The Avernus: In Limbo

[kahl]

"I, like most men, owe debts. Mine may not be monetary--but they are important nonetheless. More important than you and this piss-pot you call a ship." Ishkar glowered down at Ty. He was significantly taller and far broader and it was well known that Ishkar was not a "business man" in the suit and tie sense.

"I'm funding you. I paid off your monetary debts. So I OWN YOU. You and this ship until your debts are paid in full TO ME." Ishkar's thick brows lowered to shadow his eyes. "If The Golden Dragon calls on us to track down Aerc The Red, then we track down Aerc The Red."

Tossing a hand as he scoffed, he added, "How bloody hard is it to find an arrogant wang ba dan as Aerc anyhow? He name his own gorram ship after HIMSELF for versesake!"

Jabbing a finger in Ty's direction he snarled, "only thing you should be worried about is if Sohn Harra's been pulled into this mess....because THAT...that could prove to be awkward."

- - - -

Ghost scurried along Daniel's shoulders then down one arm as he extended it for her. The albino rat made her way over Anne's lap and stood up to pry at her fingers where she knew there was a bit of food hidden inside.

"Don't tease her Mei-Ren...let her have the cracker or she'll poop on your lap. She's very vindictive that way..." Daniel barely glanced up from his sketch pad. Since offloading their cargo, the crew hadn't any work. Ishkar had called a halt to their operation for some unknown reason and it was making Ty VERY salty, but it gave Daniel time to spend with Anne and for Ben to try more of his memory recall treatments to help Daniel remember the life he had.

"Almost done..." he mumbled as Ben returned to the medbay with a pile of sure-wrapped sandwiches and some bottles of tea.

[Melara]

Tiny little pink finger-like toes pulled at her own much larger fingers, an eager tongue licking and lapping like the brush of a flower petal. Anne tilted her head a little, watching the rat a moment with a butterfly flutter of her lashes, before she opened her hand.

The rat plucked the bit of cracker from her palm, tucking it in its mouth and quickly moving further down her lap before sitting up to nibble at it.

Her eyes moved upward as Ben entered with the sandwiches and tea.

**

“Ay, fine, have it done your way,” Ty grunted with a glower. “Sooner done the better then, I guess…so we can get back to more important things.”

[kahl]

Chameleon strode down the main corridor to the bridge where Ty was lounging at the controls. "I just spoke with Stewart. We're not far from a rendezvous with them. Then you and I can board and find out what-if any-plan they have for how to deal with this. Seems they took on a few new crewmen...one is Yin Buusho. Know him?"

- - - -

As Ben entered, Daniel closed his sketch pad and tucked it under his thigh. "So what's goin' on, Ben?"

The awkward man shrugged as if shaking a bug from his hair, and looked across at his friend. He was worrying mostly about Ty. The Captain was a sour as a jar of piss and vinegar and he had a real dislike for Anne being aboard. Now there were rumours that they were heading out to help fight in some pirate dick measuring contest and Daniel didn't like the idea of his new friend being caught in the midst of it all.

"I-is it true what Eddie said...about Aerc the Red?" Daniel bit the dry skin on his bottom lip, tearing it off enough that the cracked flesh bled. He licked at the small oozing of blood as he watched Ben with deep set brows and a taught jawline.

[Melara]

"I-is it true what Eddie said...about Aerc the Red?"

"Seems like it," Ben replied. "Cap ain't too pleased about it, either."

"Who's Aerc the Red?" Anne mumbled slowly, eyes half-lidded with painkillers and sedation.

**

"Seems they took on a few new crewmen...one is Yin Buusho. Know him?"

Ty grunted. "Great. I owe that rutter money," he grumped. "Wonder if he's still running around with that mindless spook of his."

[kahl]

Daniel blinked at her a moment then looked at Ben, "well, I guess we can assume she's not got a past in space travel."

Turning back to Anne he explained, "Aerc MacRoy. They call him "The Red" on account of he's a ginger. He started out as just a street thug--street fighter actually. Underground blood battles. To the death, shi a? Then he took to pirating. Lots of pirates'll just take your stuff, maybe leave you on the drift. Pirates like The Red....well, first few ships they found the GRE thought it had been Jacked--everyone on board went nuts with the Jacking and just slaughtered each other. Only later found out the symbol painted on the side of the ship was his. A red A crossed by the infinity symbol, from math, shi a? It looks sorta like an 8 on it's si...but...I can see you knew that already..."

Glancing up at Ben, Daniel's jaw tensed and he murmured, "he's no good, and I don't like that Ishkar and Ty want to steer us straight at him."

[Melara]

“I’m not terribly fond of the idea either,” Ben answered.

“Can I have a smoke?” Anne asked, her eyes cloudy and dark with something other than sedation. Since she’d woken on this strange ship her sole sources of information had been the doctor, Ben, and the sketching fellow, Daniel. Part of her didn’t care about where they were, or what they were going to do…or even if they meant to keep her on the ship or toss her out an airlock.

But only part of her.

She shifted carefully to sit, trying not to disturb the rat nibbling it’s cracker on her knee, or to jam her bandaged stump against the mattress.

[kahl]

Daniel quickly fumbled in his pocket for his pack before Ben smacked the palm of his hand over Daniel's in turn, smashing the man's pack of smokes.

"No you cannot have a cigarette--" Ben stated sternly, although his glower was on Daniel, not Anne. "You very nearly died as it is with all the damage to your lungs."

Hanging his head, Daniel glanced sheepishly at Anne as if it was he that were being chastised. 'Sorry', he mouthed to her past the over-protective Ben.

Ghost scurried off Anne's knee and rushed back to Daniel, as if sensing his distress, and quickly perched herself on his shoulder to nuzzle at his neck. Closing his notebook, the man rose and avoided everyone's gaze. "Well...you seem awful busy with stuff so...we'll just skip my stuff for today...you know, do it tomorrow or something." His voice dropped to just above a whisper, "..I mean...you know...it's not really important anyway. A-Anne needs your attention more than me..."

Shuffling for the door, Daniel slid Ghost into his coverall pocket, then ran a hand back through his shaggy hair.

[Melara]

Edward looked up as Daniel entered the small galley, smirking over a beard littered with crumbs as he shoved another forkful of food into his mouth. "Latest word. We're only a couple hours away from the rendezvous with the Golden Dragon. You ever meet 'em? I hear the Captain is a pretty boy fag...as pretty as a woman. He married some blond firecracker to hide it even. Real ball-buster, I hear."

He slurped up another forkful. "Bet that little slip of lickable in the infirmary isn't a ball-buster. I wonder if the Cap will let the rest of us have a turn when he's tired of her."

[kahl]

Silently crossing the galley toward the fridge, Daniel seemed to be ignoring Eddie. Just when he was behind him, however, the seemingly timid Daniel palmed the fat man's head and bounced it off his plate onto the table where he held it down with surprising force. Keeping his arms extended to maintain leverage, Daniel growled quietly. "No one is going to touch Anne...got it? Not the Captain, and sure as Frak not you. Are we clear--or do I need to castrate you now?"

[Melara]

"Frak!" Edward shrieked, face aching, surprise speeding his heart. "Frak, Daniel, let up! Gui, the Cap'll be the one castrating you Stick-Boy, if you try and tell him what's what! Let up!!"

[kahl]

With a final, defiant little shove, Daniel released Eddie's meaty head. Continuing on his way tot he fridge,he retrieved a jenny then scowled in the fat man's direction. "If you can't make it between ports--you best hire yourself a personal droxy, you heng Zhu Bajie--or I will ensure you can't...get me?"

Sucking on his beer he foraged in the cabinet and snatched a packet of crackers. Opening it he promptly dropped on into his pocket with Ghost.

"I never met the Golden Dragon Crew. Heard of them...'polite pirates' some one said. They don't hurt or kill anyone unless they're forced to. Seems an odd way to be...for pirates. Most what I know is rumors, really." He eyed Eddie. "Does it matter? Ty sent you into a sewage main and you went so long as you were getting paid...not without endless complaint...but you went."

Daniel's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Eddie. "Why the fuss now? You actually afraid to tangle with pirates?"

A small smirk crawled over the corner of his mouth and he nodded in confirmation as he watched Eddie get twitchy, though he tried to hide it. "Shi a....Eddie'll work for a Silent Order assassin but pirates are too scary."

[Melara]

"I'm more a man than you, Daniel," Edward glowered. "Frak off."

"What's going on?" Ty scowled, his normally dark mood made only the blacker by Ishkar's insistance on this stupid run.

[kahl]

"Nuthin'..." Daniel answered first which made Eddie lower his eyes in that silent agreement that no one would talk. Then Daniel shrugged and spoke before drinking from his jenny. "It's just Eddie woke up this morning and his balls were gone."

"You caoing wang ba dan!!" Eddie roared.

Daniel only laughed and informed Ty, "he's afraid of pirates, Cap'n. I think it's on account of the rumors of their homosexual tendencies. I think he's afraid...you know...it might show..." The implication was made in jest the way any crew of men would harass their own, but there was no jovial friendship fueling the banter.

[Melara]

"You're a gorram bastard-" Edward barked.

"Rut, Eddie, if that stings maybe you should think on why," Ty retorted.

"I ain't no-"

"Shut the cao up. I expect both of you to be ready when we reach the Dragon. I want to get this mess done with as quickly as possible. And clean up your beard. You got enough food in there to feed a small family."

[kahl]

Stewart eyed Ishkar with a glower. "I've no doubt Sohn Harra will have a herd of mercs in that warehouse. I've already got my sniper set with a solid nest and a mark on Aerc...what I need is for you and yours to take out those mercenaries as quickly and silently as possible. I've got two in my crew that can help--and Chameleon...if you find and kill Sohn Harra, that'll be a bonus in your favor."

The Silent Order Assassin nodded in understanding and appreciation. "I am confident that can be arranged."

"I'd prefer this to be a shadow play, but if you have to come in through the front door...just make it quick and clean. We've got no less than three vulnerables in the crossfire." Stewart glanced over at Kaige as the young man tapped his arm. They were setting down in Timira. "We're landing now. Wont be long before we're there...how far out are you?"

"In orbit. We can land any time."

"Then hit dirtside, ma shang...and I'll just assume you and yours are there on time. If my people start dying, I'll know you weren't reliable and I'll make sure you pay for whomever we lose. Dong le ma?"

"Shi a..." Ishkar nodded. He still owed too many debts to too many people. He really disliked how this one was playing out in repayment.

Disconnecting the signal, Ishkar sat back with a dissatisfied grunt. After a brooding moment, he rose and strode in search of Ty. Finding him in the galley barking at his men, as per usual, the mountainous man interrupted with a raised voice.. "We need to land, ma shang. This thing is on and I need to explain our part in it."

Gesturing to the table he scowled, "get everyone that's able to help in here and I'll spell it all out. It's important we get things right. There are a lot of lives on the line."

Daniel wrinkled his brow and stared at Ishkar. He was feeling that odd tingle in his skull. The one he got when he had the bad dreams. "Just give me a blade and things'll get sorted out," he heard himself say. His voice was deeper, steadier...colder.

[Melara]

Ben had wandered out and Anne had heard Ishkar's booming voice. That was the Captain, she assumed. He certainly sounded as if he were in charge.

Sitting up carefully, she pulled the IV out of her arm, then pulled off the monitors she'd been hooked too. Getting to her feet for the first time since she'd come aboard, she gingerly rounded up some clothes, dressed.

Tying the sleeve of the workshirt over her bandaged stump, she shuffled barefoot out into the ship, leaning silently on the open door of the Galley. Most within were total strangers. She recognized only Ben and Daniel by sight.

"I'll help," she said, drawing every eye in the room. She gave a weak shrug. "Gimme a gun and I'll frak one or two of them up."

[kahl]

Blinking as if waking, Daniel stared at Anne. "Mei-ren...you shouldn't even be out of bed yet..."

"Mei-ren!" Eddie snorted back a laugh. "Is he joking..??"

Daniel ignored the man, but Chameleon pointed at him, "shut it fat-boy." Turning his eyes from Eddie to the woman, Ishkar's thick brows knit and he grumbled in his low voice, "I'm not so sure you are up to the task--but you can be of some help. Daniel is going to skim his scrawny ass into the security feed for this warehouse. I want you to sit here on the ship and relay information to us over tactical radio. Can you manage that?"

Daniel frowned but he didn't argue. At least Anne would stay on the ship. She was safer there.

[Melara]

"Shi a, I can manage that," Anne replied. Oddly enough she was disappointed they didn't want to give her a gun. But then, she honestly didn't know if she intended to use it on whoever they were fighting...or herself, so maybe that wasn't a bad idea.

[kahl]

The Avernus lowered from orbit into the atmo. Timira wasn't the prettiest place to be setting down, but this crew, if any, could handle themselves. Once the ship touched down, Ishkar notified his contact. There was an exchange of information and then he called everyone involved to the bridge.

Daniel was already locked into the security feeds for the warehouse and three surrounding buildings. As Ben helped Anne to the console, Daniel rose and gave her his seat.

"OK, people, this is what we're dealing with..." Ishkar navigated through the different cameras. Aerc and his men were visible inside the vast empty building. "This here--for those who don't know-- is Aerc The Red. This is his right hand Thadius Black...don't let his meat-head appearance fool you. The man is as smart as he is ruthless. This one is Pug. The scrawny tweaker there is Carter--just a skimmer on the crew, no real threat to anyone. These two are obviously the ones that Savage's crew is seeking to free."

His finger tapped over the grainy image of Iris and Roman. "The one is just a kid."

At this Daniel scowled, his jaw rippling in displeasure.

"As you can see..." he drew a line along the catwalks. "Aerc teamed up with Sohn Harra...who brought his own little militaristic entourage. They are our targets." He faced everyone again. "Savage's team already has a sniper. I've not been told where she will be positioned, but I was warned not to kill the blue-haired girl."

"Girl...? They put a kid on scope?" Daniel frowned even more.

Shaking his head and raising his hands Ishkar indicated no interest in passing judgment. "Stewart says she can handle things. I'm in no place to question. Just don't kill any blue-haired girls, shi a, Cockroach?"

"Shi a."

"I want teams of three circling around each side of the warehouse. Here and here. Two with me, two with Ty." Ishkar eyed Ty for agreement, not so much for approval. He then looked to Ben. "Ben, you'll stay ready to handle any injuries from us or Savage's crew."

"They don't have their own doctor?" Daniel asked suspiciously. He didn't want his friend being overwhelmed unnecessarily.

Ishkar huffed and glowered at the man. "Yes, they do--but she'll be tied up at the time and on that concrete floor. She's their bargaining chip. So no, Cockroach, she won't be available if you get your scrawny tun shot."

Daniel narrowed his eyes. He wasn't a soldier but something in all of this sounded too...easy. He studied the soldiers lining the catwalk. They were trained men. Military men. Not just thugs with guns. They would be expecting some form of assault and Ishkar's plan (or Stewart's) seemed far too simplistic. While simplicity was normally a good thing, in this scenario it was the obvious thing and obvious got people killed.

Rubbing idly at his tattoo as if it itched him, Daniel studied the screen while Ishkar continued to talk informing which crewmen went with whom and their prime goal. Cycling through the cameras and studying the layout of the area, he bit on his bottom lip. Two men could do this far more effectively than six. Six would be a liability. But five used as a distraction...then one man could sort things out.

"Obviously this is going to be tricky and dangerous. We're, in essence, charging through the front door and firing. The windows are boarded up so snipers are out...in fact I don't even know where Stewart plans on parking his..." Ishkar turned to look at the monitors then snapped, "Cockroach--get off my screens!"

Daniel returned the monitors to the original angles then pointed. "She'd be here."

"What?" Ishkar scoffed.

"The sniper. She'd have to be here. It's the only window vantage point that doesn't risk a miss because of obstruction. Someone could access through the roof, fire from these vents here and here." Daniel indicated the open air ventilation in the ceiling. "But, if it were me...I'd put her there, in the neighboring factory with a thermal scope. The window's blacked out. They probably assume that it's as safe as the boarded ones."

He narrowed his eyes at the screen again. "That or someone is orchestrating all this to force us to go exactly where he wants us...like he wants to make sure Aerc the Red gets kil--"

"So you're a Special Forces Tactician now?" Ishkar snorted. "Sit the frak down and shut up."

Pursing his lips and glancing momentarily at Ben and Anne, Daniel backed away from the monitors and leaned against the wall. He stared in Ishkar's direction but didn't really listen to anything. Rumours were the man was Silent Order. If those rumours were true, he wasn't inducted for his military prowess, more likely he owed someone. Something deep down told Daniel that he could handle this better.

Rubbing at his tattoo again, he glanced over at Ben. They had talked about him not impulsively following his gut. Not until they knew who he was, where he'd come from. As Daniel held Ben's gaze he could hear the man thinking those admonishments again, but he was wrong. Ben was wrong. Maybe it was time Daniel embraced his gut and let it lead him. Maybe that was the only way to find out who he really was.