The Valiant

Target: Esperanza DeRah

Employer: Mr. and Mrs. Derah.

Contractor: Asley Drayton

Mission Objectives:
Esperanza is to be taken into custody unharmed and returned to her parents. Minimal force it to be used and permanent marks to her skin are strictly prohibited. Payment and accolades to be rendered upon mission completion as well as expenses to be reimbursed.

The mission will be considered a success when the package is delivered and intelligence on her situation relayed to the employers.

Payment: [REDACTED]

Risk: Minimal.

Difficulty: 2



The green words floated in the air. Or that's how it seemed to her, though in reality they only existed in her head, a small board embedded in her visual cortex. On the other corner there was a schedule and a clock. The junker "Valliant" was expected to arrive in exactly three minutes and she, Asley Drayton, the second in command of the infamous Drayton family would not let its captain get away. This was a simple job, which was why she was here alone, not that she was ever alone, not even in the few cubic centimeters inside her skull there were so many probes and sensors that she could tell her mood by looking at a HUD element.

And then there was the affectionately nicknamed Bastard, her gun.

The Junker touched down in the bay and was pinched into place and without a word he loved away from the observation window there people could watch ships come and go and quickly descended the metal stairs he hand pulling both the mercenary license and contract out and putting open the creaking metal door and entered the bad as with a thud the ship was locked into place.

'What a piece of junk.'

It was thought and not spoken aloud but she immediately saw several incorrect markings and suspect joins. Maybe she was spoiled by growing up on a military class vessel that had been well maintained but this was ridiculous.

He folded her arms and waited for the door of the ship opened and he caught sight of the target, no chance to get away now Esperanza.

It was when the doors opened that everything went wrong, or rather it was clear that they had gone wrong before. Asley's cocky air receded as she saw Esperanza, but the captain was sitting in a wheelchair and….

"Esperanza DeRah?" her tone wasn't the commanding one she had prepared, but questioning, but with her picture brought up there could be no doubt. "I am here to escort you home..." Already the abck of her mind was composing a status update.

Target injured when located. Will force to seek medical attention. Will forward medical reports as they become available.
 
Aching hands delicately twisted the wire around the tree's branches. He worked slowly, steadily, teeth gritted. Just a few more minutes and he could take his next dose. Then the work would go easier. The tiny tree that sat before him was like so many he'd worked with before, rootbound, twisted, and still somehow alive and flourishing. This one was being coaxed into a form not of its own choosing, something greater, something less. Copper wire drew branches into shape, lashed around soft cloth to keep it from damaging the branches. Damage would come later.

He finished with the juniper, setting it aside and reaching for his hypospray. A shock of pain, a cooling sensation, and the ache in his hands and arms decreased dramatically. The hypospray was on loan from the station infirmary, a gift to help him work as well as he could on the station. As he reached for a dwarf plum, starting to work on the next layer of scarring on a branch, he wondered why he was here. It wasn't a thought he entertained much anymore. He was happy doing landscape design, going where he was needed, and taking his little fleet of bonsai trees, diffenbachia, and ficus with him when he moved for seasonal work. This season, he was on a space station, Arden, tending to their hydroponics bay and gardens. He was also working on some new bonsai trees for some visiting diplomats he'd never get to meet in person. All satisfying work.

And yet he wondered. There was great joy in helping things grow, but he pondered that, like the little trees, he might be becoming rootbound. It might be time for a temporary change of scenery, a new university course, a trip, something. Vacation. That's what he needed. He tried to tell himself that it was need for vacation and not wanderlust. He was too old for wanderlust. There was so much left to see, and yet for years, he'd remained quiet, respectable.

Outside his current workshop, people were making a ruckus. Someone poked their head in to shout something in his direction regarding Asperas Prime. It didn't sink in for a moment. Then, like a bucket of cold water, it had his full attention and left him shaking. Another planet. Gone. He was scheduled to return to his quarters now, but instead, he pushed on in his work. He couldn't think of what had happened. Others would do that. He told himself he was too old to be bothered by the terror that gripped those at the station. He promised himself he wouldn't get involved, not volunteer for any work to help those displaced few that had been on vacation or trips when it happened, not give blood, nothing.

As the night went on, his console lit up again and again with news reports. He listened, felt what he deemed was the appropriate amount of sorrow and mourning, and went on with his work. He had to. Like so many people, he just couldn't let the sorrow in, or it would consume him like a pestilence. And then he would be involved, and he just couldn't.

The console lit up again. This time, not with news, but with a personal message. A message from an old friend, coded and sent through unofficial channels. Jonas's heart seized. Esperanza. Esperanza who had been like a niece to him. She was in trouble. He barely heard the message. She was dying. She'd be here, on the station. The rest made no sense. Something about appealing to his sense of honor, of doing her a favor. Grabbing his leather jacket and shunting the message onto a data stick, deleting it from the message center, he left, practically running for the docking bays. The hypospray, forgotten, sat on the edge of the counter.
 
"We interrupt the scheduled show to give you this special broadcast...! The the screen over the bar started, annoying Are. He'd been watching that show, and it was about to get exiting! "...Asperas Prime has been destroyed by the dictator Gallatros..." The cigar fell out of his mouth, and the glass was shattered in his hand. He knew there was a risk of that guy striking anywhere, but here? Right next to the damn station he was on? Are got up quickly and stormed out of the bar. "If he destroyed that planet, he might just destroy this station instead of turning around it..." He muttered to himself as he almost jogged towards the docks. He was going to sign up for the first and best ship that would taken him, not giving a shit if it was a tin can held together by tape. That was also the description he'd give the first ship he saw as he entered the docks.
 
[dash=blue]While Naidia was off gallivanting on Arden, Aqua made herself appear through the inside of the ship as she worked on the electrical repairs she could. The young girl AI holograph appeared outside the ship for an exterior inspection unaware of someone approaching. Meanwhile, Naidia was busy getting drunk in one of the many bars upon Arden. As she was drinking and making a little petty cash off a pool game, her attentions were drawn to the television screen nearby as a report streamed past about Asperas Prime.

Frowning slightly she quickly finished the game, much to her competitor's dismay, and collected her winnings. They were certainly not happy, but she was distracted. Disregarding their threats she simply brushed them off and headed for the door, "Guess I should check on Aqua and see how things are" she said hurrying off and leaving the losers hanging with her new winnings. When she arrived back there was a dark skinned white haired male standing near her ship. "May I help you?" She said approaching the male.[/dash]

~~

As they docke d into Arden Space Station, it wasn't looking good for the crew of Valiant. Esperanza was mortally wounded, Eragor had passed away, the captain was long gone, and Frieda had died during the fray. That left Isolde, Hubert, Marrcko, and poor Rudi who had come along for the ride. Isolde had been the one to wheel Esperanza off Valiant. She wanted to get her medical attention first, but Esperanza insisted it didn't matter. She only hoped to stay alive long enough to relay information to Jonas, but instead they were stopped by Asley.

"Esperanza DeRah? I am here to escort you home..."

Esperanza looked at the young girl a moment in slight disbelief. Perfect, of all times, her parents would NOW send for her? Typical. Blood had soaked through the hastened bandages as she struggled to stand. Isolde placed a hand on her shoulder, "Ma'am..." she tried to keep her from moving, knowing full well any movement was going to be devastating in her current condition. There was no sound of worry in her tone, just fact. Esperanza brushed her hand aside and shook her head, "I need to--do this. You know--what to do." She slowly got to her feet as she staggered forward. Isolde quickly moved to help support her so she wouldn't collapse. "thanks" she muttered to the medic as she turned her sights to Asley, "So I've finally been found--" her pale lips curled into a slight smirk, "I'm afraid...you'll have to take back my dead body instead" she coughed as blood trickled from her mouth, "I regret nothing" she whispered as her eyes began to roll back.
 
Status Updating...


There was no update. The cursor blinked with no though filling it with new information. What was there to say? No, Esperanza was not going to die on her watch. "I will be returning you alive and as well as I..." Esperanza was dying, that much was clear. Her pulse, as seen by the minute movement of her skin was weak and there was a lot of blood.

"Miss DeRah it is my job to make sure you are brought home alive and well."

There was a sinking feeling that that was not a possibility, something had happened out there and she was not the only one banged up. Something had gone horribly wrong but Asley was not going to let this make her fail her mission.

"Do you need me to help you to the medical bay?"

Why was she so intent of letting herself die?
 
"Esperanza?" He could see her, there, across the docking bay. There she was, and she didn't look good. Who was that talking to her? No, it didn't matter. He needed to get to her, to talk to her. He shoved past those in his way, not caring who he knocked over to get to her. He could feel each jarring impact of his feet upon the floor; it shook him, tried to fight through the static in his mind. She couldn't die. He'd get to her!

He dodged around the people in his way, trying to get to and past the one Esperanza was speaking to, trying to show that he was there, that he'd come for her. Words he heard on approach made no sense. All he could hear was his pulse pounding in his ears as seconds stretched and moments became meaningless.

"NO! Esperanza!" He reached out, grabbing for her wrist, trying to check pulse and breathing and remember the combat first aid he'd learned so long ago. No. Was that a pulse? Was it?! He felt momentary hope before realizing he was holding his fingers wrong. It had been his own pulsebeat he'd noticed, not that of the girl he'd once shown how to grow a garden, how one must sing to plants...

For a moment, he was much younger, she was a child, and they were standing next to the fountain in the arboretum he'd worked at then. Her parents were nearby, admiring the early roses, their pink not yet faded to the icy green that would eventually mark that particular variety. She reached out, tugged at his hand, smiled--

Her hand was losing warmth. How long had he been standing there? How long had he clung to the lifeless wrist, hoping that a single jump might register? Only a moment? An hour? The clock on the wall said barely ten minutes since he'd noticed the timestamp on his message center. The cold... was it an illusion? Why was no one coming to help? He looked up at the person holding Esperanza, received a look in return, but there was nothing there to indicate any hope.

Sudden rage filled him, needing outlet. He spun on the one who'd been blocking Esperanza, who could have helped her. He'd no way of knowing just what had occurred, but right now, she was as good a target for his ire as any. He didn't know a thing about Asley aside from the fact that she was there and appeared to be in the way. That was enough.

"You! How could you let this happen! You were here when... you could have taken her to the medical bay! You could have helped her! Either of you!" he shouted, spinning to include Isolde in his tirade. He turned back to Asley.

"What did you do to her?!" At this point, his voice strained with emotion, the man was pleading. The closest thing he'd ever had to a daughter was gone, dead, and he didn't know how to handle the fact that this vital part of the universe would never smile again, never laugh again, and that he would never know what she needed of him. Jonas held out his hands, attempting to forestall words as he turned away.
 
Status….

Subject Ezperanza DeRah…. Deceased.
Securing body and awaiting further orders.
Refunding 50% of bounty.

Asley stared at the man. He was hysterical and her metal fingers tapped in the handle of her pistol. "I did nothing to Miss DeRah, please calm yourself. I've only just arrived."

Job Status: Failed.

Failed. "I will be taking her body for transport back to her parents however. There was that, the face saving gesture. There was nothing Asley could have done. The ship in front of her was banged up all to hell and had obviously been in a fierce battle. Who would to into combat in such a junker was beyond Asley. She examined the man's face, the expression was extreme grief, and he had obviously been close to the girl.
"I'm sorry for your loss." She didn't sound it, how could she? Asley had been around death many times but had never seen true grief. "If there is anything I can do… I have been hired by Mr. and Mrs. DeRah to bring their daughter back to them. If you would like to talk to them I'm sure I could manage. It might be best if they hear from… a friend." And a witness.
 
The dreadnought simply overwhelmed Herbert, paralysing him for a fraction of a second, but he immediately regained control and steered the Valiant through the holes in the firing arcs of the huge ship, which he knew from his old academy days, and then, hell was unleashed. Just as he stopped making hair-raising manouvres with the Valiant, the IGA fleet opened fire on the fleet of Gallatros, turning the entire area around the planet into pure, undiluted chaos dominated by projectiles that could rip through reinforced bunkers. He was not sure how he managed to get out of the literal firestorm, but somehow, he managed to put the Valiant down Arden Space Station as he listened to Esperanza's words.

Strange feelings welled up in the stomach of Herbert as he heard the barely flowing words of Esperanza. On the one hand, he was glad that he made it out of the blockade with the ship still in one piece, but on the other hand, from the voice of Esperanza, she was dying and that, added up with all the losses that happened today could mean the end of the Valiant's career. With the ship damaged, the captain gone and the executive officer on the verge of dying, and god knows how many crew members dead or in critical condition, it was unlikely that the ship would ever recover. He wanted to check on the medical bay, but when he wanted to stand up from his chair, he found that his limbs had no strength in them, nor he had enough motivation to force himself to stand up. Realising that he left himself buckled in, Herbert slowly unbuckled himself as his arms and legs regained their former mobility. Piloting the ship through that hellhole took a lot out of him, but the only thought on his mind was the future of the Valiant.

What would happen to him and this ship now that they were in such a situation? He did not know if they had enough money for repairs or to get other crew members, which would mean that the Valiant would most likely get scrapped, then re-cycled for future use. There was simply no way someone was willing to pay enough for such a damaged and old ship that was only held together by duct tape and willpower, so within seconds, he came to the conclusion that he had to say goodbye to the Valiant regardless of the other crewmembers. Sighing, Herbert stood up from the chair, then he took a small data disk out from his pocket, insterted it into the console in front of him, then he typed some commands in, copying all the navigational data from the computer into a relatively safe place. After that was done, he simply took his rifle from its compartment, put the disk into his pocket, then he walked out from the cockpit of the Valiant, out into the station.

He was completely baffled by the scene that awaited him there. Esperanza was already dead, her lifeless body slumped to the floor, while a man stood in front of her accusedly, and a bounty-hunter looking fellow was expressing her condolences to the old man.

"What happened?" asked Herbert, not knowing what he should do.
 
"That's it then..."

No rousing speeches, no oaths of vengeance, no rallying calls. They had given up. The lizard chef stood nearby with what resembled an expression of sadness, Isolde stood stoically behind the wheelchair, Herbert still within the cockpit. Rudi stood at the head of cargo bay, the scene of grief and rage playing out in front of him on the station deck below. The young bounty hunter was now attempting to reassure a grief stricken man that Rudi had never seen before. Without a captain and crew the ship was dead. Without repairs the ship was dead. Quietly Rudi reached into the pocket of his jumpsuit and pulled out the faded silver lighter within, holding it in his hand reassuringly... and patiently.

Rudi had made an agreement with Isolde to get him off world, and despite all odds here he was, in no small part thanks to the piloting skills of Herbert. Since the chain of command was now gone there was no captain to give payment to it defaulted to Isolde. Despite wanting to reward Herbert directly, his agreement had originally been made with Isolde and the captain. However, this was not the time to talk about traveling expenses... or the future.

Thus he remained where he was, quietly observing the scene below. Herbert brushed past Rudi, a rifle slung over the man's shoulder. Rudi eyed the rifle curiously, wondering where Herbert was going, until Herbert encountered the group upon the station deck and came to a standstill.
 
Jonas spun, ignoring the others and glaring at the woman speaking of taking Esperanza. He shook, clenching his fists and closing the distance between himself and the other. Grief blinded him to the rest of the situation, to the relevant facts.

"Who in hell are you to take her? I don't even know I can trust you. You're just some stranger. I'm family to the girl. I--" he started to choke on his words, battling for control. "I owe it to her family to see her home safely. So help me God, if you so much as lay a hand on her..." He honestly didn't know what he'd do, but right now he didn't care if punching this woman in the face would make him regret it for the pain in his hands later. He wouldn't let her take Esperanza. Not without some proof that she wasn't some bad element.

"Now it is best if you just step back. Let family handle this." He wasn't being aggressive. His stance was highly protective. It was, however, clear that he'd attempt to fight if he had to.
 
She ignored his words, those compromised by high levels of emotion were best ignored by those in control of themselves and the situation. Brushing past him she knelt next to the body and turned Esperanza onto her hand, two cold metal fingers making sure the lids were closed before pulse was checked to make sure there was nothing. Her shoulders slumped the barest fraction of an inch. The captain was indeed dead.

Slowly she stood and looked at the blood staining the smooth metal of her hard with only irritation showing on her face before she wiped them on a small cloth produced from her pocket. "My license and contract with the deceased's parents, will that do as proof? I will let you accompany me to them if you wish."

He didn't turn to him, he was rendered irrational with grief and Asley was more concerned with the others, she would let them pay their respects, have a day with the body as she made arrangements for transport and informed the proper authorities, even though keeping your back on irrational people was usually a bad idea, he didn't seem like the violent type.
 
That damned woman was going to take his Esperanza if he didn't do something. Thoughts went through his mind, flashing past, trying to caution him. To tell him to wait, to listen. Sorrow overwhelmed rational thought, grief destroyed common sense, loss flooded his hearing with the pounding of his own heart, the rush of blood. Right now, there was no physical pain. The hypospray's effects were still working and, to top it off, all sensation was kilometers away. All that mattered was protecting Esperanza. Protecting her corpse from this vile woman.

All of these thoughts took but an instant. His fist raised, shot out at the back of the woman's head in an attempt to strike her and incapacitate her. Yes, it would hurt. Yes, the pain would be regrettable. But if it kept her hands off of Esperanza, it would be worth it. He didn't consider a weapon. It wouldn't due to have another dead. Jonas simply wished her out of the way for the time.
 
A flash of white and her head tilted forwards. The blow would have made a normal woman her size stagger and possibly trip but Alsey's implants made her heavy, and even in the split second her brain was reeling from the blow her foot moved forwards absorbing the shock from the blow as a sensor triggered that the brain was incapacitated for a split second and took control to keep her on her feet.

The effect make it look like only her head moved while the rest of her mode remained as solid as a rock. Then she straitened and turned her hand grabbing the arm that had struck her and twisting it. She had been assaulted, in front of witnesses by a man getting between her and what she saw as her contractual obligation. The weight of the law was on her side along with the weight of combat training and military grade cybernetic technology. And in front of her was an old man in a questionable mental state and an even more questionable training and experience. Full force was not a good idea, minimal force, restrain and detain but do not allow him to interfere further.

With her hand still clamped around his arm she pulled him closer her over hand closing into a fist to strike his chest, then a leg hit the back of his knee and she knocked it out from under him holding onto his arm to keep him from hitting the floor until she lowered him onto it.

"Further aggression fill be met with equal force." she warned. "Please do not interfere with my contract."
 
Damn, but she was fast! The pain rocked through him before he knew what happened, screaming through his arm and blossoming through his chest. And now he was on the floor. But the time she took to lower him was just enough for the pain to clear the small amount needed for thought. He was a long, long time from his training, but that sort of thing wasn't forgotten easily.

She'd barely moved when he'd struck her before, which meant he'd have to be quick and careful of where he struck. Still on the floor, he kicked out at the side of her knee, attempting to trap it. Quickly, he rolled to the side and up to his feet, but though the intent was there, his body did not wish to cooperate with the demands upon it. He stumbled, caught himself, staggered. Pain was working its way through the medicine in his system, forcing his motions to slow, to weaken as he closed the distance once more to thrust a fist toward her nose.

"You cold hearted bitch! Don't you have any idea what family means?!"
 
The blow was surprisingly well aimed and made her stagger before she recovered. This man did have training, but he was slow, the flesh and bone comprising his limbs no longer used to this treatment. She had the clear advantage, there was no way she could lose unless he had a weapon or tried something dirty. No chances.

With the distinctive sound of metal against leather she drew her pistol and held it pointing at the floor as she advanced a metal hand closing around his shoulder and lifting him. "Family are those I take orders from." she said raising the gun. If she meant Ezperanza's or her own it made no difference, one was a client, the other a commanding officer and she was under the orders of both. "Do you have any allergies I should be aware of or are you on any medication that would conflict with tranquilizer."

She really did not want to hurt him, but he was making it difficult not to. She had a hold of him, he could see she was armed and was now informed it was loaded with tranquilizer. Now was his last chance to surrender. The only other option was physical restraint, everything was being done by the book.
 
Pain. Pain so sharp that it cut through any distance or medication effects. He gritted his teeth and bit back a yell of pain, instead cursing once at her. He wasn't about to let her complete this job of hers. There was little he could do. He should have known better than to come down here unarmed. She was strong, too strong for him to hope to win against in normal circumstances. So he'd cheat.

His hand-- the one on the arm not attached to the held shoulder-- went to his pocket. Within was a small, open packet of seeds. It hurt to move so fast, but he had to. His hand darted into the pocket, came out holding the packet. He flicked his wrist, nauseating pain coursing through him from overtaxed muscles and protesting joints, and sent the seeds flying from the packet toward his adversary's eyes.
 
She let go of him to shield her face and stepped back to get distance in case he tried anything while her arm blocked her own vision. If she had been wearing a helmet none of this would have been necessary but she had wanted to be approachable, human, in order to avoid a fight. Once her arm was lowered she raised her pistol with the intent to use it. In her eyes her target turned a shade of red and a line traced between him and the barrel of her gun calculated from the angle of her arm, the pressure of the gas propelling the dart, the air pressure and temperature and many other factors.

There was a soft his from her arm as it stiffened to give batter aim and she moved until the line painted his neck and pulled the trigger. "This has been regrettable." she told him. "You've had your last warning. I will inform the medical staff of your position." How much of that he heard she didn't know or care, all she did was turn to the others gathered and slowly load another dart, her eyes daring the next person to make a move.
 
For a moment, he thought he had an opening. He moved forward to attempt a punch to her underarm, but she was too fast. He barely felt the dart go in, but the sudden effects, interacting with the hypospray's dose, were unavoidable. His motions slowed, his limbs felt as though they were caught in triple gravity. Liquid immobility spread through his body, elongating each second. He felt as though he must be moving so quickly for things to be passing by with such molasses like slowness.

By the time he hit the floor, he wondered why he hadn't yet defeated her. She wasn't fast at all! Surely if the chains on his arms would simply release him, he'd have triumphed. A fuzzy black halo had formed around his vision, spots dazzling him at its border. For a moment, these spots were the most important thing in the world, their beauty letting him linger on something other than combat, other than mourning. But the memory of his obligation, of his sorrow, would not let him forget, and as his vision faded out, his last sight was of Esperanza's corpse. He felt his heart should do the honorable thing now and just explode. But it didn't, and his last few seconds of conscious thought were stretched to eternities wherein he played back every move he'd made, every tiny mistake, the regret that he was no longer a young, healthy man able to defend someone's honor.

The thought crystalized that he had, indeed, wasted his youth. This was penance and punishment and the toll placed upon his head for his sins. He had failed Esperanza. All his words had failed to keep her off of a path of ugliness and sorrow that had ended in death. But some part of him rebelled. She'd died doing her job. Which meant her life, to her, had been worth living for. Worth dying for. He vaguely remembered that there had been others standing around her as he fought. Her crew. They'd needed her, and now... now they needed someone. Anyone to unite them. And he'd be damned if he let that cold hearted woman--

The thought never completed. His consciousness was swept away by the drug.
 
Naidia had been enjoying a nice drink and a little stroll through the station when she heard a small ruckus nearby. Like many other curious bystanders she took her spot among them to watch. Her eyes fell upon a young female and an older gentleman. The female may have had an unfair advantage to the old human as she seemed mechanically enhanced with Naidia's keen eyes. Behind the two was probably the scene that started the small fray. A badly injured woman was held in the arms of what appeared to be a stoic nurse. However the nurse was rigid giving away that there was more to her as well. The other crewmembers of the mangled ship stood about or had long since dispersed, but whatever had happened the crew had been through hell it seemed.

The fight was quick and Naidia was a little disappointed it had ended so soon, but it was probably for the best. As the crowds dispersed a few police officers were seen headed toward the docks. Naidia quickly turned and ducked into the crowds with drink still in hand. As she was walking she wasn't paying attention and rammed head first into someone (quite large) wandering in the streets. The force literally knocks her onto her ass as she curses softly in her native language and rubbed her lower back, "Watch where you--" she pauses as she realizes she's looking at legs. Slowly her gaze trails up to meet the large male, "--are quite large. Uh...hi" she said rubbing the back of her head some as she got back to her feet.

~~~

Isolde stood by quietly as the fight commenced, Esperanza's lifeless body laid in her arms. The fight was brief and it was obvious that the female had the advantage over the old man, but humans were stupid like that sometimes. When the fight was over and the male was rendered incapacitated, Isolde performed a quick diagnostics scan of the two before turning to see the cops coming their way, "I suggest that we do not linger here. Please take the male inside the ship--"

Soon after she'd said that the first of the cops arrived. Isolde simply stood there and eyed the man a moment, "We had a complaint of a disturbance do you have your--"

"We are a transport class Firefly cargo ship. We have landed in an emergency situation. Our captain is deceased and our second in command has recently perished. We have the proper documentation for legal porting here at the repair station" she presented him with the information seemingly out of nowhere (she'd had it stored in one of her many built in compartments). The cop scanned them over before handing them back to her, "You're clear. Try not to cause any more trouble...and best get your friend there to a hospital, she doesn't look so hot" with that he walked off as the other cops dispersed.

Isolde watched them a moment before turning to find the others still there, "I will take care of him. I am the medic...please bring him inside. I have information pertinent to him." She left no room for response as she took hold of the old man, slinging him over her free shoulder, and moved inside. Though the girl wasn't happy, she reluctantly followed inside as Esperanza was her 'charge'.

Taking Esperanza and the old man back to the medical bay, Isolde placed him on one exam table and Esperanza on another. This was going to be quite a shock to the man's system...being first drugged to fall asleep and then drugged to wake up. Preparing him she inserted one needle through his chest to shock him back awake and instantly as he shot up she would inject him with a second drug taht would quickly flush his system and keep him from going into cardiac arrest. When he'd stabilized Isolde looked between the two calmly, "Before anyone speaks...I have a message from the late Esperanza."

There was a silence in the room as Isolde looked upon Jonas first and then the other woman awaiting their mutual agreement to cease the dispute until Esperanza's true final words were said. Finally Isolde stepped back and closed her eyes as if she were sleeping. When she opened her eyes again they had a strange faint blue tint to them and a distant glance. HEr lips moved but it was Esperanza's voice that came out--

"Thanks Isolde...I trust you to pass this on--oh hey it's on, right then. This is Esperanza...I knwo this may be odd, but I needed to get this done before I didn't have a chance. I know that mom and dad probably sent someone after me, and that's fine. I'm just sorry to say if I am found by the person I probably won't be coming back alive. Sorry Mom and Dad, I love you both...but this was my choice. You know that. Also if this message is being played that means that you're probably here too Jonas. Hi...and sorry I couldn't stay around to catch up on old times. I really wanted to but, you know how this life goes. *weak laughter with a cough*. I don't have much time left, but I wanted to let first my crew know that they are the best thing that's ever happened to me and I will miss every one of you. Second--there is a reason I'm doing this, especially with Isolde's help. I know I can trust her and no one would mess with her...anyways...Isolde knows where the documents are and they are signed and official. When William and I became captain and second in command he'd signed the ship over to me in case anything happened...well something's happened, and now I am passing the ship and all its belongings to you, Jonas, old friend. You mean the world to me and I always saw you as a second father. Isolde you know who did this to me...to Valiant...tell them what happened. I don't have much time here so i'll leaev it at that. I'm sorry this is so informal, but it's what I have--goodbye"

With that there was static and then silence as the message ended. Isolde blinked a few times as her eyes returned to normal and her systems returned online. Reaching into one of her compartments, she brought out the paperwork that was signed as Esperanza had said. That left Jonas as the captain of Valiant.
 
Rudi stood behind everybody in the doorway of the medical bay. One worn hand rested upon the top of the doorframe, the other gripping his belt behind his back. Jonas seemed frozen in shock over what had just transpired. 'Well, he was not having the best of days' Rudi mused.

Finding out his close friend was now dead, getting his arse kicked by a teenage cyborg, being drugged by said cyborg, now de-drugged, discovering you're now the captain of an inactive rust-bucket. Not a day that Rudi would want to be experiencing. Still, now there was a Captain of the ship, albeit perhaps in name only. He now had someone to pay the fare toward other than that android. His eyes focused on the legal documents as they passed from Isolde to the trembling hands of Jonas reading the name. 'Jonas McCree...'

'Interesting...'

Rudi broke the prolonged silence with a polite cough.

"Please excuse me and I, apologize for your loss sir. This is not the best of times to bring this up, but when you have time Mr. McCree, I'd like to discuss the fare that I owe the Captain of this ship for transit off of Asperas Prime, you may discuss the finer details and confirm with… Ms. Isolde. Thank you."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back