03 // Audio;

[justamobster]

Who: Ladon Ceto and yooooou~
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Waystation, near a non-fleet ship.
When: Prior to leaving the waystation/VRD area (obviously)

[ There's a sniff when the feed kicks on, like someone with allergies or a slightly runny nose. When Ladon finally speaks, he sounds a bit out of breath. ]

Anyone wanna make some quick dough? Need some help loadin' a shuttle. By the red and black ship, one that ain't ours. Might pay extra if you don't go askin' too many questions.

[ Action; ]

[ Ladon can be found loitering around a non-fleet ship with an open cargo bay and one of the Tourist's shuttles. The ship appears to be outfitted to carry cargo, a good seven large crates of which have been brought down to the end of the loading ramp.

Ladon himself looks a little worse for wear. The sniffing appears to be the result of a bloody nose, which he keeps mopping with a handkerchief. His one eye is starting to turn black and blue, and there are a few spatters of blood that have likely ruined his new white t-shirt, along with a tear at the shoulder.

More observant parties might notice the taste of electricity in the air and the subtle smell of some sort of gasoline/lighter fluid-like chemical. Whoever the crew are for this ship, none of them are around. There are a few smears of blood on the loading ramp, but nothing large enough to indicate anything too nefarious.

Something's fishy, but that's why he's offering extra money for no questions asked, after all. ]

Comments

[ Action ]

[innercactus]

[ Asteffiel recognizes that voice, and since its a voice he lives with, he decides he will be Helpful!

So here is Tourist's resident plant, who immediately looks worried at the red on Landing. Landing wasn't red like Crocus, so that was the bleeding thing, and so Asteffiel peers at him. ]

Do you want healing? I can help!

[audio]

[ishere]

You still needing help?

[ not that tadashi needs the dough. he's just a helpful guy, okay. ]

Video

[wolfuncaged]

...Are we smuggling goods, now?

[He doesn't sound judgemental. One of his bets friends is a pirate. This is a Tuesday to him.]

Audio;

[justamobster]

[ Were his lawyer here, she'd tell Ladon to keep his mouth shut. Unfortunately, she isn't. ]

Far as I know, the merchandise and all transactions involved are perfectly legal. [ Up until the first punch was thrown, anyway. Which then turned the situation into self-defense, of course.

One of the first things Ladon mastered in negotiating the criminal underworld-- never call something as it is. ] Just need help movin' it.

Audio;

[justamobster]

Definitely. Crates're too big to go movin' on my own, and rather not go openin' 'em. Glass inside, don't want anythin' breakin' or no one gettin' hurt.

[ More than already, anyway. ]

[justamobster]

[ Ladon looks up and is at first unsure. He hasn't talked to this member of his crew much, though he's aware he's got a thing about plants. Dryads either fall on one side of the fence or the other for him, either tolerant of him and his proclivities or cynical enough to look down on him and his kind.

The offer for healing is enough for him to smile in relief, though, and then grimace at how the expression irritates his bruising eye and bleeding nose. ]

Yeah, yeah, that'd be swell. Wasn't plannin' on gettin' slugged today. But boy did I. [ He's not sure if his nose is broken or not, it sure hurts enough to be. ]

[wolfuncaged]

...Right.

And what would this merchandise be?

[justamobster]

Well, I been thinkin' 'bout openin' some sorta bar here. Since we never know if our next planet's actually gonna have decent booze... Just some starter stock.

[wolfuncaged]

[Fenris's tone changes instantly. It might not be especially cheerful, this is still Fenris, but it's certainly more upbeat than usual. ]

Well, if that's the case, I think I can lend a hand.

[action]

[balancetheblood]

[ What, you don't think Lucky would NOT show up, do you?

Please.

So you have a purple-flannel-clad changeling walking up and looking around dubiously. She can smell the blood, and it's definitely not just Ladon's. ]

Just tell me no one's dead and I won't ask until we're off the waystation.

[justamobster]

[ Ah, the motivating powers of alcohol. ]

Swell. Could use some help unloadin', too. That can wait, though, just wanna make sure I get the stuff back to the ship without nothin' breakin'.

[ Because shattered bottles of booze are small tragedies. ]

[justamobster]

[ That's why you're his girl, Tobes.

He shakes his head, mopping a bit at his bloody nose with a handkerchief. ] Nah. Few crates of booze ain't worth that. They're all knocked out and piled in one of the rooms on their ship.

[balancetheblood]

[ She shakes her head a little, smiling faintly.

She can focus on how much this feels like her memories of working in the Apple, and not think about... other things that they haven't addressed. ]

So what happened, boss, did they not like your hat?

[justamobster]

Everyone likes my hat.

[ His grin is a little lop-sided. That tends to happen when one's face is starting to swell. He could use an ice pack right about now. ] We had a disagreement on the price. Made an offer, they accepted it, then tried to double when I showed up alone. Shoulda known better, but at least they weren't expectin' a skinny lug like me t'hold his own.

action;

[twocomplex]

And you must be the one looking for help, then?

[It's no chance that Oren is passing by, and he announces that fairly easily. He also doesn't bother to hide the glance he takes around the area-- to the ramp, the ship, the cargo, all the way to Ladon, who he looks up and down.

He doesn't say anything. Extra, right?]

Still need it, my friend? What should I load?

[innercactus]

[ Asteffiel has to squint at him for a moment. Yes, Landing's face is swelling, is that what "that'd be swell" means?

... But there was yeahs in there, that means yes. So Asteffiel perks up again. ]

Okay! [ He sort of sweeps a hand, there's inky black and green light about it, and then there's a circle of the same colors on the ground. Landing should feel a better in small bursts, and then the circle fades. ]

[wolfuncaged]

That is perfectly understandable. By the red and black ship, right?

[No one wants shattered bottles of booze. No one. ]

[action]

[got_it_memorized]

[Axel's in the habit of keeping tabs on his crew when he can, so he makes his way to the black and red ship to see what Ladon's up to. He makes an oof sound when he sees the state he's in, though.]

Man, you look like you've had a busy day. If I say I'll forego the bonus, will ya give me the gritty details?

[He grins a little so Ladon knows it's not an interrogation, then puts his hands on his hips.]

I'm not a great healer, but I can prolly get your nose to stop bleeding, if you want.

[justamobster]

[ Ladon looks up, caught off guard from attempting to stop his bloody nose. He nods then, gesturing to the large crates he's standing near. There's enough to fill the back of the shuttle, and each is large enough to make the lifting job difficult for one person. ]

Oh, yeah. Yeah. Still needin' help. S'a shipment of booze, delicate stuff. [ He taps the top of one crate and there's a faint rattling of glass. The bottles are secured but dropping the crates would likely result in quite the mess-- and worse, the loss of some decent alcohol. ]

[justamobster]

You got it.

[ Ladon is relieved to have helpful people on his crew, even the grumpy ones. ]

[justamobster]

[ It's different, feeling someone else's healing magic. He's so used to Aza's warm, sunshine-like magic that imparts a shimmering glow to his wounds and a sense of well-being in its wake. He's a little disappointed in that he doesn't feel the same sense of comfort, but that's not Asteffiel's fault. He simply misses his cousin, even with all his nagging and incessant mothering.

After the magic fades, he reaches up and gives the bridge of his nose a tug from side to side. He doesn't jump out of his scales, so it's likely no longer broken. ]

Thanks, pal. Didn't know you could go healin' folks.

[justamobster]

Decided to do business with a cargo ship, yeah? Buy some of their stock off 'em so they can get some work done on their engine. Had a... li'l disagreement with the price. They're sleepin' on it. [ He realizes what that sounds like and immediately puts up both hands. ] Er, not the big sleep or nothin'. Promise.

[ Don't be mad, captain, he didn't murder anyone. Yet. ]

Should stop bleedin' soon, but thanks. [ It's less macho pride keeping Ladon from accepting the offer of healing and more the fact that Axel is a fire mage. He does not need his accelerant-laced blood to encounter fire magic, healing or otherwise. There's a reason he's not even indulging in a cigarette right now. ]

[innercactus]

A little! I have another one that can heal more people but it doesn't like working on.. this. [ He hops in place, and his point is the metal-hit-wood sound. ]

... Probably because it is a little plant.

[wolfuncaged]

I will be there shortly.

[And just as promised, before long there's a lanky grumpy elf coming your way, Ladon. ]

[got_it_memorized]

[When Ladon assures him he didn't kill anyone, Axel laughs helplessly.] Hey, if it comes down to kill or be killed, my vote still stands with kill. I'm kind of attached to being alive, and I prefer my crew be that way, too. I don't think zombies can fly, do you?

[He looks a little puzzled when he turns down the offer to heal him, but he figures he must have his reasons. Macho pride may be one of them, and while he'd think that's a little silly, he's not judging. He waves one hand.]

As you like it. Still need a hand? [He holds his palms up.] I got two of 'em and a bit of free time.