/takes the huntress out back and buries it (jan mingle pt. II)

[scrubscrub]

Who: Anyone on the SS Huntress! Crew and visitors.
Broadcast: N/A
Action: SS Huntress
When: More of January! We got three new crew mates and it will be messy.

IT'S ANOTHER MINGLE FOR OUR EVER-EXPANDING SHIP.

Also, we need an update on how well Koala is doing at pinball.

God, help this ship.

Comments

[avaricious]

[He smiles - genuine for once.]

No worries, Ahsoka. I wasn't doing a very good job of it anyway. What brings you to the Huntress?

[resnipstance]

Same thing as always-- visiting Obi-Wan.

But I haven't seen you since Arslae, so... well, I thought I'd see how you're doing. You were right about not being allowed out much.

[avaricious]

[He nods.]

Greed is becoming more restless being stuck here. You might say this is his way of relaxing.

[Greed could backseat observe when Ling was in control. Because Ling was just an extremely chill guy, Greed got to get some of those calm vibes of his own. Ling was already getting more than his own hour deal that he'd negotiated before.]

[resnipstance]

You make it sound like he's a puppy who needs to be taken out for walks.

[She doesn't have to phrase it that way, but... well, put bluntly, she hopes it'll piss Greed off.]

[avaricious]

[Except pissing off Greed just means...

Well. Greed. Which has Ling's features contorting suddenly all at once to that similar but subtly different visage belonging to Greed.]

Only if you're offering, beautiful.

[resnipstance]

[GODDAMNIT.

Ahsoka's smiling face is instantly replaced by one of annoyance.]

I wasn't. Do you mind? I was having a conversation.

[avaricious]

[Ling pushes his way back into control. There's an obvious amount of effort going into that. It's easy when he and Greed just switch back and forth - but it takes effort to force Greed back out.]

... it would be better if you didn't antagonize him. [For Ling's sake, if nothing else.]

[resnipstance]

... Sorry. I can't help it-- how do you live with that guy? He drives me nuts!

[avaricious]

As I've said before - I need him. I've accepted his presence as a necessary sacrifice.

[Pfft. You make me sound like a rash. And don't just go kicking me out like that, you brat.

Ling smiles weakly.] ... though he doesn't care much for being described that way.

[resnipstance]

... I hope it's worth it.

[avaricious]

It will be. [And then... smile! Back to business as usual.] So have you been up to anything exciting? It's rather dull with no planet, don't you think?

[resnipstance]

I'm afraid not. Just working on modifications for the ship. If you know anyone who's good at engineering though, send them my way? I need all the hands I can get.

[avaricious]

I'm afraid not. My own background doesn't give me much familiarity with the technology here. Greed seems to have adapted to it better than I have.

[Ling was a man of simple needs, after all. He shrugged.]

[resnipstance]

[Ahsoka gives a tiny grin-- the kind that says she's up to something.]

Well. Hopefully I'll be able to make it a bit more exciting soon enough.

[avaricious]

Well now... that sounds intriguing. I don't suppose you plan on letting me in, do you?

[It sounds like escape and suddenly Ling is a lot more interested than he normally is.]

[resnipstance]

... That depends.

[She rummages around in her tiny belt bag for a moment, before drawing out a small piece of paper that's been folded in half twice. She holds it out to Ling between two fingers.]

This is a list of things I need. Get me one of them, and I'll think about it.

[However, if Ling unfolds the paper, he'll only see gibberish. Whatever it is, the augment isn't translating it. Given that it translates everything... it probably isn't a language. Ahsoka, meanwhile, looks like she's given him nothing out of the ordinary.]

[avaricious]

[... this is all nonsense. Greed likewise admits that he can't make anything of it. However while Greed would have likely obliged her bullshit and been too proud to admit he couldn't figure out what it was, Ling had never been all that much concerned about his own pride.

So he traces the list with his finger, finds what he thinks is a good segment, and then carefully tears out that single segment and hands it back to her.]

There you are. I hope you'll find it useful.

1/2

[resnipstance]

[For a second, Ahsoka just stares at him, nonplussed.]

[resnipstance]

[Then she can't help it-- she snort-laughs. It's not mean-spirited-- it just took her so completely by surprise, she's never seen a response like it.]

Oh-- that's a good one.

Keep the rest of the list. Call me when you figure it out.

[avaricious]

[She might laugh, but Ling only stares at the somewhat shortened list with a perplexed grimace.]

I don't know what I'm meant to do with this. I have no idea what any of this means.

[resnipstance]

You're not supposed to, genius.

Don't you know nothing's a secret on these ships if you say it out loud?

[avaricious]

[He deflates as he lets out a sigh.]

I never was good at codes... [There was a good reason why he wasn't an alchemist. He had a keen mind for a lot of things - but this was not one of them.]

[resnipstance]

Well, you know what they say about practice!

[avaricious]

Best left to others?

[He'll just give it to Alphonse. The Elrics were all about codebreaking. It would be a nice backup plan if their own escape plan fell through.]

[resnipstance]

[Pfft. Well, that'll earn you an eyeroll.]

Right, of course. That was it. How silly of me.