of being the chef. "Dig in if you want any, if not I'm gonna freeze em for later." He offers as he sneaks in behind Jo to slip an arm around your middle. "Hope thats not to hard a decision... and has alot less to do with the waffles." Hatch intones as he leans in from behind her to press his lips to the side of her neck for a moment.

"Well, hell, that ain't a call I'd ever like to make." A beat. "Those waffles smell gorram gorgeous." She pours herself a cup of coffee and the rich smell mingles for a little with the smell of the just-cooked waffles, before both smells are diluted and wafted away into the rest of the ship by the life support. She takes a seat on one of the benches around the dining table and pulls a shiny PDA out of her pocket. "You ain't got any objection to me catchin' up on a bit of correspondence in here..?" she asks.

"Well that's no fair," Josephine mutters as Hatch puts his arm around her, clearly losing any interest to go anywhere else, even if it is to the very interesting bridge. "Sure, Saienne...you take care of whatever you need to do." She's eyeing the waffles thoughtfuly, "I suppose I might have a small taste of those myself, really. Gorram gorgeous indeed!" the little cooks repeats the other woman's words gleefully, even though she never speaks like that herself.

"Now now." Hatch says as he gives Jo a squeeze, "Why not show Saienne about the ship once she's done, I've got to do the dishes anyway." He starts to slip away to do just that with a very content expression resting upon his features.

"Ah, I got a drop to make on Greenleaf an' I just need to check the schedule - make sure I ain't goin' to be late." She turns the PDA on and it glimmers faintly, burbling as it connects to the local Cortex. As Hatch makes his suggestion, Sai replies: "I ain't here to be a burden - if you folks have things to be gettin' on with, there's plenty I could be doin' an' all."

"One of my primary jobs here, official or otherwise," Josephine explains, after watching Hatch go away to do dishes. How impressive is that. He does dishes! "--is to make people feel welcome here, for however long they'll be staying. You want a tour after you finish your waves, you just say so and I'll be happy to show you around."

Saienne nods once, looking up at Josephine, "Well, that's might kind of you," she says, "An' I may well take you up on it when I've got all these tangled wires uncrossed an' sorted out." She glances down at whatever data it is scrolling along on her PDA. "Mind, I expect the activity caused by the complications to this job are what keep me from gettin' bored." She grins again, crookedly, and settles down to work.

Josephine smiles warmly. "Well, then. You just give a holler and, whenever you like, I'll show you around." She picks at a piece of waffle before she goes off to do whatever it is she does around here.

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[Log] Fearsome beagles

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Grace O'Malley, Crew Commons [Greenleaf]
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The common area of the Grace O'Malley is cozier than one might expect from a ship of its nature. The entire area has been decorated in light, warm hues of gold, trimmed in green and set with furniture crafted from oak and tanned leather. The galley is a sizeable area set in the aft starboard corner, complete with modern appliances, excepting for a large, antique copper coffee urn to the end of one of the benches, and ample storage for whatever one might desire. Across from the main walkway and strewn with rugs woven from calico rags is a small dining area. A raw timber table stretches through the area, capable of easily seating ten to twelve and flanked by benches with a couple of chairs crafted from polished oak. The other full half of the commons to the fore has been converted into a small lounge, complete with a pair of couches, three cushioned armchairs and a couple of coffee and end tables.
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"Well I already told Ronnie we were here for a few days so I imagine you'll have plenty o' time to make your bed before then," Aradia says with a quiet chuckle from where she lies stretched out on the couch with her legs draped over Max's lap, albeit after having just kicked him with a heel at something or other he said that made him deserve it.


"And put away ll your toys," Max adds with a chuckle. "Do wipe down your walls though, don't want them getting sticky." He setles into his seat chuckling over that last one, but pauses abruptly as he thinks it over. "Wait, that's our quarters, isn't it?" Max asks Ara, looking a bit concerned.

Kael's face contorted a bit, "Sticky? What? You guys coat the room in honey or something?" He shook his head a bit, signing yet another piece of waffle it's fate and setting in place it's untimely demise. "But out of curiousity... How much can I customize my bunk? Got any restrictions?"

"Those bags are still beside the door waitin' to be taken out," Aradia says to Max before she looks over to Kael and says, "I promise not to laugh if you get yerself a pretty lacy pink coverlet for your bed, but unless you're goin' damaging Grace trying to rip bunks out o' the wall, don't much care what you can do with what you can afford or manage to do."

"Erm... no...." Max replies to kael as his eyes cut shiftilly from side and he hunkers down a bit to hide behind the couch. "Not at all." He glances to Ara and says, "I know, Finnn's still threatening to shoot me in places for eating his strawberries. I'm not going to offer him money to take them out until he stops being such a little stinker."

Kael Bowen laughs, shaking his head at Max, "You know.. hot oil works much better then honey." Kael grins and wiggles his eyebrows at Aradia, "Actually I'm more of a lavender man myself." he shoves the fork into his mouth, eating yet another piece of waffle with gusto as he sticks the last piece. Two waffles having fallen before the might of this fork, and the last bit of this waffle empire seeing it's execution waiting for it a mere foot and a half away.

Saienne stomps on up from the aft corridor, booted feet ringing on the metal catwalks until they meet and are muffled by the calico rugs strewn around and about the common area. She is carrying with her a shiny little PDA that bleeps and chirrups quietly, and in her other hand is the empty coffee mug from earlier in the day. She has again dispensed with coat and broad-brimmed hat - as might be expected - and has her shirt sleeves rolled up to the elbow. "Hey," she says, by way of greeting, and then those dark brown eyes widen - in somewhat of an exaggerated manner - again as she hears Kael's comments. "As if kitchen slaves ain't strange enough, now y'all're coatin' bunks in honey an' sewin' lacy pink coverlets?" She grins crookedly at the Captain. "What kind of an outfit're you runnin', if you don't mind me askin'?"

Still sprawled out the length of the couch with her head on the arm at one end and her legs over Max's lap, Aradia says to Kael, "Max's got more smelly flowery stuff than I've even seen in the Companion's spa onboard the Apollo." Her gaze turns toward Saienne with a wide grin before she says airily, "If I told you, you'd have no choice but to either join us 'n swear yer silence on what ye heard or...I'd have to set the hounds on you, or something."

"A terrible den of vice, villainy and... erm... more vice," Max adds from his semi-hiding spot on the couch as his vocabulary momentarilly fails him. He peeks over to Kael and factually informs him, "lavender is far too soothing. Need something spicy."

Kael shakes his head and eats the last piece of waffle, standing up and taking the plate off to the sink, "Oh? Perhaps a nice chartreuse then." he let out another chuckles, starting up again, "Well, I better get work on my crocheting. See you two later.." he started towards the door, making little noise if any as he walked. He came to a stop then, looking at Saienne, "Miss.. I'm sorry to say, but I can't talk long.." he offers his hand to her, "Name's Kael. But I'll have to push more formal introductions to a later time."

"Vice an' villainy," muses Saienne, "Is that so? Mayhap I'll have to take my chances with the hounds..." She begins to loop round towards the galley but meets Kael before she can get there. She reaches out to shake his hand, and the grip of her calloused hands is firm and even. "Saienne Olaeno," she drawls in a laid back manner. "Just hitchin' a ride to Greenleaf. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

As if on cue, or perhaps it was just hearing footsteps heading into the place from which food magically appears, a beagle waddles out from the fore corridor with his tail wagging and his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. With a short bark, he plops down onto his haunches between Kael and Saienne and looks up to them expectantly.

"As villainous as baby bunnies in a field o' daffodils this lot," Aradia says with mild amusement, her brow quirking and her gaze lifting toward the ceiling in thought for a moment. "Chartreuse?" she finally settles for just asking as she looks back down to Max.

"A hideous greeny-yellow," Max clarifies, poking his tongue from his mouth in distaste. "And I'm villainous on occasion!" he protests with a huff and crosses his arms over his chest.

"Nice to meetcha Saienne." Kael gave a quick nod, his hand shake was frim but a bit on the gentle side. He looked back towards Aradia, "Hey now.. I'm more like a bunny with big goofy lookin' teeth in a field o' dandelions." The corners of his mouth pulled up into a grin. He reaches down, patting the beagle on the head as he looks towards the door. he stood back up and starts making his way out, "Try not to pillage and plunder without me."

Saienne looks entirely nonplussed for the briefest of moments before her natural composure re-asserts itself. "Hell, I din't for a minute imagine you meant actual hounds." She peers closer to the beagle, then looks up and across at Aradia. "Although, I ain't seein' much evidence of bein' set upon." She reaches down and scritches the dog between its ears. "Hello there. Ain't you the handsome one? Ain't you just?" She looks up, sideways, as Kael heads out. "Be seein' you later, an' all."

The dog whines, bumping his head against Saienne's hand as his tail thumps loudly against the floor.

"That's because he can't smell sausages on ye," Aradia says with a wry smirk as she turns her head to look over toward the woman and beagle before she glances back to Max and asks, "Pillaging and plundering? I didn't know ye'd gone invitin' anyone else into bed."

Josephine can be heard from quite a distance singing a rousing ballad involving a young man and a..no several women..or is it just one woman several times? And it isn't until when she arrives in the commons that she realises that there are people here and she almost falls over dead from embarrassment. "Well then," she says, primly, with her face bright red, "Tea anyone?"

"I think he meant actual 'pillaging and plundering,' darling," Max responds with a wink and then looks to Saienne. "Watch out, they're all forty sorts of viscious. Horribly spoiled, too... for human flesh," he says, making the last bit as ominous as possible. Josephine gets a smirk and a wink, as Max teases, "mistake the corridor for the shower again?"

Saienne mutters, just audible: "Unless you count bein' slobbered over as bein' set upon..." She gives the dog a final scritch and then straightens up as Josephine makes her entrance. She glances at the blushing woman before continuing on her trajectory for the galley. With a crooked grin at Max, she says: "I reckon I'd do best to steer clear of 'em, then." She looks back across at the beagle.

"MRE will eat everything you give him 'n still sit there beggin' for more and acting like he's a poor abused and starving orphan down in the slums," Aradia warns Saienne, "'n he's been fed good and plenty this morning already." Looking over to Josephine, she breathes out with a quiet chuckle and the leans over to murmur something quietly to Max that sounds something along the lines of the crew cabins not having showers.

"There just usually isn't anyone in the commons this time of day, when we're planetside, at least," Josephine protests to Max, but already her blush has pretty much faded. She heads directly to the galley to see if anything needs to be tidied or cleaned, and finding everything to be pretty much already in a perfect state, she comes back over to rejoin the others. "Who's tormenting who at present?" she wonders, conversationally.

"Me vs. the 'Verse, as usual," Max answers Josephine with a smile. He nudges Ara lightly, and draws up his lips in a smile, "it's more of a reference to folks having the tendency to sing in showers... like you do, only actual songs instead of just dirty limericks set to the same tune." Saienne gets a serious nod, and a bit of advice. "Terrible fearsome creatures. Stomach on them like the gravity well of gas gianst... razor sharp teeth sharper than... razors!"

"MRE?" Sai questions Aradia; and then smiles. "Good job I ain't got nothin' to feed him with, then, ain't it?" She cleans her coffee cup quickly and then starts looking around for the best place to put it - settling for what appears to be a draining board. "Fearsome..." Saienne says, regarding the charming dog from afar. "Right you are... whatever you say..."

"Well you taught me them," Aradia says indignantly, "'n it's not like you've tried teachin' me anything else either." Sticking her tongue out at Max, she then turns her head to look over to Saienne with a nod and says, "Yeah, MRE. There's Maddie and Jynx too. Jynx is just a puppy still 'n Maddie's got the blue collar in case you got trouble telling her apart from fatso there."

Maxwell smirks, "every last one of them is horribly spoiled... and I swear, sometimes they act like they know exactly what's going on...." Max ducks down further against the couch, only his eyes and the top of his head peeking over as he regards MRE suspiciously. "They're plotting against us." As for the accusations of the naughty limericks being all Max has bothered to impart... well, they're true, so Max has decided to completely ignore them.

"Plottin? What could they possibly be plottin'? Canine domination of the 'Verse?" She grins, shakes her head, and comes out from the galley. "Well, I reckon I know well enough now not to tell 'em any of my deep an' dark secrets. Or to feed 'em." She chuckles a little and settles down on one of the benches in the dining area. "I hope it ain't goin' to bother you folks none if I get a little bit of work done while we're travellin'?"

"Actually, we already landed," Aradia says a little sheepishly. "Or at least I hope we did because otherwise we're on a collision course for Greenleaf with no one mannin' the bridge."

Maxwell nods seriously, looking absolutely terrified of the prospect of canine control. "they could well be... and no one can stop them if they happen to have found /my/ plans." He cuts his eyes from side to side again, and then straightens up. "Well, I suppose they'd have to be able to read."

Saienne looks nonplussed for certain now, and her composure does not re-assert itself as quickly as previously. "We landed?" Her question is asked bluntly, and she looks around at the interior of the common area as if for clues. "Good gorram but you folks have a quiet runnin' ship. An' a genius of a pilot." She lifts one hand to scrub at the stubble on the back of her skull. "Must have hit the dirt while I was takin' a nap..."

"She purrs like a kitten," Aradia says with no small amount of pride in her voice. "As for genius, well I wouldn't go that far. If you ask the pilot's husband, he's right terrified 'n clinging white knuckled to the control stick of his video game the entire flight worrying they're going to crash into an asteroid or somewhat," she adds after a moment of thought and a futile attempt to keep from grinning.

Well in her defense, part of the white knuckling would be from the games... the rest of course would be from her ramming the mule nose first into something every time we go for a drive," Max explains calmly. "But I still fly with her, so it can't be that terribly bad."

"She does run smooth an' even, don't she?" Saienne says, looking a little less perplexed. "I just ain't even able to remember the last time I slept through a landin'." She grins lop-sidedly, "I expect I was maybe just wiped out still from the ride from Persephone to Verbena. Now that was one hell of an unplesant trip." She shakes her head. "Those cargo caravans that zoom between worlds ain't ever a nice ride." She stops, suddenly, in realisation. "Er, not that I'm intendin' to derogate your skills an' all, Captain."

Mouth open to say something to Max, Aradia looks to Saienne with a perplexed look of her own and asks, "Derogate my what?" Pushing herself up from her lounging position and propping her elbows on the arm of the couch at her back, leaving her legs stretched out over Max's lap, she looks back to him and beams a wide smile as she boasts, "I got skills."

"indeed you do," Max says soothingly to Ara as he reaches out a hand to pat her on the head. "And some of them aren't even good for running into trees." He smirks evilly and then glances over to Sai. "Personally I'd take a cargo caravan any day over another passenger shuttle... Screaming children, foul smelling passengers, idiots on parade... And that's just me."

"Your... pilotin' skills?" Sai pinches the bridge of her nose in some annoyance - at herself, evidently. "Look, this conversation ain't exactly runnin' the way I anticipated. I keep wrong footin' myself by jumpin' to conclusions, I reckon. We ain't flyin'. You possibly ain't the pilot. I probably should offload myself from you folk here an' now an' go gettin' on with my business - I got a drop to make in an hour or so anyhow. Might as well poke around Greenleaf a little first." She begins to haul herself up from the dining table, slipping her PDA into a deep pocket as she stands. "Well, I ain't entirely sure about that. On occasion - on a long trip - I'm grateful for the company. No matter how smelly, idiotic or noisy. On a cargo caravan all you usually got for company are the guards, an' they ain't usually got a brain cell between 'em."

Flopping back down to sprawl on the couch, Aradia says with a chuckle, "Oh sit back down. I was just havin' some fun, 'n at my own expense in case you didn't notice my dear beloved mocking and ridiculing my ability to drive while I had the good sense not to point out that if he didn't flail and shout 'that way!' ten seconds after we passed the turns I might not scrape up so many trees." Glancing between Max and Saienne, she says, "Got to agree with Max on passenger shuttles, and you with cargo carriers. Worse when they're full o' cows," before she asks, "Where you looking to head from here anyway?"

"Bah, I like the guards," Max objects. "Usually personable enough, and those that aren't are easily swayed by booze and cards... which means that my trips almost always pay for themselves. Can't say much on the cows as I can't say as I've ever tried hitching with one transporting livestock." Max raises up from the seat and looks around with a grin, "I do believe I left something in the cabin, I'll be back in a few."

"Oh, no, Captain, it ain't that. I really do have a delivery to make in about an hour, an' I ain't got the faintest idea of the geography of this planet. I need to know where I'm goin' an' how to get there." She smiles faintly. "Could do with some fresh air to blow out the cobwebs, an' all." She looks full at Max for a minute. "Personable? Are you kiddin' me? You ever had to sit two months with... ah. No matter. I reckon we ain't goin' to agree..." She rubs the back of her head again. "From here? Ain't got no idea, as yet. I'm as free an' easy as the stars. Mostly it depends what I turn up. I got a couple of jobs waitin' on Persephone, but they're quite content to keep on waitin' until I've worked my way back there."

"I know someone in the trade office that's local to these parts if you need a guide," Aradia says thoughtfully. "Man goes by the name o' Chief. Head o' dreads 'n likely surrounded in a cloud o' rather fragrant smoke if his boss ain't nowhere nearby," she explains to the woman. "As for the return to Persephone, we're making our own steady way back there in a few days time if you're interested in staying on with us. Can keep yer bunk here too unless you're wanting to board planetside while you're here." Clearing her throat, she says, "Anyway, don't let me keep ye from business. If you drop in on Chief, let him know I sent ye."

Kael's boots made soft metallic 'thunk' noises as he made his way towards the Commons, which stopped sounding metallic when he hit the calico rugs. His foot came to a bit of a dragging stop as he entered into the Commons, "Well... finished makin' the bed and adding the chartreuse ruffles." The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smirk.

Saienne nods, all business-like. "Well thank you, I will. Any kind of short cut to gettin' to know my way around down here is a bonus. Deliveries in unknown territory make me a might nervous." And at this, she does stand from the dining table. "I reckon I should be back aboard in a few hours - four at most." She starts to make her way towards the corridor as Kael re-enters the common room. "Pretty quick an' nifty needlework, there..." she says as she passes, with her typical crooked grin turned in his direction.

"Fair enough," Aradia says, adding in an obviously teasing tone, "I'll give orders not to shoot when you come back onboard." Looking over to Kael, she says sternly, "No shooting when she comes back onboard. Got it?"

Kael Bowen shakes his head from side to side, a gruff chuckle coming out of him at Saienne's comment, "Sure was.. I reckon I'm a natural." He tossed a quick wink to her in passing, turning back to everyone else in the room. His face went completely and utterly serious when she said that. His feet snapped to attention, standing back straight, chest out and salutes Aradia, "Yes, Ma'am!"

Maxwell wanders his way back into the commons, smiling personably and waving lightly as Saienne departs. "No shooting 'around her' either... just in case you get the notion," Max ads with a smirk to Kael.

Kael Bowen glances over at Maxwell, the whole facada fading away as he grins, "Ya sure? I enjoy shootin' random small little critters like mice 'n' imaginary ones too."
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[Log]

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Lake Edge, Verbena
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With a dark sanded beach surrounding it, and stretching almost two miles long, and nine hundred feet in width, Hopelight lake is named for the abundant natural springs beneath its surface that deny any polution from reducing the clarity. Light reflects off of natural quartz formations at the lake bed, causing the lake to appear as if it were glowing, day or night. Several cooking pits, and a number of pieces of wooden furniture are scattered amongst its beaches, inviting people to come, sit, and enjoy the sight or the warm waters the lake has to offer.
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Down near the lake's edge, Aradia and Maxwell sit in the sand with a jug planted in front of them, talking to Scipio and Tarrick who appears about to take his leave. Nearby in the water, there's a billion, yes, really it seems like that many, children playing and making noise while the entire rest of the beach is crowded with people celebrating and enjoying the fine day.


Saienne meanders on down along the lake's shoreline, skirting clusters of children and keeping her booted feet out of the warm water - but only just. She leaves deep bootprints in the dark sand as she passes by. She has a coat - unsuitable for this climate - draped over one bent arm, and a battered broad-brimmed hat casts shadows over her face.

Tarrick quirks his brow at Aradia, "Ma-married? I gotta look that word up and get back to you." then waves to her and heads for the road, giving the new comer in the coat a suspicious glance that all people in long coats at the beach, such as himself, warrant.

Aradia just grins as she watches Tarrick make his escape into the woods before she looks to Scipio. "I think Max would be more impressed if you were to be willing to con old men and sleep with their wives in his steed in order to get a bottle from the last existing crate of the 2450something or other single malt Old Shadow Scotch, and then give him a five percent discount," she explains, her gaze shifting briefly from the man to look toward the woman passing close by, watching her briefly.

Scipio looks to Maxwell, while listening to Aradia's comment, "Disa possible." he pulls out a yellow card with black lettering, "Disa.. for booze." he winks to Max speaking in a lower voice, "Disa get you a freea vintage with a purchase offa case a bottles." he hands the slip to him. Then looks to Aradia, "Isa givea yah a free set offa perfumes iffa you make anny purchase."

Hase comes walking down the beach, seeming he has relaxed more today than usual as he is wearing shorts and sandals. I bermuda style shirt with flowers all over it and unbottoned showing some chest hair. He carries a towel and his hair is wet as he looks like he came back from a swim, or a simple splash of water since he can't swim.

Saienne doesn't do much to acknowledge Tarrick's suspicious look - just smiles crookedly at him as he passes and says, quite breathlessly. "Hot out here, ain't it?" As she begins to perceive others' eyes on her - Aradia's, namely - her attention shifts further out. Placid brown eyes observe the cluster of people on the lake's edge, and her she shifts her course so as not to disturb them, angling back up the slope of the beach towards where sand fades out into scrub.

Sitting in the sand close to the lake's edge with Max, who is apparently staring rather befuddledly at a card in his hand, sitting beside her, Aradia quirks her brow and bites back what may have been the start of a giggle at Scipio's last offer. "Well, he sure likes smellin' pretty, so I reckon it'll get some use," she says with a nod in Max's direction before she looks back over toward Saienne to meet her gaze with a smile. "Sure is. Water ain't quite so warm once you get knee deep if you're looking to cool off," she offers by way of obvious advice. Clearly, when you're hot, you should get wet.

Aristiya comes limping in, trying not to look hot, tired, pissed off and in pain, but failing miserably. She looks like someone who's going to a dentist appointment - not a party. One arm is cradled against her abdomen.

Saienne halts in her upwards progress for a moment and turns back to the group. She tilts her large hat back on her head so as she can both see and be seen properly. Grinning lop-sidedly at Aradia she says: "I ain't much of a swimmer, truth be told. Flounderin' and splashin' about I can do quite well, but actual swimmin' it ain't. But mayhap I'll dabble my toes in if the heat threatens to overwhelm me an' all." She swaps the coat to her other arm and starts to roll up her sleeves.

Artesia comes up the path in Aristiya's wake, looking less pained than Aristiya. The painkillers must've done the job, but she's still moving slowly and taking her time on the rougher spots. "I thought I heard voices... I suppose this is the gathering the Captain mentioned." She lifts a hand and waves to the gathered handful. "Hallo, and good day to you all."

"Oh I can't swim a lick either without lookin' like a half drowned beagle in the process," Aradia says with a quiet laugh to the woman, hand coming up to rub at the side of her nose as she says sheepishly, "That's why I don't tend to get much further 'n knee deep out." Looking over to the other two women, familiar faces amongst the crowd, her hand lifts in a wave as she says, "Hey there."

Hase moves along further and spots the group and starts to head on over. Sliging his towel over his shoulder and moving right along, and looking for something. He waves to all there and present. " Hello and how goes everyones day?" speaking in a relaxed sort of way and still looking about for something, nodding to everyone as he does with a stupid look on his face.

Deciding that it actually seems like a fine idea, Aradia gets up and dusts the sand off her backside as she wanders the short distance down to wade a little off to one side of the hordes of splashing frolicking children already swimming out there.

Aristiya watches the swimmers go out - and that actually brings a smile to the doctor's face. She dips her head to those who are left, offering a quiet, "Evening. Evening, Sia."

Saienne can't help but laugh at the image. "Ain't ever seen no swimmin' beagle, half drowned or otherwise." she says, chuckling still, "But I reckon I can imagine it. Mayhap I could match your beagle with a poodle an' give everyone a good laugh." She looks dubiously at the glimmering lake waters as Aradia approaches them. "Knee deep, is that so? Well, I reckon I might venture in that far... but only if you an' yours -" and at this, she gestures to the cluster of people around Aradia "- promise to haul me out if I start lookin' like I need it."

Hase puts his towel down and finaly finds what he is looking for.. a beer. Reaches out and grabs it as he twists the cap off and starts to drink it slowly. Sitting down on the towel now he smiles with a grin. " Hello Doc, you feeling any better today?" though looking at her and how he is, he knows. Then he looks towards Saienne and smiels . " Hello, names Hase. I ain't seen you about before, though I am new?" as he stretches his arm out to shake her hand if she so accepts.

Artesia gives Rys a smile in return. "Couldn't let you go alone, now, could I? Besides, always better to attend festivities with someone you know. That way you've always got someone to chat with."She gives Hase a small smile as he slips past, she glances to the water, and the waders and swimmers. "I've never had any talent for swimming. I can manage a creditable float, if I don't push too hard. But only uninjured."

Aristiya grins at Sia and moves to help herself to some of the fixins. "Seems like a nice evening for a party. Heya, Hase," she calls. "Moving a little easier today, but not by much."

Saienne reaches out to Hase to shake his hand, and her hat flops down again, feather dipping and bobbing with the motion. She pulls her hand back to yank the hat back and then to cram it down hard on her head. "Pardon," she says, squinting just a little. "I'm Saienne. Saienne Olaeno, an' I reckon I just stumbled on your party by accident - for which I duly apologise. I ain't plannin' on gatecrashin' - just arrived from Persephone an' I got a few hours to kill before I have to attend to business." She looks around at the undeniably beautiful lake and forest. "An' ain't it always so that I head for the countryside after some weeks spent out in the Black?"

Hase looks towards the water and nods. " Well the water is great, just had a swim and I am still alive at least." Glancing towards Artesia and then nodding towards her. Turning back to look at the Doc he chuckles some. " I have to say, your some togh Doc. I be whimpering adn all if I got shot like you did and I would not be going out..wait..I may but ..uhmm ..beer?" as he looks to the Doc Aristiya for a reply. Glaning towards Saienne he smiles after the hand shake, firm but notto much. " Well pleases to meet ya. I know what you mean, time to relax and meet new people is always a good way to forget for a moment what you must do later on, a small vacation."

Kael Bowen let out a bit of a sigh as he walks out onto towards the lake. He came to a stop along the path leading to it, scuffing his foot along the ground as he did. His eyes squinted as he looked about the people out and about. He gazed upon the water in all it's glory and with a push of foot and a smirk as he started his way down again towards the beach and the people gathered there.

Sia glances at Saienne, just as she has the trouble with her hat, and chuckles softly. "Oh, dear... what an ill-mannered hat you have! A pleasure to meet you. Call me Sia, if you wish, and welcome. And no need to apologize. Company is welcome. Take care in your travels."She fights down giggles at Hase's sudden distraction by beer. "I suspect the supply will be endangered shortly..." she murmurs.

Saienne grins crookedly at Hase. "Ain't that the truth," she says, amicably enough, rocking back on her heels in the dark sand. "Well, I reckon I best let you folks get on with your celebratin' in peace." She turns to walk back towards civilisation, calling parting: "Pleased to make your acquaintance, an' all."

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