Episode 1.2
From HOTGT
Contents |
OPENING TEASER
Currently Playing: Fight with Seymour from the Final Fantasy X soundtrack.
It was the biggest job the crew of the Mao's Claw had ever gotten with the biggest payday if they succeeeded. Bonapart, a “broker” on Whitefall they worked for on occasion, had hired them to acquire some experiment anti-matter from a research ship docked with the Iskellkian shipyards on Ares. Through skill and luck, the crew had infiltrated the research vessel and gotten hold of a unit of anti-matter. How wrin bu lai, whai wring bu jwo, though. On the way out they triggered an alarm. In the ensuing firefight the anti-matter containment unit was struck by a stray bullet. The crew managed to get aboard the Mao's Claw and away from the Feds. Unfortunately the anti-matter containment unit now required constant adjustment of the magnetic bottle inside in order to keep the whole gorram thing stable. It was almost over, though. All they had to do now was turn the anti-matter over to the client, collect the money, and hand it over to Bonapart. They'd get their share and not have to worry about coin for quite a while.
Normally, Captain Kenneth Ling would only bring along Agatha and Heat on a job like this. Agatha because she was the ship's muscle and Heat because the man wouldn't stay behind. This time, though, almost the entire crew was along. David Glass, the ship's mechanic, needed to come along in order to keep the anti-matter stable. Celio Railen insisted on coming along. He said he had a bad feeling. Kenneth had a bad feeling himself. That's why he convinced his mei mei, Nadie, to stay outside on watch. It had been cold out there, so he gave her his old war jacket to keep warm.
“You got it. Good job.” Bobbie Keeler, the ugly, bald, scarred buyer grunted. “Something like that's too hot, though. Need to make sure the Feds never trace it back to us.”
There were nine of them in that old icehouse. Five people from the Claw and three hired guns with Bobbie. He and his three thugs went for their guns.
“Wong da Duhn.” Celio muttered to himself as he went for his own gun. Always fast, Celio drew first and plugged a hole into one of Bobbie's men. He got shot back for his trouble.
Agatha moved quickly, throwing herself in front of the captain, ready to defend him with her life. Heat pulled out one of his throwing darts. He never did learn how to use a gun. Heat aimed for the neck of one gunnie and went fly. The dart stuck in nicely, stimulating a nerve ending that effectively paralyzed the man.
The firefight didn't last long. In that small icehouse it was only a matter of time before things were wong dahn. Before Kenneth Ling could even give the order to retreat a bullet from one of Bobbie's men pierced the control panel of the anti-matter containment unit.
The fireball could be seen for miles. Outside, sitting in the back of a flatbed mule, the heat and light of the flames reflected off Nadie Ling's porcelain skin as she watched everyone she loved die.
--
Days later, Nadie Ling, still wearing her brother's brown coat, sat at the dining table on the Mao's Claw, talking to Delphinia “DD” Duke.
“And that's what happened to my crew.” Nadie said. Her face stayed carefully blank as she told the story and her eyes stared at something far, far away.
END TEASER
OPENING CREDIT
Opening Credits: Solo guitar version of Real Folk Blues from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack.
ACT 1
Currently playing: Home of the Rangoon from the Shanghai Noon soundtrack.
Vincent Locke woke up in a strange place. It was obviously laying on an exam table in an infirmary aboard a ship. The problem was, his ship didn't have an infirmary. The Jack Burton didn't have much of anything at all, in fact. He hurt all over but still moved to sit up. He couldn't. Vincent had been strapped in place.
“DD!” Vincent shouted, feeling an edge of panic. “DD! Where are you!?!”
Not far away, DD glanced up. She had been sitting at the dining table with Nadie.
“He's awake!” DD exclaimed with joy. She bounced up and hurried into the infirmary. Shooting her words rapid-fire, DD explained how the Jack Burton had been shot down by a missile and they'd been rescued by Nadie Ling and how they'd had to dock with an asteroid base and how they'd had to fight an alien.
“Reaver.” Nadie interupted. “That was a reaver. Didn't want to scare you at the time.”
“Oh.” DD said. She stopped for a moment, processed that information, and nodded. She quickly proceeded, telling Vincent how they had trapped the alien... reaver, rather, in a large water tank and then shut down the missiles and repaired damage done to the Mao's Claw during manuevers to avoid more missiles earlier. Now, they were heading for Regina, which wasn't Paquin but they didn't have their cargo of not-quite-legal medicinal plants anymore to sell on Paquin anyway. Maybe, DD ventured, they should consider signing on with Nadie Ling on the Mao's Claw because even if they had had money to buy a new ship, that money had been on the old ship and it was gone now.
“Wow.” Vincent said, a bit overwhelmed but used to DD's enthusiasm by now, “There's just one thing, DD.”
“Yes?”
“Could you undo the straps so I can get up?”
“OH!” DD exclaimed. She and Nadie released Vincent from the safety straps.
--
Currently playing: From East to West from the Shanghai Noon soundtrack.
The maglev train pulled into the station at Victoria Falls right on time. The conductor prided himself on never being late. A few folks got off here, one of them a rather handsome gentleman who was obviously from a nicer spot of dirt than Regina. His name was James and he was in pursuit of information.
James took in his surroundings and walked over to the ticket window.
“Excuse me,” he said to the rather large woman behind the counter. She was wearing a conductor's hat and a rather ugly, flower print dress.
“Help ya?”
“Yes, ma'am.” James said, “I had heard there was an artifact from Earth-That-Was on display here.”
“Ma'am!” The woman barked out a laugh. “I like that! Ain't you a purty fella. Yeah, I know 'bout that gorram art-e-fact.”
With a bit more flattery, James got the location he needed from her. The artifact in question was on display at the Touch of Paquin, a dance hall that wasn't more than a short walk from the train station. Of course, Victoria Falls wasn't that big a town. Pretty much everything was a short walk from the train station.
James gave his thanks and crossed the street. The building ahead of him announced itself with a neon sign in both English and Chinese. A Touch of Paquin. James opened the front door and went inside. The place was fairly lively. There wasn't a show going on at the moment but folks were sitting around the lounge, drinking, eating, talking, and playing cards. It didn't take long for James to find what he was looking for. On a small stage against the far wall was a large, sturdy looking safe. The safe door was open and someone had installed a second, glass door behind it. To James, it looked sort of like a screen door had been built on the wrong side of a house's main door.
James threaded his way through the crowd and to the safe, all lit up and on display in a strange, rural parody of a museum display. Behind the glass, seven cards had been arranged on a purple, velvet cushion. Six of the cards were fanned out like a poker hand. The ace of spades, the ace of clubs, and the eight of each suit. Set behind the full house was a smaller, older card in a plastic sleeve. A thickly built man with rosy cheeks, wearing a stripped shirt and blue cap with a baseball bat resting on his shoulder had been painted on the card. In the upper-left corner words has been written: George Herman (Babe) Ruth. On a red stripe across the bottom were the words: Big League Chewing Gum. James couldn't tell without giving it a real examination, but it seemed to be a genuine Earth-That-Was baseball card for a player still talked about on occasion by diehard fans of the game.
“Gorgeous, ain't she?” a voice said from James' right. The man who had walked up was dressed in a colorful vest, brand new blue-jeans, a ten gallon hat, cowboy boots and spurs. He had the proud smile of a new daddy. “Clyde Anderson.”
The two men exchanged introductions. James asked about the card.
James questioned Anderson, trying to learn more about the card. In the end, the only lead he was able to dig up was a suggestion that there would be employment records at the Corone Mining offices across the way. The two men shook hands and parted company.
--
Vincent Locke landed the Mao's Claw neatly on the blackened earth that served as a landing pad for ships, just outside of Victoria Falls. He wasn't feeling all that hot and Nadie Ling, the ship's captain, wasn't feeling much better. They had to practically carry her off the ship and haul her up the stairs that lead to the town proper. Nadie insisted they bring along a cardboard box full of various items. Vincent and DD worked at getting Nadie across town to the doctor's office, following her fevered directions. James encountered the trio as they passed the Paquin. He was just leaving. Being a gentleman, and realizing that DD was one fine looking woman, James offered his assistance. With his help, they managed to get to the front porch of Doc Johnson, the town's physician.
Doc was sitting on his porch, enjoying an evening pipe. The minute he saw the four people, two injured, two not, he pulled himself up to his feet and squinted, trying to make out features.
“Nadie Ling? Al yah tien ah, you look like gorram shit, girl! Get her inside.” Doc opened the door and shouted out, “Cage, we got work to do!”
Currently playing: Instrumental version of Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd
Doctor Phineas Cage was just going from the kitchen to the little room he rented from Doc Johnson when the call to arms came in. He took a quick bite of his sandwich and then put it down. An actual medical emergency would be a nice change of pace from the usual cuts and bruises and the monthly regimine of shots most of the town received for Bowden's Malady.
There ended up three people in each of the two patient rooms. Doc Johnson worked on Nadie. He drafted James to assist him. DD refused to leave Vincent's side and Doctor Cage got the job to tend to him. Vincent wasn't too hard. There was some blood built up from an internal wound that needed to be sewn up but the majority of it was bruises and an already healing concussion. Nadie needed more tending. She needed stitches, both internally and externally, and one of her wounds was infected. Doc Johnson was working on her well into the night. He took a moment's pause, though, instructing Phineas to “get these folks over to a hotel so they can rest proper-like.”
After the work on Vincent was done and the man was back up on his feet, Phineas led them across town to the Six Star Hotel. DD and Vincent rented one room. James rented a second. None of those present chose to take advantage of the hotel's “massage service”. Instead, they decided to turn in for the night.
Phineas went back to Doc Johnson's and then promptly returned to the hotel. The Doc had put the recovering Nadine in the bed Phineas was renting, so he had to rent a room at the hotel himself.
END ACT 1
ACT 2
Currently playing: Bonding in Jail from the Shanghai Noon soundtrack
Nadine woke up a few hours after sunrise. Her fever had broken during the night and she was on the mend, thanks to Doc Johnson's efforts. She hauled herself out of bed, pulled on her clothing, and hobbled in search of the man who she knew both as the town doctor and as the father of Jack “Heat” Johnson, the Mao's Claw's dead medic.
“Don't need to say anythin'” Doc Johnson said when she found him. He was sitting on the porch. “You came in wearin' your brother's coat, near to death. My boy wouldn't have left you in such a humped state. Found the box, too, with his stuff. Just tell me what happened.”
Nadie explained, telling the story of the job gone bad again. Doc Johnson listened, nodding occasionally.
“I don't mean disrespect, Nadie, but I always knew your brother'd be the death of my boy.” Doc Johnson wasn't a young man but suddenly he seemed so much older. “Still. Ain't the first man to outlive his son. Won't be the last. You need to consider stayin' here, where you belong, instead of skippin' out there in the black.”
“I don't know what I'm going to do yet.” Nadie replied, quietly.
“Well.” Doc Johnson said after taking a deep breath. “I've got things need doin'. Best you leave. Go on. Git!”
Nadie stood up and left the old man to his grief. Some people needed to be alone to mourn. She traveled across town to the hotel, the only place that served breakfast. She was famished. Nadie found DD, Vincent, Phineas, and James there. Introductions were made, since she didn't remember either Phineas or James. It seemed Nadie had come in halfway through a breakfast conversation pontificating on the existence of reavers. Nadie and DD assured everyone they were real. Phineas seriously doubted that, suggesting the man they met on the asteroid base was a pirate gone mad. James just thought it was interesting how the mythology of the reaver had spread from planet to planet, from the rim to the core, with such little variation: something almost unheard of in most legends.
After the reaver topic had been worn out, Nadie made a proposal to DD and Vincent. While Vincent was used to captaining his own boat, to be sure, he probably couldn't afford another one. Thus, he and DD needed work. Nadie needed a pilot and a mechanic. She was willing to hire them for a private bunk and a cut of any job that came their way. Both agreed. While they talked, a phone call came in for Phineas. The hotel was one of only half-a-dozen buildings hooked into the local phone grid, so it wasn't too surprising that it was Doc Johnson calling. Doc Johnson told Phineas, curtly, that he was fired, then hung up.
“It seems the last day of my contract with Doctor Johnson was today.” Phinease said when he returned to the table. “Captain, I don't suppose you need a medic?”
Fifteen minutes later, DD, Phineas, Vincent, and Nadie were boarding the Mao's Claw for the first time as her new crew. Nadie as captain, Vincent as pilot, DD as mechanic, and Phineas as medic.
“Infirmary's down this way.” Nadie pointed and then began leading the way.
“And infirmary? You mean a sickbay? An actual sickbay?” Phineas said, his excitement growing, “It has been so long since I've operated in an actual, hygenic, built for the task environment.”
Nadie pulled open a door and waved her hand in spokesmodel-like fashion. Beyond was the ship's small infirmary.
“So, where is it?” Phineas asked. “On the other side of this room? I don't see another.... oh. Well, at least it has a medical cold box.”
--
Alone now, James decided to continue his research into the baseball card from Earth-That-Was. A little sweet-talk and the promise of dinner convinced the Corone Mining operation's secretary to let him see Mr. Jones' employment file. There wasn't much there worth noting, except for his prior occupation as a stage-hand at the Adelphia Theater on Paquin. He recalled the Nadie Ling, the spaceship captain from last night had mentioned her next stop was Paquin this morning, just after she had hired the very attractive woman, her male companion, and the local but fired doctor. James traveled down to the town's “port”.
A short while later, a deal had been struck. James didn't have enough to pay for full passage. Instead, he paid one hundred platinum in advance and agreed to offer his assistance in whatever endevour the crew may require.
“I'm good with a gun,” James explained to Nadie.
--
Currently playing: Night of the Sun from Winds of Honor
Doc Johnson had recommended Nadie rest until she felt better and they had paid a week's worth of docking fees, so the Mao's Claw, her new crew, and her passenger stayed in Victoria Falls for the next seven days.
It became a time for orientation. While Nadie spent most of her time resting, as she began to recover she spent time going over the bridge systems with Vincent, the ship's systems with DD, and the infirmary with Phineas. Ship's procedures, chores, and the like were discussed and scheduled. The only real strife came when the crew discussed what to do with Fahn Dahn, the boa constrictor Nadie and DD had picked up on the asteroid. Some were in favor of keeping the snake. Others wanted to get rid of it. In the end, they decided to keep Fahn Dahn until they reached Paquin. He'd fetch a better price there.
On the seventh day, a chiming indicated there was someone at the airlock. Nadie answered and was surprised to find Sheriff Roy Chan standing there. He asked to come inside and told her she'd want her crew to hear this, too.
Currently playing: Earthly Emotions from the Andromeda soundtrack
“Some of you may know, a while back Clyde Anderson,” the sheriff nodded to Nadie, “the man who took over your mama's dance hall, ended up killin' a miner durin' a rucus over a card game. Turned out the miner had a hidden treasure. A card from Earth-That-Was. Anderson took it as payment for the miner's losin' and now he's got it on display in the Paquin. Ruttin' thing's been nothin' but trouble. I've already had to shut down two chwen schemes from outsiders tryin' to thieve it. There are brawls every blamed night. The miners think the card's theirs cause a miner had it original. The townfolk think somethin' that valuable should be sold and used to enrich the lives of everyone. Clyde's not gonna let go of the thing without any sort of fight.”
Phineas nodded. He'd been treating broken noses, bruised ribs, minor concussions and other bar brawl related injuries nightly for several weeks now.
“Gets worse.” Sheriff Chan said with a scowl, “I got word today that the mine administrator's sent a wave to his superiors off-world. Folks go to work as miners for Corone, they usually get tricked into signin' the company as their beneficiaries in case of death. They'll come soon and want the card and no one's gonna be willin' to let it go without tian fuhn di fu breakin' out.”
“So, you want us to help you watch the card until the mining company comes for it?” DD asked, brightly.
“Hell, no.” The Sheriff spit out the words. “I want ya'll to steal it!”
END ACT 2
ACT 3
“Excuse me?” Vincent asked.
“Ya'll heard me.” The Sheriff grunted. “Gorram thing is cursed. No matter how many folk guard that card, this'll turn inta a blood bath. Somethin' this valuable turns folk stupid. Miners and townfolk and Clyde will all resist and the Corone folk won't think much of shootin' first and askin' questions later.”
There was a moment of stunned silence. Then Naddie accepted the job. The payment was the card itself, more than a prize for any would-be thief. They asked the sheriff a few more questions and learned that Clyde did have good locks on all his doors but no electronic security system. Since the first theft, Clyde had hired some local bully boys to stand guard at night. All were armed. The safe the card was kept in was closed at night. It had a combination lock. The glass door on the inside came from the cockpit of a spaceship and was locked with a mechanical lock. After that information was relayed, the sheriff left to let them plan some crime. He left them with one last instruction. No one was to get killed or seriously hurt.
Nadie drew out the layout of the Touch of Paquin from memory, indicating where the doors were. She'd grown up in that dance hall. She knew it better than anyone alive, she reckoned.
“Ideas?” she asked of her people.
“We drive the forklift from our cargo hold through the wall and scoop up the safe. Then we leave.” Vincent suggested. The plan was quickly vetoed. Other ideas were brought up and either put aside for further consideration or shot down on the spot.
“Can anyone actually open the safe?” Nadie asked.
“I can.” James replied. Nadie had brought him in on the job. It was time for their passenger to earn his keep.
“You said you were handy with a gun,” Nadie noted, “You didn't say you were handy with locks.”
James just smiled and shrugged.
They continued to plot. The plan was settled by the time lunch was over.
--
Nadie Ling marched up to the table where the poker game was in full swing.
“Clyde Anderson you no good ri shao gou shi bing!” she shouted, “You ruined my mama's business!”
“Now, Nadie Ling,” Clyde said slowly, rising to his feet, hands out in a placating motion, “Let's not get all riled up.”
At the bar, Vincent began tapping on shoulders and pointing out the conflict. Soon, all eyes were on Nadie and Clyde Anderson and not on the fire door near the safe's display.
Phineas slipped off the stool and leaned back against the fire door, which slipped open. On the other side, James quickly went to work, disabling the locking mechanism of the door. Then he drew it closed and used a piece of metal specially shaped by James and DD to wedge the door nice and tight. The door wasn't locked but anyone checking from the inside would think it was.
Eventually, Nadie got her butt thrown straight out of the Touch of Paquin. She stood up and dusted herself off. The next step was up to Vincent and DD.
--
Currently playing: The Anywhere Saloon from the Shanghai Noon soundtrack
“Last call!” the bartender shouted. Folks got busy putting in their final orders for booze of the night.
Vincent and DD headed for the restrooms. Vincent for the men's room, DD for the lady's room. Vincent was going to hide but he had to do a little something first. On the back of one of the stalls, he carved a nice, big V. Then he closed the stall door and stepped up onto the toilet. In the lady's room, DD simply closed the stall door and sat down.
It was a mite over half an hour when the door to the men's room opened. Vincent held his breath as the guard peeked beneath each stall. Fortunately, he didn't bother to open the stalls. Vincent went undiscovered. DD didn't. When the guard spotted the feet beneath the stall door he knocked.
“Ma'am?” he said as politely as possible, “We're closed. You need to get.”
“Give me a minute, please!” DD called back, “I'm almost done.”
What was a man to do? The guard nodded and left the bathroom, announcing his discovery to his boss.
DD took a deep breath, made sure she had a 'I'm not quite a good girl' amount of flesh showing and walked out of the bathroom.
Currently playing: The Cows Help the Jailbirds from the Shanghai Noon soundtrack
Clyde Anderson was on her in a Londinum minute.
“We're closed, ma'am.” Clyde said as he tipped his hat, “Please, let me escort you out.” He offered his arm. DD made appreciative noises and took it. They began walking for the front door.
DD bid her time. There were four men in the room besides Clyde. One by the restrooms, two wandering about, one by the front door. The one by the front door had a shotgun in his hands. The rest, Clyde Anderson include, were armed with holstered pistols. As they neared the door, she slipped her hand into the dress's only pocket and carefully thumbed the cap off the syringe hidden there. She drew the syringe out and waited for the right moment to strike.
That moment never came. Clyde Anderson, it turned out, was a sharp-eyed man. He noticed the syringe and jumped away.
“Gorram!” Clyde shouted. “This jien huo tried to drug me!”
The guard by the door leveled his shotgun at Clyde. The rest drew their pistols.
Currently playing: Martial Arts from the Shanghai Noon soundtrack
--
Inside the men's room, Vincent heard the shouting. He thumbed the handset and spoke into it.
“Soh ya feh tian.” Vincent muttered into the receiver, “We need to move now.” Then he was doing his best to sneak out of the bathroom without being noticed, his own syringe in hand.
--
“We're humped.” Nadie groaned as she heard Vincent's words over her own handset. She was in the back of the Paquin with James. “Let's try to do this quick.”
James nodded and removed the spike keeping the back door shut tight. He opened it slowly and they snuck inside.
--
Down the street, Doctor Phineas Cage listened to Vincent's hurried broadcast. His job had been to keep a look out from the outside. He suspected Captain Ling didn't think the doctor would be much help in a fight. He also suspected she was a bit pissed at him. Earlier, during the planning stages, he had point blank asked her if she could lead them into a situation that might end with death, considering what had happened to the Claw's previous crew. She had threatened to cut off body parts if he didn't shut up. It had seemed then as if his only real contribution to the plan would be the mixing up of a powerful sedative. Now, it looks like things had changed.
Phineas shook his head and walked towards the front door of the Paquin. Up above, dark clouds began to form.
--
DD thought quickly. She had five guns trained on her, one of them held by an angry man she knew had already shot at least one other person. She dropped the syringe, letting it shatter on the ground. She sank down to her knees and leaned forward, knowing what view that would give Clyde Anderson.
“Please,” she tried to make her voice breathless and fearful, “Don't hurt me!”
Clyde paused, a momentary moment of insanity making him unsure of just what to do.
--
Vincent moved slowly, trying not to make a sound. He snuck up behind the nearest guard and jabbed the syringe into the man's neck. He went down without a sound. The drug worked fast. Unfortunately, all Vincent had was the one dose. He drew his sword and moved onto the next man. So far, the sight of DD on her knees before Clyde Anderson was keeping the guards busy. Vincent raises his sword and brought the hilt down hard on back of the man's skull.
The man was made of sterner stuff than Vincent anticipated, though. He turned around, backing away, clutching his gun in one hand and the back of his head in the other. His cry alerted the others.
--
Nadie and James stuck to the back wall and made their way as quickly and quietly as possible onto the stage.
“This is going to take some time.” James said as he set the stethoscope he borrowed from Phineas into his ears.
Nadie looked back out to the floor, where Vincent just landed in a heap of trouble. “Great.” She mutters. She hurried over to the side of the small stage that held the display and began pulling the curtain closed.
--
Phineas checked the door. It wasn't locked. They must have planned on locking the front door after Clyde Anderson left to go home for the night. He took a deep breath, then kicked it in and marched inside, his revolver drawn.
A single bullet exploded the kneecap of the shotgun toating guard, who went down screaming. The shotgun fell and slide along the wooden floor.
--
DD heard the hue and cry of alarm and realized she was in quite the precarious position. She had no weapon, wasn't in a good place to try to wrestle Clyde Anderson's away, and probably couldn't do it if she was anyway. She opened her mouth to try to plead and sweet talk again when the guard with the shotgun got taken out by the ship's doctor. She eyed the shotgun that skittered away. It wasn't close enough for her to get to it in time.
--
The guard Vincent had tried to knock out backed away and took a shot. He hit, sending the bullet clean through the pilot's shoulder. Vincent roared in pain but kicked at the table in front of him, turning it over to form a makeshift shield. A moment's breather was what he needed to take stock of the situation. DD was in trouble. He could see that. Clyde Anderson wasn' going to buy another second's delay. The man was furious and that fury was going to be expressed with a bullet through Vincent's friend's brainpan.
Trying to ignore everything else, Vincent took careful aim with his pistol. He tuned out the bullets that tore up to the table he was hiding behind. He turned out the impending doom he, himself, was in, and he fired. The bullet soared through the air like a thunderclap. It hit Clyde Anderson's revolver like a missile, sending it flying away from the man.
--
DD took her shot. As soon as Clyde Anderson's gun was no longer in her hand she flipped backwards and grabbed hold of the shotgun. She raised and pointed it straight at Clyde Anderson.
“The best possible outcome for all of us is if you give up now.” DD said, almost frightening in how cheerful her words sounded.
--
The rest of the job went smooth. Vincent and DD disarmed the men and locked them in the Paquin's office. James opened first the safe, then the glass door. He pulled the baseball card out and examined it, feeling a scholar's excitement well up inside him as he held a piece of such ancient history.
It was only when they were making their escape that things went wrong.
Currently playing: The 5th Element soundtrack, track 15
First, the heavens opened up and the rain poured forth. Victoria Falls was a town of dirt and rock. The dirt turned to mud quickly, making it hard going. The heavy rain destroying visibility made it even worse. Muddy and soaked, though, they managed to get to the shuttle. The crew had already officially left port and set the Mao's Claw down in the desert aways from town. They took the shuttle in and parked it in the foothills outside of town. Right now, they were kind of regretting that decision. Especially poor DD, who was wearing a slinky dress.
“At least no one will be giving chase in this.” Nadia muttered as she strapped herself in. It was going to be a bumpy ride. Vincent fired the shuttle up and lifted her into the air. He was a shiny pilot but in that storm, it was almost impossible. Worse, it wasn't just a rain storm. Thunder and lightning crashed around them and, after a little while, crashed into them. It took all Vincent's skill just to set them down without wrecking the little boat.
“Why don't we wait here until it lets up.” Nadie said, looking out the window. “DD, figure if you can get her running again.”
It was morning before the the rain trickled to a stop. DD had worked straight through the night to juryrig a repair but it wouldn't hold long. If they were lucky, it would get them back to the ship.
They were lucky.
They engines sputtered and the shuttle shook but they made it back to the Mao's Claw. A few minutes later, they were in the air and heading for the Black.
“Well,” Nadie reflected, as she stood on the bridge and gazed out at the stars ahead, “No one saw me there. They don't know Vincent or DD two since you stayed in the Claw for most of the week. Hopefully, they didn't get too good a look at the the doc. I figure the sheriff will vague up the incident reports some. I think we got away from this okay.”
She pulled Babe Ruth's baseball card from her pocket, all shiny in a plastic sleeve, and stared at it.
“Now, let's get to Paquin so we can find a way to sell this thing. It's gorram cursed.”
--
Doc Johnson and Sheriff Roy Chan sat together on the doctor's porch. The rain had just let up and the air smelled fresh and earthy.
“Think it was a good idea, sending them off with that sa gwa of a doctor?” The sheriff asked Doc Johnson, “He was stealing from you, you know.”
“Boy's hurtin' inside. Needs a home to heal.” Doc Johnson drawled as he scanned the newly cleared skies. “Nadie needs a family and someone to care for, help her heal her hurt.”
“Rung tse fwo tszoo bao yo wuo muhn.” The sheriff muttered, as if in prayer. “And them, too.”
“Amen to that.” Doc Johnson said. “Amen to that.”
FADE TO BLACK
