"That's it there." the Yard foreman said pointing to the star ship at the end of the long interior dock. The Bilstein Shipyards was one of the largest, and most respected, on Glisten, but from the look of the ship at the end of the row this wasn't their finest work. A pretty standard 200 ton free trader, the design was older than the hills and this example looked to be just about that old. Sasha squinted his eyes and thought to himself, "It looks better this way." Paris, a merchant spacer by trade looked at the little ship with a less jaundiced eye than her friend the former Imperial Scout. This class of ship was the backbone of trade along the Jump One mains and a smart crew could make a good income off one of these. Yes, this one was old, but it had a fresh coat of paint on it and from the outside, at least, looked like in was in good repair. "So, when are you taking that thing off our hands?" the Yard foreman asked, "I need that berth for a Rockwell class yacht coming out of the dry docks by 204. You'll have to move, um..." He glanced down at his clipboard, "...the /Akus Moby/ out of here by then." In Sasha's pocket the contract said he was to lift from Blisten by 2002, after seeing to the provisioning of the ship and taking Lord Percy Duboser aboard and proceed to Wonstar. He also had a note in his pocket reminding him of the crew meeting he had called at Norman's Lounge for 1830. Glancing at his wrist he noticed that it was already 1800...time to board the ship and look around, or not? Paris was already walking down the row looking up at the two story ship. At it's nose in large black letters that stood out in stark contrast to the white hull was the ship's name and hull number: /Akus Moby/ IMS-34915. Sasha was still somewhere behind her talking with the foreman. Eris Akus Moby Eris Akus Moby
> "That's it there." the Yard foreman said pointing to the star ship > at the end of the long interior dock. > > The Bilstein Shipyards was one of the largest, and most respected, > on > Glisten, but from the look of the ship at the end of the row this > wasn't their finest work. A pretty standard 200 ton free trader, the > design > was older than the hills and this example looked to be just about > that old. > > Sasha squinted his eyes and thought to himself, "It looks better > this way." > > Paris, a merchant spacer by trade looked at the little ship with a > less > jaundiced eye than her friend the former Imperial Scout. This > class of > ship was the backbone of trade along the Jump One mains and a > smart crew > could make a good income off one of these. Yes, this one was old, > but it > had a fresh coat of paint on it and from the outside, at least, > looked like in was in good repair. "I've seen worse," Persephone decided aloud, tucking her hands into the back pockets of her rather tight trousers. "I don't see exposed wiring conduits, so that's definitely a plus." > "So, when are you taking that thing off our hands?" the Yard > foreman > asked, "I need that berth for a Rockwell class yacht coming out of > the dry docks by 204. You'll have to move, um..." Paris raised an eyebrow and with a toss of her head, flipped her long, blonde-highlighted brown hair off her shoulders. > He glanced down at his clipboard, "...the /Akus Moby/ out of here > by then." > > In Sasha's pocket the contract said he was to lift from Blisten by > 2002, > after seeing to the provisioning of the ship and taking Lord > Percy Duboser aboard and proceed to Wonstar. > > He also had a note in his pocket reminding him of the crew meeting > he > had called at Norman's Lounge for 1830. Glancing at his wrist he > noticed > that it was already 1800...time to board the ship and look around, > or not? > > Paris was already walking down the row looking up at the two story > ship. > At it's nose in large black letters that stood out in stark > contrast to > the white hull was the ship's name and hull number: /Akus Moby/ > IMS-34915. Sasha was still somewhere behind her talking with the > foreman. Paris headed for the passenger access gangway--that at least would be open, or at least extended--and took a deep breath when she found it. It, too, showed its age--but showed relatively good repair. Much better than that old scow she'd been on when she'd dropped her retirement paperwork--and every so much better than the unemployment line that had continuously turned up zero work before she'd run into Sasha again yesterday--the good old Sasha, with the glimmer of mischief in his eye, the song in his heart... She shook her head with a bemused smile on her face. Always the enthusiastic lad, he was...
> > "That's it there." the Yard foreman said pointing to the star ship > > at the end of the long interior dock. > > > > The Bilstein Shipyards was one of the largest, and most respected, > > on Glisten, but from the look of the ship at the end of the row this > > wasn't their finest work. A pretty standard 200 ton free trader, the > > design was older than the hills and this example looked to be just about > > that old. > > > > Sasha squinted his eyes and thought to himself, "It looks better > > this way." He tilts his head, one thought following the other, "Kind of like my last type S!" > > Paris, a merchant spacer by trade looked at the little ship with a > > less jaundiced eye than her friend the former Imperial Scout. This > > class of ship was the backbone of trade along the Jump One mains and a > > smart crew could make a good income off one of these. Yes, this one was >old, > > but it had a fresh coat of paint on it and from the outside, at least, > > looked like in was in good repair. > >"I've seen worse," Persephone decided aloud, tucking her hands into the >back pockets of her rather tight trousers. "I don't see exposed wiring >conduits, so that's definitely a plus." "You always did look at the bright side of things, didn't you, Paris?" he smiled at her. Running into her had been a bonus. She was a skilled spacer, and a good person. Always good to be able to help out, and work with, an old friend. And she certainly wasn't old... His thoughts are pulled back to the business at hand by the foreman asking a question. > > "So, when are you taking that thing off our hands?" the Yard foreman > > asked, "I need that berth for a Rockwell class yacht coming out of > > the dry docks by 204. You'll have to move, um..." > >Paris raised an eyebrow and with a toss of her head, flipped her long, >blonde-highlighted brown hair off her shoulders. > > > He glanced down at his clipboard, "...the /Akus Moby/ out of here > > by then." > > > > In Sasha's pocket the contract said he was to lift from Blisten by > > 202, after seeing to the provisioning of the ship and taking Lord > > Percy Duboser aboard and proceed to Wonstar. > > > > He also had a note in his pocket reminding him of the crew meeting > > he had called at Norman's Lounge for 1830. Glancing at his wrist he > > noticed that it was already 1800...time to board the ship and look >around, > > or not? "I'm picking up the crew this evening, we'll come aboard and probably be out of here by the day after tomorrow. Assuming everything is in order, of course. We'll have to do the final acceptance checks on life support, powerplant, drives, etc, and do a full provisioning. What are the hours your people are available for that kind of work?" > > Paris was already walking down the row looking up at the two story > > ship. At it's nose in large black letters that stood out in stark >contrast to > > the white hull was the ship's name and hull number: /Akus Moby/ > > IMS-34915. Sasha was still somewhere behind her talking with the > > foreman. > >Paris headed for the passenger access gangway--that at least would be open, >or at least extended--and took a deep breath when she found it. It, too, >showed its age--but showed relatively good repair. Much better than that >old scow she'd been on when she'd dropped her retirement paperwork--and >every so much better than the unemployment line that had continuously >turned up zero work before she'd run into Sasha again yesterday--the good >old Sasha, with the glimmer of mischief in his eye, the song in his >heart... > >She shook her head with a bemused smile on her face. Always the >enthusiastic lad, he was... Sasha
> > > The Bilstein Shipyards was one of the largest, and most respected, > > > on Glisten, but from the look of the ship at the end of the > > > row this > > > wasn't their finest work. A pretty standard 200 ton free > > > trader, the > > > design was older than the hills and this example looked to be > > > just about that old. > > > > > > Sasha squinted his eyes and thought to himself, "It looks better > > > this way." > > He tilts his head, one thought following the other, "Kind of like > my last type S!" > > > > Paris, a merchant spacer by trade looked at the little ship > > > with a > > > less jaundiced eye than her friend the former Imperial Scout. This > > > class of ship was the backbone of trade along the Jump One > > > mains and a > > > smart crew could make a good income off one of these. Yes, > > > this one was old, > > > but it had a fresh coat of paint on it and from the outside, > > > at least, looked like in was in good repair. > > > >"I've seen worse," Persephone decided aloud, tucking her hands > >into the > >back pockets of her rather tight trousers. "I don't see exposed > >wiring conduits, so that's definitely a plus." > > "You always did look at the bright side of things, didn't you, > Paris?" he smiled at her. "Always look at the bright side of life," she responded, her attention going to the ship rather than to him-she took off her sunglasses and slid them into an inside pocket of her light jacket. > Running into her had been a bonus. > She was a skilled spacer, and a good person. Always good > to be able to help out, and work with, an old friend. > And she certainly wasn't old... His thoughts are pulled back > to the business at hand by the foreman asking a question. > > > > "So, when are you taking that thing off our hands?" the Yard > > > foreman asked, "I need that berth for a Rockwell class yacht > > > coming out of the dry docks by 204. You'll have to move, um..." > > > >Paris raised an eyebrow and with a toss of her head, flipped her > >long, blonde-highlighted brown hair off her shoulders. > > > > > He glanced down at his clipboard, "...the /Akus Moby/ out of here > > > by then." > > > > > > In Sasha's pocket the contract said he was to lift from > > > Blisten by > > > 202, after seeing to the provisioning of the ship and taking Lord > > > Percy Duboser aboard and proceed to Wonstar. > > > > > > He also had a note in his pocket reminding him of the crew meeting > > > he had called at Norman's Lounge for 1830. Glancing at his > > > wrist he > > > noticed that it was already 1800...time to board the ship and > > > look around, or not? > > "I'm picking up the crew this evening, we'll come aboard and > probably be out > of here by the day after tomorrow. Assuming everything is in > order, of > course. We'll have to do the final acceptance checks on life > support, > powerplant, drives, etc, and do a full provisioning. What are > the hours your people are available for that kind of work?" > > > > Paris was already walking down the row looking up at the two story > > > ship. At it's nose in large black letters that stood out in > > > stark contrast to > > > the white hull was the ship's name and hull number: /Akus Moby/ > > > IMS-34915. Sasha was still somewhere behind her talking with the > > > foreman. > > > >Paris headed for the passenger access gangway--that at least > >would be open, > >or at least extended--and took a deep breath when she found it. > >It, too, > >showed its age--but showed relatively good repair. Much better > >than that > >old scow she'd been on when she'd dropped her retirement > >paperwork--and > >every so much better than the unemployment line that had > >continuously > >turned up zero work before she'd run into Sasha again yesterday-- > >the good > >old Sasha, with the glimmer of mischief in his eye, the song in > >his heart... > > > >She shook her head with a bemused smile on her face. Always the > >enthusiastic lad, he was...
Greg S wrote: >>> "So, when are you taking that thing off our hands?" the Yard >>> foreman asked, "I need that berth for a Rockwell class yacht >>> coming out of the dry docks by 204. You'll have to move, um..." >> >> Paris raised an eyebrow and with a toss of her head, flipped her >> long, blonde-highlighted brown hair off her shoulders. >> >>> He glanced down at his clipboard, "...the /Akus Moby/ out of here >>> by then." >>> >>> In Sasha's pocket the contract said he was to lift from Blisten >>> by 202, after seeing to the provisioning of the ship and taking >>> Lord Percy Duboser aboard and proceed to Wonstar. >>> >>> He also had a note in his pocket reminding him of the crew >>> meeting he had called at Norman's Lounge for 1830. Glancing at >>> his wrist he noticed that it was already 1800...time to board the >>> ship and look around, or not? > > "I'm picking up the crew this evening, we'll come aboard and probably > be out of here by the day after tomorrow. Assuming everything is in > order, of course. We'll have to do the final acceptance checks on > life support, powerplant, drives, etc, and do a full provisioning. > What are the hours your people are available for that kind of work?" The foreman snorts, "Blisten Shipyard runs 24/7, Captain. You show up at any time, middle of the day, middle of the night, and you'll find a full staff ready and rearing to go." >>> Paris was already walking down the row looking up at the two >>> story ship. At it's nose in large black letters that stood out >>> in stark contrast to the white hull was the ship's name and hull >>> number: /Akus Moby/ IMS-34915. Sasha was still somewhere behind >>> her talking with the foreman. > >> Paris headed for the passenger access gangway--that at least would >> be open, or at least extended--and took a deep breath when she >> found it. It, too, showed its age--but showed relatively good >> repair. Much better than that old scow she'd been on when she'd >> dropped her retirement paperwork--and every so much better than the >> unemployment line that had continuously turned up zero work before >> she'd run into Sasha again yesterday--the good old Sasha, with the >> glimmer of mischief in his eye, the song in his heart... >> >> She shook her head with a bemused smile on her face. Always the >> enthusiastic lad, he was... Sure enough the passenger gangway is down leading to an open hatch at the top. Glancing down the ship's length, she sees that the large cargo hatch is also open, but the ramp is still in the up position. Eris Akus Moby
> >>> "So, when are you taking that thing off our hands?" the Yard > >>> foreman asked, "I need that berth for a Rockwell class yacht > >>> coming out of the dry docks by 204. You'll have to move, um..." > >> > >> Paris raised an eyebrow and with a toss of her head, flipped her > >> long, blonde-highlighted brown hair off her shoulders. > >> > >>> He glanced down at his clipboard, "...the /Akus Moby/ out of here > >>> by then." > >>> > >>> In Sasha's pocket the contract said he was to lift from Blisten > >>> by 202, after seeing to the provisioning of the ship and taking > >>> Lord Percy Duboser aboard and proceed to Wonstar. > >>> > >>> He also had a note in his pocket reminding him of the crew > >>> meeting he had called at Norman's Lounge for 1830. Glancing at > >>> his wrist he noticed that it was already 1800...time to board the > >>> ship and look around, or not? > > > > "I'm picking up the crew this evening, we'll come aboard and probably > > be out of here by the day after tomorrow. Assuming everything is in > > order, of course. We'll have to do the final acceptance checks on > > life support, powerplant, drives, etc, and do a full provisioning. > > What are the hours your people are available for that kind of work?" > >The foreman snorts, "Blisten Shipyard runs 24/7, Captain. You show up at >any time, middle of the day, middle of the night, and you'll find a full >staff ready and rearing to go." "Right," Krikor says, holding out his hand to the Yard Foreman. "Expect us this evening then, looking to make final preparations for getting under way. I'll dump the credentials of the crew into the access system so they can have badges and all ready for them. Thanks," he says, turning and following after Paris. > >>> Paris was already walking down the row looking up at the two > >>> story ship. At it's nose in large black letters that stood out > >>> in stark contrast to the white hull was the ship's name and hull > >>> number: /Akus Moby/ IMS-34915. Sasha was still somewhere behind > >>> her talking with the foreman. > > > >> Paris headed for the passenger access gangway--that at least would > >> be open, or at least extended--and took a deep breath when she > >> found it. It, too, showed its age--but showed relatively good > >> repair. Much better than that old scow she'd been on when she'd > >> dropped her retirement paperwork--and every so much better than the > >> unemployment line that had continuously turned up zero work before > >> she'd run into Sasha again yesterday--the good old Sasha, with the > >> glimmer of mischief in his eye, the song in his heart... > >> > >> She shook her head with a bemused smile on her face. Always the > >> enthusiastic lad, he was... > >Sure enough the passenger gangway is down leading to an open hatch at >the top. Glancing down the ship's length, she sees that the large cargo >hatch is also open, but the ramp is still in the up position. He scampers up the ramp behind her. "Well, let's see just how bad it is on the inside, shall we?" he asks, indicating she should enter. "We don't have much time, since we're supposed to meet the rest of the crew in about 30 mikes. But a quick once over is in order, at least so I can have seen it first." He grins. "We'll have one high passage to start. And," he pulls out his pocket comp. "Hmmm," he says, looking at the screen. "Need to check the funds available to finish the outfitting and do the provisioning." Krikor
> >The foreman snorts, "Blisten Shipyard runs 24/7, Captain. You > >show up at > >any time, middle of the day, middle of the night, and you'll find > >a full staff ready and rearing to go." > > "Right," Krikor says, holding out his hand to the Yard Foreman. > "Expect us > this evening then, looking to make final preparations for getting > under way. > I'll dump the credentials of the crew into the access system so > they can > have badges and all ready for them. Thanks," he says, turning and > following after Paris. > > > >>> Paris was already walking down the row looking up at the two > > >>> story ship. At it's nose in large black letters that stood out > > >>> in stark contrast to the white hull was the ship's name and hull > > >>> number: /Akus Moby/ IMS-34915. Sasha was still somewhere behind > > >>> her talking with the foreman. > > > > > >> Paris headed for the passenger access gangway--that at least > would> >> be open, or at least extended--and took a deep breath > when she > > >> found it. It, too, showed its age--but showed relatively good > > >> repair. Much better than that old scow she'd been on when she'd > > >> dropped her retirement paperwork--and every so much better > than the > > >> unemployment line that had continuously turned up zero work > before> >> she'd run into Sasha again yesterday--the good old > Sasha, with the > > >> glimmer of mischief in his eye, the song in his heart... > > >> > > >> She shook her head with a bemused smile on her face. Always the > > >> enthusiastic lad, he was... > > > >Sure enough the passenger gangway is down leading to an open > hatch at > >the top. Glancing down the ship's length, she sees that the large > cargo>hatch is also open, but the ramp is still in the up position. > > He scampers up the ramp behind her. "Well, let's see just how bad > it is on > the inside, shall we?" he asks, indicating she should enter. "We > don't have > much time, since we're supposed to meet the rest of the crew in > about 30 > mikes. But a quick once over is in order, at least so I can have > seen it > first." He grins. "We'll have one high passage to start. And," > he pulls > out his pocket comp. "Hmmm," he says, looking at the screen. > "Need to > check the funds available to finish the outfitting and do the > provisioning." Paris nodded, walking slowly down the corridor, taking stock and tapping notes into her little handheld. "One High Passage isn't going to pay the bills--what sort of retinue does your--what did you call him last night?" she asked, "Oh, yeah, 'Mr High and Mighty'." She looked up and winked at him, her eyes brown and happy. "Funds--if you need some--I've got quite a bit left-twenty years of careful saving, gone in an eyeblink." A sigh. "I'm not even sure how many cabins are available--or low berths--right now, crew plus cabins, with a margin of error, at 2k Imperials per person for O2, Hydro, rations...let's figure a crew of seven--isn't that what you contracted for meeting, counting us?--and give us say ten pax cabins at optimum, that's 34k for live personnel, call it another ten or twenty sophontcycles and let's go high, that's another 2K at maximum for minimal LS...let's go with a base of 36K for life support have you seen a fire extinguisher yet I haven't..." she frowned over the PDA, the merchant in her coming to the fore... When she got like this, all wrapped up in a project, in business, she didn't eat or sleep--singleminded to the end... "...need to look at armaments, might have to buy antiship weaponry, did this thing have any guns on your contract?"
> > >The foreman snorts, "Blisten Shipyard runs 24/7, Captain. You show up >at > > >any time, middle of the day, middle of the night, and you'll find > > >a full staff ready and rearing to go." > > > > "Right," Krikor says, holding out his hand to the Yard Foreman. "Expect >us > > this evening then, looking to make final preparations for getting under >way. > > I'll dump the credentials of the crew into the access system so they can > > have badges and all ready for them. Thanks," he says, turning and > > following after Paris. > > > > >Paris was already walking down the row looking up at the two > > >story ship. At it's nose in large black letters that stood out > > >in stark contrast to the white hull was the ship's name and hull > > >number: /Akus Moby/ IMS-34915. Sasha was still somewhere behind > > >her talking with the foreman. > > > > >Paris headed for the passenger access gangway--that at least > > >would be open, or at least extended--and took a deep breath > > >when she found it. It, too, showed its age--but showed relatively good > > >repair. Much better than that old scow she'd been on when she'd > > >dropped her retirement paperwork--and every so much better than the > > >unemployment line that had continuously turned up zero work > > >before she'd run into Sasha again yesterday--the good old Sasha, with >the > > >glimmer of mischief in his eye, the song in his heart... > > > > > >She shook her head with a bemused smile on her face. Always the > > >enthusiastic lad, he was... > > > > > >Sure enough the passenger gangway is down leading to an open hatch at > > >the top. Glancing down the ship's length, she sees that the large > > >cargo hatch is also open, but the ramp is still in the up position. > > > > He scampers up the ramp behind her. "Well, let's see just how bad > > it is on the inside, shall we?" he asks, indicating she should enter. >"We > > don't have much time, since we're supposed to meet the rest of the crew >in > > about 30 mikes. But a quick once over is in order, at least so I can >have > > seen it first." He grins. "We'll have one high passage to start. >And," > > he pulls out his pocket comp. "Hmmm," he says, looking at the screen. > > "Need to check the funds available to finish the outfitting and do the > > provisioning." > >Paris nodded, walking slowly down the corridor, taking stock and tapping >notes into her little handheld. "One High Passage isn't going to pay the >bills--what sort of retinue does your--what did you call him last night?" >she asked, "Oh, yeah, 'Mr High and Mighty'." "Think of it more of a charter. We're transporting the ship, *AND* H&M back to Wonstar, so he isn't going to be paying all the bills. But I do need to touch base with the powers that be just to confirm the lines of credit, or just how they are expecting us to pay for it all." >She looked up and winked at him, her eyes brown and happy. "Funds--if you >need some--I've got quite a bit left-twenty years of careful saving, gone >in an eyeblink." "Thank you for the offer. You are much too generous to an old cantankerous scout like me. I'll not be taking your money, especially since you've worked so long for it, your Ladyship." That last is said with a wink and a bow, along with a smile. She'd moved up in the Imperium since last he'd run with her. >A sigh. "I'm not even sure how many cabins are available--or low >berths--right now, crew plus cabins, with a margin of error, at 2k >Imperials per person for O2, Hydro, rations...let's figure a crew of >seven--isn't that what you contracted for meeting, counting us?--and give >us say ten pax cabins at optimum, that's 34k for live personnel, call it >another ten or twenty sophontcycles and let's go high, that's another 2K at >maximum for minimal LS...let's go with a base of 36K for life support have >you seen a fire extinguisher yet I haven't..." she frowned over the PDA, >the merchant in her coming to the fore... > >When she got like this, all wrapped up in a project, in business, she >didn't eat or sleep--singleminded to the end... > >"...need to look at armaments, might have to buy antiship weaponry, did >this thing have any guns on your contract?" "Hell yes," he says, slipping past her to look into one of the turrets before continuing down the passageway to get a general feel for the ship. It's good. It's better than he thought, actually. Well, it better be if they are to be lifting in two days. No more time for repairs. He drops to the lower deck, and waits for her to follow. He jumps up a couple of runs, and squeezes her calf. "Come on! You need to look down here to flesh out your calculations." He heads to the other end of the ship, and waits for her to meander along to where he is. "That's it, Paris. Meeting time." He takes her elbow and guides her to the ladderwell where he makes her head up before him. He grins and follows her tight rear up the ladder. "Let's go," he says, leaving the ship and pulling her along. "Wouldn't do to be late to the first meeting. You might even know a couple of these guys..." Sasha heads towards the bar, looking forward to finally getting the crew formed. Loose ends finally coming together... Krikor The Count, MonteCristo@hotmail.com
> >She looked up and winked at him, her eyes brown and happy. "Funds- > -if you > >need some--I've got quite a bit left-twenty years of careful > >saving, gone in an eyeblink." > > "Thank you for the offer. You are much too generous to an old > cantankerous > scout like me. I'll not be taking your money, especially since > you've > worked so long for it, your Ladyship." That last is said with a > wink and a > bow, along with a smile. She'd moved up in the Imperium since > last he'd run with her. "Your Ladyship my ass," Paris laughed at him for a moment, "you know as well as I do that it was a perq when I retired--'For Services Rendered to the Imperium', they said--that, and ten credits' will buy us both a small cup of coffee at one of those high-priced boutiques." > >A sigh. "I'm not even sure how many cabins are available--or low > >berths--right now, crew plus cabins, with a margin of error, at > 2k > >Imperials per person for O2, Hydro, rations...let's figure a crew > of > >seven--isn't that what you contracted for meeting, counting us?-- > and give > >us say ten pax cabins at optimum, that's 34k for live personnel, > call it > >another ten or twenty sophontcycles and let's go high, that's > another 2K at > >maximum for minimal LS...let's go with a base of 36K for life > support have > >you seen a fire extinguisher yet I haven't..." she frowned over > >the PDA, the merchant in her coming to the fore... > > > >When she got like this, all wrapped up in a project, in business, > >she didn't eat or sleep--singleminded to the end... > > > >"...need to look at armaments, might have to buy antiship > >weaponry, did this thing have any guns on your contract?" > > "Hell yes," he says, slipping past her to look into one of the > turrets > before continuing down the passageway to get a general feel for > the ship. > It's good. It's better than he thought, actually. Well, it > better be if > they are to be lifting in two days. No more time for repairs. Paris slowed down, her eyes darting from side to side, cabin to cabin, each door being opened as she passed and each chamber within the ship getting the quick once-over... > He drops to the lower deck, and waits for her to follow. He jumps > up a > couple of runs, and squeezes her calf. "Come on! You need to > look down here to flesh out your calculations." The youngish-looking woman looked around for his voice and relaxed--she'd almost fallen down the shaft, so deep into her own inventory was she. "Yeah, yeah, you just wanted to cop a feel on my leg," she laughed at him. > He heads to the other end of the ship, and waits for her to > meander along to > where he is. "That's it, Paris. Meeting time." "...new sheets for the pax cabins that crap looked raggedy at least two new mattresses didn't see any pots and pans gonna have to do a full inventory of the galley..." Her fingers danced across the PDA entry keypad. > He takes her elbow and > guides her to the ladderwell where he makes her head up before > him. Paris blinked up at him. "Huh?" she said, her fingers stopping their continuous dance and her eyes cleared. "What?" > He grins and follows her tight rear up the ladder. "Let's go," he > says, > leaving the ship and pulling her along. "Wouldn't do to be late > to the first meeting. You might even know a couple of these guys..." "Crap, you're right," she said, hitting, 'Save' and then folding the PDA away and tucking it into her pocket. "Its that late already..." > Sasha heads towards the bar, looking forward to finally getting > the crew formed. Loose ends finally coming together... She resisted the urge to take his arm; they were friends, sometimes lovers, but not good to let a new crew see a potential conflict of interest. "...and I doubt that I know any of them," she said, tucking her hands into her jacket pocket, her sunglasses propped up in her hair. "Anything's possible, I guess--just feels like we're too damn rushed on this mission--anything you're not...there's the bar."
Greg S wrote: >>>>> "So, when are you taking that thing off our hands?" >>>>> the Yard foreman asked, "I need that berth for a >>>>> Rockwell class yacht coming out of the dry docks by >>>>> 204. You'll have to move, um..." >>>> Paris raised an eyebrow and with a toss of her head, >>>> flipped her long, blonde-highlighted brown hair off >>>> her shoulders. >>>> >>>>> He glanced down at his clipboard, "...the /Akus >>>>> Moby/ out of here by then." >>>>> >>>>> In Sasha's pocket the contract said he was to lift >>>>> from Blisten by 202, after seeing to the >>>>> provisioning of the ship and taking Lord Percy >>>>> Duboser aboard and proceed to Wonstar. >>>>> >>>>> He also had a note in his pocket reminding him of >>>>> the crew meeting he had called at Norman's Lounge >>>>> for 1830. Glancing at his wrist he noticed that it >>>>> was already 1800...time to board the ship and look >>>>> around, or not? > >>> "I'm picking up the crew this evening, we'll come >>> aboard and probably be out of here by the day after >>> tomorrow. Assuming everything is in order, of course. >>> We'll have to do the final acceptance checks on life >>> support, powerplant, drives, etc, and do a full >>> provisioning. What are the hours your people are >>> available for that kind of work?" > > The foreman snorts, "Blisten Shipyard runs 24/7, Captain. >> You show up at any time, middle of the day, middle of the >> night, and you'll find a full staff ready and rearing to >> go." > > "Right," Krikor says, holding out his hand to the Yard > Foreman. "Expect us this evening then, looking to make > final preparations for getting under way. I'll dump the > credentials of the crew into the access system so they can > have badges and all ready for them. Thanks," he says, > turning and following after Paris. "Good doing business with you." the foreman taps the side of his hard hat's visor and turns away walking back the way he came. >>>>> Paris was already walking down the row looking up >>>>> at the two story ship. At it's nose in large black >>>>> letters that stood out in stark contrast to the >>>>> white hull was the ship's name and hull number: >>>>> /Akus Moby/ IMS-34915. Sasha was still somewhere >>>>> behind her talking with the foreman. > >>>> Paris headed for the passenger access gangway--that >>>> at least would be open, or at least extended--and >>>> took a deep breath when she found it. It, too, >>>> showed its age--but showed relatively good repair. >>>> Much better than that old scow she'd been on when >>>> she'd dropped her retirement paperwork--and every so >>>> much better than the unemployment line that had >>>> continuously turned up zero work before she'd run >>>> into Sasha again yesterday--the good old Sasha, with >>>> the glimmer of mischief in his eye, the song in his >>>> heart... >>>> >>>> She shook her head with a bemused smile on her face. >>>> Always the enthusiastic lad, he was... > >> Sure enough the passenger gangway is down leading to an >> open hatch at the top. Glancing down the ship's length, >> she sees that the large cargo hatch is also open, but the >> ramp is still in the up position. > > He scampers up the ramp behind her. "Well, let's see just > how bad it is on the inside, shall we?" he asks, indicating > she should enter. "We don't have much time, since we're > supposed to meet the rest of the crew in about 30 mikes. > But a quick once over is in order, at least so I can have > seen it first." He grins. "We'll have one high passage to > start. And," he pulls out his pocket comp. "Hmmm," he > says, looking at the screen. "Need to check the funds > available to finish the outfitting and do the > provisioning." > > Paris nodded, walking slowly down the corridor, taking > stock and tapping notes into her little handheld. "One High > Passage isn't going to pay the bills--what sort of retinue > does your--what did you call him last night?" she asked, > "Oh, yeah, 'Mr High and Mighty'." > "Think of it more of a charter. We're transporting the > ship, *AND* H&M back to Wonstar, so he isn't going to be > paying all the bills. But I do need to touch base with the > powers that be just to confirm the lines of credit, or > just how they are expecting us to pay for it all." > She looked up and winked at him, her eyes brown and happy. > "Funds--if you need some--I've got quite a bit left-twenty > years of careful saving, gone in an eyeblink." > "Thank you for the offer. You are much too generous to an > old cantankerous scout like me. I'll not be taking your > money, especially since you've worked so long for it, your > Ladyship." That last is said with a wink and a bow, along > with a smile. She'd moved up in the Imperium since last > he'd run with her. > A sigh. "I'm not even sure how many cabins are > available--or low berths--right now, crew plus cabins, with > a margin of error, at 2k Imperials per person for O2, > Hydro, rations...let's figure a crew of seven--isn't that > what you contracted for meeting, counting us?--and give us > say ten pax cabins at optimum, that's 34k for live > personnel, call it another ten or twenty sophontcycles and > let's go high, that's another 2K at maximum for minimal > LS...let's go with a base of 36K for life support have you > seen a fire extinguisher yet I haven't..." she frowned > over the PDA, the merchant in her coming to the fore... > > When she got like this, all wrapped up in a project, in > business, she didn't eat or sleep--singleminded to the > end... > > "...need to look at armaments, might have to buy antiship > weaponry, did this thing have any guns on your contract?" > "Hell yes," he says, slipping past her to look into one of > the turrets before continuing down the passageway to get a > general feel for the ship. It's good. It's better than he > thought, actually. Well, it better be if they are to be > lifting in two days. No more time for repairs. > > He drops to the lower deck, and waits for her to follow. > He jumps up a couple of runs, and squeezes her calf. "Come > on! You need to look down here to flesh out your > calculations." > > He heads to the other end of the ship, and waits for her to > meander along to where he is. "That's it, Paris. Meeting > time." He takes her elbow and guides her to the ladderwell > where he makes her head up before him. He grins and > follows her tight rear up the ladder. "Let's go," he says, > leaving the ship and pulling her along. "Wouldn't do to > be late to the first meeting. You might even know a couple > of these guys..." > > Sasha heads towards the bar, looking forward to finally > getting the crew formed. Loose ends finally coming > together... Goto http://www.mypbem.com/images/ for deckplans that I plan to modify for this game. Eris
