Talking with Command

Posted on Fri Jan 3rd, 2020 @ 12:11pm by Leiddem Kea (*) & Captain Rueben Gregnol & Executive Officer Valiyi Uhin & Jinx Jorasco & Executive Officer Jake Ford

Mission: Mission 10 - Temperance
Location: Mess Hall
Timeline: MD09 12:10
1188 words - 2.4 OF Standard Post Measure

Gregnol sat on the other side of the table watching the woman as she ate, intrigued on one hand how she had gotten on the ship, and secondly, how had no one noticed until that day? He kept glancing at Valiyi, interested in what she thought of the random turn of events. It was like Mott all over again, but with less attitude, hopefully.

"So Jinx, was it?" Reuben finally piped up, interrupting her eating to finally get some answers. "My security personnel tell me they found you in the tubes?" He wanted to hear things from her point of view.

“Yup,” the half-sized woman said, brushing her red hair back behind a pointed ear, munching on a steak. Beside her on the table, her cat-sized dinosaur gnawed on a leg of targ. Jinx swallowed and washed it down with a good helping of apple juice. “They were blundering around like a bunch of clubtails in there, making enough noise to scare a herd of hornblowers. They were lucky I was tired of hiding and decided to get caught, instead of just killing them,” she boasted, taking a bite of baked potato. This Human food was interesting. She ate left handed, mostly using the steak knife and spoon and ignoring the fork.

Leiddem nearly stepped forward to say something, but a look from Reuben stopped him. "I am glad you did not kill them. Security is hard to come by on civilian vessels of such quality." The captain was going for a different approach here. "So how come you snuck onboard instead of asking for passage or anything?"

“No...what do you use for money out here again? Latinum?” Jinx said. “What I own is what’s in that bag.” She nodded to the duffel in the corner. “At least until I get home.” She shrugged. “I figure you’ll put me off at the next port? I’m willing to work for passage,” she said. “Unless you want to lock me in quarters or something? I’ll warn you, if you try and airlock me, I will fight and kill you,” she said levelly, and her grip on her eating knife shifted, even as she reached for the fork she wasn’t really using. The raptor on the table stiffened, ready to pounce.

"Considering all we've done is ask who you are and what you intend on doing, perhaps the use of manners are in order." Arms crossed and a neutral expression on her features, Valiyi made no motion that anyone else in the room desired to be hostile. "We're not pirates or criminals either. Airlocks are barbaric."

"I am pretty sure you won't kill any of us, but nice to know that you have spirit," Gregnol said glancing at the two security crewmembers stood there, wondering if they had the attitude the whole time they had been waiting for them both to turn up. "So what is your line of work?"

“Manners are for elders,” Jinx told Valiyi. “Honesty is for friends. Bluntness is for potential enemies,” the tiny woman said, leaving open the question of what, exactly, the woman was before looking back at the Human male to answer his question.

“I was a science officer in the Kisongo Confederation Defense Force,” she said. “I was assigned to the Kisongo embassy on Narendra Station as a science advisor. I also acted as a guide in the what your people call the Shackleton Expanse. I was heading home on leave when Orion raiders captured me. At the slave auction, I managed to slip my bonds -- small hands,” she said, holding up her tiny hands, “and stow away aboard one of the buyer’s ships. The water planet was their first stop, and I got off, figuring someone buying slaves wouldn’t mind a free one. Your ship seemed to be heading in the right direction, so I poached a ride.”

"Impressive," Jake murmured from the corner. That she had snuck aboard was a little cause for concern as security matters went, but then again she'd done it before he'd arrived, so his own professionalism was a little less stung.

"No, manners are for everyone on my vessel," Gregnol said simply. It was especially needed by people who had snuck onto his ship. "Well, we as a community of people, we do not go anywhere near slave traders, just for your information. I will not ever go anywhere near that type of work. I do not agree with it as a citizen of the Federation." He was still the proud Starfleet officer somewhere inside.

“Well, that’s good,” Jinx said. “Besides, I’d make a terrible slave. I’d kill you in your sleep and leave your balls in your mouth,” she said matter-of-factly. “So what are you going to do with me?” she asked, taking another bite of her steak, as Zambi went back to gnawing on the targ bone, powerful jaws cracking it so she could get at the marrow.

"Damn. Offer this one a job, Captain," Jake remarked. "At least that way you know you're not getting your throat cut in your sleep one night..."

Valiyi couldn't help but roll her eyes. If they offered everyone who stowed away a job, it would explain why no one could trust anyone else. "As long as we all agree to start acting civilized, we are in need of more help in our scientific endeavors."

Gregnol leaned back in his chair. His thoughts were reflective of Valiyi's, to say the least. The woman needed to act civilized. They might not have commbadges or Starfleet uniforms, but he expected his crew to at least be respectful of each other, and talk to others how they would like to be spoken to.

“Science I can do,” Jinx said. “I learned a lot from your Federation databases when I was on Narendra Station,” she said. “And I’m gone at your next port of call, if you don’t like my work,” she promised.

"Sounds like a fair enough deal to me," Gregnol said, standing up with a nod to Liddem and Jake that they did not need them and that the situation was resolved. "Can you both show Jinx to her quarters? And I will ask Cassie to come and find you to show you science." It was as best as the conversation could have gone if the man was correct. If it went bad, she was gone the next port of call, and if it was a good fit for them all he got someone to run science and make sure they had fresh food.

Jinx tossed the last of her meat and bones to Zambi and stood up, wiping her hands clean. She extended one small hand to Gregnol in that Human way. “Pleasure to work with you, sir!”

OFF::

Rueben Gregnol
Captain
SS Mary Rose

Leiddem Kea
Weapons Master
SS Mary Rose
(PNPC Gregnol)

Valiyi Uhin
Second Officer
SS Mary Rose

Jake Ford
Chief Armoury Officer
SS Mary Rose

Jinx Jorasco
Stowaway
SS Mary Rose