The Gypsy Voyage - Ath & Shen [Poss. M]
 

This is a one on one RP between Athilea Majiri and Shenandoah. There may be possible M situations due to possible blood, violence, gore, language, and adult (not cyber) interactions.

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Welcome to the Gypsy Voyage, a ship of a new age where the seas are no longer the trade waters of the world, but rather the entirety of the Sol System, home to the race called Homo Sapien. The Gypsy Voyage is a sleek ship built for one purpose and one purpose only. Piracy. Two things are key for a pirate ship: speed and simplicity. With a need for only one to really operate (though more is truly better so the pilot doesn't have to focus on armaments), it is one of the most advanced vessels there is despite its deplorable use.

The year is 962 N.E., the calendar years having restarted at the beginning of the New Era when the entirety of the Sol System became open to the general populous. The system is in an age of darkness: police are spread thin trying desperately to keep up with the violations in law, slavery has once more become known, and piracy becoming more common. Violence is all too common here in the Sol System and if there is life from beyond the small area that humans reign, they wisely keep away from these violent creatures.

Shen's Characters

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Name: Hermes Knight
Age: 27
Height: 5'-11"
Appearance: Crafty Thief
Primary Duties: 2IC, Engineer
Secondary Duties: Ballistics, Medic
Favorite Weapons: Cattle Prod (with varying settings); Grenade Launcher; Laser Pistol; Laser Knifes

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Name: Faith (No last name due to former slave status)
Age: 24
Height: 5'-4"
Appearance: No-Nonsense Medic
Primary Duties: Medic, Cook
Secondary Duties: Engineer, Navigator
Favorite Weapons: Dart Gun with various inject-able substances (varying from a tranquilizer to a lethal poison); Laser Pistol

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Ath's Characters


Name: Lastiriana Dark
Age: 24
Height: 5'-3"
Appearance: Hard Captain
Primary Duties: Commander
Secondary Duties: Armorer, Security
Favorite Weapons: Laser Pistol, and a Power Sword


Name: Will Cold
Age: 28
Height: 6'-2"
Appearance: Soldier
Primary Duties: Security
Secondary Duties: Cook, Firearms
Favorite Weapons: Laser Rifle, Laser Pistol

((I guess I'll go ahead and post. XD))

Hermes floated absently in the Engine Hold. The nice thing about the Voyage was that one could switch the gravity off in any particular area, but for the sake of ease of movement, the main areas typically weren't switched off unless the power was needed elsewhere. He liked to turn it off when he had to get to hard to reach places within their engine room as he didn't want to be stuck someplace due to gravity holding him down. Right now, however, he was basically just fucking off time. They were between raids, Ri was somewhere else so far as he knew, and he was trying to persuade the tiny woman into going somewhere with a casino. Mars was nice this time of year. He ran his fingers through his hair, debating to himself on whether or not to go find Ri (her opinions on the nickname be damned) and start another round of persuasion with her. If he pushed too hard, she likely wouldn't. Women were funny like that. The impudent thief wasn't the captain of the ship (by popular vote, no less!), so therefore he wasn't allowed to make the decisions. Persuade? Yes. Cajole? Yes. Flash puppy dog eyes? Of course! Demand? No.

Faith puttered around the tiny galley, putting the finishing touches on a large meal that would last for a while and taste good. Casserole was never a favorite amongst men, but Faith knew the power of a simple all-in-one meal. It meant getting on with life just that much faster. Faith had learned how to cook from her... previous 'employer'. Or rather, when the old fart wasn't trying to use her as a sex slave, his other slave would teach her the fine art of cooking. It was the only way the dark-haired girl could relax and it brought back a few good memories. She also behaved as the medic on the ship. She wasn't a doctor by any stretch of the imagination, but anything that couldn't be classified as a life-threatening trauma or a major illness was well within her grasp. Thank goodness for easy to use medical equipment!

((Sorry I did not post last night. My husband and I went on a date and I did not have time to. The post I made on your profile was from my cell phone. Heh.))

Lastiriana sat behind the desk in her office, pouring over the digital star chart. It was never an easy decision to pick the next raiding spot. That was made all the harder by the poking and prodding of her Second to go to a Casino. Hermes was probably right, though, they probably needed the time off. It always did the crew good to get off the ship for a while anyway. She sat the pad with the chart down and raked her fingers through here hair with a deep sigh. Perhaps she should find him and discuss that, but if he called her Ri again she might just make him stay on the Gypsy and guard it.

-----
Will finished reassembling his rifle after cleaning it. He had already done the same with his pistol and now found himself at a temporary loss. Normally he would find someone to spar with, but that thought did not really thrill him. After a moment he strapped the pistol to his leg and left his quarters. He knew Faith was cooking today, but he could always help. He was a pretty good cook in his own right. It helped that he was starving as well, and the fact that the girl was more then a little attractive did not hurt anything from his point of view either. It was not long before he was walking into the galley, "Hello, Faith. You need any help with dinner today?"

((Perfectly all right. I didn't expect to be able to post this weekend myself, as I don't have a home internet connection. Thank my aunt for having me over!))

The thief had decided that his secluded spot wasn't much fun at the moment, so he went to the door and grasped one of the rails that ran in a somewhat grid pattern on the walls all over the room. It was the closest he could get to what direction the floor would be when he opened the door to leave the hold. Hermes had decided somewhat randomly just to leave the grav field off in the engine hold. It didn't do any harm and actually made the engine run better. Not to mention the energy saving it did. The door slid open and he propelled himself through it to be re-acquainted with gravity, deftly falling to land cat-like on his feet with practiced grace. His russet hair stopped haloing his face though it still stood up somewhat in various cowlicks here and there, giving him that tousled-just-out-of-bed appearance. Walking down the short hall, past the cargo holds that had everything secured within them from their latest batch of loot (they had yet to hide away or sell on the black market) to their food stores and water reserves. Like all space travelers these days, he was used to the taste of recycled water and didn't think too much about how urine was stripped of everything save the H2O compound and given back to them to drink and bathe with. Perhaps, if he had been one of the first-timer space travelers, it would be a horrible thing, but... insert shrug here. The thief gave no thought to the situation, however, and went up a level to the bridge and commonly habitable areas where everyone else was. He glanced in the galley and saw Faith and Will. He had to admit Faith was a hot piece of ass, but there was no way he'd aggravate her and come face to barrel with her favorite potentially-deadly compound of the moment.

Faith looked up at Will with mild astonishment and shied away slightly from him when he came close. It was a subconscious action on her part, reinforced by years of mistreatment after nice talk like Will was giving her at the moment. But then again, she didn't really handle men too well even though the two on board the Voyage wouldn't hurt her like that. Lastiriana would protect her if nothing else. She hid her unease at his proximity without the sharp captain about and spoke in a neutral voice that was perfected over the years of keeping her owner from knowing her real thoughts and feelings. "Not really. I just made casserole," she said to him, sticking the large dish into the oven. The glass-like substance was a special kind of plastic that mimicked glass though it wasn't nearly as breakable... and wasn't as easy to warp and destroy as plastic could be. It was the best compromise of keeping glass out of a ship's galley while getting all the benefits of the clear yet fragile substance.

((Well, I'm glad that you were able to long in. ^^))

With a deep sigh the captain pushed herself away from her desk. 'I may as well find Hermes and discuss taking a break,' she thought. She left her office and started wandering along the corridors of The Gypsy. To anyone that was not familiar with her ways, it would appear as though she were aimless. What she was actually doing was checking on random systems, and compartments, to ensure that everything was well as she made her way to the engine room. On her way she thought she might pass by the galley and see what would be made for dinner, and to check up on Faith as well.

---

Will stayed just a couple of feet into the kitchen. He did not want to bother her. Though he knew she'd had a rough past he did not know what it was. Everyone seemed to have something to hide and he would not prod her for information. "Ah, a casserole. Well, that is a simple enough dish. Not my favorite, but I wont complain." He shrugged and smiled at her, an easy and reassuring smile. "I suppose I should go on and find something else to do then. Listen, Faith, if you need help with anything just let me know, alright?" Will knew he could be, and was usually, intimidating. He tried to hide that around he crew mates, though he usually failed due to the general scowl that was on his face and seemed almost permanent. At least until he smiled.

((Long in? XD Seems I wasn't the only one with issues when it came to the keyboard. *laughs*))

Hermes caught sight of Ri as she passed through the halls. "Hey!" he called to her to grab her attention. "Ri!" His real reason for shortening her name wasn't because he wanted to be annoying (and he did like being annoying) but rather because he couldn't pronounce her name without a lot of conscious thought and a few hesitant pauses. Not that he'd let her know that. He'd rather have her think he was just being an ass. "Did you think about my suggestion?"

Faith gave him a long look with dark brown eyes that bordered black. "Okay," she said uncertainly in response to his statement though she knew she wouldn't be likely to call on him in the future. Too many hurts from men to keep her from trusting another one so easily, no matter how trustworthy they seemed. She turned to the casserole (incidentally a kind called 'Mexican Casserole', whatever that was) in the oven and pretended to be absorbed on checking up on it though she was hyper aware of the other individual in the room.

((I just want her to have issues with guys so it's more 'fun' for Will to bring her around.))

((Yeah. I should be able to post a bit more tomorrow since I will be off.))

She stopped and turned startling blue eyes towards Hermes. Those eyes narrowed at the nickname, but she crossed the corridor to him with a friendly enough smile. "I was actually just looking for you." Lastiriana sighed, "I really do wish you would not call me that though. However, to answer your other question. Yes I have." She shrugged, "I think you are right. We need a break. Do you have someplace in mind?"

---

Will nodded and left the room with a final goodbye. He caught sight of the Captain and the second nearby and thought of joining the conversation for a moment. Then he thought better of it and wandered off to the training room. A bit of practice never hurt anyone.

((I thought about taking today off myself, but I decided not to. Mostly because I have way too much to do at work. *grins*))

Hermes pretended to think about it for all of a minute. "How about we go to Mars? They've got a new casino there that's a racetrack, too. It's name is the Pegasus Downs. S'not a dive or super exclusive. It's kinda mid-range and should be fun without being over the top." He had thought about it quite a bit, really, and while he enjoyed fun, he didn't want to go to some high-dollar joint or some steal-all-ya-got cesspool.

Faith relaxed subtly when Will left. Now that her duties were done, and the oven would cut off once the food was deemed cooked thoroughly, she felt she could go look into the medical supplies. It was very important to make sure all the supplies were well looked after and kept up to date. Life as a pirate was a dangerous one and she wanted to make sure her rescuers were able to be taken care of if they got hurt during one of the raids. She stepped out of the galley and found that just down the passage were Lastiriana and Hermes. They appeared to be talking about a trip of some kind. Curious, she drew closer, fine with Hermes' presence so long as Lastiriana was nearby.

((Hehe, I can understand that. This is just my normal off day, though that will change on the 8th of August to Thursdays and Sundays.))

Lastiriana nodded, "I suppose we could make a detour there. I don't really remember the last time we've taken leave of the ship." Her eyes were drawn past Hermes first with Will, and then again with Faith. The woman was still so nervous, and she hoped it would pass with time. Of course who could blame her? After what Faith had been put through. She motioned her closer and smiled brightly, "Hello Faith. Hermes and I wee just talking about taking a bit of a break. I think the mans finally convinced me that we need some time off the ship." She looked at Hermes again, "So, Mars it is then. Since you seem to know more about the rest areas then I do."

-----
Will made his way to the training room. He intended to practice his aim. He was of the opinion that there was never enough time to train before you had to fight. Still, taking some time off would be nice as well. When he entered the room finally he took a deep breath. The scent in the room always made him think of a battlefield. That was mostly because of the equipment. Then he got to it. There was an area specifically for target practice with weapons that were specially designed to prevent any damage to the ships hull. He would be here a while, he thought.

((*somewhat randomly* The eighth of August was when I was employed five years ago.))

"Of course I do!" chirped the thief, taking a somewhat anime-esque pose with his shoulders thrown back, his chest thrust out, and his arms folded proudly over said chest.

Faith couldn't help but giggle, knowing Lastiriana would react to the silliness her second just demonstrated. How was, of course, a mystery, but still. "Where on Mars?" she asked in general.

"Pegasus Downs. We're going to th' casino!" he crowed delightedly before turning and haring off to god knows where in Faith's opinion. In reality, he was going forward to the helm to make sure all the auto-pilot stuff was still in line and to correct the course to go to Mars rather than heading to Venus like the original tentative plan had been. It was a minor correction (and major save on fuel) at the moment as they were actually closer to the red planet than the yellow one (which was, at the moment, about a third around Sol from Mars).

The captain put a hand over her mouth to cover the smile, unfortunately this did nothing for the giggle that managed to escape her before she caught it. The truth was that the man caught her off guard with antics like that often. Sometimes he even did so when she was in a good mood. That wasn't normally the case and she'd end up hurting his feelings by snapping at him.

When he walked away she turned to Faith, there was concern in her eyes now. She remembered Will coming from the galley only moments before the other woman had. "So, what was it Will needed? He didn't try anything did he?" Though she was not told everything, Lastiriana picked up easily on her crews reactions to one another. The way Faith acted around the men told her everything she needed to know.

----

Shot after shot hit it's target with practiced precision. Will did not really need to work as hard as he did. Of course, it was obvious that he would not be nearly as good as he was if not for the near constant training he put himself though. Then there was the fact that there was really very little to do on the ship between jobs for someone like him. So the man spent hours upon hours in the training room, usually only emerging for sleep, to tend to already immaculate weapons, cook, or eat. He really needed to find a new hobby.

((Edit: I meant to say that that is random, but it also made me giggle a little.))

((That was the whole point, making it funny. I'm not even sure where I got the inspiration to write it as I'm not that kind of person. I think it might be because I had a flash of Naruto striking a similar pose.))

Faith shifted her frame slightly and shook her head 'no'. "He just asked if I needed help. I made casserole." She paused before rushing on a bit. "I know men don't really like one-pan meals, but I thought it'd be the best and easiest for everyone as it keeps better and isn't too much of a bother to make. It tastes good, I know that. I had it before..." ...back on her previous moon, Titan. Titan was the only colonized moon of Saturn and considered something of a high-end neighborhood retreat for the wealthy. It is also known for the higher-end slave market, though most can't get enough money to bid in that particular market. She remembered well the older slaves saying to her 'Have faith, little one. Have faith. One day, you'll be free.' She hadn't believed it at first, but when she inadvertently became one of the stolen goods on the Voyage and was asked her name, she responded with that one word that kept her hopeful the entire time. 'Faith'.

Hermes debated on whether or not to go find something else to do. He considered it for a long moment, relaxing in Ri's seat rather than going to his typical helm as her chair was typically the navigation point. He had is own rights to it, of course, as he was second in command. After his consideration, he stood and left the bridge, going back and intentionally bypassing the corridor (no matter how short said corridor was) where Ri and Faith were. He didn't want to bother them and he was curious where Will went. Nine times out of ten, the other man could be found in one of the holds that had been converted into a shooting range. With that in mind, that is where he headed.

((I'm sorry if my following post isn't really up to par with my normal standards. I'm feeling a little under the weather at the moment.))

She nods and raked her fingers through her hair again. It was a common habit of hers. "You will tell me if he bothers you, won't you?" Her head was tilted with the inquiry, though it was one she knew the answer to. Then she brightened at the talk of the dinner. "I'm sure it will be a wonderful meal. You are a better cook then you generally give yourself credit to." She glanced down the corridor both ways almost conspiratorially, "The men complain about it, but you know they secretly love it anyway. They are just to proud to admit it after all the griping they do."

-----
Will continued to fire, though at this point he wasn't really even aiming. The man tried to put himself into a combat situation in his mind, imagining the distractions that would normally occur around him. He found himself, however, wondering what Hermes and the Captain had been talking about. Likely just the next place for a raid, which meant that he needed to keep his skills up.

He tried to push those thoughts away though. Thinking of Lastiriana or Faith always made him a bit uncomfortable. They were both very attractive women, and he doubted either would be the least bit interested in a man who's one and only hobby involved working with weapons.

((It's okay. So long as there's the ability to make a post off of it, a bridger is fine. I hope you get to feeling better, though.))

Faith nodded in a somewhat meek manner towards her captain. "I will." She was always having to be told to speak up, it seemed. She was so used to being quiet, though, and accepting of what was happening to her. When Lastiriana told her that her cooking was better than she gave herself credit for, Faith found herself blushing at the unexpected though not unwelcome praise. "Really?" she asked, like a puppy wanting affection as an affirmation.

Hermes entered the hold and saw Will screwing around with one of the guns. "Yo, man. What's up?" the russet haired man said to the other. He didn't exactly want to come running up and scaring the guy. Though merely practice weapons, the weapons used in the training room still hurt a bit when shot. And Hermes didn't want to have to deal with the unpleasant feeling.

((And you'll have to forgive my less than par post as well when it comes to Hermes. *grins*))

She smiled, "Yes, it really is." The woman tilted her head a little, "What were you going to do now that your cooking has been taken care of?" Lastiriana was determined that the woman would be her friend. She crossed her arms over her stomach, taking on a more relaxed stance.

---------

Will glanced around at the door, "Hermes." He then turned back to the targets and took a couple more shots. "Just my normal favorite pass time." His voice was dry, but it was intended as a joke. After a moment he sighed and relaxed his stance before turning back to the other man, "What were you and the Captain talking about? Another attempt to get her to take us all to a casino?" There was just the smallest hint of a smirk on his lips.

"I was going to go take care of the medical supplies," Faith responded, still with a faint blush on her cheeks. "I don't want us to be stuck in a situation that could be made worse by not... having everything organized." She stuck her thumbs in the negligible pockets on her butt as the shorts were practically melded to her ass. She figured the tiny pockets were more for show than for any actual use. "It gives me something do do other than clean compulsively." There was a kind of rolled shrug of her shoulders. A somewhat self-deprecating move, as there was a good side to being somewhat OCD with cleaning (especially in the galley) despite the fact there were systems on the ship that cleaned the general areas sufficiently.

"What attempt?" smirked Hermes. "I just got her to agree, man! We're goin' ta Mars!" He made a fist and pumped it into the air, whooping his excitement. "And I want to properly play this time, not turn it into a smash-n-grab. I wanna plunk on the slots and have cards dealt to me, not get shot at." That really rankled Hermes's nerves. Last time they had gone to a casino for some R&R, it turned into another pirating spree. Of course, it was his fault for picking a satellite casino rather than a ground-based one, but did they have to do that every time he wanted some fun that didn't involve stealing?

"Well, I can help you with that if you like. I think Hermes has gone off to correct our course and probably dance a little jig somewhere." She shook her head a little at the mental image that forced itself into her mind. "The man does seem to enjoy gambling." Lastiriana smiled, obviously amused with the situation. "Maybe we can even actually relax this time."

-----

Will stood and walked towards Hermes, "Really? Well, I suppose it was only a matter of time. You are a persistent one, aren't you?" He almost felt as though he should clap the man on the shoulder, but ignored the impulse. "So, when do you think we will be there?"

((Forgive me for not responding to your ooc post. I think I caught a cold from my 2 year old so I have kinda been skipping over things.))

((It's okay. I'm being slow myself due to lack-of-internet woes. I took yesterday off, so... *shrugs*))

"It would be good," admitted Faith. A beat later, she realized the ambiguity of her statement. "I mean, it would be good to relax and I'd appreciate the help, if you don't mind..." She trailed off a trifle uncertainly. It wasn't like she'd be hit for taking up the offer, but there was a time she would have been, so therefore there were habits she was still working to break.

"Definitely. It's been an age where we could kick up our heels and just be. And we will be there in about... a day." Even with all the advances of space travel, there was no real 'hyperspace drive' or any other fantastic science fiction tool to move a person quickly through space any faster. There was a hyper dive and the Voyage even had one, but no hyperspace drive.

((I'm sorry, I intended to post earlier today, but this cold has really taken it out of me.))

"I would be happy to help you. There isn't much else going on at the moment, and I don't feel like we really get many opportunities to really talk." She offered a reassuring smile and pushed away from the wall she had been holding up. "Shall we then?" She turned and started towards the medical bay.

------

"A day, hmm? Not bad, I guess we weren't to far were we?" He shifted a little, and slipped his gun into a sheath. "So, the question is what do we do until we get there? Other then the obvious thing of sleeping." He frowned and looked back at the target he'd been aiming at. The holes the the blanks created were nice and tight in mid body, with only one that was aimed for the center of the head. Of course his aim wasn't that good mid combat with the chaos that normally happened with it. Still, the practice was good.

((You're good. No worries. Just get better.))

Faith began to walk after her. The corridor was too narrow to walk side by side comfortably without major space invasion, so she just kept a comfortable distance behind Lastiriana. It wasn't too long before they got to the medical bay. It was large enough for all members of the crew to have a bed, though the probability of all of them being injured and staying in bed was nil. The sterile area was comforting to Faith and she liked being there almost as much as she liked the galley. Walking over to the supply cabinets, she pressed her thumb on the pad to allow the locks to deactivate so she could open it. Inside were the various bandaging and suture supplies. Each cabinet had a theme and this one held varying disinfectants as well as tools required to do a certain job. It was Faith's idea to do this as it made finding things easier. Before, it had been arranged alphabetically and who really wanted to have iodine next to Immodium? Something nick-named "monkey's blood" next to anti-diarrhea medicine? Bad imagery.

"Not too bad at all," agreed Hermes. "Of course, you can always burn time by raising the dead dummy population," he said with a grin. Hermes didn't prefer using firearms. Too many chances of blowing a hole through the ship, though the laser weaponry, sometimes called "blasters" thanks to some really old movie back before humans began to move around in space, didn't pose as much a risk. It could, if used in a certain way, blast a hole through the hull, but usually the smaller hand-held varieties never got so powerful as it was very hard to maintain a charge. "By the way, nice shooting. I still prefer a cattle prod."

She smiles as they enter the Medical Bay and watches at Faith walks towards one of the many supply cabinets. "You keep everything so organized that this shouldn't take long at all." Lastiriana remembered what it was like before. There had been an incident of giving someone morphen instead of Motrin one day. That was bad. With an amused look on her face she went to another cabinet and opened it with the thumb reader as well. "Have you worked with Will at all? Cooking I mean?"

------

The man couldn't help but laugh. He thought using a cattle prod could be funny, but he could not think of a way to wield it as effectively as he did his guns. "Thank you, and you can keep the cattle prod. Funny as it is, I'll stick with this." He hefted the pistol before he realized it was only the practice gun. "Well, not this, but you get the idea." Will grimaced at the weapon. It was good for practice, but he would rather use his blaster. "So, what do you intend to do when we get to Mars? Other then the obvious."

Faith shook her head and realized that the door would block the view of the motion from Lastiriana. "No," she responded verbally. "I just get too nervous and tongue tied. I..." She faltered. How does one explain the reason she didn't like working with men too much? Will had been a free man, as far as she could tell, all his life. He hadn't been like the slaves she'd been able to accept being near, with their zapping collars preventing them from having any kind of sexual contact with her. He was more like the master that could assert himself at any moment. His size intimidated her. His muscles intimidated her. Faith was frail and tiny compared to him and that made her somewhat scared and definitely wary. She didn't think he'd do it, but she'd not had enough time with him to help soothe her nerves into calmness. With the way things were going, she doubted she'd get any real time with him. Shaking herself free of such thoughts, she started inventorying the cabinet and hoped that Lastiriana wouldn't force her to have a fess-up.

"Well, gambling, I suppose, is the obvious. Could always hit up a whore house or a VR unit," he threw out casually as he leaned against the bulkhead, inspecting his fingernails before shooting a sly look at Will. Like the man would go for a prostitution joint... either of them, really. More likely than naught, they would wind up doing some minor souvenir shopping (not like they couldn't steal it, but it would be fun to use their wealth on something every now and again), possibly selling some stuff of their own as if they were real merchants or at least black market merchants and not pirates (best way to keep from being tracked was to get it out of their hands on occasion), and definitely eating like kings at some restaurant as well as restocking the food stores.

"I will not press the issue." She entered a few numbers into the pad for the medications in the cabinet she was working one. She wasn't blind, she could see how nervous Faith could be around the men. Still, it was best to broach it a little at a time until the other woman became more comfortable opening up to her. "Are you looking forward to going to the Casino?"

---------

He laughed again, "A whore house? Really, I didn't think you would go in for something like that. I think I would have to let you face that one alone." The tone of the voice said it was a joke. "A VR unit could be interested, depending on what you intend to do with it. Hell, I bet the Captain would like it...maybe Faith would too." He shrugged, "Depending on what the intent is."

Faith's stance relaxed at the moment Lastiriana told her she wouldn't push. Glad for the safe topic change, Faith nodded and then responded. "I think it will be fun. I've never really gambled before, so I don't know for sure." Her former master didn't really approve of gambling to begin with as he was more interested in working for his wealth. His occasional lady-friend, however, usually enjoyed going but Faith herself was never invited along on these ventures. It would be a new experience for her.

Hermes, too, could see the jumpy movements of their little cook, so he understood what Will meant. "Something innocent could be fun for her." He meant Faith more than Ri. "Like setting up a tour of some of the lost monuments of Earth. Like Ancient Rome or the Pyramids in Egypt." He, like Ri, wanted to get past the walls Faith kept herself stuck behind. But, like Ri, he didn't want to push her so far as to cut off any chances of getting in. He knew Will liked Faith and it seemed the man had her interests well in mind despite the fact that none of them really knew what to do with the former slave-girl's skittishness.

((Love the Avatar, and the one you had before this one as well.))

"I was never big on gambling myself. It's to easy to lose, and the house almost always wins in the end." She shrugged, but realized she wouldn't be able to see it. "There must be other things to do as well though. Gambling all the time seems like it would just get boring." She put a few more numbers in the data pad.

--------

"That is not a bad idea." He nodded thoughtfully, "It could be fun too." Another taste of his sarcastic humor. He stood up straight and sat the practice pistol aside. "Of course it depends on what they want to actually do when we get there. The last then I would want to do is cause her any stress." Of course he meant Faith. He'd been around the Captain long enough that any worries she may have had about Will should have disappeared. She certainly had never acted as though she were nervous around him. Thinking of the Captain a sly smile came across his features, "Are you going to try to do anything with 'Ri'?" He would never call the Lastiriana that to her face, but he would tease Hermes about the nickname that the woman so disliked.

((Thank you. Yours is pretty cute, too. And I find amusement with the whole 'gambling all the time thing' Lastiriana spoke of. While I do enjoy gambling, it's kind of a once every six months to a year sort of thing. And I usually wind up playing penny machines. Loads of fun without too much expense.))

Faith finished her cabinet before closing it and moving to the next one. "Do you think that Hermes will stay in the casino and not try to do something else?" Faith was of the opinion that the hyperactive thief (despite the laconic attitude he had a tendency to display) wouldn't want to just stay in one place too long. How far ranging his movement would be was another matter entirely. It could be from slot machine to table to another slot machine or it could be away from the casino. Faith assumed that Lastiriana would know better as she had elected Hermes as her second. One wouldn't just make another a 2IC without trusting them and in order to trust, one has to know the other, right? "I mean, if he gets bored enough or loses enough, do you think he'd want to go do something else?"

Hermes thought about it and shrugged. "I dunno. I'm not gonna get grabby by any means, but an arm around the shoulders here and move a little close there... maybe I can heat up her engines enough she wants me to maintenance them." His features lit up in a semi-feral grin at the thought of Ri under him as he 'did maintenance' to her. Or, hey... she was captain. Why not let her 'pilot'? Shaking himself out of his revere, he gave a mock glare at Will. "And I'm the only one allowed to call her 'Ri'!" he shot at him, though the tone in his voice was amused and didn't exactly have the sting of an actual angered retort.

((Speaking of currency, what should we have as the dominant one? It should either be one that's a powerful one today [such as the American Dollar or the Euro] or we can do something like "Batman Beyond" and have a 'cred' or credit currency which is essentially no real currency at all. I kinda like the idea of the Euro, though, for some reason. It does have influence over the entirety of Europe, which is a fairly wide area.))

((Thank you. I think that Euro's could work just fine. ^^))

She shrugged, "I don't know. I mean, he wants to go to a Casino planet. He may want to get involved with some of the other attractions, but being as he's so intent on Mars he may just be interested in the gambling." After a moment she moved on to another cabinet as well. Faith was faster then her, but she also did this more often. "Personally, I think the Casino will hold his attention for half a day, maybe a day. There may be another reason he chose this particular planet."

---------

Will snorted at the response. He got a far different answer then what he had intended with the question in the first place, "That wasn't exactly what I meant. I was trying to ask if you were going to try to take her out for a fancy meal or something. Though I suppose it could end the same." He tried to shake of thoughts of the Captain himself. She could be cold and distant, where Faith was just afraid and needed to break out of her shell. The woman was attractive and more so for the killer instinct he'd seen her display, but something about her demeanor just turned him away from trying. That and the fact that it was obvious Hermes liked her, though he wasn't sure if the Captain felt the same.

"I think she would have my head mounted on the outside of the ship if I tried to call her that. You, however, she's given up for a lost cause." He laughed again, "You have fun trying to 'warm her engines' though, man. I think it will take more then you realize."

((Edit: I have never actually gambled so I have no idea if I would like it or not. I've not even so much as played strip poker. Also, I love Hermes terms, though that's seriously not what I was trying to get at. lol))

((Hermes is something of a pervert, for future reference. I knew what Will was talking about could have gone many ways, but Hermes decided he meant 'are you gonna try and seduce her?'.

Have you ever played Black Jack or at least know some poker hands?))

"I wonder what he has in mind? And how long do you want to stay there?" asked Faith, entering her data as she went. So far, they really didn't need much, it seemed, but there were still two more cabinets to go. She had already made note of the lack of small stick-on bandages as well as hydrogen peroxide in the first cabinet, so some shopping had to be done.

"That would work, too," Hermes answered almost flippantly in response to the dinner idea. "Actually, that's sort of how you should lead into those sorts of things if it's a first time, from what I hear, unless it's a prostitute." He flashed a grin then. "I will tell you, though... once, I called her 'RiRi' and she shot my ass. My literal ass. I've still got the scar. She'll tolerate the 'Ri' so long as I don't make her sound like a toy poodle. Her words, not mine."

((Sorry for the minor back-history god-moding, but I figured Lastiriana would do something like that.))

((Heh, that's okay. ^^ I giggled, I just didn't now if maybe I came across differently then I intended. And yes, that is totally what she would have done.))

"I don't really know. I doubt that we'll see much of the men to be honest. I think two, maybe three days. Though three is stretching it." She entered a few more things into the slate. There really wasn't much that was needed. Though Asprin and Vicodin were low, apparently they never restocked the Vicodin when they used it last. "I think we could use a little extra time off the ship, don't you?"

-----

He snorted, "I had heard that dinner and such was part of the 'mating ritual'." As he listened further, though, the snort turned into laughter. Will could easily imagine the Captain hating 'RiRi' and shooting someone in the ass for it. "You know, I think I would have helped her on that one. That is a horrible nickname." He sighed, "Hey, you want to play cards or something? I know we are going to be on Mars soon, but I am a it out of practice."

((As I said, she certainly seems the type.))

"I do. It'd be nice," agreed Faith. "It's nice being on board and helping you guys, but there are times I'd like to see the sky and we don't have a holographic projector here." Indeed, the Voyage was far too small to house any kind of holo play unit like one could find on larger cruisers. Faith didn't mind it for the most part. She loved to read, especially romances and books where everything is done for the right reasons and the woman lived happily ever after. She closed her cabinet and reviewed the list of stuff quickly. The medicine cabinets weren't numerous. The supplies required for a small ship with a crew of four wasn't extensive like larger ships with crews of twenty to over a hundred. And that made cataloging and ensuring they were well equipped that much easier.

Hermes shrugged in response. "I was a bit drunk at the time and it seemed like a good idea. I don't usually risk my hide like that, especially with her. She could always deny me food." He grinned at the prospect of cards. "Sure. Need to get my groove on anyway. We betting anything to keep it interesting? Like actual Euros or maybe nuts and bolts, seeing as I've got my extras in the engine room."

She entered a few more things into the data pad and then closed and locked the door. "You know, I thought there would be more. I suppose I was thinking that the Medical bay was bigger then it actually is." She shrugged and turned to Faith. "A Holographic projector would be nice. Maybe I'll be able to get a bigger ship one day and have one installed." The captain shrugged, "Maybe. Seeing the sky on Mars will be nice, though. It's hard only being able to see stars through the windows on the ship."

---

"She probably would to." He nodded, still grinning. "Alright, we can play in my room. I've got a table big enough for it there." He put the training weapons back in place before leaving the room. It wasn't far to his quarters, he had requested to be close because of how often he trained. "What do you want to play? It's been a while since I've played any card game."

"It will be nice. I know it won't be actual free sky, but I'm excited, too." All of the colonies were encapsulated against either space or un-breathable atmosphere. She smiled at the idea of looking at the reddish skies of Mars. "Will we dock at a space terminal or land on the planet itself at the space needle?" The space needle was a structure that extended high above the ground on Mars, looking much like a needle as it lanced through the air. It also looked fairly knobbly, usually, as there were hundreds of slots for different ships. Either one would require some kind of transportation as few space craft could land on the ground. That was what shuttle-buses were for.

"Let's brush up on the basics of blackjack first," offered Hermes. It, besides the almost-as-old game Texas Hold 'Em, was one of his favorites games of all times.

((Sorry... short post.))

((It's okay. Sorry I haven't been posting often. Apparently I was bitten by a spider and it's having a bad effect on me.))

She tapped her chin thoughtfully for a moment before shrugging. "Probably best to land on the planet if we can. I mean, we don't want the ship searched to be certain." The smile on her face was not one of grim amusement because she'd had something like that happen before. Most of the goods were lost, and she almost didn't make it out with the ship either.

------

"That is my kind of game." He opened the door to his quarters, which were spartan except for a few weapons racks where he obviously stored his gone, his cot, the table, and a few decorations from his military career. He took the seat farthest from the door without taking his weapons off, and then remembered to get back up and get the cards. "Take a seat, man."

((I don't mind. I've been busy myself.))

Faith shook her head, her thin dark hair flying about her face a bit as she did so. "No. We don't. This is our life." Granted, there were many more sure ways to make a living, but Faith was part of the stolen goods herself and she didn't want to go back to her owner. There was no telling how she'd be received after her long 'absence'. She folded her arms under her breasts and rested her weight more fully on one leg. "Will we get a hotel? If so, I'd like to swim some in the pool... I'll have to get a swim suit, though." She giggled slightly, wondering what kind of suit she'd wear. She wouldn't want to expose too much skin, personally, but... it depended on what was available.

Hermes flopped rather than sat in a chair where he had a view of the door but didn't take the spot that Will had obviously claimed for himself. Long legs sprawled across the floor as he looped just as long arms behind his head and stretched cat-like while in the chair. "You need to have some posters or something in here," he commented, looking about. "Liven the place up." Granted, each set of quarters was little bigger than a somewhat generous walk-in closet so Will didn't have to go far nor were there many seats in the room. The bed was close to the small table. The cabinetry was stuck anywhere there was space. Hermes' own cabin wasn't much better. It was just as closet-like, but at least there was a smidge more room. Ri had the biggest cabin as was proper for she was the captain. At least no one had to share.

((Thank you for understanding. Apparently I was bitten by a spider and that caused some issues. Still recovering. I'm trying to post regularly though.))

She seemed to think about that for a moment. Lastiriana was not exactly thrilled about the idea of leaving the ship unmanned, but a hotel would be a nice change of scenery. "Hmm. I think that a hotel would be a good idea. You and I could share a room, and Will and Hermes could have another, perhaps close enough that we could kick them out of their beds easily enough if we want to all go exploring together, but not so awkward as the four of us sharing a room." She arched an eyebrow towards Faith as though asking if that would be acceptable.

-------

He tossed the cards on the table and sat back down before glancing around. he never had been one for unnecessary decorations. His room was very utilitarian and he did not really looks as though that would change. "I don't think I spend enough time in here for that to really matter. It does what I need it too, and I have cards if I get really bored." He smirked and opened the pack after a moment, "You deal or me?"

((I've been bitten by a spider before. It's very very uncomfortable.))

Faith considered the suggestion closely. With her captain nearby, she wouldn't have to worry too much about being accosted by males. Then again, she did have her own sidearms that had been provided to her. "I like the idea," she admitted. "And if we can get a room with a view, it'd be incredible!" The former slave clapped her hands together as she spoke in her excitement.

Hermes took up the deck and slid it out of its box before beginning to shuffle with a practiced ease. "I'll deal," the thief said, still flipping through the cards. He stopped his shuffling and tapped the deck into alignment against the table. He then held the cards face down and began to deal before laying the deck aside. "Let's go~o!"

((It really is.))

"I don't think getting a room with a great view will be a problem. We certainly have enough to do so." She tapped her fingers on a table lightly, thinking of the few hotels she knew on mars, "I can't think of what the name for the best hotel is right now. It's right on the tip of my tongue, but I know where it is. If it's still the 5 star is use to be, then I think it will be out best option."

-----

He smirked and glanced down at the cards. "Hmmm." The cards were a 5 of diamonds and a 5 of hearts. He didn't looks at the one card Hermes had showing, but shrugged, "Hit me with another card." He looked up at the other man then, "I am curious about something."

((I have no idea how many times I picked at the bite on the back of my neck.))

"That'd be nice, but we don't have to go ritzy," Faith said, blinking at the idea of spending a ton of money on rooms... especially ones that they wouldn't likely be spending much time in while on the planet.

Hermes had barely glanced at his own open face card, the jack of spades. It was enough to see that there was a picture and he knew there might or might not be something interesting under that other card. He pulled the top card off of the deck and slapped it down. "'Bout what?" asked the thief, settling back for a bit.

((Sorry for the shortness.))