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Episode 4: Quest for Freedom; All Aboard the Albright
Topic Started: Oct 9 2012, 10:27 AM (18,710 Views)
Darren Roberts
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Electrical Hub Inside Ventilation/Service Tunnels

Darren had gotten lost in his quest to get both him and Ari to safety. His head and mind were so far deep into his work that he didn't hear Ari talking to him or her subsequent departure from his general perimeter.

"Got it!" exclaimed an elated Darren once he had gotten in and successfully managed to find them an escape route to the ship. "Ari! I got..."

He turned around hoping to tell her, but Ari wasn't behind him. He furrowed his brow and asked, "Ari? Ari?"

"Rutt.." he thought to himself as sat there in silence. "I'm goin' to have to find her now. Where did she go?"

The mechanic didn't waste any more time sitting in contemplation of that. He immediately began his search for Ariel Duquesne. He sure as Hell wasn't going to leave this ship without her. Both Reno and Sergei would have a fit and the latter would most likely use him as a punching bag.

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Ariel Duquesne
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Aerial Artist with 'tude
Service Tunnels

Ari moved through the service ventilation tunnels slowly, but surely. She knew she had to be quiet or else Darren would know that she had gone.

She didn't get far though. In trying to evade him, she made a wrong turn. Or a wrong guess and it ended her up in a dead end. Her stomach sank, knowing that trying to go back would only put her across his path again and the chance of slipping by was rather null.

"Got it!" "Ari! I got..."

Hell, she wasn't even far enough away to be unable to hear him.

"Ari? Ari?"

And she heard him start searching for her, of course coming directly her way.

She couldn't help it, she just hurt all over. She was tired of trying to get people to go away from her. She just wanted everyone around her to be safe. She thought of Amber, Sergei and Darren. She would die if anything happened to him because of her.

Trapped and in utter despair, she curled up, wrapping her arms around her knees and began to cry. Past events beginning from the Double Trouble to now rolled through her, paralyzing her in fear and self loathing.

Soon the tears became sobs.
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Amber Kynes
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"It hurts a lot less now that the bullet's out" Amber replied with a small smile, giving Sergei's arm a light squeeze before she let go and walking from one door to the other and back again. There would be plenty of time to lay down later. It was more important to keep moving right now so that the muscles didn't stiffen up. Maybe it wasn't the best thing for the wound, but it had been patched up well enough for now, and if... no, when... they got out of this she would give it the proper rest it needed to heal. Whether or not there was a scar there didn't matter to her. Amber wasn't that vain. Besides, scars either had awesome stories behind them or you could make up an awesome story for it.

The deck plating was cold under her bare feet as she walked back and forth, and she wished she had her boots or at least a pair of socks. But both had been taken off in her cell during one of the times they had the heat cranked up, and they'd been left behind when she and Ari had been taken to the infirmary. On the other hand, boots would make a lot of noise if she needed to be silent. It was not easy walking quietly on a metal floor while wearing boots.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Sergei interrupted her pacing. "I'm fine. Really" she said, touched by his obvious concern. Before she could say more, a voice that was all too familiar called out to them and drew her attention to the door. Amber's face paled to a few shades lighter than her natural already pale shade. Without conscious thought or command of her actions, she stepped closer to Sergei. Whether she was seeking to protect herself or him was unknown. She looked up at Sergei again as he spoke and nodded.

Amber looked to the vent for a moment then nodded again. "I think so. But I'm going to need a boost" she replied. This vent looked a little smaller than the one in the infirmary, but she should still fit. "Make sure you put the vent cover back in place after I'm in, though.". That would make it less obvious Sergei hadn't been alone. "And if you get the chance, rut being honorable and kill his sorry pigu" she added likely unnecessarily, a scowl forming on her face. That hundan wouldn't hesitate to kill any of them on sight. He deserved nothing less than death, and she didn't want him to be able to regain consciousness and come after them again. The crew would always be looking over their shoulders if the Major were left alive.
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Ian Dugan
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Death's Toy Boy
Out of the Vents, Near the Docking Bay

Freedom, Hicks had yelled as they had crawled out of the vents. Ian stretched his muscles and moved after him.

At the mention of the ship he smiled. It would be good to get back to the Black. It had been far too long for him.

"You lead and I'll follow, or walk beside, but it will be nice to ride the Black again."
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Sergei Romanov
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Corridor Three Doors Past Med Bay

Sergei was relieved when Amber answered him that she was OK and the reassured him again. That she was feeling better now that the bullet had been removed by their seemingly new recruit.

But what he really noticed was the squeeze on his arm that she gave him before getting up and pacing a little. He probably blushed a little at the thoughts that ran through his mind. He realized then that he liked it when she touched him. Liked it a lot.

He looked down at her feet then and idly thought how pretty they were. Funny thing feet were. Most people have some ugly ass feet, but some folks, like Amber, had beautiful feet. However, he realized then that the floors in a ship like the Albright weren't exactly heated. She had to be cold.

"Sorry that we couldn't get your and Ari's shoes. They're still down in the Detention Center, but I'm exactly looking to go back down there for a side trip," he said softly.

He didn't like her reaction when they heard that bastard Major's voice call out to them. Well he liked the fact that she got closer to him, but didn't like the reason why. The guy obviously scared the crap out of her.

He didn't like that.

He was also quite grateful that she decided to listen to him and hide in the vent. If he was going to finish things, then he didn't need to worry about her being in the room where the asshole could use her against him.

He also smiled as she gave him 'permission' to kill the bastard. Sergei was inclined to think that the option to do so was looking mighty good. So he gave her a boost up, locked the cover back in place.

"Amber, honey," he whispered since he didn't know how far the major was from their location. "Things go south and you shimmy yourself down this vent and head for the ship. Hopefully some or all of the others have gotten there and they're ready to ship out. I know I am more than ready to get off this boat."

With that he turned towards the doors that the Major's voice came from. flexed his fists and was ready to put the beat down on the man. No matter what, Amber Kynes was getting back to the Gypsy in one piece.
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The Advocate
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Snake's Quarters

The Advocate had to hand it to Reno. The man was resourceful. He was just the man you would want on your side when it came to a fight.

If it wasn't for the fact he was so gorram noble. Going through all this trouble for his crew? Hell, it was a lot of trouble. And planning. Far too much over a slut of a girl and a pilot. Sluts and pilots were a dime a dozen. He would have cut his losses and moved on.

He wasn't surprised that Reno found the stash of women's underwear. According to the unpublished notes that were unknowingly recorded elsewhere by interested parties, Snake wasn't exactly the brightest bulb in the bunch. He basically only got the promotion to Lieutenant because of his brother's intervention and war record. It was mostly because of the fact that he had been under the command of his brother in a key behind the scenes skirmish that had been carried out. Snake was the brawn that plowed through when they needed to flank the enemy, but that was not surprising. Snake was nothing but a brute. And he only did well because his brother had been the strategist.

”He kept them… He took them, raped them and kept the underwear as a souvenir.”

"It seems as though you are right," the Advocate said as his fingers flew continued to fly over the CorPad.

”What?" "You found something. What is it?”

The Advocate snorted as he hit a final command.

"Well... If you looked over the locations he had leave on over the past two years at least, you would see that there is a definite trail of rapes reported right after he left. All with the same MO," he announced. "Taken into private areas and worked over by three guys. Sound familiar?"

He put the CorPad away and stood, straightening his suit.

"Some of the victims had suicides not too long after. There was probably way more than what's been reported. Most were prostitutes or women who might have been seen as encouraging the behavior. I sent the files to the Commander. Doesn't look like running DNA is necessary. Guy should have been put away a long time ago."

He turned and moved to the door.

"Your crew is cleared. The commander has received the info, but it seems that there might have been some injuries and a couple of deaths since you folks have arrived. They might not be too inclined to just let you go," he admitted. "My job is done and my debt to Thalia is repayed in full. If I was you, I'd find my crew and get the Hell off this boat."

Stopping just outside the door, he turned back.

"I wish you luck, Captain Carson," he said with a smile that was downright cold and well hidden until then. "Just so you know, you owe me now and some day, I will be calling on you to collect."

The Advocate left then, walking briskly down the hall to get to his own ship. He was ready to tap into the security feeds when he got there. The "show" that was going to unfold should be more than entertaining.

And it had been a long time since something had piqued his interest more than this strange crew of the Gypsy Traveler.
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Major Samuel Harrigan
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Corridor Three Doors Past Med Bay

Major Harrigan opened the last door that separated him from the hun dans that were harboring one of the women who were instrumental to his brother's death.

Only once he got there, there was just the big man.

"Where are they? Where are the bitches that killed my brother?" he demanded. "They aren't going to get away, you know. No one talks ill of my brother and gets away with it. Especially talking about him doing such atrocities to any woman. He wasn't like that. He was a man of honor."

He didn't make any moves towards Sergei, but he was coiled to do so.

"A man of honor does not gang rape a young girl," Sergei growled back, speaking about what Snake had done to Ari. Then he went on to speak his mind about the Major's behavior. "And a man of honor doesn't go about torturing two women that have already been through too much."

With that, Major Harrigan howled in both pain and rage and he rushed Sergei Romanov. The two of them met head on and fists began flying. No finesse at all - just a no holds barred brawl.
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Reno Carson
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Snake's Room

Reno's heart beat hard as he finally got proof that his crew was cleared. The Advocate found evidence that Snake and his buddies had been assaulting women all the way across the 'Verse. Picking women that no one would believe.

Women who were promiscuous.

Like Ari.

The Advocate straightened his suit like it was just another day in the office and announced that he had sent the evidence to the Commander.

And that was it. He said he was finished. He was going back to his ship. He was leaving the gathering of his crew to the Commander. So in reality, due to the deaths that were perpetrated since they arrived, they were going to get no help and even though Amber was cleared completely and Ari was cleared due to a self defense ruling, there was still a definite chance that they were going to die here before they got back to the ship.

Reno knew he was going to have to get his people out himself.

"I wish you luck, Captain Carson," "Just so you know, you owe me now and some day, I will be calling on you to collect."

The smile that The Advocate gave him was scary and it was like Reno saw the man's true self for the first time. This was no benevolent guy. He was there because he owed Thalia. Now Reno and his crew owed him. And some day, he knew that The Advocate would indeed call him to collect.

"So be it."

As soon he left, Reno got going as well, running towards the ship. He needed to know who had gotten back there.

Outside the Vents Near the Docking Bay

Reno managed to pass by the very vent that Hicks and Ian Dugan came out of. It was pure luck.

"Hicks, get to the ship and fire her up. We are cleared but they aren't gonna let us go easily since some soldiers of theirs got dead during the mission here," he ordered. He turned to Ian. "Welcome to the Gypsy Traveler, Ian. I am the Captain. You come with me. We have people to find."

Reno hit his comm as he moved on down the corridor.

"Darren? Sergei? Please tell me that you are on the ship or close to it."

Where in the Hell was his crew?
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Darren Roberts
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Service Tunnels

Darren found her after what seemed like eons of searching, but was in reality just a couple of minutes. She was curled up in a ball and crying her eyes out. He remembered the time she pulled a knife on him during the cave incident, but decided to throw caution to the wind. Slowly, he closed the distance between the two of them and sat next to Ari, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Everythin' is goin' to be fine, Ari. Trust me. We're goin' to get out of here along with the rest of the crew. I bet you credits to doughnuts on that." replied Darren, doing his best to soothe the aerialist.

Then quicker than he could smile, Darren's earpiece squawked to life and filled his ear with Reno's voice.

"Darren? Sergei? Please tell me that you are on the ship or close to it."

Darren touched the earpiece with a finger and replied, "This is Darren, Captain. I'm in the service tunnels along with Ari. We'll be at the Traveler in a few minutes or so. Over."

Taking his finger off the earpiece as he waited for a response from Reno, Darren looked at Ari and asked, "So what do you say? Shall we go home? I'll give you a piggyback ride if you'd like."
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Ian Dugan
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Death's Toy Boy
Ian straightened up and stood taller as the man who identified himself as his new Captain walked up as he spoke to Hicks.

They were cleared but there was still trouble. Trouble that he was part of.

"Yes Sir. Sir, I may be part of that trouble, back at the Med Bay. But ... I may have a way out of it, if you'll allow me."

It was now or never, he thought. Or Doc Hicks would be the one who told the Captain.

So, as they walked he spoke the words that may end his time on the Traveler or maybe his life.

"I'm attached to Alliance Intellengence."

As he walked beside the man, he waited for his Captain's reaction.
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Ariel Duquesne
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Aerial Artist with 'tude
Service Tunnels

She hadn't noticed him when he came towards her until he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She jumped, but then she smelled his cologne. It was Darren and she sagged against him. Darren would keep her safe. She didn't know why, but she just trusted him more than she had trusted anyone is a long while.

"Everythin' is goin' to be fine, Ari. Trust me. We're goin' to get out of here along with the rest of the crew. I bet you credits to doughnuts on that."

"I want a chocolate cream stick," she stated flatly as she turned into him more and wrapped an arm around his midsection. It felt good. For the first time in a while, she felt more than just pain and despair.

Then she felt him move, touching his ear piece.

"This is Darren, Captain. I'm in the service tunnels along with Ari. We'll be at the Traveler in a few minutes or so. Over."

The Gypsy... She wanted to be back there more than anything. There she could wrap herself into her silks and just... be.

"So what do you say? Shall we go home? I'll give you a piggyback ride if you'd like."

Ari couldn't help but crack a smile.

"A piggyback ride? You promise?"

She took a deep breath.

"Well... Let's go," she said as she looked up into his eyes. "Let's go home."

It was then she heard the grunts and crashing of two men somewhere. The sounds of fists hitting flesh. Of bodies hitting the metal walls. Of growls of rage. Someone was fighting. Ari's eyes widened.

"Sergei..." she whispered. "We need to help him. We need to go now."

Reluctantly, she let go of him and started towards the fray.
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Reno Carson
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Hallway Near Docking Bay

Hicks nodded his head and trotted quickly towards the Gypsy as Reno commanded. Reno noticed the man, his new crew member stand up taller and fall into line behind him.

Yes Sir. Sir, I may be part of that trouble, back at the Med Bay. But ... I may have a way out of it, if you'll allow me."

"Did whatever event occur in order to ensure the safety of my crew? If so, there's no need to apologize. You do for crew as needs be. There is no other rule."

As for the way out of this mess? Now that would be useful. He was about to ask what it was, when Ian spoke up.

"I'm attached to Alliance Intellengence."

Reno stopped dead in his tracks and turned on the guy.

"You're one of them?" he asked cracking his neck to one side. His new guy was a purple belly? You'd think that would've been something that Hicks should have reported. "Now why would you help us then? You looking to bolster your career?"

Reno didn't know whether to deck the guy or shoot him right there. He looked at Ian menacing enough to lead him to that conclusion.

"You better start talking and I better like what I hear or you ought to start praying to whatever God you worship to have pity on you," he said with an expression full of warning.

He so didn't need this. He needed the guy to be an asset, not the liability he was feeling like at this juncture. He had crew to rescue and no one - NO ONE - was going to stop him from doing just that.
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Ian Dugan
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Death's Toy Boy
Ian recognized the Captain look right away and hide his smile. He'd done it a time or two himself, but now was not the time for smiles. It was the time for truth and honor so Ian did what he did best. He laid out the facts as he had to Hicks, holding nothing back. He told of his days in the Alliance 22nd Ita Oberlanders, his time in Hablong on Verbena during the Third Campain. He told of his time in the Mines out by Krane, of the Glory and how he lost it. He told of his deal with the devil andf his present situation.

He took a breath and continued.

"In the days of old, a warrior would offet his sword to his master and captain. If the master took the sword and gave it back, the warrior had a home. If the master threw it on the ground, the warrior would leave to find another master. Or the master could use the sword to kill the warrior, ending his life."

In a flash, Ghost and Ryder were pulled from their place at his hips and offered, butt first to Carson.

"Until I retreive the Glory, my sword and arm and life, are yours."

He waited as Time creep by.
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Reno Carson
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Hallway Near Docking Bay

Reno listened as Ian tried to explain himself.

"In the days of old, a warrior would offer his sword to his master and captain. If the master took the sword and gave it back, the warrior had a home. If the master threw it on the ground, the warrior would leave to find another master. Or the master could use the sword to kill the warrior, ending his life."

His eyebrows raised as Ian offered him his weapons.

"Until I retreive the Glory, my sword and arm and life, are yours."

Reno snorted as he took the weapons from Ian.

"I must be different from the masters you speak of. If it was up to me, I wouldn't hand them back carte blanche or throw 'em down. For one thing, they look like fine weapons to me," he said taking a decent inspection of them. "I'd much rather hold the sword and let the man prove himself. Don't know if that is honorable, but I'd rather be cautious that honorable. I got folks depending on me."

He scrutinized Ian for a moment before returning just one of the guns back to him.

"Let's meet in the middle for now," he told him before moving to the first sealed door. "You shoot me in the back and I've got people on board who would take a mighty dislike to that. You might escape them for a while, but they will hunt you down and end you."

He gave him a smooth smile.

"I have good people on my crew. Prove yourself trustworthy and you'll find out first hand. For now, we got people to get out of here," he recommended. He touched his comm. "Darren? Do you have any magic keys that will help me get these doors open?"
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Amber Kynes
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Corridor with Sergei, Air Vent


"It's okay. We got out with our lives. That's more important than shoes" Amber replied, hoping to reassure the big man. She realized that her word choice reflected the idea that they would all get out in one piece. Realistically, she knew that might not happen and was surprised at the hopefulness in her words. "I'm just sorry we're in this mess in the first place. If I'd been faster to follow Ari when she ran off to hide in the woods, or if I'd spoken out about what happened to her sooner..." She stopped and shook her head slightly, knowing that if she had spoken out about what happened at the Double Trouble and somehow prevented their current situation, she would have lost Ari's trust. Things never turned out well when crew members stopped trusting each other.

There were some things that scared Amber in minor and harmless ways, but few things that terrified her. The major was one of those few things. While she wouldn't show it in front of that hundan, she had no reservations about letting someone she trusted see it. Normally, she would have insisted on staying and helping Sergei fight... venting her own anger and frustrations in the process. But she had that patched-up bullet hole to think on, besides the fact that she wasn't wearing any shoes which meant her feet were vulnerable. She was also weak from hunger, blood loss due to the bullet wound, and dehydration. She knew enough about medicine to figure her body was probably also in shock from the rapid and continuous temperature changes down in the cells. She was at a tactical disadvantage, and she knew it. She would be more of a liability than an asset, and she was unwilling to burden Sergei that way. So into the vent she had gone.

"I will" she promised, albeit reluctantly. She didn't like the idea of leaving Sergei... or any of the crew... behind on this piece of gose ship. But if things went south and Sergei lost this fight, she wouldn't have a snowball's chance in hell of succeeding and if she tried to jump into the fray she would likely die or get recaptured, and Sergei's sacrifice would have been in vain. There were really no good options, other than every single one of the crew getting back onto their own ship and getting out of here. "I... um... be careful" she added. Amber would have probably kissed him before he turned to face the blast doors, but the vent cover had already been locked into place. Mindful of what had happened last time she had been in a ventilation shaft, she scooted herself backwards... careful not to make any noise... feeling cautiously with her feet until she got to an intersection. Then she maneuvered herself around the bend so that she could duck out of sight in a flash if she needed to.

She could still see part of the room... albeit a tiny portion... through the spaces on the vent cover, but she was far enough back she wouldn't be seen right away. By the time anyone in that room got into a position to peek through or remove the cover entirely, she would have enough advance warning to duck back out of sight. In what seemed like an eternity and no time at all, the sounds of the blast door opening could be heard. Without meaning to, she scooted back just a little further into the vent so she was entirely out of sight and pressed her hands to her mouth to keep from making any noises. She heard the words spoken by both the major and Sergei clearly enough, though, as well as the sounds of the fight. If Amber had been the religious sort, she would have started praying right about then. But she wasn't, so all she could do was hope for the best.
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