002 A Beneficial Partnership

(1:04:32 AM) Joka: Helsiki. Making it there in one peace was pretty lucky, even ignoring the oxygen issue. Part of the flight gear had blown off during the entrace of Helsiki’s atmosphere and it took some really careful flying to keep them from smashing in to the ground burned to a crisp. Now that her current prize was docked and locked, Joka had a box full of junk she needed to sell off in order to fund the first round of repairs. They were already walking down the Helsiki streets, and it was pretty obvious the planet wasn’t the most lawful place in the galaxy. “I’d give you some cash, but I can barely afford to live right now myself. So good luck and try not to get yourself jettisoned in to space again.”
(1:11:39 AM) Ferro: “Thank you,” Ferror thought that Joka’s manners might actually be rougher then she truly was. She had her troubles and she took care of them he surmised. His own troubles were still a mystery. The captains personal and flight logs were such a mess that he could not find out how long ago his life pod had been picked up and of course outsiders seemed to count the years differently than the People, so he was still clueless as to how long he’d been out for. “I fear I’m truly at a lost as to what to do here.”
(1:15:08 AM) Joka: He was making it incredibly hard for her to cut her losses and walk away. The thought was pretty clear across her features as she paused in the street to frown at him. Joka shifted the box in her hands so she could point down the street. “The first step is to just start walking. I guess you’ll want… information or something. Helsiki isn’t the best of tourist locations, but there’s always Infodexs scattered everywhere. Then you can book yourself passage on a nice commercial ship and go home.” Why she even needed to explain that to him was beyond her. He looked perfectly capabable of handling his own business – and she had her own to cover!
(1:19:00 AM) Ferro: “Right, home,” he gave a half smile. “I’m sure they’d love to get the location of that.” Ferro held out a hand and waved. “Best of luck to you on your business Princess.” Step one, information.
(1:32:03 AM) Joka: What an ominous and mysterious sort of response. Joka almost questioned him about it, but she finally had her opportunity to get loose. Without a backwards glance (okay, maybe a few…) Joka continued on her way. Her first stop was selling the junk in the box. She had picked out the most worthwhile pieces from the storage, and though they didn’t fetch the sort of price that she hope, she had a tidy profit to put towards the ship. In fact she was on her way to get a new combustion compacitor when she was hauled up by both arms by two very huge looking goons and smashed back against the wall.
“Heeeey, Jonny! You know… I was just about to come and see you.” Her feet weren’t even touching the ground, so she was eye to eye with the round balding gentlemen.
“I bet. Or rather, YOU bet. Joka, Joka, Joka… How many weeks has it been? Interest rates are getting high. So I’ve decided I’ll take a kidney now and let you worry about the rest later.”
“Well, shit. Can’t we talk about this tomorrow? I only need a few more weeks!”
(1:41:23 AM) Ferro: Ferro decided to follow Joka’s advice about the infodex. He didn’t like the idea of being a common laborer for some outsiders, but perhaps he could find a ship that needed a mechanic or something. It was the best he could come up with. It was times like these he wished he had his cousin Mic’s social skills. He’d somehow would have already found a bar and someone else to buy his drink. Speaking of bars, there was an ad for a ships crew. Ferro liked the “no questions asked” part. Now to just find the bar listed. Ferro started walking into a shabbier section of port.
(1:52:23 AM) Joka: “Now, now. If you didn’t want to volunteer up your organs, you shouldn’t have lost all those bets and forgot to pay ole Jonny by the agreed upon contract. And don’t you go trying to play dumb with me, Joka Katell, you wrote that contract.”
Joka scowled. She really should stop writing contacts to people when she was drunk. Especially to her own loan sharks. She squirmed again, but there was no reaching her gun at the moment. “Okay. How about you sock me around a few times to teach me a lesson, I go finish repairing my new ship – which by the way is going to be HIGHLY profitable when it’s finished – and I payed you back double what I owe.”
To his credit, Jonny the Loan Shark at least made it -look- like he was taking her offer in to consideration. “…Nope! A human body is worth ten times more than some shoddy ship. Especially if I cut ya up in pieces and sell your parts separately. Chuck, get my knife and the cooler units.” Jonny pulled his gloves out of his pocket and slid one arm.
“This is the WORST timing for you to suddenly be a hardass, Jonny…!”
(1:58:51 AM) Ferro: Ferro couldn’t imagine what was going on in the street, but he knew that be it festival or accident, it would be difficult to get through that crowd. His best bet would be to cut through the alleyways. The fact that he was brightly dressed in this dreary port should have made him stand out, but Ferro was walking softly out of caution in a unfamiliar place and he came upon the loan shark trying to better his loses. “I’m sure you’re going to tell me this is none of my business.”
(2:03:40 AM) Joka: It was hard to look to look irritated and nonchalant when pinned up against a wall by a couple of goons, but somehow Joka seemed to pull it off. As if she weren’t about to have her organs harvested and sold on the black market. “Are you lost AGAIN? I’m in a meeting at the moment.”
Jonny looked back and forth between Joka and Ferro, pulling on his second glove and taking his knife from a third employee. “If she owes you money too, I got here first. Though, I am not a greedy man. There are plenty of organs and parts to go around.”
“Can you at least wait until I’m DEAD before you start negotiating over my body?!”
(2:09:37 AM) Ferro: Ferro raised an eye brow. “That’s very generous of you. However you’ve made your claim.” He was casually walking closer. “I’m more a man of simple means. I just want the access code to her ship.” By this point he was standing right next to Jonny, though he seemed to be only looking at Joka. “By the way, I suck at this,” and with those words Ferro slammed his fist into Jonny’s face.
(2:15:43 AM) Joka: “Damnit Ferro! I’m not going to be able to borrow money from him again!” What a stupid way to stage a rescue. With Jonny doubled over, his third goon had to drop his cooler units to rush at Ferro. The guy had a pair of brass looking knuckles neatly packed on each hand. Joka figured, since she was misfortunete enough to be at the recieving end of a shoddy rescue, she might as well make it easier. It took some bending but she manage to smash her heel in to one guy’s knee hard enough to get his grip loose. Then it was just a matter of grabbing her gun to threaten the other.
(2:21:06 AM) Ferro: Ferro didn’t respond to Joka’s comment instead he was dodging blows from the goon until his back was up against the wall. The goon grinned at this, knowing he’d trapped his target and swung hard. Sadly for him he still was just slightly slower then Ferro and his fist went into the wall where it met pain. Ferro then clocked him on the side of the head with a large handled tool he’d taken out of an inner pocket. With the goon unconscious Ferro finally responded. “Are you sure you’re any good at business?”
(2:27:00 AM) Joka: “I’m good at MY business! …Gambling is an entirely different thing altogether.” Jonny was trying to pick himself up off the ground, so Joka was already backing her way out of the alley with her gun trained on his other goons. “Hey, Jonny, I’m real sorry. You’ll just have to cut me up another time.” She was tempted to give him a good kick for being such a pain in the ass, but Joka decided not to add insult to injury for the loan shark. She finally grabbed Ferro’s arm to lead him out of the alley for a very quick getaway. Joka didn’t stop her mad dash until they were well out of that distract and safe n’ sound in a public crowd. “He’s going to be twice as pissy next time, thanks a lot!”
(2:31:46 AM) Ferro: “I’ll just turn and walk the other way when you’re overpowered four to one.” Ferro was annoyed to say the least, not even a thank you. “Wait, where are we?” when they’d run off Ferro didn’t see which direction they were going and his direction to the bar were now worthless. Now he’d have to find another lossy infodex! Assuming that guy was still at the bar looking for crew!
(2:35:22 AM) Joka: “Actions have consequences, and even I know you have to deal with the bed you’ve made.” Her gun was back in it’s holster and she was eyeing him quisitively. He looked even more confused than before, and now he was all riled up by that tussel. Joka kind of liked that look, so she was standing there grinning like a jerk with a hand on her hip for a moment before she finally spoke up. “…okay. You did me a favor, as needless as it was, so I will do one for you. Where did you need to be?”
(2:38:54 AM) Ferro: Ferro did not understand this woman’s logic at all. Not that he would claim to understand women, but Joka was more confusing then most. He’d take her help though, because it beat not knowing where he was. “Snider’s Bar. There’s a man with a ship and no crew.”
(2:50:00 AM) Joka: “Oh good. I could really use a drink after all that bullshit.” Joka nudged her head in one direction, leading the way with more casual steps now that they were fleeing. “You couldn’t just book passage somewhere to get home? I’m assuming you got yourself robbed blind or something. Did you even find out what year it is?” She had the opportunity to ask questions, so she got it over with. Of course, she could have told him what year it was… but she was slowly realizing he didn’t seem to go by Standard Time. In fact nothing about him was typical. Joka was only certain that he wasn’t alien.
(2:54:44 AM) Ferro: “I wasn’t exactly planning for travel when I got in the lifepod. I was lucky to have boots on.” It was only a slight exaggeration. “But no, I’m not positive of the year. Not that it matters right now.” Oh he could talk like it was all philosophical but it was eating him up. The unknown was not pleasant at all. Thankfully due to Joka’s navigation they came upon the bar. Unfortunately more bad news was to follow for Ferro.
(2:58:05 AM) Joka: “Smooth as ice, hmm? I don’t buy it. …I do buy drinks, though!” As they stepped in to the bar, Joka was already thinking of something blissfully cold and with enough alcohol content to knock out a bear. She assumed that he’d know who he was looking for, so the first thing she did was head for the bar and order herself a drink. -Then- she took the time to actually scope out the place.
(3:05:06 AM) Ferro: “That Jay fellow? He walked out of here during the damn bar fight! Can even find my singer to calm people down now!” Was what the large bartender told Ferro when he asked for the man hiring a ships crew. Looking around Ferro could see the damage done to the place. Mostly just glasses, but there were a few chairs too. “Can this day get any worse!” he whispered to himself.
(3:10:18 AM) Joka: “It sure can. Never tempt fate!” Joka practically cackled, slapping him on the back real hard as she eased up behind him. She slammed an empty glass down on the bar. She hadn’t been kidding about a good strong drink, and now she was all smiles. Joka leaned up on the bar again. “Round two! And one for my very unfortunete mister, who might I add, is lost and needs a job! Don’t worry, I’ll be paying up the tab.” She turned to Ferro, casting him that wide grin. “You should have taken up that organs offer. You wouldn’t be broke and I wouldn’t be standing here wondering how I am going to pay for new landing gear. Hmm…I wonder if the snarglepuff races are open…”
(3:16:00 AM) Ferro: Ferro didn’t want a drink, he wanted a plan! He looked at the glass set down for him by the bartender and downed it before he had to think about what weird taste it had. “Why get new? Go to a scrap heap. You can adapt anything within the same class to use on the ship.” Of course he thought that would be a better way to spend an afternoon then gambling. Specially since there was a pissed off loanshark in this area.
(3:19:53 AM) Joka: “I’m good, but I’m not -that- good. I can talk a pretty speech and give a great turn around, but fixing shit myself can only go so far.” Which wasn’t something wouldn’t care to admit, considering just earlier she would have bitten his head off for messing with her machinery had he not actually done a good job on it. She down her second drink, taking a moment to close her eyes and revel in that nice burning feeling that always tended to rush through the blood. “Hmm…” She eyed him from the corner of her eye, the wheels turning on a potential idea.
(3:24:25 AM) Ferro: “I hope then you don’t meet your friend at the races.” Ferro pushed back from the bar. Sitting around here wasn’t going to get him off planet, he needed something, preferably now! “Good luck in your travels.” why as she giving him that look?
(3:28:32 AM) Joka: Joka waited until he was almost at the door before she spoke again. Not for dramatic effect, but because it took her that long to gather her thoughts after two shots of extra strong Grenchef. “SO I NEED A MECHANIC… and seeing as how you’re in a bind, I figured you’d probably work for a really good price in exchange for my humble services as a Taxi and guide.”
(3:35:23 AM) Ferro: Ferro turned around and looked at her for a moment. He had the feeling that she was going to cause him no end of grief if he said yes. However it was unlikely he’d get such an offer from anyone else so quickly and he was exhausted. Not physically, but mentally and emotionally and damn he was almost better off in stasis. “Alright,” he said after a moment and walked back over. “I should probably request some token amount of any profits for the sake of negotiations however.”
(3:39:06 AM) Joka: “Oho, really? How about I just pay you on a per job basis, IF you are any good at what you do. Give you free room and board, and a bonus on the final ship sale should it be sold before you get to where you’re going?” Joka knew she had the upperhand, and it would be very simple to push it. …However, she knew when to pick her moments. And this didn’t seem like the time to really dig in to him. She might enjoy being a pain in the ass, but she figured he was about two shakes away from rage killing someone. That’s what those quiet controlled types always did.
(3:43:19 AM) Ferro: “That sounds more then fair,” he held out his hand to shake,”Princess.” And he smiled at her. The type of smile that you can tell is real cause the eyes tell you. This wasn’t perfect but at least it was a start to getting back home, and then maybe he could find out exactly what went so horribly wrong.
(3:46:15 AM) Joka: She shook his hand, but she was scowling. Good deal or not, that princess business was going to drive her insane. “I’m not -actually- a princess, I’m sure you know how sarcasm works.” However, Joka did like it when he smiled. He transformed his face much the same way his foul mooded frowning did. She enjoyed expressive people. “I guess this means no racetrack for me, and off to the scrapyards to find something useful.”
(3:49:36 AM) Ferro: “Yes I do know how it works,” he gave a brief smirk before getting to business. “You might be surprised at the good stuff you find at the scrap yard.”