Shaftoe- all of these men have submachine guns of varying models. None of these men look official; you are thinking mercenary types.
The group progresses partially into the workshop/laboratory, in which mechanics are tweaking some large bits of equipment and loading dangerous chemicals into machines. The stairs lead up to the next story, which is overrun with cramped office cubicles. An assisstant asks you to follow him, and the lot of you find yourselves in front of an office door marked 'FOREMAN.' The assisstant opens it.
"Don't touch anything," she says before scampering off, leaving you free to enter the Foreman's office.
Christopher shakes Kelly's hand when it is offered to him, and nods.
"Your buisness is your own. Won't delve any more than you'd like. Must've been one hell of a hat draw though", he said with a bit of cheer.
He turns and shakes Harmony's hand.
"It is good to meet you too. Perhaps later you can show me the bridge if its allowed. I enjoy studying ships, you see. I've just never learned how to actually fly them. It's all book smarts."
"If perhaps Harlan had something to worry about, though I can't imagine what," Nadra replies quietly to Vash.
"Don't worry, I don't think that will be a problem," she says to the assistant, as they are shown into Harlan's office.
Nadra's got a decent Savior-Faire score, what would it tell her about this planet and how the terraforming is going and stuff?
"If the Captain allows it, I'd be happy to!" Harmony says, "Though I have to disagree about it. Flying isn't all book smarts. Sure, they play a big role in it, but they're just one piece of the puzzle." She lets go of Christopher's hand, and reaches out, touching the wall of the ship, "The most important part is to know your ship, to trust her with your life, if not more. I've flown everything from an ASREV to a Patrol Boat and a lot more in simulations, and that's the one thing that's always the same. And it's nothing you'll learn in a book, that's for sure."
Harmony pauses for a fraction of a second, and glances to the Captain, trying to read his expression- she's never mentioned piloting a Patrol Boat, let alone an ASREV.
The Foreman's office possesses a cluttered desk, several bookshelves, and sofas against the walls to your left and right. A pair of thin metal chairs are placed in front of the desk, opposite of the Foreman's leather seat. There is a rifle mounted on the wall behind the desk, a communicator built into it, and countless papers atop it.
Nadra- not much know about Rubicon that has not already been stated. Terraforming is going well and has not been interrupted since the War ended and things resumed. Crime is exceedingly low as everyone on the planet is employed. If something is going on, it must be very localized and not big news.
Everyone at Harlan's office is generally confused about the presence of the mercs, of course. Alliance soldiers would normally suffice.
-
You catch something in Kelly's face... but you are not sure what, Harmony. He recovers quickly.
"It certainly was," Kelly responds to Christopher. "Here, let's head to the mess hall..."
The mess hall is yet another stark contrast to the gleaming steel hallways that Kelly guides you through. It has been given a homier decor, with wooden paneling, hanging ribbons, orange walls. The open kitchen is off to one side, and the most dominant thing about the mess is the long wooden bench table in the center.
"Redesigned it myself," Kelly comments. "Always wanted my crew to feel at home, as well as our guests. Can't feel comfortable flying the long haul in a tin can unless it don't look like a tin can on the inside, I say. Rooms are like this, too."
Christopher kept talking with Harmony.
"Well that's sort of my point. I've done alot of reading on how to fly, just out of curiosity. But I've never actually FLOWN anything before... I don't have that personal feel for a ship... or the experience. Likely to kill us all in a docking procedure if I tried too."
In any case, the crew does not have to wait long. A timid man in a black suit enters, with one of those Texan bowties at the collar of his shirt. His hair is gray and he wears a monocle, along with jeweled cufflinks.
"Hello, hello, hello," he says, hurriedly, as he shuffles his way to his desk. "I am Foreman Harlan. My associate tells me you are the crew of Gan Ying."
-
Kelly wants to know if Christopher or Gabriel have any further questions regarding his ship.
"Well then, to business," Foreman Harlan says. "The job I have for you all is one that isn't exactly legal. I hear that you all are damn-fine smugglers, yeah? I need you to ship something. You see, I intentionally purchased excess equipment for the terraforming project this month. That equipment is highly expensive even in the Bai Hu system, but I can turn a massive profit further out and away from the center of the Alliance. You're going to be hauling this junk to my buyers."