Desert Dealings

Desert Dealings
Date of Scene:	11 July 2014
Location:	Void - Astroidia
Synopsis:	Serenity and crew encounter Princess Sarracenia and Mako Mankanshoku while making a deal in the desert.
Cast of Characters:	191, 273, Sarracenia

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Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
This section of the Void is an interesting one. Asteroids begin to populate the otherwise empty space, starting small, then gradually growing in average size as one travels further towards the cluster of space objects and other celestial bodies.

Once the asteroid curtain passes, things start to become more and more interesting. There's small planets here, and large asteroids that have been terraformed and artificially fitted with atmospheres and normalized Earth-like gravity fields. Most of them are populated, a few more so than others.

There's an oddly-shaped ship headed in the direction of a particularly arid looking subplanet, dotted with a few small cities every few hundred miles. The whole planets looks to be one large desert, really, and as the ship gets in closer to the surface, it becomes clearer that the Firefly-class transport is heading towards a smaller-looking settlement on the edge of a series of sand-covered mountains.

"Put us down just shy of that ridge right there, will ya?" asks a voice that belongs to a man that's standing beside a figure seated in the pilot's chair inside the ship.

"We're only setting down here for a few hours, people," says the same voice, reaching for a radio communicator that presumably is addressing the rest of the ship. "If you're not back in time, you're going to end up stuck here. Ain't figuring on sticking 'round this desert any more than we need to."

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
This section of the Void is an interesting one. Asteroids begin to populate the otherwise empty space, starting small, then gradually growing in average size as one travels further towards the cluster of space objects and other celestial bodies.

Once the asteroid curtain passes, things start to become more and more interesting. There's small planets here, and large asteroids that have been terraformed and artificially fitted with atmospheres and normalized Earth-like gravity fields. Most of them are populated, a few more so than others.

There's an oddly-shaped ship headed in the direction of a particularly arid looking subplanet, dotted with a few small cities every few hundred miles. The whole planets looks to be one large desert, really, and as the ship gets in closer to the surface, it becomes clearer that the Firefly-class transport is heading towards a smaller-looking settlement on the edge of a series of sand-covered mountains.

"Put us down just shy of that ridge right there, will ya?" asks a voice that belongs to a man that's standing beside a figure seated in the pilot's chair inside the ship.

"We're only setting down here for a few hours, people," says the same voice, reaching for a radio communicator that presumably is addressing the rest of the ship. "If you're not back in time, you're going to end up stuck here. Ain't figuring on sticking 'round this desert any more than we need to."

Sarracenia has posed:
As that super advanced spaceship flies down and lands, they might notice...is that a wooden sailing ship with propellers where sails should be? Looks that way. And there are plant creatures consisting of root-like legs, a short stalk, thick leaves, and a round red top with a mouth full of sharp teeth meandering about the ship. Some carry steel spears and wear armor, but most wear nothing.

Not far from that ship is a sand sleigh. It's just like a regular sleigh except for sand. And it is covered by a fancy looking tent-like cabin. It is being pulled along by a couple of what look like more plant creatures, but bigger than the others. They are headed farther into the desert.

Mako Mankanshoku (191) has posed:
Also lurking around the edge of this arid boomtown is a group of what appear to be high school students in pale blue uniforms with large white four-pointed stars on the chest and all with matching bowl haircuts. There's like six of them, and they all stomp mercilessly on someone in the center of the group, obscured by a dustcloud.

When they tire of it, or perhaps when they feel they've punished the offending party enough, the entire group except one storms back to a simple van and start piling in. The remaining student kicks their victim one last time, snapping, "And don't let us catch you stowing away again, slacker!" And then he, too, turns and jumps back into the van. The engine starts. The vehicle motors away.

Sitting up, dirty but otherwise none the worse for wear, Mako Mankanshoku blinks at the retreating van. After a moment, she raises her hand and waves cheerfully after them, "Byyyye~! I'll see you back at school tomorrow!"

beat

"AHH!" Mako suddenly leaps to her feet, racing around in circles, "Wait! Wait! If you leave me here I'll be laaaa~te! What am I gonna do!?"

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
"Easy does it...." says the voice of the redhead man sitting in the pilot's chair, wrestling carefully with the ship's controls. The ship hovers closers and closer to the surface, kicking up a fairly large cloud of sand as it prepares to land.

"Nice and steady...." Twenty meters. "Gently..." Ten meters. "I'm a le-" CRUNCH!

"Wash! I ain't paying you to break my spaceship!" says the voice of the ship's captain, echoing upwards into the cockpit from a point somewhere down the fore passageway of Serenity.

A pair of hydraulic lifts slowly lower a large loading ramp from the belly of the ship with a hiss, until the metal sets down heavily against the sand underoot. The first pair of boots out of the ship's bay belong to the suspenders-wearing figure of the captain, now leaning against one of the two hydraulic shafts.

"Jayne, hurry up and get the Mule out here!" he calls back into the ship's cargo bay.

Sarracenia has posed:
The plant creatures look over as Malcolm exits the ship, but don't pay much mind. They are busy checking for any damage from their own landing and making sure their ship is ready when their own captain returns. And where is their captain?

Well, her little sleigh was just passing Mako when the group of mean kids kicked her and left her for lateness. So, the sleigh stops, and out steps Sarracenia. Her long red hair billows in the desert wind, and her deep blue eyes lock onto the now running in circles schoolgirl. "Don't worry. You can have a ride on my ship when we leave." she says to Mako, giving a wink and a slightly arrogant smirk.

She must be a princess or something, judging by the dress and the crown. And, she is carrying a cute pink parasol to keep the sun from damaging her pale skin. Of course, it is constantly trying to escape on the waves of wind and sand. As is her dress, which she is holding down with her free hand.

Mako Mankanshoku (191) has posed:
The brunette flails her arms while running in circles, "If I'm late again I'll be expelled--!" And then a sleigh, a real sleigh! pulls up. Immediately, Mako freezes, staring at it. Slowly, she lowers her upraised leg and both arms, looking at the sky. Bewildered, she looks at the sand at her feet and gives it a scuffy kick.

After a moment of trying to think, the only thing that's missing is the smoke. She glances up to Sarracenia directly with a bright smile, "Okay! But it's a little hot for a sled, huh?" After a moment, she gives up with a shrug and the smile returns, "I'm Mako, nice to meet you!"

Turning a bit, she points at the settlement where two ships now have landed, "And you don't have to go through all that trouble, I bet I could get a ride home over there if you'd give me a lift that way."

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
Serenity's crew doesn't seem to pay the sleigh too much concern, as they begin to offload a yellow-colord landspeeder of sorts that's got several large crates strapped to the back of it. The ship's captain peers over in Mako and Sarra's direction a few moments, probably not making out too much detail through the desert haze, then shrugs. He turns and jumps up into the driver's seat of the hovercraft, and slaps the side of the machine.

"If you're coming, we're going!" he calls back, as a few other figures hurry out from the ship's belly to jump on board the speeder. There's a darker-skinned woman, a larger man with facial hair, a girl with pigtails, and a well-dressed lanky figure who join Mal on top of the Mule. The craft begins to make its way over towards the rustic-looking settlement.

Sarracenia has posed:
Sarracenia blinks at Mako, then smirks lightly. "A sleigh like this slides over sandy terrain quite well. So, it is only too hot if one is Santa. Which, I am not." She then steps back into her sleigh and has the large plants pulling it turn back toward the town. "Hop on the back if you want a ride." she says to Mako, and without waiting more than a few moments the sleigh starts moving. The large plant people pull it as quickly as any horse team, but with more slobbering and comical little snarls.

Mako Mankanshoku (191) has posed:
"A sleigh for the beach!" Mako seems enamored by this idea, leaning forward to investigate the vehicle itself with stars in her eyes, "It must be what Santa uses when he's on vacation!" The girl's ranting may call forth images of the Jolly Old Elf himself in swim trunks, sunglasses, and zinc on his nose. Or maybe that's just her twisted mind at work.

When the sled starts moving, though, Mako's not actually on board. With a squawk, she runs after it, arms flailing, "Wait, I'm not on! I'm not on!" With a jump, she latches on to the back of the sleigh and clings, "I got on!"

Clinging, Mako pulls her face up over the sleigh's back, "Are you a princess? Only a princess should have a dress that nice, so if you're not then you should give it back." And then, like a record skipping ahead several inches, Mako hauls herself up and leans forward, pointing excitedly while ENTIRLEY TOO FAR within Sarracenia's personal space, "Oh look! Space cowboys!"

Mal and his crew get a wave, "Hiiiii~!"

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
Mal's too focused on steering the speeder, which is likely not nearly as fast as the Princess' sleigh, to notice Mako waving. At first, that is. The large, gruntish figure with the facial hair does, however, notice the odd-looking sleigh's occupant waving over in their direction.

"Hey, Mal... Check this out.." he says, gesturing over at the sleigh. "Can I shoot 'em?" he asks, giving a toothy grin.

"Now, now, Jayne. What sort of manner is that? Ought to be waving right back at em, you should," the captain replies, giving a wink to the darker-skinned woman seated shotgun.

Jayne gives an audible sigh, and a cheesy wave back over at Mako.

"There. Now can I shoot em?"

Mal just rolls his eyes.

Sarracenia has posed:
Princess Sarracenia recoils just a bit when Mako gets all up in her personal space. "Um...yes. I am. I am Princess Sarracenia Sundew, crowned princess of the Sundew Kingdom." she says, raising her nose just a bit and indicating herself with an open hand pressed lightly to her chest. "So, I shall keep my nice dress, thank you." she says before even looking in the indicated direction. "Space cowboys?" Sarracenia peers toward the hover vehicle. "What an amusing idea. Then, they must have laser pistols and energy shotguns and the like, correct?" she says to Mako before realizing...she doesn't even know this crazy person's name.

"If you wish to travel with me, you must share your own name. I am sure it is not as grand as mine, but do not let that stop you." the prissy princess says. When Jayne waves back, Sarracenia offers her own wave, much more dignified than either Mako or Jayne. "They seem friendly enough."

Mako Mankanshoku (191) has posed:
"A real live princess!" Mako's excitement is palpable, "I can't wait to tell Ryuko I met a real princess right in person and everything! If only I had a phone I'd ask for a picture together!"

More excited waving to Jayne and Mal and the crew on their Mule. The fact that SIR ANGRY OF ANGRYTON actually waved back just encourages her. Lowering her hand, she cups it to her mouth and shouts, "Hi! Are you space sheriffs or space outlaws?! I'm kinda lost and could use a riiiide~!"

Pause. Mako glances back to Saracenia with a bewildered look, "Huh? Mako did introduce Mako." Eyes closing, she nods twice, "Mm~mm~. Mankanshoku Mako, president of the Honnouji Academy Fight Club, that's me."

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
"Think they're tryin' to say somethin', Mal..." Jayne says, lifting up one of the dangly ear-things of that wonderfully colored hat of his. Like that makes a bit of different, while moving on a rather loud, mechanical hovercraft.

"WHAT?!?!" he shouts over, confusedly.

The Mule continues to head in the direction of the fast-approaching settlement, eventually coming up to the outskirts of the town. It's styled in classic Western fashion, and is an odd mix of futuristic capabilities styled in antiqued manner. There's an old-styled wagon that's hovering a few feet off the ground in place of being pulled by horses. And there's a old-fashioned saloon with windows that display constantly changing graphics and advertisements.

Sarracenia has posed:
Princess Sarracenia smirks at Mako's excitement. "Well, if you would really like a picture with me, I am sure we can take care of that." she says as the plant people keep running along. After Mako shouts out to the Mule, Sarra giggles. "I doubt they can hear you from here, dear." she says. "Mankanshoku Mako?" Sarra says, to make sure she heard it correctly, then she smiles. "It is nice to meet you, Mankanshoku. Tell me, why did those students kick you then leave you in the desert? And...how did they drive a van here?" she says, looking curiously at Mako.

Mako Mankanshoku (191) has posed:
"Please just call me Mako," the student insists. Scrambling, she struggles the rest of the way over the back of the sleigh and then tips forward into the seat with an undignified "--Whoop!" and a hollow thunk when her head misses the seat proper and hits the floor. Kicking her feet, Mako eventually rights herself as if nothing happened, hands folded in her lap.

"A picture would be great!" Mako beams, "But maybe we can get closer so the space cowboys can talk too?" Lifting a hand, she points idly towards the Mule and its occupants, "'cuz I can't hear them at all so they probably can't hear Mako either."

What kind of miracle would that be.

"Oh, those guys?" Mako glances over her shoulder at the distant tire tracks of the van, "I dunno how they got here, I fell asleep on the roof during lunch and woke up here. The Honnouji students, the One-stars, they rank way above Starless like me so they can punish me if I make a mistake." A shrug, "That's how it is!"

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
The Mule eventually pulls up and comes to a stop, hovering a foot or so off of the ground just to the edge of a small building of some sort. The figures begin to hop down, a few working on untying the cargo, and the others tying down the small transport craft.

"Alright. Doctor, see if you can't use that nice shiny suit of yours and come off as decently reputable. You, Jayne and Zoe are going to drop the cargo off, and I'm going to get us paid for it," the captain says, patting the Mule as he hops down and dusts off his knees.

"And Jayne...No grenades," he adds, as the larger of the three figures gives a disappointed sort of expression, tossing back a few metal explosives back into the Mule. Then a few more. Then a couple more after that...

Mal starts to head in the direction of the saloon, presumably where he's expecting to be paid.

Sarracenia has posed:
Sarracenia seems to find this concept a bit...barbaric. "I...see." she says in an obviously disapproving tone. She pulls up beside the Mule, her piranha plant pullers skidding to a stop and causing the sleigh to buck, possibly sending Mako into the air. "Well, good luck finding a ride home. And, it was nice to meet you." she says to Mako before looking Malcolm and his crew over. She smirks lightly and gives a friendly fingerwaggle in greeting before she pulls on her reins and the piranha plants turn quickly.

If Mako is not off the sleigh by this point, Sarra 'accidentally' shoves her off by rocking to the side with the turn of the sleigh. Then, they are off again, back out into the desert.

Mako Mankanshoku (191) has posed:
The sleigh suddenly stops! When it bucks upward, Mako's poor footing causes her to sail right off the seat and into the air, tumbling slowly. One can almost hear the serene violin music playing in the background of such a graceful flight.

When Mako rolls in midair to face Sarracenia again, she raises a hand and waves, "Okay, bye, Princess!"

She rolls slowly again on her downward arc until the girl suddenly slams right into one of the metal supply crates that had been loaded on the hovering cargo Mule. Head first. There's a dull thud, like an empty coconut striking a hollow log. Her motion arrested, Mako stands right there, straight upright, for a solid 3 seconds before her body tips forward. Miraculously, the schoolgirl comes out of it in a perfect seated position, hands in her lap, big smile on her face ready to greet the crew of the Serenity with a cheerful, "Hello~! My name is Mako and I'm lost. Can I get a ride back to Japan?"

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
Zoe and the others busy themselves with hauling the crates around to the rear of the building that the Mule is parked beside. When Sarracenia and her sleigh come pulling up relatively close by, the crew of Serenity get their first good look at the two other travelers.

And then Sarracenia waves over in their direction, which draws Jayne's attention just a bit. The large, gruntish figure stands there, staring over with a cheesy sort of grin at the sleigh as the woman waves, and the sleigh starts to pull away.

"Janye!" comes Mal's voice, calling back in the man's direction.

"Less oogling, more working. Ain't payin' you to stand there and stare at skirts, and if those crates aren't to the back of this here building by the time our fancy buyer's folk are, we're not gettin' paid at all, fix?"

Mal stops, then, a few meters shy of the saloon as Mako wanders on over, and asks about a ride to this planet that he's never heard of before. The ship's captain places his hands on his hips, looking over the schoolgirl briefly.

"Well, hi," he replies, flashing that quick, roguish grin of his. "Can't say I'm too familiar with that planet... But if you're paying, and you've got directions, we might be able to drop you on our way..." he says.

Mako Mankanshoku (191) has posed:
Mako tilts her head to one side, "Oh, are you guys working?" She quickly scrabbles aside to get out of the way, "Don't mind me, I won't get in the way! In fact, maybe Mako can help!"

What can this fifteen year old do when it comes to lifting heavy cargo crates, anyway? Perhaps this question can be answered by how she reaches up under her blouse and removes a suitcase, "I almost forgot this today, too!" The case is opened and, in a whirl of cloth and accessories, she's donned her Uniform. There's a twirl for dramatic effect and then she slams her sandal-clad foot down, kicking up a cloud of dust, "Fight Club President, Mako Mankanshoku!"

FIGHT CLUB PRESIDENT
MAKO MANKANSHOKU

Once the posing is done, she pushes her newly donned hat up a bit to show more of her face, "Like this I can carry anything, mind if I help out?"

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
"Just making a delivery or two. Some medical supplies from a station out near the Deep Void," replies the spaceman, standing where he's at.

"And I reckon we've got it handled mostly, at this point," he replies, flashing a quick sort of smile. "Appreciate the offer, though. I'll take that as a kindness."

He arches a brow, watching as the young schoolgirl rather abruptly and spectacularly changes into her uniform. "Well....That's different," he remarks, lifting a shoulder. "Preferrin' to keep the job just to me and mine," he says. "Nothin' personal. Just my way of doing things," he explains. Of course, that probably has -nothing- to do with the perfectly legitimate and upstanding nature of the business deal that's going on. Naturally.

"But if you're needin' passage, that might be a bit easier to accomodate, see. Got ourselves a few passenger quarters back on Serenity. Can get you where you're going, assumin' it's not too far from where we're headed. Least, could get you to a warpgate. There's one just by the system we're headed back to, see."

Mako Mankanshoku (191) has posed:
Yeah. That happened. But even with the dramatic shift into her Goku Uniform, Mako's still Mako. She just wanted to help out, and what better way to help move heavy things than to put on the ability to move heavy things? As they say, the clothes make the woman! Which in Honnouji Academy is a bit more literal than usual.

"Oh, ok," Mako lowers her hands to her sides, arms sort of disappearing into her coat while she just kind of stands there, looking from side to side as the cargo is offloaded and handed to the buyers, "So you're not actually cowboys? I guess you must be the mailman. That's great, I bet being a mailman pays a lot better than being a cowboy!" Holding up a finger, she looks skyward, "And you probably get shot at less!"

Man, she has no idea how stuff works on the Rim, huh.

"Oh but yes!" Hand dropping, she leans forward, "The warp gate would be great! I memorized the address for Honnou Town, I can get home that way super easy." No. She didn't memorize it. There's a string of coordinates on the bottom of the bill of her hat, though. All she has to do is look up to see them. Which she just did.

Malcolm Reynolds (273) has posed:
"Something like that," Mal replies, something about Mako's description of his career path making the ship's captain give a bit of a chuckle, clearly finding this amusing. With his luck, Mal would probably end up getting shot from someone hiding in a mailbox, though.

"We're headed back towards the station on the edge of Astroidia, here," says the captain, pointing up into the sky in the direction of a faintly visible collection of stars that show up like a trio of small suns in the blue sky above.

"'Bout a two-days ride out that-a-ways," he says, lowering his hand. "We're fixin' to be headin' out in an hour or two, here, so if unless you've got baggage with ya, we'll load you up on the Mule with the rest of the goods, and head out on time."

Mako Mankanshoku (191) has posed:
"Two days?!" Mako suddenly flails, "But then I'll be late! I'm sorry but maybe I should just run home instead!" Swiftly, the girl bows once and then a second time, "But if you do need help and I'm not about to get expelled then I'll totes help you move stuff or fight stuff or whatever, my name is Mako and I'm from Honnou Town!"

With no futher ado, the girl's feet dig into the sand beneath her and then she dashes off with explosive force. There's a literal small crater where she was standing--and more pounded into the sand with each step. How fast is that girl GOING?

And yet somehow while she runs, she turns and waves an arm, "Good luck, mister postman! Have a good time with your deliveriiiies! I have to run home now!"