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| - Bunk Module Obviously the quarters for the ships crew, 8 hammocks are located here, though only 2 show obvious signs of occupation. Attached to the floor at the head of each hammock is a small footlocker. In the port-aft corner, a peculiar tangle of wires that resembles nothing so much as a bird's nest is located. In the aft-side wall, a door is set, beside it a handprint scanner. The air here is pleasantly warm to most species, the light soft with a slightly yellow tint. The vibration of the ship's port drive thrums through the aft wall. Contents: Seer Jaxx A slight rustle, maybe leather against steel. Silence, then quick, light footsteps along the metallic floor. From the bunk module emerges a heavily pregnant teenage girl of sallow face and lank brownish hair that might at some point in time have been blond without the streaks of dirt and grime. She grimaces as she makes hasty strides for the corridor, waddling slightly with the bulk of her swollen belly. Jaxx's eyes narrow. He regards this figure for a few moments, brows arcing. "Love? Is that you under that?" The teenager freezes, almost dropping the scuffed and disreputable backpack she's holding in one hand. A quiet, throaty, "Damn and blast..." sounds. Jaxx folds his arms before his chest. "What's going on?" Rox turns, a slightly mutinous expression on her face. Make-up and possibly even a face mask has done its work exceedingly well, for the scar that was so vivid in Sha is now totally gone, replaced by the dull complexion of a cocaine user. Even her voice is scratchy, hoarse. "I'm goin’' back to Tomin Kora with the strike team. I've got to. Kip's my /son/. I've got to." Jaxx says, evenly. "I see." Rox clears her throat for a moment, the familiar Sha tones returning. "I've got to love..." she repeats, her now-green eyes looking up at her fiancé desperately. "He's my boy. I've got to." Jaxx repeats. "I see." He sighs softly. "I guess I'd best change." Rox bites her lips for a moment. "You don't have to..." she says quietly. "I know you didn't want to. But...hell, you know me well enough, but Fagin wouldn't know me from his damn grave if he saw me this way..." Jaxx shakes his head. "There's no way you're going without me." Rox draws a quick breath. "I'm sorry...." she mutters with a hangdog look that's amplified by her sallow complexion and general disreputable state. "I'm so sorry..." Jaxx says, "Why are you sorry? As you said, it's something you must do...And that makes this something that /I/ must do." Rox tosses her backpack onto her shoulder. "Sorry that I'm draggin’' you into something you want no part of love..." She lays a hand on her stomach and grimaces. "I hate pillows." Jaxx says, "Don't be. Come on, let's get me changed." Rox gives a faintly reluctant grin. "Rox is the name..." she murmurs as she turns and moves towards Jaxx ponderously. "Oh hell, I won't ever get preggers if this is what it feels like." Jaxx says, "It was always my intention to consult you first." Rox pauses a moment, blinking. "I ain't the one who decides when to have it! Just bloody does it on its own!" Jaxx says, "I...Don't think it's quite that uncontrolled, love." Rox makes a wry face. "Well...I dunno much ‘cept basic biology, but that's not the time or place to discuss that now love. C'mon. What have you got that I can rip up?" Jaxx says, "I have an ample supply of appropriate things, I think." Rox grins. "C'mon then." She waddles into the bunk module. Jaxx heads into the bunk module after her. Rox shoves a hand behind her back, grumbling as she reaches her fiancé’s closet. "Ok start looking..." she says. "I don't know what you've got in mind." Jaxx shrugs. "I've some things..." He roots around in the closet. The first thing to emerge is, of all things, a black leather jacket, metal studs inset on the back to spell out the word 'Ripper'. He tosses it onto the bed, with a chuckle. "Probably best not to ask?" Rox grins widely, looking pathetically like a junkie looking for a fix. "What if I do?" she quips. Jaxx says, "Why, you'll get the runaround." Rox wrinkles her nose. "Start talking," she orders, eyes twinkling. Jaxx says, "It was just a phase." Rox chuckles, picking up the jacket and looking it over. "Nice," she says with great approval. Jaxx removes a pair of nicely faded ripped jeans, pitching them onto the bed. Soon after, they're followed by a t-shirt with the cryptic caption 'Sod Off!' emblazoned beneath a snarling wolf's head. Rox almost chokes with laughter. "Ooooh, bloody nice..." she giggles, or at least, for her it's a giggle, bordering more on a low chuckle instead. Jaxx begins unzipping pockets on his jumpsuit. He begins producing things and laying them on the bed...His blaster...Cards...A small toolkit of some kind...A microflashlight...Plus assorted other useless looking bits of junk, a lot of it metallic. Rox in the mean time begins rummaging in her own pockets, coming up with an assortment of handrolled joints, or what looks like joints, some marbles and a feather. Jaxx notes, "We should probably do something about my hair and complexion, too." He unzips the front of his jumpsuit, stepping out of it as he talks. Rox nods, stowing the stuff back in her ample pockets. "I got stuff for that, what you want to look like?" she says casting a sapient eye over her beloved. Jaxx shrugs. "I should be paler, I suppose...And making my hair white or blond makes the most sense, if we're going to mask it. Rox wrinkles her nose. "Want green hair?" she asks. Jaxx says, "We could try it. Hard to get colors to take." Rox shakes her head. "No no no...I mean...use extensions." She bends down, somewhat ponderously and hauls out a large sack of stuff from somewhere under the bunk. She roots around in it and drags out a ratty looking set of dreadlocks streaked with the most horrible neon green. "There...If I get it on right, it ain't gonna come loose till I wash it." Jaxx eyes the hair. "Dreadlocks?" Rox chokes back her grin. "Dreadlocks." Jaxx sighs softly. "Not really 'Ripper's style, but I suppose it'll do." Rox wrinkles her nose again. "If you don't want to, it's ok, but it'll take a hell of a lot longer to bleach your hair." Jaxx shakes his head. "No, that'll do fine. Jaxx tugs the jeans on, then pulls the t-shirt over his head. He sits on the bed. "Alright, love. Latch it down." Rox grins and hauls the abomination of green locks over to her fiancé. She carefully pulls up a handful of his hair, then begins what might be called a process of braiding. This takes a few minutes and some adjustment and alliterative cursing before she stops and steps back, satisfied. Jaxx says, simply, "This can't be a good look for me." Rox bites back an irrepressible dimple. "It's not bad. Really." Jaxx says, "Uh-huh." Jaxx says, "Well. Makeup?" Rox bahs. "You look good, Ripper dood." She drawls out her words long and slow in atrocious druggie Tomin Kora accent. "I got it." With that she takes out a flat kit from the sack, opens it and poises a finger. "Close yer eyes." To give her credit, the girl works fast. And her touch, while occasionally mystifying in its rubs and pulls and pushes, is gentle, if firm. She pulls out another bottle of creamy looking stuff, empties a fraction of it onto her palm and begins her ritual again. Eyes, eyelids, neck...It's a good fifteen minutes before she finally gets it to her satisfaction and begins applying darker shades. Rox mutters softly as she fishes in her bag to attach an earring to Jaxx's right earlobe, dragging up a long earcuff to go with it and clipping it on. After that she begins working on the rest of his exposed skin. About ten minutes later, the girl steps back. "Yer done," she says, surveying her handiwork with a glint in her eyes. Rox laughs softly and claps her make-up stained hands. "Lovely!" Ripper says, "Oy, yah love. Less' jus' roll on over and bang Fagin on his willy, ey?" Ripper pockets his various tools and such. Yes, the blaster too. Rox grins and immediately, her body language changes to a slouched, indifferent sort of saunter. "Eh, blimeyan'spinach, whaddaya kno' whatchawant with those junkos narkie?" Her voice is now a grunt, hoarse and dragged out as if she's spent years on drugs and has forgotten how to talk. Ripper's own affectation is an odd combination of gruff and nasal as he replies, "Less jaw, more ass-kickin'." Rox half-heartedly flips a finger at Ripper. "Well get on yer heinie then, sawyerboyan'lets'gitusouto'ere." Ripper says, "Roight." Rox wipes her hands on a piece of cloth, blending the make up into dirt-colors that match her persona perfectly. She snatches up her backpack and slouches out the door. "Move it, horseface." Landing Platform Clouds of steam hiss from vents along the edges of this broad gunmetal gray platform beneath a violet sky dotted with stars and gleaming with five moons of varying sizes. Some unsavory folks conduct their bleak business in the shadows, while others haggle with pilots over fares and freight charges. Mechanics clad in the silver-chased royal blue jumpsuits of the pirate king's technical squad wander from ship-to-ship, checking fuel levels and rad-ratings. Contents: Seer Ripper Shuttlecraft Shadowflier Doctor Valis Boarding Tube - Courser Boarding Tube - Phoenix Boarding Tube - Endeavour II Boarding Tube - Chimaera Boarding Tube - Hippocrates Refueling Console Boarding Tube - Banshee Three Boarding Tube - Banshee Four Signal Post Ripper hacks a bit of spittum up, depositing it unceremoniously on the tarmac as he emerges from the shuttle. Valis stands by his ship, quietly watching... Rox slouches out of the shuttle, complaining loudly as she shoulders a scrappy looking backpack, one hand behind her back. "Blimeyshitan'brains...this ain't halfitis." Valis doesn't seem to notice the two unsavory individuals. There are plenty of unsavory individuals on Tomin Kora. He merely stands by his ship, quietly watching, lost in thought. Ripper says, "Roight love, an' oo was it that said, 'be careful, love, ya don't wanna tyke tearin' its way outta your belly'. An' what did you go an' do?" Ripper says, "Ripper warned ya, he did." Rox snorts and coughs, a rasping, hacking sound that seems to tear her lungs from her emaciated body. She fumbles in her dingy pocket, coming up with a hand-rolled joint. "Gimme a light, studdo an'bequickabou'it." Ripper materializes a pack of matches from somewhere on his person. He lights one of these, smoothly holding it to the joint's end. Valis lets out a long sigh. He looks at the drugs being taken, then looks away. His expression saddens somewhat, as he remembers his last patient who overdosed on drugs. Ripper hawks up another bit of vile looking stuff, once more spitting it carelessly on the tarmac. Rox hacks again violently. "Thanks, spuddo." She inserts the joint between her lips and inhales savagely. "Mmmmm...Whaddayaknowthecheapiesworktoo..." she drawls contentedly, blowing smoke rings at Valis insolently. Valis takes a step to the side as if to avoid the smoke rings, he coughs slightly, as if to avoid inhaling even the faintest traces of the smoke. Ripper says, "You crappin' Ripper negative?" Rox smirks at Valis, her stained and missing teeth showing unpleasantly for a bit before she blows a smoke-ring back up at the man named Ripper. "Me no crap, yabigustootin'studdo..." Her hand rubs at her back and she complains loudly again, "Blightin'frigdrekin'belly." Ripper says, "Smells worse'n yer feet, love. Keep it. You readyta haul yer bloated belly on?" Valis finally speaks, turning to Rox, "You'll kill your baby with that stuff." His voice is non-confrontational, but rather a statement. Rox flips a finger at her man with an insolent toss of her lank hair. She turns dull, drug-stupored green eyes to Valis. "S'm'bay-bee." She inhales again from the red-tipped joint. "Aint'gonnakillnobo-dee." Valis inclines his head, "You know very well it will. But I'm sure other doctors have warned you. There's nothing I can do about it.." Ripper says, "Don' think ta be changin' 'er mind, doc. She's ab-so-lute-ly rocklike that way." Valis nods, "I'm sure other Doctors have tried, there's nothing I can do." He sighs, "It is almost definitely brain damaged and addicted by now." Rox shifts her position slightly, the weight of her belly dragging down on a spine too thin to be possibly carrying such a heavy weight. Her response is a grunt, and a few more smoke rings. Ripper says, "Ain' you just tha Lord o' Mirth." Valis nods, "I'd be lying through my teeth if I told you otherwise." Rox grunts again, positioning her hand behind her back. "Ehwottawestandin' waitin', sawyerboy?" she demands fitfully of Ripper. Ripper says, "Yer lazy arse, love. Figured ya needed ta build yer strength 'fore wobblin' on." Valis turns to Rox, "If you want help so you'll stop hurting yourself and your baby, stop by... He points toward the blue ship with the word "Hippocrates" written on the side. Rox makes a sluggish, ineffective punch at Ripper from a clawlike, dirt-begrimed hand. She exhales twin jets of smoke out her nostrils as her dull eyes follow Valis's gesture. "Hi..Hoppc...Ahblimeyan'allthet." She hacks her rasping cough again and slouches one foot in front of the other, waddling ponderously. "Thanksan'nothanksdoc..." she slurs. Valis sighs and says halfheartedly looking at the needle marks on her arms, "Unless you get help you have less than five years to live." Ripper says, "Hippo Crates? Tusks'n all? Nasty critters, Hippos. Sooner tear ya open than...Well, no thasspretty much how they handle it." Cally_Blake has arrived. Cally_Blake comes out of shadowflier.... Valis stands before the pregnant teenager a lecturing expression on his face. Ripper stands near the other two. He hawks, spitting something thick and yellowish on the tarmac. Rox gives her thin emaciated butt a defiant, definitely obscene waggle, her hand still supporting her spine while the other keeps a lighted joint firmly between her lips. "Livin'ferth'moment doc...ain't nothin'blimeyan'spinachelse t'live for." She gives a hollow, rasping laugh that emphasizes her skeletal structure and tugs at Ripper. "Getchahorseassmovin' junko." Cally_Blake blinks as she comes across the scene... Ripper says, "Tack 'er up, love, an' see if she rides right." Valis sighs, "That’s not what you'll think when you gasp your last breath." He turns away from them, noticing Cally for the first time. It takes a moment for his expression to shift to a smile. Ripper says, "Seeya, Doc. Don' stress tha small stuff, roight? Too late, eh? Ha ha." Rox gives what in a normal teenager might be called a coquettish giggle, but in her is more of a pathetic titter as she swats at Ripper's butt. "Mmmm...gimmestud..." she slurs and drags him on. Cally_Blake is looking horrified, as if she has seen what might have been, instead of what was.... Ripper says, "Ey, love, not supposedta be so butch in tha public eye? Whattabout me rep?" Valis continues walking toward Cally, back turned toward the two. He studies her expression curiously. Rox's only response is that pathetic, hacking laugh as she pinches his butt playfully. "Gimmeamana'termidnight...y'ain'tgotchanorep..." as she rounds the corner ponderously. Dark Alley Squeezed tight between two squat metal turrets that house local business establishments, this passage doesn't offer much room to breathe, which might be fortunate if one didn't actually have to breathe while here. The side road, dead-ending at the back of a taller obsidian tower capped by a luminescent green dome, reeks of garbage, urine and dead...something. Something rustles through the trash in the darkness - maybe it's just an animal, but it could be a predator of a more cunning kind. Ripper arrives from Fortune Row . Ripper has arrived. Rox pauses a moment in her ponderous swaying before she enters the alley. A look of almost fear, genuine, not put on, flickers into her dulled eyes. Ripper follows along, typically unconcerned. Or, if he's concerned, he's not showing it. Rox waddles into the darkness, complaining as usual. "Strike a light there studdo, wes'pposedt'meet Charley Doe here in th'usual, y'kno'?" Ripper says, "Roight roight. Late, is 'e, love?" Ripper produces the matches again. Rox scrabbles about in her pocket as she drops the finished joint and scuffs it out with a worn sneakered foot. "He'zalwayslatebedate..." she slurs as she finds an unobstructed wall to lean against, slouching. Ripper whistles softly and off key, peering up and down the alley. "Dark, wot?" Rox yawns, holding her belly with a frown and sliding down the wall into a pile of scattered cardboard boxes that have been dumped there. "Dark'sagoo'thang." Ripper says, "Guesso." Rox grunts, snorting slightly. A spasm of coughing shakes her thin body. Ripper says, "Keep yer lungs in, love. Hardta smoke without 'em." Rox doesn't answer just quite yet, another spasm seizing her. She rasps up a large gob of unpleasantly brown colored spit and expectorates with unerring accuracy at the side of a box. Ripper says, "Loverly." Rox snorts. "I gettin'm'aimbetterall'th'time." Ripper says, "Yer a regular sharp-spitter." Rox bridles, looking pleased despite her sharp, "Eh, ye joshin'mesawyerboy." Ripper says, "Well, yer no Ripper...But who is?" Ripper says, "Oh, oy, roight. Me." Rox picks up a small piece of cardboard and flings it half-heartedly at Ripper. "Yeh, you studdo." Ripper says, "Don'tcha ferget it." Rox grunts, shifting uncomfortably again. "Tha'doc, heweren'tnoseriouswere'e?" Ripper says, "Prolly. Always seemta be." Rox wrinkles her nose, holding her hands over her straining belly. "Nobo-dee gonna kill m'bay-bee, yeh?" Her dull eyes lift to him. Ripper says, "Nah, not if Ripper has anythin' to say." Rox seems satisfied as she nods, her lank hair dropping into her face. "Charley seztake'im twenny t'do th'microblackout, he sez it be funner tha'way." Ripper says, "Charley's gotta lotta thingsta say. Not always on, is he?" Rox shrugs, the motion making her seem like some grim scarecrow with its stick arms. "Charley always gonnabelate, he sittin' on th'outhouse." Ripper says, "Or found himself something to lie under, permanent-style." Rox dismisses this with a weak flip of the wrist. "Eh, no, tha'be Toadsterboywit'th'flippin'sods. He gonna get off'd iffen he don'shoveoff." Ripper says, "Charley's notta popular guy with everybody /I/ know. And hey, doesn't Ripper know everybody?" Rox leans forward, shoving a strand of grimy hair behind one ear and leering slightly. "I'llsez." Ripper says, "Bloody well bettah." Rox titters again, still in that pathetic, hacking voice. "Ooh come gimme some, studdo..." she wheedles, waggling her thin eyebrows. Ripper says, "Wot, and muss yer face?" Rox pouts, tossing her head with waifish insolence. "Izonlyaface..." she slurs, wheedling. Ripper says, "S'a face I like, don'tcha know?" Rox gives a disconsolate, final little pout and settles herself. Ripper says, "Where's that bloke anyhow?" Rox shrugs again, lifting a bony hand to scrape at some grime on her bright yellow nails. "Me'zdunno, Ripper studdo. He sez, cashth'alleya'now. So'z I'm here a'now." Ripper says, "Not prompt, is 'e?" Rox grunts. "Never is." Ripper says, "No sensa decency, leavin' a pregnant bit inna cold alley for this long?" Rox giggles, an obscene sound. "I ain'tapreggersbit..." she drawls. Ripper says, "Sureya are." Rox giggles again and throws some nameless trash at Ripper. "Y'so kyootwhenyerlik'tha'." Ripper says, "Whoya callin' cute, love? Yer jus' stompin' all over my rep, ya know." Rox coughs again, almost tearing her thin frame to pieces. "You kyooot..." she wheedles, obviously on some sort of high. Ripper scowls comically. "Oh yeah, Ripper's cute, he is." Rox wrinkles her nose, giggling. "Oh yeh, gimme some o'th'ak-shyun, joyoboy..." Ripper says, "Anytime, love. Anytime. But nottinna cold alley." Rox pouts, trying to cross her legs in a somewhat comfortable position and not succeeding. "Butit'scol'...." Ripper says, "S'exactly why s'not gonna happen." Rox bats at her hair crossly. "Mmmf. No'fun..." she snorts. Ripper says, "Not whatcha said last night." Rafe, Cassie, LeBeau, Valis, Cally and Yama enter the alley. Rafe growls, "The happy couple is following us." He grins. Rox grunts and sashays her hips in sitting position, a rather pathetic effort that jiggles her large belly and makes her exhale painfully. "Yekeepin'score, studdo..." she begins. Then her head tilts. "Oy, Charley Sanaen, ye'bestbeyou yescumbag..." A chill breeze whispers through the alley. A cat howls in the distance. Cally_Blake hangs near the back, her hand on Valis's arm... Valis follows after the crowd with Cally, "Cally I'm not sure that's the most wonderful idea, following this crowd." Cally_Blake says, "Uh, yeah...although it reminds me of the old days, before I went straight..." Cassie turns to Valis and Cally and smirks. "Little girl likely to get herself raped. Get her out of here, man..." Ripper leers at Valis, "Whassamatter, Doc? Don' think we bite." Cally_Blake says, "I'm not so little..." Rafe says, "The man might get it too..." Valis inclines his head to Cassie, face puzzled at hearing a familiar voice, "If anyone tries, I'd shoot them." Cassie walks over to Valis and gives him a look. Yama walks in, eyeing the group of new people with interest. Valis looks at Cassie and LeBeau, not quite recognizing them, but struck by an acute case of Deja Vu. Cally_Blake stands in front of Valis..."Pat..maybe we better.... Rox rises ponderously from the ground, stubbing out the smoldering remains of a hand-rolled joint. "Caz, who's th'bitchwhore wit' th'kyootiewiddlebit doc?" she hacks raspily. "They ain't noparto'charlieman. Git." Cally_Blake says, "Pat, let's get out now!" A bright beam of light sweeps over the alleyway as a hovercab whistles overhead. Valis looks at Cassie, then whispers to Cally. Cally_Blake says, "We're not supposed to be here...come on...(tugs at his arm)" LeBeau looks to where the light is coming from. Cally_Blake ducks out of long forgotten habit... The hovercab whirs away into the distance, arcing around the corner. Rafe backs away from the light. Ripper says, "Girl's got tha right idea, Doc. Ain't tha place for decent folk, ya know?" Cally_Blake sighs as he whispers urgently to her... Rox grunts and hacks up a glob of unpleasantly brown colored spit, right at Cally's feet with disdain. "Charleymandon'tshow an' I's gotta shove 'im some spit. Little weener gal." This is directed at Cally venomously. "She wanna gitsomeo'th'up'th'ass?" Cally_Blake says, "No thank you....and I was a street rat myself a long time ago..." Cally_Blake says, "I spent most of that time avoiding someone trying to give me some up the ass as you put it..." Cally_Blake says this matter of factly... Rafe paces back and forth, glaring at the couple. Cassie smiles sweetly and grabs Cally by the arm. Ripper rolls his eyes. "Oy. Listen, just sod off, OK? S'healthier." LeBeau just glares at the two staying very quiet. Cally_Blake yipes as her arm is grabbed...."Hey now....I'm trying to get him to leave... Rox snorts and waddles towards a pile of trash near the dumpster. "Charleyman, c'mon me'zgottacashan' we runnin' fer TIME ye bitch..." she snarls, her words ending in a coughing fit that threatens to tear her apart. Cassie smiles at Valis. "Good. The Doc doesn't seem to mind he is endangering lives here...Maybe I can prove it to him? Get out." Cally_Blake says, "He seems to think he can help someone..." Cassie grins and leans forward. Valis oddly enough doesn't defend Cally and looks at Cassie with a strange familiarity. Ripper snorts, then shifts his attention to LeBeau. "How's tricks, big stuff? Yer lookin' nicen'glowery. Valis decides to take Cassie's word for it. He takes Cally's hand and begins to back away. Rox is rummaging around the trash, but suddenly she turns. In her hand is a small, old, but entirely serviceable blaster. And it's pointed straight at Valis. "Boogeyman'sgunnagitcha..." she giggles, her voice that crackhead high. Cally_Blake steps back a little out of reflex..."Ok honey, take it easy...take it easy...Look, if there is someone who needs his help, fine. I can wait back at the Hippo...(then he take her hand) Cally_Blake says, "Shit!" Cassie laughs. "Pretty boy. What can you say? Don't waste yer ammo on him.? Cally_Blake steps again in front of Valis..."Hey, hey, we're leaving..." Through her rummaging, Rox finally finds a manhole cover. Cally_Blake says, "Just don't shoot him, please..." LeBeau points to Cally and then quietly to the alley entrance Cally_Blake says this pleadingly as she pushes him out... Valis blinks, involuntarily taking a step back. He leaves. Cally_Blake pushes at him for a moment then leaves herself. Yama raises an eyebrow. Yama says, "Were we expecting to see them?" Ripper snorts softly, then comments, 'Oy'. LeBeau looks back to Ripper and Rox. "Ok leds ged dis show starded." Rox giggles insanely as she looks at her blaster like a new toy. "Gonnagitcha..." she sing-songs and scrabbles at the manhole cover, her voice high-pitched. The manhole cover doesn't seem to want to give. Rafe snarls, "Shoulda done em, Roxy girl." Ripper yawns, stretching lazily, leather groaning a bit in protest to the action. "'Ere, love. Less giveya a hand there." He moves to lend his strength to the effort to move the cover. Cassie waits, glancing out at the street a bit nervously. Further effort shows the manhole cover is welded in place. Ripper says, "Bloody 'Ell. Thassnotgonna work." Rox grunts, oofing as her stomach gets in the way. "Wotchagonnado..." she complains. "Rafe sawyerboyo...c'mere you gottatools, no?" She sets back on her haunches. LeBeau draws his pistol and motions for everyone to get behind him. Cassie pauses. "Wasn't there a switch around here that freed it up?" She decides to look and make sure, just in case Lebeau doesn’t fire. Rafe backs out of the way. "Ask th'grease boy, he's got th'goods." A thumb is hooked in Yama's direction. No matter how hard she tries, Cassie can find no switch. Yama shrugs, and stands by Cassie. LeBeau takes aim and fires in a triangle fashion at the cover. Rox eases herself to her feet ponderously. "Gogit," she grunts. "Charleymanain'tgonnagit no cashiffen he don'wanna open up." The energy blasts dislodge the manhole cover, which plunges with a smoldering, acrid cloud of white burnoff smoke into the rancid depths. Yama says, "Ah, there we go." Ripper winces. "Clang Clang." Yama says, "I suppose I should get around to this now." LeBeau twirls the pistol before his hand disappears back into his coat holstering it. Yama unzips his bag, and pulls out a large bag, and begins to assemble what looks like a very advanced gun. Yama says, "Hmm..slot A into cartridge B?" Yama snips the sight into place, with a minimum of swearing. Rafe prissily says, "I suppose so." Yama says, "Righto." Rox shrugs, hoisting herself over to Cassie. "Sezyouwegoin'cold?" she grunts and fingers off in the direction of the cover. "Effin'blimeyan'spinach." LeBeau kneels over the hole and peers down. Cassie looks at Rox. "I have no bloody clue what you just said, girl." The stench of sewage wafts thickly from below. Yama rubs his chin. "Where'd that milboy get to?" Ripper's hand fishes in his pocket, re-emerging with a microflashlight. "'Ere, bloke." He offers it to LeBeau. Rafe snorts. "Roxy girl don even know what Roxy girl is sayin." LeBeau looks to Ripper and points to his eye. "Don need id, jus hav to ged us to da lack o light." Rox lolls her head, looking to be in the early stages of withdrawal. "Coldout'ere...." she singsongs, with that little titter. LeBeau billows out his coat and crawls down into the hole. Ripper shrugs. "Suit yerself." He leans over the hole, watching LeBeau's progress. Yama wrinkles his nose, and proceeds down the hole with disdain. Yama pauses. "Or we can wait." Cassie grumbles and moves to enter the tunnel, "Wusses." Rox flips her wrist limply at Rafe and Cassie. "Oy, who's we gonna waitin'fer?" she grunts after a loud coughing fit. "Git in, studdo man, ain't gottallday." Ripper listens quietly for a few seconds. "No thund'rous boom." He shrugs, then moves for the hole. Rafe smiles. "Go hed, stuff yo fatass in there." Underground Tunnel The harsh aroma of ammonia and rotten matter assails your nostrils as you stand on the concrete ledge of the sewage canal that cuts through this arched tunnel just below the streets of Freewheeling. A wide-mouthed concrete pipe leads off from this tunnel, but it has been filled with rocks and shards of glass. Sediment-crusted rungs lead to the manhole opening to the street. The tunnel slopes downward into uncertainty and peril. Contents: Seer Ripper Citizen Cassie Attache Yama Colonel LeBeau Cassie looks around, trying to think. "Roxy...what is the plan for the big traps here?" LeBeau looks around in the darkness, his exposed eye seems to have a soft glow about it. Ripper's nose wrinkles, "Oy yeah, thassa good stink." Yama flicks a switch, and a dim ray of light exudes from the rifle. A rat scuttles across Rox's foot. LeBeau turns to Rox. "Ok, yu hav been here before, wha shall we expect?" Yama shakes it,to no avail. The ponderous sounds of squelching feet as Rox comes down, complaining mildly. "Gods, it stinksobad..." she grunts. "Dunno Caz mamma...heartellthey'never in th'sameplaze. No'..." She hisses a little as the rat runs by, Ripper says, "You got that staff o' yers, Cajun-Man?" Ripper flicks his microflash on, twisting the emittor-end to widen the beam. Cassie rolls her eyes. "Last time twas...lasers? No...something like that. Can't remember if it was here or next room. We had better figure it out though, quick." Another shaft of light sweeps into the alley overhead as a hovercab passes. Rox grunts again. "Weren'tit firecolumn like there be no t'morro?" she intones in a strange little voice with a titter thrown in at the end. At the hovercraft's passing, she tilts her head up. "Mmmm, gottaloveth'company..." she giggles. LeBeau looks around at the concrete panel "Look fer any sord o discoleradion en dem." Ripper says, "Might wanna prod-prod the water ahead, if ya've got somethin' ta do it with." Yama looks down. "Hello there." Rafe hawks and spits. LeBeau looks around and picks up a hand sized rock and throws it into the water. Yama shines his light on a lighter patch of concrete. "Hey,Lebeau,take a look at this." A rat squeaks and hisses as the rock hits it. Yama removes a hammer from his belt and lightly taps the patch. Ripper , seeing what Yama's about to do, takes a few hasty steps backwards, dragging Rox with him. In reaction to the impact of the hammer, a rumbling sounds beneath your feet. A trap door opens in the tunnel beneath Yama, who falls and JUST barely manages to catch the edge, dropping his hammer and rifle into a pit far below. Yama says, "Gah!HELP!" A steady hissing comes from the pit below. Yama flails his legs, in an attempt to kick himself up. LeBeau rushes over grabbing Yama's arms Rox's movements are swift despite their drugged-like demeanor. "Oy git th'joyo..." she grunts as she shoves a hand forward quickly. "Rafe m'man, do it." LeBeau starts to pull Yama up out of the hole "Don worry I god yu" Rafe turns to Rox. "What?" As Yama is helped from the pit, a gleam of light again passes overhead, illuminating the writhing mass of Tomin rock vipers at the bottom of the pit. Yama starts struggling back onto the ledge, almost sitting in the muck, shocked. Yama says, "Geezus H Frog, thanks." Cassie looks up. "Um...think we might want to close up that man hole? Sort of really announcing things aren't we?" Yama says, "Oh shit, the militia armorer is going to have my head for losing that." Rox licks her lips casually. "M'man Charleyhegottadifflayout..." she slurs. "Not like d'lasttime sistah." LeBeau looks around "Ok do no step on any lighd color concred areas." Yama kicks the water. Ripper peers at the writhing bottom of the pit. "Ohya. Lovely, lovely." Yama says, "How about you have the bag lady check these things out now, hmm Ripper?" The way seems clear to proceed deeper into the sewer, although the hissing still comes from the pit. Yama angrily grabs a flashlight and a smaller gun from his bag. LeBeau looks around and begins to walk towards the tunnel avoiding any discolored portions Ripper narrows his beam for better intensity, shining his light down the passage, perhaps looking for more discolored patches. "Now now, pretty boy, lessnot get hostile." LeBeau waves his hand behind him for the others to follow. Rox giggles and sways drunkenly towards the open end of the sewer. "Farbombs next kissyface..." she slurs, but her steps are unusually light. Yama says, "Nearly getting chewed up into bits by lizards does that to someone..lets' go." Sloping Tunnel The sewage canal angles sharply here, carrying effluent down the slope in a sort of falls. The concrete ledges are worked like steps leading deeper into the sewers, probably serving as access for maintenance workers in the city. The canal seems to plunge hundreds of feet into the dim depths. Contents: Attache Yama Colonel LeBeau Ripper sniffs twice. "Hrm." He peers at the walls. "Hrm." Cassie begins to look around for anything familiar, anything at all. Rafe cricks his neck this way and that. "Whas next, mang?" Ripper says, "Say now, what's this." Rox moves up front casually, her spine slouching with the heavy effort. "There'zapanel..." she grunts. "Farbombzwha'me'z thanks." Ripper flicks his light over to illuminate the rusty metal panel. Ripper says, "How'stha trigger work?" Rox stretches lazily, going into her crack-head titter. "Yougottafindzalever..." LeBeau looks along the walls and down at the steps that he can see. LeBeau looks back. "Bed yu ids like som sord o fun house, flick da switch an da steps drop ento a slide." Rox wrinkles her nose and coughs raspily. "Cajun-man gonna use tha'stick?" she giggles. "Mmm....up da'ass." Yama observes dourly." Or you're dropped into another pit of doom." LeBeau looks at the panel. "Somting yu need o'er here?" Ripper says, "Naw. Two pits in a row? How gauche." Cassie walks over to Lebeau. "Did ya bring your staff, mister?" she smiles and tilts her head. "I think that you might find a panel or catch down there." she nods down the sewage. Rox bends down uncomfortably. "Mmm....gottatry th'floor pr'aps, kissyface...Y'go Rafe boyo. Caz, wotchagot?" Ripper says, "S'a panel. Thoughtcha said that was the trap?" LeBeau points to the latch "Why no jus try dis one, doh 'm sure id to obvious Rafe scratches his crotch, peering down into the sewer depths. Cassie rolls her eyes. "Cause this little girl remembers how it went, Boyo." She says quietly. "And so does the crack head." Rox shrugs, an emaciated scarecrow in obscene action. "We gottwenny, m'man VamVam, th'blackoutz on. She gets to her hands and knees and crawls around looking painfully. Cassie shrugs. "I could be wrong." she grins brightly. LeBeau nods and pulls back his coat and shifts his foot and with a *click* a baton sized object jumps from his boot which he catchs at his hip LeBeau parts himself from the group a bit before the two ends of the baton telescope out forming a staff just under two meters in length. Ripper says, "Hold onna minute there, big guy." Ripper says, "The panel's the rub." LeBeau looks back "Wha was dat?" Ripper shines his flashlight on the rusty panel. "That's tha key to tha trap. S'a hunch. Roll with it." LeBeau shrugs. "Go fer id den." Ripper says, "'Course, he says, let Ripper handle it, he says." Rox's dull green eyes squint as she produces what looks like a piece of metal from her ample pockets. "Sis Caz, gitcha bay-bee butt back, an' Rafe boyo." Up she saunters, slouching and taps at the screws around the panel cautiously. The panel appears to be hanging loosely on the wall. Rox gently eases the panel back, infinitely slow, her high little titter sounding again. Rafe nods and complies. "Back to th'wall, y'all." Within the box, behind the panel, is a cobwebbed lever. Ripper says, "An' there's yer lever." The lever is currently in the upright position, at a 45 degree angle. Yama cautiously hovers about Rafe. Rox giggles again, her head lolling limply. "Gofarfarway..." she singsongs and steps the side drunkenly before taking the lever and pulling. LeBeau looks at it "Can yu tell which way da le'er goes...back or forward?" Clunk. For a few moments, an eerie silence fills the chamber. Then, suddenly, the ground shudders beneath your feet. Slippery as the footing is, it is hard to remain standing as the quake grows worse. LeBeau looks around "Dis can no be good" Rafe staggers. "Then les go!" A roaring, groaning sound can be heard in the distance, back toward the entrance to the sewer. The rumbling grows louder. Rats come scrambling down the sewer. The rats hiss and shriek, leaping and crawling around on Yama and Cassie. Rox's movements are suddenly swift and sharp. "Gitchaback..." she yells, grabbing at the wall and clawing. "Down, gitchadown!" She fumbles for the lever, jaw jutting as she tries desperately to halt the process. The lever is frozen in place. A thick wave of raw, rancid, nasty sewage slurps over the downward slope from above. The sewage wave washes around knee level, tugging. Ripper says, "Oy, momma's gonna make me take my boots off when I get home." LeBeau throws himself to the wall grapping the lever for a grip. Rafe slips, scrabbling for purchase. Cassie yelps and tries not to panic at the lovely rats swarming around her. Ripper scrabbles for a grip along the wall. As Rafe slips, he thrusts a hand out towards him. "'Ere kid, don't wash off yet." With a gasp that sounds audibly like a giant sigh of relief, a massive sewage wave gushes downslope, filling the chamber and knocking everyone off their feet and plunging them deeper into the sewer. Entrance Cavern Steam hisses from ruptured feeder pipes in this monstrous cavern deep within the crust of Tomin Kora. A massive pile of rubble leads to an opening to the southwest, while northeast spreads a flat plain strewn with debris beneath a ceiling of stalactites. Dripping water has created stalagmites, as well as gulleys that trail to the edge of a moat flowing with sewage. That moat stands between you and an imposing edifice of stone and iron, with turrets, towers and buttresses. Flickering torchlight glows in high windows of the palace. Contents: Colonel LeBeau Interface Panel Yama says, "Not again!" Yama rubs his sore bum. Ripper coughs, a bit of something unspeakable and brown trickling from his lips and down his chin. Yama says, "Smegging hell, that was unhygenic." Dripping with sewage, the intruders come to a stop in the entrance cavern. Rox splutters, hacks and coughs as she's caught off guard, splatting onto the rock floor with a grunting choke. "Mommygonnabemaaaaad...." she singsongs, still in that near hysterical little titter. "Cazmomma, Rafe, y'ok, kissy? Ripper man's a-ok..." She giggles again. LeBeau looks around "Ok, id seems like dis es da end o da road for dat trio." Behind you, rocks crash down, blocking the way back. Rafe shakes like a dog, coughing. Cassie very quietly moans and wipes her face. Her brown eyes glitter. And she stands up, stiffly. LeBeau climbs to his feet looking down ad himself "Great, now we can only go foward an 'm wed an dirty. Someon es going down now." Ripper says, "Ohya, good idea, Ripper says, let's just pull on that there lever...Great hunch there, Rip." Rafe mutters, "Nevah gonna get laid like this." Yama starts to wipe the filfth off his clothes, then decides to wipe his hands off isntead. Ripper fishes around in his pocket, coming up with a sleek, nasty looking blaster. Yama affirms happily the presence of his rifle, strapped sturdily to his shoulder. Ripper says, "Never get that stink outta leather." Somewhere within the palace, you hear alarms sounding. Rox clambers to her feet, swaying drunkenly, one hand supporting her back. "Mmmm-mm-mmm....." she slurs as she dips her hand into a pocket and keeps it there. "So we gotta go t'theCharleyman's palace...." At the alarms, she giggles. "Let's go m'man...we gotta company t'run." Cassie's eyes widen. "Lead the way, lets move." LeBeau fishes around in the sewage for a few minutes before pulls his staff out of the muck and shakes it off before collapseing it and placeing it back in his boot. Yama says, "Time is of the essence here, peeps" LeBeau makes his way to the wall with the panel looking it over "I do no suppose dat any o yu hav day code to ring da bell" Ripper thumbs a little lever on the side of his blaster. "So move, Pretty Boy. Rox gestures to a panel. "Mmmmm...leztrythis..." she grins. "Iffen y'ken." She moves up to it and studies it. Rox adds, "Or we gotta swiiim." Ripper moves towards the Panel. "Hrm." He presses a 3. "Ripper." He presses a 5. "Says." HE presses a 1. "Open." He Presses 4." Seseme." Cassie moves to draw a blaster from her loose pants, then pauses, frowning a bit. Ripper says, "Hrm. Lesse...Carry the 3...Yeah. OK." Yama frowns, and begins fidgeting impatiently. Ripper presses 5314. LeBeau looks to Ripper "Ar yu jus guessing?" Ripper says, "S'just a hunch. Give Ripper a chance with his hunches, alright?" Cassie calmly checks the other pocket. Her lips purse. LeBeau says, "Yer las hunch es da one dat send us for a swim" Ripper says, "Got us in, didn' it?" LeBeau looks back to Rox "I hope dat yu hav someting for dis" A buzzer sounds and an electrical shock jolts Ripper. Ripper winces. "Oof. Bad call." Ripper says, "So not 5314...OK, OK." Yama says, "Hunches,hmm?" Rox slides her free hand into the fold of her strained overalls, resting it on her tummy. "Y'all ken swim yeh?" she giggles and moves over. "Nawnawnaw...tha's notth'way to it lover boy...." Out comes her hand and she pulls a small black cable attached to a cliip on device. A buzzer sounds and an electrical shock jolts Ripper. Ripper winces. "I'm gettin' tired of this." With a dull rumble and the clanking of chains, a drawbridge slaps into place over the moat, granting you access to the palace. Ripper grunts in satisfaction. "Ah, therewego. Ripper-boy comes through in the crunch." Rox claps her hands together with girlish glee, slipping the wires back into her pocket. "Time, kissies, time...lezgo oh yez..lezgo." She slouches towards the drawbridge drunkenly. Yama says, "There, I think we can stop the electroshock therapy,eh?" Yama gives his slug-thrower a reassuring pat, and forms up behind LeBeau. LeBeau draws his pistol "Dat was to easy, day wan us to come en Ripper winces. "Ooo." He sniffs. "Ya know, it really stinks when your nostril hair singes." Ripper rolls his eyes. "Not hardly. I just have a knack, alright?" LeBeau motions with his hands "Den by all means yu go firs Cassie takes a breath and walks towards the drawbridge. "I'll go first. Let's just go." Rafe rolls his eyes, then shoves his hands into his pockets. Drawbridge Something slithers through the thick, sludgy sewage that slurps beneath the planks of this drawbridge. Your footsteps thump dully as you approach the great iron portcullis leading into the massive underground palace. Contents: Colonel LeBeau Citizen Cassie Obvious Exits: Leads To: Ripper mutters. "Everybody's a critic. LeBeau holds up one hand to himself as if waiting for something. Rox slouches through the muck with a wild grin on her face. "Ooh ooh ooh..." she whistles gaily. Cassie pauses, just about to head in. Alarms wail. You hear footsteps pounding in the distance and people shouting. LeBeau looks back then shurgs before checking his sidearm "Looks like we hav company, leds no keep dem waiding." Ripper says, "Keep moving, keep moving. Gotta get where we're headed before they fall in." Rafe nods. Rox draws her hand from her pocket, a handful of round objects emerging as she saunters up. "Up up and awaaaay..." Gilded Passage Torchlight flickers off the filagreed gold that adorns the walls of this vaulted passage. Priceless paintings hanging in this corridor depict breathtaking landscapes on Quaquan and the Gobi Desert of Earth, as well as individual portraits of an Odarite queen in her glory surrounded by attendant insectoids, and an Ungstiri in an atmosphere suit gazing out over the remnants of his shattered world. Contents: Attache Yama Colonel LeBeau Citizen Rafe Yama says, "Well, the man has taste, if not a talent for real estate." Rafe says, "Cassie?" LeBeau looks around. "Ok which way do we go from here?" CLANG! A great portcullis falls into place, sealing you inside the palace. Ripper says, "Ohya, a good sign." LeBeau looks back. "Dats wha I was waiding for." Rox slouches and purses her lips with a giggle. "Iffen we go /there/ there be th'nastynasties..." she singsongs, pointing to the east arch. "We go t'there, the north or th'west. Lemme seeee..." Ripper says, "No timeta grouse about it...Hunch says thattaway." Ripper jerks a thumb north. LeBeau nods. "Den leds go." Cassie thinks. "That led to the security chambers.." Rox waddles forward. "We go nooorth to discover the pole..." she chants, high as a kite, it would seem. Yama sighs."I'd rather interrogate someone. Lead on." Rotunda The centerpiece of this massive chamber, illuminated by wall-mounted torches, is a large golden globe composed of concentric, circulating rings. Each ring rotates independently of the others. Shining gold orbs are welded on each ring, representing the worlds of the Fringe. At the core of the arrangement is a world with a scattering of moons that is, unmistakeably, Tomin Kora. Ripper scents the air. "Hrm." Ripper says, "Nope. Just nostrils." The alarms wail. Shouting can be heard to the north. LeBeau leans up along the wall his pistol gripped in his hand. Cassie shakes her head. "The prize might be held in the security chamber.." she points to the west arch. Yama hides behind the gold ball from the north. LeBeau says, "If da kid es still alive den he would be in da security area." Ripper frowns a bit. "Maybe. Seems..Obvious." Rafe says, "Lesgo then." Yama says, "Hey,Cassie, get your gun ready, eh?" Rox sways her body lightly. "Mmm-mm-mmm. Lezgo to th'East side where th'money is, or th'corridor." Rafe says, "Ya think he's with th'money?" Cassie nods. "I'll stay here to guard back." she looks at Yama, almost guiltily. "Uh..yeah." Ripper says, "East. He'll have the valuable stuff where the money is...S'what the boy is, right? Valuable." LeBeau heads into Security Chamber . Yama heads into Security Chamber . Rox hisses sharply as LeBeau leaves. "Shittin' fool!" she spits rounding on him. "East! Dammit..." Ripper eyes the security chamber. "Not sure I wanna go in there. All the goons in Tomin're in there, I bet." Yama arrives from Security Chamber . LeBeau arrives from Security Chamber . Rafe says, "Well?" LeBeau says, "He es no dare." Rox growls, a chuffing, hacking sound. "Stay put, ye damnfool..." she intones drunkenly. "East we goooo..." And off she sways, giggling insanely. Ripper listens to the footsteps to the north. "Whatsay you badass military folks, ah, fortify here? We civvies'll cut east." Yama studies Cassie. "Don't have one of the finest symbols for freedom, eh?" Yama hands Cass his bulky, metallic pistol. Yama says, "There, its' my last spare gun, be careful with it." Rox hacks. "Ah shaddup kissy boy..." she giggles as she disappears. Treasury Although the walls are made of the same cold stone as the rest of the fortress, this chamber is kept dry and humidified. It is equipped with an array of computer databanks along one wall. A series of monitors display financial news from throughout the galaxy. Contents: Citizen Kip In one corner, a small boy is turning in circles among the monitors and readouts, head back and arms out to the side. Apparently, he is trying to make himself dizzy. As he turns, he chants, "One, two, I got the flu. Three, four..." As the strangers enter, he stops cold, eyes wide and wild. Ripper narrows his eyes at the monitors, then looks back in the direction of the door. "Paydirt, love." Rafe's eyes mirror the boy's. "Kip?" Rox's breath catches and her drunken staring becomes almost unbelievably alert. "Oh gods...Kip! KIP!" All her crackhead mannerisms leave her now - unmistakeably it's Sha's voice. "KIP!" Cassie takes up position by the door, eyes narrowed. "Grab him and lets' go, Sister." Clearly confused, the boy backs up a few steps, his breath coming in sharp huffs. Ripper says, "Love, I wanna be touched by this, but we needta keep movin'." Kip eyes the pregnant woman with a mix of confusion and hope. From Rotunda , LeBeau yells, "We hav company" Rox reaches back to her neck and tugs at something. "Genghis and Ganesh..." she says urgently as she steps forward. "Kip...it's Sha." Forward again. "The Courser." Rafe adds, "We're here to get you outta here." Ripper says, "Hold on, love. Lemme see if Ripper can give the blokes a hand." Kip runs headlong at Rox, arms stretched to embrace her. In the 20 feet it takes to reach her, his eyes begin to stream with tears. Ripper pops around the corner, gun levelled. Rox nods tersely. "Go..." even as the boy plummets into her arms. She holds him tightly to her for just a moment, as if she'd never let him go. "C'mon love...we gotta run..." she whispers, wrapping his arm around her neck and lifting him up. Rafe says, "I'll cover you." Rafe heads into Rotunda . From Rotunda , Rafe yells, "Fire in the hole!" Cassie nods. "Good to see you, Kip." she grins at him quickly and winks. "Go, Sha. I'll guard your back." Rox draws a deep breath. "Sis. Take the rear. I'm not harmless..." Her eyes whip around. "Good luck sister...love you." And out she is, carrying the boy. Rotunda The centerpiece of this massive chamber, illuminated by wall-mounted torches, is a large golden globe composed of concentric, circulating rings. Each ring rotates independently of the others. Shining gold orbs are welded on each ring, representing the worlds of the Fringe. At the core of the arrangement is a world with a scattering of moons that is, unmistakeably, Tomin Kora. Contents: Citizen Rafe Seer Ripper Elite Guard Gajakrick Elite Guard Hulthurg Colonel LeBeau Attache Yama Rafe says, "Duck down!" Gajakrick sends shots at the Treasury door as they enter. LeBeau drops to his knees and pops out low hopeing the the guard won't expect it and fires again. Gajakrick rocks a little in her spot in the doorway. Hulthurg scowls and throws the gun at Rafe as it jams! Yama says, "Ripper, bring me the rifle." Hulthurg reaches for his sword. The rifle slams into Rafe's jaw, knocking her to the floor. The rifle is lying on the floor. LeBeau looks down as his weapon jams and he smacks it a few times before attempting to fire again. Rafe lies in a listless heap. Rox peeks out, half-covered behind a wall. She pulls out her hand, ducking low, releasing a positive tumble of little round objects onto the floor that scatter, bounce and roll merrily. She's holding Kip against her with the other. Yama braces against the wall as he tries to stand. Kip enters on the heels of Rox, eyes determined as if he would follow her into fire. LeBeau's gun works this time, and the shot plugs Hulthurg full in the belly. He goes down, sprawling. Gajakrick continues the fire at the people entering through the Treasury...hoping between the two that something has hit. Ripper says, in a harsh, gravelly language, "Vvv'tt'kk'kk'kack!" And squeezes off another shot at Gajakrick. The shot misses Gajakrick, but only because she is tripped up by the marbles Rox spilled on the floor. She lands on her back. Hulthurg tries to get up, advancing on the closest with his new drawn sword. As Gajakrick goes down, a shot strikes Ripper in the right shoulder. Yama grabs his arc-welder, and turns it on, defending himself against Hulthurg. Rox glances down at the boy next to her and smiles. "Show time love..." she grins and pulls out a small vial of something, slime covered. As Ripper goes down she gives a hiss. "LOVE!" and hurls the vial at Gajakrick after pulling out the stopper with her teeth. Her hand dips into her pocket and she brings out a small, mean looking blaster. Hulthurg's blow slams down on the arc welder. The defense works, and the two are locked in combat. LeBeau pulls back behind the door frame and tries to hurriedly clean his weapon off and change the gas cartridge. Ripper grunts a few choice words in several languages, gun still firmly gripped in his left hand. With pained deliberation, he levels a shot at Gajakrick and fires again. Gajakrick moves back through the door as she scuttles to her feet again. Yama grimaces as the impact shakes his arm, as he attempts to knock Hulthurg off his feet by pushing him back. The pepper bomb goes off, but does no harm to the Odarite. Kip makes himself scarce by moving to a place near the wall. The cloud wafts toward LeBeau instead, blinding him temporarily Hulthurg scowls at Yama and raises the sword again for another strike, aiming for the neck. Rafe slowly sits up, and aims her pistol at the one guard who just got back up. LeBeau coughs as he pulls himself into the next room. Gajakrick chitters as she reaches her feet again..and repositions in the doorway...aiming and shooting at the one nearest her. Alarms wail overhead. Cassie ducks to the side, guarding Kip and remaining by him. She waits for a decent shot with her blaster. Gajakrick's shot just misses LeBeau as he slips into the security chamber. Yama looks scared. "I think I need some help with this one, Cassie." Rox hisses and darts forward. "Stay with sis Kip!" she shouts as she tumbles down low and fires off a shot at Hulthurg, her other hand reaching for a large knife. Hulthurg notices LeBeau leave and laughs "They need better maps!" Gajakrick aims for the next one as the one slips off. Cassie darts forward, aiming at Hulthurg as she moves. LeBeau arrives from Security Chamber . Hulthurg, wounded already and rather weak, barely manages to hit Yama's arc welder again. He does though, and it sparks into two pieces. Rafe pops a shot off at Gajakrick, then tries to stand. The shots from Ripper and Rafe catch Gajakrick in the chest and throat, and she goes down...for good. Cursing, Yama throws his weighted belt at Hulthurg, trying to buy him time as he scrambles for his dropped gun. Gajakrick gasps and chitters as she goes down....blocking the doorway she was in. The weighted belt bounces off Hulthurg harmlessly. Cassie moves to the other side of Kip, backing up a step. She narrows her eyes and fires for Hulthurg again. Hulthurg hehs and moves after Yama, his sword leading the way... LeBeau pokes back out from the doorway and with a tear filled eye draws an aim on Hulthurg and keeps it for a good moment before snapping off another round. Ripper curses softly, eyes squeezing closed for a minute. He then grunts, levelling his gun in Hulthurg's direction and squeezing off a shot. At Rox's assurance, Kip huddles against Cassie's hip, his small hands grab at the fabric of her top. The shots all hit Hulthurg at once, from several directions, sending him down in a bleeding, dying heap. Rafe is now standing, and heads over to Cassie and Kip. "Alright?" Surprised at seeing his adversary drop suddenly, Yama emits a whoop, followed by a grimace as more blood seeps from his shoulder. Cassie nods, "Fine." she ruffles Kip's hair and smiles. LeBeau steps out from the doorway still wiping his exposed eye Rox glances sharply over to LeBeau. "Let's get out of here!" she snaps. "Rafe...you ok hun? Rip love? Jet and Yama?" She gestures for Cassie to take Kip forward. "Go. I'll cover the rear." To the north, you can hear the familiar sound of spacecraft engines warming up Hands dug into Cassie's tank top, Kip whispers to his protector. Yama says, "Which way out?" Ripper steps from his cover by the Treasury door. Blood's trickling down his right arm, but his eyes narrow. "North." LeBeau says, "We came fer Fagin, an dats wha we ar going to do." Yama finally locates his gun, which he grabs, and pumps a round in anger into Hulthrug's still corpse. LeBeau heads into Corridor of Riches . Ripper moves, with great haste, towards the northern exit, painfully clambering over the downed Odarite. Cassie takes Kip and moves. Rox motions for the two to go. Corridor of Riches Colossal marble columns line this corridor, with an arched ceiling some thirty meters overhead. Between the columns stands an eclectic collection of artifacts culled from all over the galaxy. A plate mail suit of armor from medieval Earth here; a hermetically sealed transparent case holding a leatherbound tome of Shohobian prophecy there. Carpets on the stone floor are richly woven and seem more like tapestries, telling tales about the fall of the planet Pallisade. Contents: Citizen Cassie Citizen Kip Citizen Rafe Rafe points at the great doors. Rox darts from behind the great arch, her overalls baggier now that her stomach has shrunk considerably. "Go. I'll cover." From Cassie's embrace, Kip watches Rox intently. Rafe heads into Throne Room . Rox reaches to touch Kip's head gently. "Go with sis love..." she murmurs. "I'm behindja stud." Cassie smiles and nods. "Going." Rafe arrives from Throne Room . Cassie heads into Throne Room . Rafe says, "The landing pad!" Rafe heads into Throne Room . Throne Room A single, gleaming shaft of light from an unseen source high overhead illuminates a scallop-backed chair with arms and legs made of gold, raised on a carpeted marble dais. The rest of the great chamber is lost in shadow. Contents: Citizen Cassie Citizen Kip Rox growls and motions to the archway. "Go!" Landing Pad A broad flat expanse of concrete beneath a metallic dome that can iris open to allow vessels to launch or land within the palace proper. The chamber is cavernous, carved from the very rock in the crust of Tomin Kora. The palace throne room is adjacent to this facility, allowing Fagin, the Pirate King, rapid access to his vessel. Contents: Citizen Cassie Citizen Kip Citizen Rafe Attache Yama Colonel LeBeau Seer Ripper Majordomo Gaberdeen The Galore vanishes into the sky above, and the landing pad dome irises shut again. Yama curses. Yama says, "That bastard owes me the medical bills for this!" LeBeau looks back to Gaberdeen and stalks towards him. "Where es dat ship headed." Yama he then moves toward Gaberdeen, rifle hefted. Ripper levels his gun at Gaberdeen. Blood has now really begun to soak his right arm. Gaberdeen whistles softly. "Oh, medical bills won't be a problem." He is holding a mechanical device in his right hand. It has a red button on it. His thumb is on the button." Kip watches Yama with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Yama squeezes the trigger at Gaberdeen, in anger and in reflex. Cassie's eyes widen and she pulls Kip back away from Gaberdeen, quickly. Rox bursts out through the landing pad, her face cold. "He's gone?" she murmurs and a savage little grin suddenly crosses her face. "Eat this stud..." she chirps brightly with a giggle and suddenly, out comes her left hand and she tosses a vial at the man holding the device as she pulls the cork out, leaping forward. The shot hits Gaberdeen, but he also manages to press the button fully before he falls, dead to the floor. Kip yips as Cassie pulls him behind her. Ripper winces softly. "OK. Think, Ripper boy, think. Which way's out, which way's out." KABOOM! A charge goes off in the far wall, hurling debris around. Yama wavers, the fatigue of the fight and blood loss getting to him. LeBeau covers his head as he attempts to make it back to the throne room. Acid sizzles the face off the corpse as another charge goes off. Yama starts heading back in as fast as he can, his face seared by the heat. LeBeau yells, ""E'eryone back en side." Rox gives a gasp as she gets smacked by a chunk of flying concrete. "Down Kip!" she screams as she lurches in his direction, gesturing furiously. "Go!" Huge chunks of stone plummet from above. Smaller ones pelt you as you duck for cover. Ripper moves to support Rox as best he can, ignoring the wound in his arm. He does his best to tug her towards the throne room. Rafe stumbles, but manages to get upright as she starts to head for the throne room...but..."Sha!" Yama is beaten by a stone hail, but manages to keep progressing towards the safety of the doors. LeBeau runs by the group and grabs up Kip under his arm and carries him into the next room. Rox shoves Ripper towards the throne room. "Go, go!" she screams. "Wait there's a secret passage...out! Go now!" Another charge goes off. Kip giggles despite the danger as LeBeau catches him under the ribs. KABLAM! A big chunk just misses Rox. Rox shies away. "RECEPTION ROOM!" she shouts at the top of her lungs, gesturing to Cassie. "Go!" Cassie blinks as Kip is grabbed from her and, thrown to her knees for a moment, she straightens and moves to exit as well. Rafe catches a rock on the shoulder as she heads in. Ripper hauls Rox, as best he can, towards the Throne Room. Throne Room A single, gleaming shaft of light from an unseen source high overhead illuminates a scallop-backed chair with arms and legs made of gold, raised on a carpeted marble dais. The rest of the great chamber is lost in shadow. Contents: Citizen Rafe Citizen Cassie Citizen Kip Colonel LeBeau Another charge goes off, this time stone collapses to block the way to the pad. Rox dives out, panting. "Reception room!" she gasps, diving towards the doors. "Hurry!" LeBeau says, "We find anoder way oud." BLAM! Columns begin toppling around you. LeBeau looks around "Looks like da fun es no o'er yed." Yama says, "Come on! Lets' bug out!" Ripper keeps moving, Rox in tow. A sharp shard of shattered concrete strikes him in the cheek, laying it open. Still, he keeps moving. Rafe says, "Where's the bloody reception room?" Tapestries fall to the floor. LeBeau grabs up Kip again and heads for the doors. Kip says, "Wheeee." The floor lurches as a blast goes off from below, hurling Yama into a wall, hard. Yama looks irritated at the destruction of the artistry. Corridor of Riches Colossal marble columns line this corridor, with an arched ceiling some thirty meters overhead. Between the columns stands an eclectic collection of artifacts culled from all over the galaxy. A plate mail suit of armor from medieval Earth here; a hermetically sealed transparent case holding a leatherbound tome of Shohobian prophecy there. Carpets on the stone floor are richly woven and seem more like tapestries, telling tales about the fall of the planet Pallisade. Rox gets tugged out by Ripper, but keeps one arm around him firmly. "Lean on me love..." she murmurs, coughing from the dust of falling masonry. "South arch!" and darts there. Debris collapses over the great doors, blocking them. Ripper plods forward with a grunt. "No argument there." Yama is still out cold. Cassie struggles to lift Yama more efficiently, on her shoulders. "Teel, help me get his weight up.." LeBeau says, "Come one leds kep going, dis who place es going down." Kip kicks his legs as the colonel puts him back down. A rumbling charge goes off above you. Rafe levers herself under Yama's other shoulder. Rotunda The centerpiece of this massive chamber, illuminated by wall-mounted torches, is a large golden globe composed of concentric, circulating rings. Each ring rotates independently of the others. Shining gold orbs are welded on each ring, representing the worlds of the Fringe. At the core of the arrangement is a world with a scattering of moons that is, unmistakeably, Tomin Kora. Rox drags a hand across her hair, the lank plastered slime coming away bloody. "Passage...down the passage..." she coughs, the dust choking up her throat. "Go!" KABLAM! Another charge goes off, and the great globe is knocked off its perch, clanging on the floor. It rolls around and slams into Rafe, knocking him over. Blood oozes from Hulthurg's corpse as the building explodes. BLAM! BLAM! The debris covers the archway to the north. Rafe oofs and sinks to the ground. LeBeau has Kip under one arm and Yama over the opposite shoulder. LeBeau looks to Cassie "Sher, take da kid." Cassie is pulled down with Rafe and struggles to help her up. "Come on.." She looks at Lebeau and nods. She grabs for Kip. As the charges rock the area, the globe in the center rolls off and plunks down onto the corpse and continues towards the wall. Rox gestures frantically. "South!" she shouts, coughing. Kip takes Cassie's hand gratefully and follows. LeBeau lets Kip go and adjusts Yama's weight on his shoulder and heads for the archway. Rafe groggily gets up. KA-BLAM! Another charge goes off, and a chunk of debris strikes Ripper in the back. His breath is knocked out. Cassie has Kip by one hand, the other supporting Rafe as she moves to the door. Kip squeals. Ripper woofs, falling forward and crashing painfully into the floor. Rox tumbles too with a gasp as she's floored. "Go!" she snaps frantically to Kip and Cassie. "Go now!" Rafe moans, "Leave me...too slow..." Rafe heads into Gilded Passage . Rox draws a breath and hauls herself up, wrapping one of Ripper's arms around her and rising determinedly. "Let's go love..." she whispers and drags him out, face grim. Ripper growls, struggling to his feet. Gilded Passage Torchlight flickers off the filagreed gold that adorns the walls of this vaulted passage. Priceless paintings hanging in this corridor depict breathtaking landscapes on Quaquan and the Gobi Desert of Earth, as well as individual portraits of an Odarite queen in her glory surrounded by attendant insectoids, and an Ungstiri in an atmosphere suit gazing out over the remnants of his shattered world. Contents: Seer Ripper Citizen Rafe Citizen Kip Citizen Cassie Attache Yama Colonel LeBeau LeBeau looks around and points west. "Dat way mus be da reception area, ids da only place dat we hav no been." Another series of charges goes off underground. The paintings on the walls cant at angles, then fall clattering on the floor Debris blocks the way north. Rox drags Ripper out. "West!" she yells as a tumble of dust hits her in the face. "Go! Now!" Ripper coughs harshly, still in the process of regaining his full ability to breathe. He stumbles along beside Rox. A column falls, crashing to the floor, and a chunk just misses LeBeau as it slides past. The boy's bottom lip pokes out, he looks as if he is fighting hard not to cry. His small hands grasp the fabric of Cassie's pants. Yama has fully regained consciousness, but is still groggy. Cassie drags Kip along, one arm supporting Rafe. She doesn't pause but moves. LeBeau looks up as the column falls. "Dat was close, perhaps too close." Yama says, "Wha..ugh." Rafe staggers along. "Shoulda...left me..." Yama staggers on his own two feet. "I'm alive? Whi-whicj whay are we h-heading?" BLAM!BLAM!BLAM! Hurled like missiles, chunks of wall shriek through the air as smaller charges detonate. LeBeau drops Yama to the floor. "Goo yu can walk yerself." Rox keeps her arm tightly around Ripper. "OUT!" she screams at LeBeau and Yama. "Dammit, GO!" Her face is pale. Ripper is not really in the best physical place to converse. Consequentially, he mostly stumbles towards the Western Arch. LeBeau pushes Yama west. "Dat way." LeBeau runs over in a half crouch and grabs Ripper. "We ar all gedding oud, now leds go." Reception Chamber A long mahogany table stretches for about twenty meters, surrounded by dozens of chairs. The chair at the head of the table has a raised back, scalloped and cushioned thicker than the rest. A great crystal chandelier glows above the table, with its ornate settings of silver and lace. Butterfly doors grant the serving staff access to the kitchen and pantry. A large wood-planked floor provides room for visitors to mingle or dance. Contents: Attache Yama Citizen Kip Citizen Cassie Citizen Rafe Yama keeps moving, his right arm cluched around his wound, as he moves to join Rafe and Cassie. Cassie swears. "There is no exit here!" she cries out. KABLAM! Another charge goes off, and debris blocks the door out. Yama says, "There isn't ANY exit here!" The chandelier snaps loose in mid swing and comes crashing down. Yama looks close to panic. Ripper staggers into the room, now awkwardly supported by two people. He says, huskily, "Love, now'd be a good time ta show off this secret passage o' yours. Rox's cheeks are dead pale as she stumbles in. "There's a way out from here!" she gasps, one hand going to her side where it comes away sticky. "I know it I've been here..." LeBeau strides in coughing. "I hope yu remember dis righ." The chandelier smashes on the floor, sending shards that cut everyone nearby. Cassie shields Kip as best as she can, crying out as she is cut. Rafe blinks the blood out of her face, then winces as shards are driven into her face. Ripper winces, taking a few more minor lacerations to his face, though his heavy jacket protects his torso fairly well. LeBeau looks around the walls and to the floor for anything that might be a way out. Kip winces at Cassies's cut. "Sis! You okay?" BLAM! BLAM! Smaller charges detonate, sending chunks of rock blasting through the air. One of them hits Cassie in the chest. Rox's head snaps back as she gets the full benefit of shards in her legs, face and arms. One barely misses her eye, scraping the side and staying there. She drags herself away from Ripper and stumbles towards the tapestry. Cassie falls backward, gasping. LeBeau lets go of Rox and runs over to Cassie as she is hit Ripper stumbles after Rox, apparently not aware of the rather wobbly nature of his stagger. Kip is knocked backward with Cassie's blow. He crawls out from under and holds her head in his small hands. "Sissy??" A growing red stain spreads across Cassie's chest - the rock penetrated the right side of her chest, but didn't go all the way in. The wound is like the tip of a spear. Rox claws at the tapestries on the wall, clawing at them. "C'mon c'mon..." she hisses and her voice shakes violently. Blood traces stain down the ornate cloth. You find it, behind the tapestry. LeBeau looks around "We hav to ged her oud o here." Near panic, Kip holds Cassie's head in his hands. His voice is high pitched and keening. "Jest!! Please don't die!!" Rafe staggers around the room, pulling and pushing ornaments and doors drunkenly. "Gotts be somethin round here." Ripper moves to help Rox, hands fumbling at the cloth. Rox gives a cry. "Found it!" she gasps. "Go, go! I'll close it after!" KA-BLAM! A huge column staggers like a drunken giant, then falls. LeBeau places a hand on Cassie's shoulder and the other around the rock as he tugs trying to pull it out. Yama starts running forward, trying to offer his support to Ripper. Cassie lets out a choked scream as Lebeau tries this. Rafe says, "Move it! We can do surgery later!" Yama says, "Get Jest'liana OUT of here!" Ripper growls softly as Yama approaches, "Get in." He gestures to the passage. The column collapses, casting its shadow over Yama as it falls. LeBeau looks to Kip "Go kid, 'll take care o her." Rox turns at Kip's scream, her face turning even paler. She darts forward and takes Kip by the shoulder. "Go...GO Kip love..." she whispers and pushes him forward. "I promise she'll be ok..." LeBeau heaves Cassie into his arms and makes a break for the passage Rox rises, almost tripping. "Teel get Jaxx out..." she hisses painfully. The column is plunging toward Yama. Tears making clean streaks down his cheeks, Kip nods. "Okay. Promise?" Ripper grunts, hurling himself bodily at Yama. Rafe yells, "YAMA!!!" Kip runs out the passage. Yama dives for the passage. LeBeau turns his body as he reaches the passage to get Cassie thru. Rox nods. "Promise...now go...!" Her voice raises to a near shriek as she sees the column. "GO NOW!" she screams, holding her side. Ripper knocks Yama to safety, and disappears behind the falling column. It looks as if Ripper *might* have been crushed. A huge cloud of dust roils from the wrecked column. Rafe runs back to Ripper. "Nonononono..." Rox's face is pale. "GO!" she shouts at Rafe desperately. "I'll get him out! Go see to sis and Kip!" As the dust clears, Ripper can be seen sprawled, unconscious on the other side. Rafe nods and staggers away. Ripper groans, softly. Otherwise, he shows no signs of stirring. BLAM! Another column topples on the far side of the chamber. Rox coughs and almost falls against the column, her fingers making streaks of blood down it. Down she goes to her knees, placing one of Ripper's arms around her neck and hoisting him up with as much strength as she has left. "Oh gods...we'll get out we'll get out..." she whispers, her voice trembling, staggering towards the passage. Another column crumbles, smashing into the mahogany dining table, reducing it to so many elegantly polished splinters. You stride up the sloping passage, which twists and turns until it deposits you from the shadows into the dark alley. Dark Alley Squeezed tight between two squat metal turrets that house local business establishments, this passage doesn't offer much room to breathe, which might be fortunate if one didn't actually have to breathe while here. The side road, dead-ending at the back of a taller obsidian tower capped by a luminescent green dome, reeks of garbage, urine and dead...something. Something rustles through the trash in the darkness - maybe it's just an animal, but it could be a predator of a more cunning kind. Contents: Citizen Rafe Attache Yama Citizen Cassie Citizen Kip Yama rips some of his underlying t-shirt off, and starts fashioning a crude bandage. Rafe stumbles out of the passage, face and shoulder bleeding. "They're...still in there. He's unconscious." She drops to the ground. Another explosion, the biggest one yet, goes off in the bowels of the sewer. The blast wave, flames and smoke come shooting out of the manhole just as a hovercab whirs overhead. Yama props Rafe on his bloody shoulder, and makes for the manhole. Rox half-drags the unconcious Ripper out of the manhole, pulling him forcibly onto the ground. Her eyes alight on Teel and she heaves a sharp breath. "Go....go...Kip, go with Yama..." she whispers, her fingers stained with blood. Ripper is hauled, bodily, out. He's bleeding from a nasty gash in his forehead, in addition to the multiple lascerations on his face and the rather nasty gun wound on his right arm. A bad move on Yama's part, as the shock wave slams him back into the wall, knocking him out Kip lets out a wail and runs headlong for Rox, but at her words, he lifts his chin and gives a small, hopeful salute. The manhole is blocked now by debris as the final grumbling death knells sound for the palace below. Kip heads into Fortune Row . Overhead, the hovercab is hit by debris and goes screeching off, its gyros thrown off. In the distance, you see the hovercab slam into a gleaming billboard, exploding. Rox staggers to her feet, her face paler than before. She limps her way to Yama, dragging the unconscious Ripper with her, kneeling wobbly-legged. Then she pauses, and drags Ripper back towards Fortune Row. "I'll be back..." she whispers. Fortune Row Vessels circling in for a landing at the Freewheeling Spaceport whistle as they arc overhead, buzzing the buildings that line this narrow stretch of road that cuts between domes and towers. In the occasional doorway, you see someone hanging back in the shadows, watching - maybe you, maybe someone else. The urge to keep a hand on your valuables grows stronger here. Off to the west, a tight alley plunges deeper into the shadows. Contents: Citizen Kip Rox hauls Ripper onto the ground and lays him down. "Kip...see to him..." she gasps as she almost tumbles and falls. "I gotta go back..." Several rather surprised looking drunks are gathered around the alley entrance. Ripper groans again, softly. Kip watches Rox as she helps Ripper, his eyes shocked and confused. "O..okay" He nods "I will " Rox staggers back towards the alleyway, her leg dragging a trail of blood. Kip moves tentatively toward Ripper Dark Alley Squeezed tight between two squat metal turrets that house local business establishments, this passage doesn't offer much room to breathe, which might be fortunate if one didn't actually have to breathe while here. The side road, dead-ending at the back of a taller obsidian tower capped by a luminescent green dome, reeks of garbage, urine and dead...something. Something rustles through the trash in the darkness - maybe it's just an animal, but it could be a predator of a more cunning kind. Contents: Citizen Rafe Attache Yama Rox staggers back towards Rafe and Yama and tumbles to her knees beside them. She hoists Rafe's arm over her shoulder, then grunts, gasps and hoists Yama's arm over her other shoulder, bodily exerting as much strength as she can spare to move them. Yama is bruised and bloodied by the constant punishment his body has been taking. Yama regains consciousness, but he has a concussion and feels dizzy. Yama starts walking along slightly, managing by leaning on Rox's light frame. Rafe is groggy, bleeding, and pretty confused. "Wha? Where's Kip?" Rox pushes herself to her feet, the strain evident on her face. "C'mon sis don't die on me...." she grunts as she drags Rafe with her. "He's fine...He's fine..." Her knees buckle slightly but with sheer willpower she keeps upright, supporting both of them to the road. Yama grunts, wondering what exactly is going on. Yama says, "Are we...safe yet?" Rox bows her head, hissing with strain. "Yes..." she manages before she bodily drags the two of them to Fortune Row, the firesparks of the hovercab fireworks in the dark night sky. Fortune Row Vessels circling in for a landing at the Freewheeling Spaceport whistle as they arc overhead, buzzing the buildings that line this narrow stretch of road that cuts between domes and towers. In the occasional doorway, you see someone hanging back in the shadows, watching - maybe you, maybe someone else. The urge to keep a hand on your valuables grows stronger here. Off to the west, a tight alley plunges deeper into the shadows. Contents: Seer Ripper Citizen Kip Kip blinks, looking suddenly as if he has something he can understand. "We can get you to a doctor. Sha and the captain have the fastest ship in the quadrant. I'm one of their first mates" Ripper groans. "Yeah. We came after you. Lucky us, huh? But you're safe now...Everything's fine. Kip strokes the man's forehead clumsily. Rox's eyes, sunken hollows of dilated green, alight on Kip and Ripper, just where they've been left. "Where's..." she whispers as her voice cracks. "Sis..." Her expression glimmers recognition as she forces her eyes around her surroundings. "Medical...I gotta...getchall...there..." She lurches towards Medical Specialties. Yama pushes off of Rox's shoulder, and slumps on the ground, by Ripper."You damn idiot, you should've gotten out of there before you pushed me."He obviously does not have the strength to get mad. Kip points to the medical facility "Sissy is there. With that Cajun man." Yama reaches for Kip's small shoulder, getting back up by achieving a balance between kip and the ground, and starts heading for Medical Specialities. Ripper mmms softly, makeup on his face having worn away enough to clearly display his olivish skin. "You're welcome." Yama says, "Good, LeBeau made it out." Yama heads inside. Ripper says, "Alright, kid. I'm going to sit up now. I'm going to regret it, but I think it's necessary. You with me?" Rafe mumbles, "Cajun...LeBeau...cool..." Rox coughs harshly, her head bowing. "Good...good..." Her voice is strained and quivering. "C'mon Teel...Gotta...getcha there..." She still keeps an iron grip on Rafe's shoulders, her make-up now streaked in places all over her exposed skin. Rafe mumbles nonsense and is easily dragged away. Medical Specialties Outdated magazines - some stained with what may or may not be blood - are scattered on a low table nestled between two threadbare brown velour couches in this dimly lit waiting room. The sign on the wall identifies this as a general practice called Medical Specialties. It is not immediately clear what the physicians here specialize in - but it isn't cleanliness. A framed picture on the wall compares healthy and diseased lungs. A small placard on the coffee table suggests it might be "Time For A Change." Contents: Attache Yama Citizen Cassie Colonel LeBeau Yama says, "Is Teel going to be alright?" Rox drags Rafe in, her face blanched beyond just make-up. She nods, barely with the strength to speak, and with a plop, lands her on a grubby seat. She almost buckles, but forces herself upright. "Jet...Jet...see to Teel..." she groans and lurches out again. Fortune Row Vessels circling in for a landing at the Freewheeling Spaceport whistle as they arc overhead, buzzing the buildings that line this narrow stretch of road that cuts between domes and towers. In the occasional doorway, you see someone hanging back in the shadows, watching - maybe you, maybe someone else. The urge to keep a hand on your valuables grows stronger here. Off to the west, a tight alley plunges deeper into the shadows. Contents: Seer Ripper Citizen Kip Ripper is sitting up now. He looks pained, but extends a hand towards Kip. "Orandius Jaxx. Not my real hair. We've met, I think, but no reason you'd remember." Kip blinks slowly tilting his head and shakes the hand. "Uh. okay." Rox makes it out of the medical facility, wobbly and breathing hard. But right as she makes a move to Ripper - or Jaxx, as he's properly named, her knees buckle and she sinks to the floor with a hiss, clutching a hand to her side. "You ok...Kip....Love?" Ripper says, "I'll survive." Kip drops to his knees beside Sha, his hands flying out to her. "Oh!" Ripper says, "If you've got any cloth, I'd like to tie off this little arm-wound before I totally bleed out." Ripper painfully strips off his jacket, revealing just how stained the t-shirt has become over that right shoulder. And down his side. Rox's bloodstained hands, trembling, reach towards Kip. "I've got....some..." she murmurs and tugs at her t-shirt with one hand, the frayed edges ripping easily. "Help me Kip....give it...to him..." Kip pats Sha's cheeks "You okay? Oh, please don't die." Ripper grunts softly. "That will work. Kip pats her t-shirt frantically to find what it is Sha's talking about. "What is it? What do I do??" Rox nods faintly, free arm going around Kip tight as she can, holding the boy to her. "The...frayed piece...go help him....tie it up..." She tugs at the loose piece. Ripper reaches up, touching his forehead. His hand comes away bloody. "Mmm. Another one." He sighs softly. Ripper looks over at Sha, a little grin touching his lips. "You're a mess, love." Kip swallows hard and nods. "Okay." He rips the piece of soft cloth free and moves toward Ripper. "This might hurt, but Mom said we should do it anyway." He ties the cloth over the wound to stop the bleeding. As it turns out, he is stronger than he looks. Ripper is seated on the ground, jacket off to the side. He's bleeding from multiple cuts to his face, a nasty gash to his forehead, and a gaping wound in his right arm. Rox manages a faint smile, past the blood that's smeared and streaked all over her face, her make-up running horribly down and dust-caked, as if she's been splashed with acid. "You don't look no better..." she chides. The "Mom" stops her and she glances at the boy with her dull green eyes, a choke rising in her throat. Kip grimaces. "Sorry" Ripper grins slightly, masking any pain. "That's alright, kid. I appreciate it." Kip looks sympathetically at Ripper as he ties the last knots. Flames flicker and smoke wafts from between cracks in the street in the distance. As soon as he finishes, Kip turns back to Sha quizzically. "You sure do look different." Rox coughs harshly, her breath ragged, even as she attempts a faint grin. "Yeh..I'm good at....disguises...." she rasps, her head falling forward with a soft little groan. Ripper sighs, shifting painfully towards Sha. "Hold still, love." He lifts her shirt on the left side, surveying the damage beneath. Drunks come staggering out of the debris strewn alley, grumbling. One of them shouts accusingly at the battered looking group on the curb: "You messed up m'damn bed!" Kip quickly moves to her side, his small hands begin stroking the side of her head. Looking up to Ripper, he says, "What's wrong with her?" Ripper says, "Nothing we can't fix, kid." Ripper seems determined to ignore the drunks. Kip goes back to stroking Sha's temples, cooing softly to her all the while. "It's gonna be okay. Honest." Ripper says, "Nice piece of glass here, love. This will hurt." Rox tries to raise her head at the shout, but the effort makes her gasp with pain, just a little. "I'm...ok...." she whispers painfully, reaching up one shaking hand to stroke the boy's face. "You're safe...that's all....tha'matters...." Ripper reaches down, ripping at the lower portion of his shirt. The part less stained with blood. Maybe it's adrenaline, but it parts easily. Ripper lays the strip of cloth on his lap, then gently probes at the piece of glass, seeking a grip on it which will allow its removal. Kip determinedly keeps his eyes on Sha's face, not looking at the bloody mess below. Kip says, "Just keep lookin at me" Rox winces, muscles stiffening as Ripper probes. She turns up the corner of one bleeding lip with a game smile. "I'd look atcha....all day....no prob..." she grunts. Ripper gives an abrupt, sharp tug, freeing the glass. Blood wells out. He drops the glass, left hand snaring the cloth and pressing it tightly to the wound. "Kid," he says, "Tie this around your mother, alright? I need to keep my hand here." Kip smiles from beneath dirty bangs. "I missed you" Kip puts Sha's head down gently, then takes the piece of cloth, tying it firmly around her middle. "Is that good?" Ripper nods a bit. "Very good." He smiles a bit at Sha. "I'm no master at this, so...no exertion 'til we get something better to patch you up, or you'll wind up bleeding all over. Rox's lips bite together sharply, a hiss of breath, almost a whimper escaping her as the glass is removed. "Missed....you...too...." she manages, a lone streak of something glistening tracking down one cheek. "I'm...fine...love...." Ripper shakes his head. "No. But you will be." Ripper coughs softly. "Mmph." Though he still looks the same as the day you met him, perhaps dirtier for the wear, somehow Kip's determined look makes him seem a bit older to you. Ripper says firmly, to Sha. "Stay here." And painfully manuevers himself to his feet. He looks to Kip. "Your job is to keep her sitting, alright? Don't let her get up. Do whatever you have to." Rox turns her eyes painfully towards Ripper, giving him a quick once over. "Go to the...clinic..." she murmurs. "Where you...." Her teeth clench as she draws a sharp breath. Ripper shakes his head. "I'll be fine, love. I'm just down an arm. My feet still work." He walks, indeed, towards the clinic. Kip moves back to stroke Sha's forehead with his clumsy fingers. Rox closes her eyes and reaches one trembling hand up to the boy's face. "Gods Kip I've been so worried...bout you..." she whispers. "Every night...thinkin'...wantin' you safe..." Kip closes his eyes tight, his mouth a tight line beneath them. "I dreamed about you almost every night. Bout us and the captain and Sissy and Genghis and all." He starts to sob softly. "I didn't think you knew where I was." With difficulty the navigator moves her arms about the boy and pulls him close to her. "Ganesh is safe...so's...G...Genghis..." she breathes. "I looked for you....we looked...all of us...gods you're safe..." In a strangely adult gesture, Kip moves his arms around your shoulders, somehow sensing that you have been through hell to be here. "Thank you, Sha." A passing draft blows softly through the streets. A cold wind. Yet Sha ignores it as she hugs the boy fiercely to her. "Anything for you son..." she whispers as tears well. "Anything for you." Ripper emerges, four thick, wrap-bandages in his hands. He moves to Rox ,kneeling painfully beside her. Ripper says, "Alright love. These should do better. Two for each of us...That cut in my arm and the cut on your side probably need stitches, but I don't think either of us is dying." Kip holds tightly, eyes opening as Ripper enters. "We're going to get you all fixed up. Good as new, cause we have places to go and money to make. Isn't that what the captain says?" Rox's breath catches and the tears do spill now. "Yeh....yeh....that's it...." she chokes as she blinks them back angrily. Ripper remains silent for a few seconds, allowing those moments of semi-privacy to continue before he interjects, "Kid...I need your help again." Kip blinks and roughly rubs his eyes. "Okay" Rox lets her head loll back just a little, not enough to be totally out of control, but enough to show just how drained she is. "Sis...Teel...Sis Jest...they ok....?" she whispers. Ripper drops the little bundle of bandages into his lap, selecting one and handing it to Kip. "I'd do this myself, but I've got a bum arm right now. What I need you to do first is wrap this, as tight as you can, around your mom's head. Make sure to cover that nasty cut there completely. They're self-sealing...Just press the ends together for a few seconds when you've got it the way you want it and it'll stay." Ripper shakes his head. "I don't know, Sha. The doctor was hard at work...But I think everything will be fine." Kip tentatively takes the bandage and moves to kneel near Sha's head. He gently takes her head in his small hand and wraps the cloth once, twice, three times around her head. "That too tight?" Rox closes her eyes, her lips clenched together. But she manages a game smile. "D...do whatcha...gotta..." she murmurs. "I need t'....see to m'crew..." Ripper says, "That should be fine, kid. Seal it off and let's do the next thing." Kip nods and presses the ends of the cloth together until the seal is formed. He then looks expectantly up to the olive-skinned man. "Done." Rox's breath comes in a faintly trembling exhale. "Lemme know....when yer gonna get that arm..." she mnanages. Ripper says, "Alright, now...This one's a bit more tricky, but we'll be fine. What I need you to do is untie the bandage around your mom's chest...It's not that good, and it'll soak through soon. When it comes off, there'll be some blood. I'm going to press the new bandage to it, then you're going to take the ends and wrap it around her, just like you did the head. OK?" Kip nods, his face serious, if a bit nervous. "Uh kay." Rox pushes herself up on one arm gamely, her muscles quivering wildly. But she holds the pose through sheer willpower alone, wanting to make it easier on her men. Ripper grins, trying to be as reassuring as a blood-smeared man can be. "Don't worry. You'll do fine. Ready?" He plucks up another bandage. Kip says, "Ready" Ripper says, "OK. Go." Rox watches, humming a faint, quavering little tune of "Annie Laurie" under her breath. His dirty hands moving in a surprisingly efficient manner, Kip takes the ends of the bandage and joins them over Sha's spine. He holds the ends together tightly as they fuse. "Got it." Ripper nods a bit. "Alright. Now..." He tilts back. "I need you two to look at my arm. I think it's bled through the bandage." And indeed, fresh blood is staining his shirt. Rox forces herself into full sitting position, the sudden rush causing her to blink dizzily for a bit. "I'll help..." she murmurs, holding out a grimed hand for the bandages. Ripper says, "The cut in my forehead is making me a bit dizzy, too. We should probably bind that one. That's why there're two for me." Kip takes one of the fresh bandages from Ripper's lap and eyes the man's forehead. His looks is oddly adult. "Let's do your head first, then." Ripper says, "You're the boss, kid. I put my life in your hands." Rox grunts an acknowledgement, the exertion of speaking perhaps too great at least for the moment. She quirks a very faint, tired smile, nodding her approval. Kip stands behind Ripper, his hands smoothing back the hair from his forehead. "This is going to hurt." He wraps the bandage, perhaps a bit too tightly, around the man's head, sealing the ends in back. Kip says, "Okay?" Ripper says, with a pained grin. "Perfect. Now let's do the arm. There'll be blood when you take the old bandage off...But it's bleeding anyway." Rox can't help a painful chuckle as she watches, staggering to her knees. "You got it just right sweetie..." she murmurs, taking the second bandage off Ripper's lap. Ripper says, "I need it tight. I'm not sure what sort of gun that was, but it did a lot of tissue damage. Thankfully, it didn't hit an artery." Kip kneels down, taking a deep preparatory breath. "Okay" Rox murmurs as she gestures for Kip to unwind the makeshift bandage, "Modified little Spence 2X CV...Used t'run some of 'em." Ripper says, "You were paying more attention than I was. I was mostly trying to shoot the person holding it." Kip picks at the ends of the bandage until he works them free, then starts to unwind around Ripper's arm. He grimaces after about the third layer comes off and blood gushes to the surface. "Uhhh..." Ripper says, "That's alright, kid. Keep going. I'm fine." Rox's irrepressible half-grin, weak as it is, quirks her lips. "Keep goin'..." she murmurs as she reaches one hand out slowly and clamps her palm against the wound. Kip keeps going until he gets to the gooshy inside, then throws the bandage behind him. Rox shakes the roll of bandage loose with one hand and hands it to Kip. "Go for it honey." Ripper , bleeding rather impressively now, closes his eyes. The wound /is/ nasty...Ragged edged, some of the flesh seared by some sort of energy weapon that's failed to cauterize all the blood vessels in the area. Ripper says, softly. "Love, we can't seek medical treatment for ourselves here." Kip carefully unwinds the bandage and begins to wrap it around Ripper's wounded limb, wincing and looking cautiously at Ripper as he goes. Ripper's eyes flicker open, "You're doing a good job, kid. Thanks." Rox nods, slow and painful, her movements very delicate. "We'll go in...." she murmurs. "Soon's m'boy gets done withcha." A faint hiss ends the sentence. Nodding, the boy smiles faintly as he finishes the bandaging job. Ripper shakes his head. "We can't afford to have this doctor work on us. Your crew is one thing...They're both...Common races, in this part of space. You and I, well. It'll be a lot more traceable. We need to get back to Demaria, or somewhere else in the Consortium." Rox nods, hissing a breath. "You're right...." She begins to rise slowly as the boy scampers away. Ripper rises slowly. "We'll make sure your crewmates are fine...Then we'll get on the shuttle back to Demaria. I'll bring you back here in the Pride, after we're properly seen to." Ripper bends, with a wince, as an afterthought retrieving his jacket. He sniffs, sighing. "That smell isn't going to come out easily." Rox holds out a shaking arm for her fiance. "Yeh..." she manages weakly, keeping herself upright by sheer willpower. "I can...deal with it." Ripper says, "I thought you could." Ripper accepts the arm, wrapping his own around his fiance in his best effort to support her. Rox laughs, a shaky, trembling sound. She tugs him weakly towards the med center.
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