"Sure thing, Captain.", mutters Molly. Oh, boy, cleaning up vomit is the best way to bring down a pilot after a mission., she sighs, the magic of the Drift drifting away. As she comes back, she swings by the scientists, carrying the ship's dwindled cleaning supplies. "Alright, eggheads - First of all, you're welcome. Second of all,", she shoves a mop in a scientist's unexpecting hands. "You take point on mopping duty. And don't get cute while you're on the bridge, or else you'll clean the toilet as well, and you've seen the captain. Then we'll see what's there for drinking on this place." Is this a selective reading of the captain's orders? Yes. Do I care? Nope.
Seeing the scientist to cleaning spillage both mortal and machine, Molly takes her cup of coffee and leans on the wall. "We're explorers and oddballs, honey. I got here to get the hell away from Akiton, and I don't much care about the rest. Looks like a solid exploration, and I'm sure that whoever's in charge won't space you after they sent us down there to save your hides.", she chuckles at the last part. "That is, if you're good at cleaning, buddy, so let me see that mop moving!", her dry rasp carries over to the unlucky scientist.
"As for conscription - The Harri is petite, so more than one, we'll start stepping on toes, and if we're out for longer that'll mean we'll claw our eyes out or start fkrrk like bunnies."
As the ysoki leave, Molly walks down to the cockpit, sits on her chair and puts her feet on the console. Taking her mug of freezing coffee in one hand, she looks down at the cleaning scientist, then grinningly takes a long drink.
Bishop’s eyes widen at the news Resk provides him. ”Great Dreamer! I am not good with this sort of thing. Yes, we should definitely inform the captain, and the rest of my crew for that matter. He begins eyeing the scientist’s suspiciously, almost comically failing to hide it. Then, realizing the captain had summoned him and then taken off, he adds quickly, ”I will fill in the captain and Jacob. You get Molly and Caleb up to speed.” He scrambles after Tujon.
Along the way to division command, he will nervously relay everything Resk told him to Tujon and Jacob (should he follow).
The scientist was indeed at bit of a shock when the mop was shoved into his hands, though he did scurry to do the cleaning, as that was the least they could when their collective asses were saved by the Harridan crew.
The trip for Tujon and the gunners was a bit of a lengthy one. First the chaos of the med crew and engineer teams rushing about the hangar, trying to put out fires, calm sparking wires and tend to any wounded. The med team would quickly rush past Tujon and the others into Harridan to assess the rescued crew's health. After they left the hangar though things would become a bit more quite. The hallways self directing them to the division chambers.
The division chambers was like a small audience room, with stadium seating and a podium in where the division command spoke. There were already others seated, though the division commander.
"So, their organisation may be an issue. You may tell your cousin that if he joins us any who try to harm him will have to come through me first."
Tujon finds a place to sit where he can.
Resk's nose wiggles slightly as Molly calls him "honey". He doesn't seem to know how to react to such a moniker. So, he just nods before going to talk with Bishop. When he and Bishop are done and the other ysoki scrambles to catch up to the vesk, Resk returns to the rest of the ship's environs and tries to quietly fill in Molly and Caleb on the same information.
"...and so, I suggest caution." He finishes. Then, almost as an afterthought, he seems to realize where he is and what has happened. "Thank you, for saving me, by the way. And them. This is not a terrible ship. If you like it, I hope it can be fixed."
'Well, a shady organization,' the AI in his head says in a voice only he can hear, the tone quite dry indeed. 'Now where have we seen another one like that before...'
"Hmm...," Caleb mutters to apparently no one in particular as he checks at first the ship's computers and then the engines in order to make a list of damages and then prioritize repairs as their Captain "suggested" only minutes ago.
"You could always lend a hand. You seem to have a way with machines and systems," the android says simply. "I would certainly not mind. And from the Captain's words, neither will he. If anything, he will probably like you more."
Molly listens to Reskk's story with a blank face, sipping her coffee as she goes. "Well, sweetheart, if you're looking to run away from your past, I can't recommend you any other place than this one.", she chuckles. "I mean, even we don't know where we're going. And besides, despite what happened just now, I wouldn't imagine a small time crime fly on Akiton wants to mess with this flying murderbase." As he brings the topic to the ship, and Caleb mentions the repairs, Molly nods. "Nice going, Caleb. And besides, it's a vesk ship. You can repair it with spit, earwax and whatever toasters we got onboard.", she shrugs.
Pointing towards the podium, she whispers. "Now let's see what the bigwigs want."
Upon Harbinger where the rest of the crew remained to oversee repairs and the scientists getting tended to by the med's. A display would come alive with over-rides from the Exodus command. The massive carrier had very interesting tech on board and people behind the tech that were driving this massive thing along. The display would show the room, Molly and the rest of the crew could see only a couple Vesk seated in the chambers, but it was easy to spot out where Tujon sat. There was a soft clamor of voices before they quieted down as a female Lashunta walked out from a door to the right, moving to go upon the raised platform where the podium was.
She was dressed like a fighter pilot, she carried her battle scared helmet under one arm. She set it down with a loud bang, getting anyone's attention that wasn't already on her. She'd eye everyone for a moment before she began.
"I am Viscirila Demi, Division Commander of the 53rd Adhoc Brigade of the Exodus. Many of you signed up without much knowing of where we were going, just the promise of wealth and fame brought most of you, and the others." She'd pause giving them all an leveled eye, "Well I do not need to explain why. Now our first jump sector was test upon the capital drives for a short distance jump. We are currently over an equivalent of several hundred light years away from the Pact Worlds. We had already left near space and are already well within deep space. We are charting the unknown and exploring the vast stars beyond." She'd pause and lean upon the podium, "But I don't give a rats ass about that, right now, we found enemies, and I have to say, most of you are f~%%ing lucky you survived."
"Half of you should be dead, the rest, f%!$ing wounded as all hell. That's going to change. We brought you on to be a part of the Exodus Arm, and when it comes to fighting, which we will inevitably fall upon unknown aliens and hostiles, we expect you to be able to hold your own. It was a s+@$ show out there and because of that, Exodus has received heavy damage. This is not a g&! d#!n vid game." She'd straighten up, "All fighting capable ships will be repaired and improved upon, and we will begin doing military drills." She'd put a finger to her ear for a moment, a personal comm then she'd sigh, shaking her head.
"Also, command wants me to fluff your egos and tell you how great a job you did... at getting your asses kicked." She added the last part dryly. "Currently were en-route to an unknown destination, funny thing emergency jumps are. First destination, the computers spit out, we take and warm up the drives. Now, we have several days to hit that mark, yes. Days. Now we have no idea what's going to be at the end of this drift but I want my division to be in fighting shape. My division, will be the ones to show everyone else how a fight should be done."
"Everyone, dismissed. I want the Harridan, Illicia, and Harbinger cads to stay for debrief."
Jacob Carmine will sit quietly through his mandatory chewing out. It was something that always sounded worse the first time you hear it, but this was not the first time he'd been through it. It wasn't even his tenth time. Still, he had learned to give them their due respect and do what he was supposed to for the briefing.
Well, he had his recorder's "on" light disabled, but he was still recording. he wouldn't know if he could use any of it for his vids, but that didn't mean jack if he didn't HAVE any of it. In preparation of the debriefing he knew would happen (standard OP in almost any organization), he had copied the mission section of his recording to a datapad so he could hand it over.
Molly sits back, listening to the chewing with a look of annoyance on her face. Was I that sandy when I was a fighter pilot?, she can't help but think. Then again, last time I was a fighter pilot was probably before she was born. She remains leaning back on her chair. Hell, she wants to pour money in making the Harri a battleship, she can be my guest. But I'll be damned if they get to militarising my life to the point where I get instructions on how to fold my knickers.
Bishop shrugs to himself, not too concerned about what Commander Demi had to complain about. They had saved lives. He was sure Resk and the scientists were not as concerned with how it got done.
Resk nods gratefully to Caleb. "Ah, yes, that would be my pleasure. These systems are somewhat rudimentary but I enjoy a challenge. If you take the time, it's almost like the systems start to talk to you. Quite relaxing, actually..."
As he begins running some diagnostics and prioritizing repair tasks, he listens to Molly. "A vesk ship, you say? Ah, that would explain this code..." He tsks disapprovingly. "But Rytlok isn't an Akitonian crime family. More corporate. They were my ticket off Akiton, actually... I don't know where they're based, but I doubt it was that planetary scrap heap."
He pauses, a brief look of panic on his face, before he shakes his head and goes back to work.
After a few moments, he comes across Caleb's trail and blinks in surprise. "You're fairly adept at this work, android." Whiskers twitch as he looks over at the man. "I'm impressed." He then turns back to his terminal and small fingers continue their dance over the interface.
Tujon waits through the Commander dressing down the crowd, fully convinced that these things did not apply to his crew. His tail whips lazily when the three crews were called out for debriefing, obviously ready to get this over with and get back to work.
The crew that stayed with the ship makes progress with the repairs, the system's were getting whipped back into shape and there was already an engineering crew from the Exodus taking stock of the damages and parts that would be needed. It's pretty minute work,though from the extent of it, it seems the ship will be out of commission for at least a couple of days, only due to the fact that most of the engineering teams are busy repairing the damages that the dreadnought scored.
In the briefing, everyone slowly filed out, only a couple of Shirrens, a ysoki and another vesk and a human. Once the room we clear, the Lashunta who stood at the podium cleared her throat."Alright, you three crews, you had a good fight out there, unlike the lot of what we have in the division. I know this isn't a military operation, but those needed to get whipped into shape to respond faster. There is a reason Exodus is footing the bill for everyone." She'd lean onto the podium then.
"We need to know what they hell those things were, and why the hell they started attacking us. Harridan. Give me your briefing first. You were the first ones to make it back outta that hell hole and actually brought back all your targets."
"All in a day's work, DivCom.", replies Molly, sitting forward in her chair. Here's hoping you don't want this military style, sunshine., she thinks, as she stands up and starts speaking. "We landed on the moon, as soon as we hit the dirt, comms went to s#$$, we thought it's the soil.", her dry alt announces flatly. "Found where the science team's tub was, empty. Tracked them down to the cave they were digging in. Caleb and Bishop hardwired whatever was in the door console, and we got in. Like boosting a hoverbike." She nods at Tujon and Jacob. "I imagine you two got some mighty thoughts on the pieces of junk that attacked us, I mostly stick to shooting whatever moves and haul asses out of fire." Speaking of which, I need a bigger gun. And make someone carry it for me., she adds to herself, lounging back down.
"Thank you," Caleb says simply with a nod of his head as he takes a moment to look at Reskk work. "You are quite capable yourself."
Having stayed behind to assess the damage, the android nevertheless pauses from his work to watch the broadcast on one of the many screens, taking in what is being said as best he can.
Tujon glares at the impertinence of his pilot, having left her with cleaning duties he had hoped would keep her busy and from under foot while he dealt with the higher-ups. "As my pilot says, we entered the field as a disciplined force, made maneuvers to the target, encountered resistance, and extricated the civilians before the whole moon came apart. Most likely that was some kind of forward military post from some long forgotten war and we just tripped the defense programs."
The cad looked at them for a moment before turning to Harbinger, "Harbinger, Report."
"Same as what they say. Damn eggheads were poking stuff they shouldn't rightly be. Got one two of my men in the infirm and half of the damn were dead when we got there. The rest are lucky to be alive by my counts." The ysoki snorted, after he gave his report, "Damn alien war machine. On our extraction we saw what looked like a war factory come alive. It's now building a damn army and we have no idea what it was meant for."
"Illicia?" the cad then proceeded without missing a beat.
"Same here, our reports are similar. We recovered most of our scientists, though we had to subdue one because they were going hysterical about the 'Leviathan', which I assume was that dreadnought that emerged from the moons surface." Their reply was short and a little somber, "We lost one of our crew in an ambush. The things were intelligent beyond just any construct or any automated defenses."
"Have you interrogated or questioned the survivors? Why the hell were they out there in the first place?" She'd sigh and put a hand to her forehead. "Obviously we have a bigger problem on our hands, but luckily we have some respite for now. Return to your ships and see to your repairs. I will go to the higher ups and approve the resources to get your ships in working order."
"Dismissed."
"S#%%. Why can't ancient evils just do normal ancient things when they wake up?", Molly throws a comment at the ysoki of the Harbinger, "Catch up on Distraught Fleetwives or something...", she mutters to herself as she stands up from the chair. "Though, s+!#. If we're part of the most competent crews here, I sure as hell ain't taking odds on us."
Making her way to the ship, she looks at the sorry state of the Harridan. "So, Captain!", she shouts at Tujon. "Should we meet at the mess here in an hour and talk about what forms we filling about the Harri? Coat of paint would be a good start."
Jacob takes his briefing, footage and all, and departs when dismissed. He'll return to his crew berth on the Exodus, and take the time to go over his footage. He knows he can't release a video of what happened *yet*, he instead prepares and sets up a short video telling his audience that he's onto something big, and he's still in the middle of it and will post the full video at a later date. He does include a few snippets of their initial flight on the Harridan, such as the banter and specifically the request to be edited out of the film.
After setting the video through the post-processing program and letting it 'cook' over the next several hours, he stretches and goes through his gear, repairing equipment and cleaning his weapon. He takes mental note to requisition something more powerful if they're going to fight those 'bots again. And more grenades. Lots more grenades.
After heading back to the Harridan, Bishop immediately seeks out Resk and pulls him aside. ”The captain expressed an interest in having you on our crew, despite your baggage. If we are going to have more missions like that last one, I think I agree with him. We could use you.”
Tujon looks for the reports he required of his crew while he ceremonially cleans his command throne and the Pilot's position.
Resk blinks in confusion. "Baggage? I have none. My personal supplies were destroyed in the sh... oh! Yes, 'baggage'. Rest assured, the benefit my skills will provide far outweigh the, um, baggage." Whether its self-confidence or arrogance that is the root of the boast, there is a sort of innocence to his tone.
"But, uh, truly... You might want to screen the others or something before you let them aboard that carrier or dreadnaught or whatever it is. Also... your captain might want to know, Rytlok thought that was just one of four Precursor sites. You know. Delta. Fourth. Alpha, Beta and Charlie being the other tree." A whisker twitches.
He gestures at the console. "Repairs are going well."
Bishop brightens at talk of other sites. ”More such wonders? We should absolutely look into this! Imagine if that moon was so exciting what the other sites could host?”
The atmosphere was a bit somber with the results of the last battle and the death tolls announced. It was a bit of a realization slap to all who thought this was going to be an easy joyride to say the least. Even with the beautiful swirl of colors outside the hangar bays, it left everything with a tinge of sadness. Requisition papers would come in from one of the engineers, showing that their ship had rooms for significant improvements and repairs. All pre-approved by their division commander. This would be handed to Tujon before the engineer would leave and give orders to the repairs.
An voice would cut the noise with an announcement, their voice short and clipped, "ETA for arrival at destination is 2 days and 15 hours. Ensure your rested and you are prepared for any emergency actions. The drift is a dangerous place when traveling at these distances."
The drift could be incredibly dangerous and with such a large ship traveling at long distances, there was an incredibly high chance that they would run into a planar tear. Whatever that plan consisted of would be sure to pose a serious threat to the ship and its crew.
A comm call would ping the ship then, a ysoki's voice cracking over the comms, "This is Harbinger, we and the Illicia crew will be hitting the cantina shortly after repairs are done. We'll see you there." they said without waiting for any reply.
Bishop smiles warmly at the invitation from Harbinger. ”Well that was kind of them. Let’s get this place in shape so that we may join them. Are there any repairs that I can help with?”
"I do believe we have them well under way," Caleb replies with a look at Reskk. "Or at the very least catalogued and prioritized? I have also set the computers on a defragmentation cycle after they finish processing the data we managed to get from those surface guns and the dreadnaught, little though it may be."
Resk surveys the work he and Caleb have done in the system and nods. "Yes, I think so. If you have staff to tend to the rest of the repairs, this should give them the necessary guidance. If you trust them with your ship, that is." A whisker twitches doubtfully, but then he shrugs. It's not his ship, after all.
He then looks up from the display with a curious expression. "Would you, uh, mind if I join you at this cantina? I'm curious to see this mothership of yours. It seems like quite a technological accomplishment." He pauses, then adds, "I'll surrender my weapons if that is necessary." He offers the last while remaining silent on his technomancer's abilities.
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"The cantina is a good idea." Jacob comments. "I'll want to go over the targeting computer once repairs are done. Might need to do some calibrations."
Molly unpacks her gift with a quiet sigh. S!@!, can't remember when was the last time I got a gift for the holidays..., she starts thinking back as she tears into the paper. Right. Twelve years ago. I got a washing machine. Temoran, you sack of s%&%., she reminisces of lives long gone, before opening the packet to find a set of goggles. "Hoooo...", her lips curl up, as she tries them on. "I don't know who's giving packets away here, but I could marry him.", she smirks to herself. That thing hasn't even left trials left!, she puts the goggles on her headwrap, linking herself to the console. "This is the hag in charge of the stick. You go to the cantina without me, I'm switching off the grav-gens next time we fly out.", she mutters over the comms, walking out to see the repairs being carried. Competently, for once. She walks to the foreman, before looking around to make sure nobody's listening. "Hey, sweetheart. Listen, if you can get me a second-hand piloting chair from a Steward vessel, I'll be damn grateful. Put it down as 'ergonomic requirements', my bony old ass can't take that vesk-sized monstrosity. I'll buy you a round next time I see you, alright?", she says, smiling.
Tujon quickly looks over the reports for the ship repairs, and then trusts that the crew knew what they were doing. "I believe we deserve a good stiff drink and a tasty meal. Come then, we will feast and share tales of our glory On the field of battle." The large, and rather more jovial than you are used to, Vesk heads off towards the cantina with crew in tow.
When Molly approached the foreman, he'd stop and look to her with a curious uprise eye brow. A smirk crossed his lips then as he gave her a slow nod, "Ergonomic requirements...." He'd say slowly as he made a note into the ledger he carried. "Well I think we can rustle something up, make sure it's a bit more cushioned for the softer side of your rump." He'd grin then, "Make it two rounds, and I'll make sure I can you something better then a steward vessel."
As the crew head out for the cantina, their PC's would give them an appropriate path through the maze of halls and corridors. It was their first time deeper into the Exodus then previously. Most of the crew being confined to the hangars on initial launch. They would pass plenty of other crew and quite a varying degree of mixture among the species. The ship was immaculately built and tended to, it was as state of art you could get in a vessel of this size. It took them a good thirty minutes of travel to get through the crowded corridors and elevator rides to get to the central 'Common Area' of the ship.
Passing through the large door into the main section, they would see that a massive section of the exodus was built to provide faux planetary simulations. Timed lights, greenery with plenty of living spaces and shops and eateries. You could hear some laughter in the crowd that occupied the central area. The cantina in question was a bit of a ways down though its neon lights stuck out like a sore thumb. A central hot spot for the crews to unwind.
Coming into the cantina, the crew would be greeting with an welcoming aroma and music playing in the background. They would immediately see a large table half occupied by the other two crews. You'd notice a few empty seats were between them too and they seemed a little somber. at these few seats, were a glass upon a napkin, filled with a dark liquor. There were plenty of available seats to either side of them for the crew to seat themselves.
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When no objection is forthcoming to his joining the others -- and no one accepts his offer to surrender his weapons -- Resk manipulates the reality around him to quickly clean his garments and fur then quietly follows the others through the Exodus. Throughout he has a quiet running commentary, essentially talking to himself, about the technology and engineering of the massive vessel. It's obvious he's impressed.
Once everyone arrives at the cantina, he notices the empty seats with the glasses of liquor and -- perhaps distracted by his thoughts on the Exodus -- promptly sits at one of them, grateful that someone has been so thoughtful as to have something to drink already waiting.
Molly grins at the foreman. "The more you talk like that, sugar, the more you look like my next ex-husband.", she lets out a raspy laugh, patting the man on the cheek. "You got a deal."
Walking through the ship with her hands in her pockets, Molly stares around. Amazement slowly seeps into her cynical, half-eyed stare, as she begins taking note of everything around her. "Skrrat, this is like a small city.", she mutters to nobody in particular. Can't even imagine how much this thing costs., she shakes her head, then shrugs as she stares at a greenery before walking into the cantina.
Noticing the ysoki sitting on an empty chair, her eyes widen. Rushing to get to him, she quickly appears behind him, trying to grab his palm. "Hey, new guy!", she hisses in his ear. "I know you ain't a soldier, 'cause you don't look the part, so I'm explaining that to you once, but you were damn near close to getting killed, or worse.", she almost imperceptively nods at the drinks. "That's for those no longer among us, not for those who aren't here yet. There's traditions and all in space gruntery, and that's one of the biggest ones - Don't sit in a seat of someone who just passed away." She pats the ysoki on the shoulder, pointing towards the third sector of the empty table, the one she assumes is for the Harridan, nodding at the other crews solemnly as she sits down, putting her pistol on the table in old Akitonian tradition. She glances on the table, at the empty chairs, and her eyes appear much, much older for a minute.
Jacob watches the exchange between Reskk and Molly and ticks his esteem for the saucy old pilot up an extra notch. He will take one of the seats at their third of the table, pretending he didn't see anything happen.
Bishop is mostly silent as they walk to the cantina. His usual curiosity slowing him down as he feels the need to stop to admire a certain feature of the space station here and there.
Upon arriving at the cantina, Bishop will hang back and wait for his companions to move in first and then follow. He takes a seat by Jacob. He notices the mood of the other crews and as he leans towards Jacob he nods to the empty seats. ”I think we were pretty lucky today.”
Jacob nods solemnly.
"We were. We also started working together quickly. Better training and weapons will help." He says aloud. "Now if we can just get the captain to get the stick out of his ass and use a frakking gun..." he mutters privately to Bishop.
"Luck and skill both I think are the reasons we survived unscathed," Caleb interjects, his tone even, matter-of-fact. He is simply stating a fact from his point of view.
"We could have had all the luck in the world, as the saying goes, and it would have amounted to nothing if we were not capable at the same time."
When Reskk sat himself at one of the empty seats with the cold liquor sitting before it, it drew the attention of every, single, crew member at the table. The looks he received ranged in a wide range of disbelieve, anger, and challenge. Luckily for the white ysoki, he didn't pick up the glass and drink it. The tension that this created was so thick you couldn't even cut it with a knife.
Luckily Molly was there to save the day. The crews at the table slowly relaxed as Molly gave Reskk the run down.
The captain of the Harbinger, a fellow ysoki gave Molly a thankful nod, his hand moving away from the pistol at his hip. A shirren of mottled blue and green gave her a glance. A female voice spoke within her head, 'Thank you.' Shortly after the crew of the Harriden seated themselves, a server would appear, dolling out drinks they may or may have not ordered yet.
It took a moment of silence among the other crew for the tensions to simmer down. It was only broken by the shirren captain of the Illicia.
"To our comrades who fought to the end. To our sisters and brothers in bond, may them see the stars and rest in peace." Raising a glass, everyone followed suit.
"May they find glory in what ever awaits them now." the ysoki captain spoke up.
As a voice echoes in Molly's head, her eyebrows jerk up, but she says nothing but a nod. As she sits down and takes her glass, she sighs quietly, her thoughts decades in the past, to tables such as this one. She sighs once more, nodding at the toast quietly. That's a good time to pick a religion, Molly., she thinks to herself. But so were the last times. I wonder - is it good or bad that I don't feel much about it... She sighs once more, staring in the distance.
"To those who followed their orders to the very end." Tujon knocks back a shot of thick red liquid and slams it down hard on the table.
"And to those who are still here, may they continue to find the opportunity to advance their ambitions."
Resk listens to this with a furrowed brow. "A funerary ritual? In a cantina? How odd. We always just drank to celebrate the life." He eyes the drink, then sighs and stands up. He starts to walk off with her towards a different table before pausing, looking back at the collection of mourners and says, "But, um... sorry for the misunderstanding." He then follows Molly over to their table, quietly sips his drink and lets the others mourn their friends and colleagues, deciding it was perhaps best to listen and observe than risk offending anyone else.
"Don't sweat it.", says Molly, leaning forward on the table, having finished her drink in one go after the toast. "For all it's worth, you kept your goose pretty damn rare there, so you're okay in my books.", she says in a low-pitched voice. "So, to your lost ones, ysoki, and may we join them as late as possible.", she toasts, mostly to herself, leaning back in the chair and draining the drink in one more go, eyebrowing the captain.
"Sure, Captain. Karosh Verigom!", Molly raises the glass, slamming it on the table. Don't know if he's one of the crazy ones, or the vesk are starting to seriously overcompensate for lack of enemies. "May our enemies be strong and cunning! And looking in the other direction with their pants down.", she raises a glass at the vesk, the last words uttered under her nose.
As the toasts carry on, Molly makes her way with few wobbles towards the other tables. "So, your DivCom as hardass as ours? Woman looks like she spends her free time polishing boots and memorising the Armada's Little Red Book.", she chuckles.
Bishop chuckles softly to Jacob’s comment about the captain. He speaks softly still, just to the human.”Oh, I don’t know. I think the captain handled himself well enough. If those cans could be frightened I bet they would have been, what with a vesk his size barreling at them causing an earthquake with each step! OH! Speaking of earthquakes,” Bishop raises his voice to be heard by the other crews sat around them. ”Which of you guys caused that huge explosion? It shook the whole moon!”
"Look, I know he does what he feels is right, but hokey cultural norms and ancient weapons are no match for a good laser rifle at your side." Jacob replies. "Speaking of, I'm going to go down to the armory after all this and see if I can upgrade my gear or at least get some more grenades."
He will raise his glass when appropriate, and overall doesn't drink much. Nor would he dance, if the situation calls for it. He just wants to unwind and let his mind free.
Raising his glass to mimic the others' gesture, Caleb nevertheless does not partake of the drink. Instead, his eyes move from one new companion to the other. 'You could mingle, you know,' the AI whispers in his mind. 'Get to know your new friends? Just a thought...'
There is a moment of thinking the words over before the android finally rises from his seat and moves to another one. One close to their Vesk captain. 'Really? That is the one you pick...?'
"Hello, Captain," he says to the one called Tujonvrek, ignoring Lena's comment. "If I may ask, how did you become their... our Captain? Why? Is it to 'advance your ambitions'?"
At the predictably incredulous look he probably receives, he simply shrugs. [b]"I should get to know you better."
Fellow cheers rose up all around them to the toasts. Drinks were raised and tossed back. This got the buzz going around the room, sparking conversations as the mood lighten just a little.
The ysoki looked up with a smirk, "Yeah she was, grilled us on our s#~# like we were maggots or this was our first tour!" He spreads his arm wide, sloshing his drink a little. Pointing his finger towards Molly he continued, "It looks like they got more going on then they letting on. What expedition hires f%#$ing military hardasses like that? I mean I get this is an expedition but f@@&, this thing is packing some firepower. The size of the turrets on this could rival the vesk dreadnoughts hands down!" The ysoki scoffed, leaning back as he took a swig of his nectar ale. "F%%~ing unbelievable. And what the f$#@ were those things? I doubt they are just gonna let us go like that."
One of the Shirrens looked to Bishop with what could be called a smirk, her antennae flicking. "That was us. We lost one of our crew. Pinned down he saw a volatile section of the hall and gave his life to allow us to escape. Though it seemed to have pissed them off rightfully." She'd pause, glancing to her crew, "Keskodai had a knack for explosives, he's going to be sorely missed."
She paused a for a moment, "Did you encounter anything strange while down there?"
Molly, several drinks in, chirps in from behind Jacob. "And the best is, someone with that laser rifle between you and the enmini... enemy.", she pats the back of the seat with a grin, sending the soldier a wink. A moment later, she's turned towards the ysoki, raising the traditional argumentative finger of statement. "I'know, right!", she says, shrugging. "But then'gain, it's a lot better to have a pack of grunts and not need them, than the... other thing.", she argues. "'Sides, it's not like this is your ordinary expedition, y'know?", she wobbles. "Cantina's way too good for that.", she laughs out loud.
Waiting for a moment for her next drink, she points the aforementioned finger at both the ysoki and the shirren. "I'll tell you what they are, kids.", she pauses. "It's the damn Precursors. Or some toasters of their creation, out to get vengeance, I tell you."
"Boy, the slow blade pierces the field. Some times a laser pistol is less effective than a good doshko."
"I have a path, I walk that path, I shall drag all along with me to glory and reward."
"Large metal monster, living tech doors, stranded scientists from an unknown well funded group out where we expected to be the first to go... nope, nothing strange at all."
Resk watches the beginning of the wake for the lost crew of the fleet and at first isn't sure what to do. After a few minutes, he realizes this is a party in a group of unpolished individuals, more than a few of whom have likely drifted on the wrong side of the law (or, at least, had healthy indifference towards it). Just like back on Akiton... but cleaner, and with better liquor.
He finishes off his glass, then orders another. By the fourth, he's casting minor cantrips, turning some drinks ice cold then surreptitiously turning one human's beer warm, changing whiskey to the color of an azure sea, and giggling to himself the whole time while he drinks a purple-hued bourbon, warmed and spiced with cinnamon.
However, when talk of the Precursors and the "scientists" comes up, his eyes go wide and he waves his drink, sloshing it about, no longer giggling but angry. "Bahsh. Not scientists. Eeeee-diots. <hic> Dey set off the machines, 'Reshk, letsh shee what dis does,' and da factoriesh, an' then... an' then!" His eyes practically pop out with indignation. "They couldn't fight! <hic>"
He takes another drink, the spins to the left. "Reshk! Do this!" To the right. "Reshk. Do that!" A step back and looking towards the ceiling with arms outstretched, "Shave us, Rex!"
He takes another drink. "Bahsh! And to thinks, we was supposed to vizhit three other asstoids. But oh noesh... Reshk has to save the scientists who can't turn on a terminal wishout summoning Mecha-Devourer." He twirls about then flops down on a seat next to Caleb. He whispers to the android, "I can only imagine what happened at the other tree."
Hiccup.