Space 11

[4/19/2013 10:34:34 PM] Josie: Coil has just been given a kitty.

[4/19/2013 10:34:48 PM] Josie: Stella is shopping for her sister and the slug.

[4/19/2013 10:35:24 PM] Coil: Indeed! Coil was going to go meet up with Stella again.

[4/19/2013 10:38:16 PM] Josie: She's in the boutique, paying for several large bags.

[4/19/2013 10:41:27 PM] Josie: Stella waves to him as he approaches.

[4/19/2013 10:44:20 PM] Coil: Coil walks up with the kitten in his hands.

[4/19/2013 10:45:06 PM] Josie: Stella: You... have a kitten. That's the contraband you were looking for?

[4/19/2013 10:45:27 PM] Coil: No. This was a premium for being a good customer, apparently.

[4/19/2013 10:45:41 PM] Josie: She puts out her hand and scritches the little thing's head, gently. It mews, adorably.

[4/19/2013 10:45:49 PM] Josie: Stella: Oh. Well, it's adorable.

[4/19/2013 10:45:57 PM] Josie: Stella: What next?

[4/19/2013 10:46:04 PM] Coil: Apparently she will always remain a kitten.

[4/19/2013 10:47:02 PM] Coil: Next? I figure I'll get some supplies for the ship.

[4/19/2013 10:47:04 PM] Josie: Stella: That's even more adorable.

[4/19/2013 10:47:14 PM] Josie: Stella: What kinds of supplies?

[4/19/2013 10:47:28 PM] Coil: Just the standard stuff. Food, medical supplies.

[4/19/2013 10:48:38 PM] Josie: Stella: Well, let's go, then.

[4/19/2013 10:49:37 PM] Coil: Coil nods. "How was... um, shopping?"

[4/19/2013 10:50:19 PM] Josie: Stella: I got all kinds of clothes for Irene. And Althea.

[4/19/2013 10:50:34 PM] Josie: Stella: I tried to pick things that Irene would like, because I don't know what Althea likes.

[4/19/2013 10:50:59 PM] Coil: Well, to be fair, I don't think that Althea knows what she likes yet, either.

[4/19/2013 10:53:13 PM] Josie: Stella: She'll sort it out. Where to first?

[4/19/2013 10:53:42 PM] Josie: She has the desk clerk write out a delivery order for the stuff she bought, to deliver it to the station so they don't have to carry it.

[4/19/2013 10:54:36 PM] Coil: There's a supplier not far from here where I can make the orders I need. You want lunch? I want lunch.

[4/19/2013 10:55:20 PM] Josie: Stella: Lunch sounds nice.

[4/19/2013 10:55:30 PM] Coil: Lets get lunch.

[4/19/2013 10:55:38 PM] Josie: Stella: Let's go somewhere nice.

[4/19/2013 10:57:18 PM] Coil: Sure. I know a place not far from the park.

[4/19/2013 10:58:04 PM] Josie: Stella: I have plenty of money.

[4/19/2013 10:58:48 PM] Coil: I used to meet clients around here.

[4/19/2013 10:59:13 PM] Josie: Stella: Clients?

[4/19/2013 11:01:52 PM] Josie: She takes his arm, gracefully.

[4/19/2013 11:02:12 PM] Coil: Yeah. I always insisted on a face to face meeting with my clients.

[4/19/2013 11:02:50 PM | Edited 11:02:56 PM] Josie: Stella: Why?

[4/19/2013 11:03:49 PM] Coil: Just the way I liked it.

[4/19/2013 11:05:20 PM] Josie: Stella: And you were a professional.

[4/19/2013 11:05:23 PM] Coil: The clients and the targets I always met face to face.

[4/19/2013 11:06:49 PM] Josie: Stella: Both of them. Not at the same time, one assumes.

[4/19/2013 11:07:32 PM] Coil: No. Well, once. At a party.

[4/19/2013 11:08:02 PM] Josie: Stella: Awkward.

[4/19/2013 11:08:09 PM] Josie: Stella: But you don't do it anymore.

[4/19/2013 11:08:18 PM] Coil: No.

[4/19/2013 11:09:15 PM] Josie: Stella: Do you know anyone who does?

[4/19/2013 11:10:21 PM] Coil: There weren't conventions, if that's what you mean. I knew of others. Even met one or two, but I don't stay in contact or anything. Why?

[4/19/2013 11:12:38 PM] Josie: Stella: There's someone.

[4/19/2013 11:12:57 PM] Coil: Who?

[4/19/2013 11:13:52 PM] Josie: Stella: ... someone who hurt me. It's not important.

[4/19/2013 11:14:08 PM] Coil: Apparently it is.

[4/19/2013 11:15:01 PM] Josie: Stella: Not if you don't do it anymore.

[4/19/2013 11:15:35 PM] Coil: ... I don't. I'm sorry.

[4/19/2013 11:16:16 PM] Josie: Stella: Nothing will change your mind?

[4/19/2013 11:18:31 PM] Coil: ...no. Unless this person tries to kill me or someone I care about.

[4/19/2013 11:19:34 PM] Josie: She gets a very *odd* look on her face. "I see."

[4/19/2013 11:22:16 PM] Coil: ((For what it's worth, and she might be able to pick on this, he's very flexible about mortality. He doesn't have a lot of hangups about killing.))

[4/19/2013 11:22:57 PM] Coil: ((It could be that he's feeling very manipulated at the moment.))

[4/19/2013 11:23:05 PM] Josie: ((Quite possibly.))

[4/19/2013 11:23:39 PM] Josie: Stella: I'm not asking you to do it for nothing, or because of anything... personal.

[4/19/2013 11:24:19 PM] Coil: What did this person do?

[4/19/2013 11:25:19 PM] Josie: Stella: It's... hard for me to talk about it. Medical experimentation on humans, I suppose you could say.

[4/19/2013 11:26:45 PM] Coil: I always asked my clients 'why should I kill this person'.

[4/19/2013 11:26:59 PM] Coil: I was good. I could afford to be picky.

[4/19/2013 11:28:13 PM] Josie: Stella: You're retired. I shouldn't have asked. ... I'm sorry.

[4/19/2013 11:28:31 PM] Coil: You know why I retired?

[4/19/2013 11:29:36 PM] Josie: Stella: Why?

[4/19/2013 11:31:20 PM] Coil: I was killing a crimeboss. Worked in prostituion, slaving, drug running, illegal augments, you name it. If it was slimy and awful, he did it.

[4/19/2013 11:31:39 PM] Josie: Stella nods.

[4/19/2013 11:35:45 PM] Coil: Well, I got into his villa up in the mountains of Triskel. Crept into his office. He didn't see me, he was on the com with someone. Got behind his chair, pulled my gun, killed him. He didn't see me coming. He slumped forward, and I saw on his terminal screen... a child. His son. Four years old. Kid watched his dad get shot in the head from behind.

[4/19/2013 11:36:28 PM] Josie: Stella: You couldn't have known.

[4/19/2013 11:36:58 PM] Coil: The guy *deserved* it. I don't regret killing him.

[4/19/2013 11:37:18 PM] Josie: Stella: But it bothers you that the child had to see it.

[4/19/2013 11:38:14 PM] Coil: Yeah.

[4/19/2013 11:39:29 PM] Coil: Kid didn't know his father was a monster. He would have found out. Maybe become a monster himself. But... at four, he watched his father die on the screen in front of him. I heard him wailing as I left the office.

[4/19/2013 11:40:00 PM] Josie: Stella stops and hugs Coil.

[4/19/2013 11:40:40 PM] Coil: Coil hugs her back.

[4/19/2013 11:42:27 PM] Josie: Stella: It wasn't your fault. I understand why you stopped; I won't ask again.

[4/19/2013 11:44:37 PM] Coil: Well, now you know.

[4/19/2013 11:48:27 PM] Josie: Stella smiles. "I won't bring it up again."

[4/19/2013 11:50:11 PM] Coil: Okay. Lunch?

[4/19/2013 11:51:32 PM] Josie: Stella: Lunch. Unless you'd rather do something else.

[4/19/2013 11:51:46 PM] Coil: I'm pretty hungry.

[4/19/2013 11:53:38 PM] Josie: Stella: I haven't eaten for a while either, honestly.

[4/19/2013 11:53:57 PM] Coil: Well, let's eat then.

[4/19/2013 11:55:39 PM] Josie: You reach the restaurant! What type of restaurant is it?

[4/19/2013 11:56:43 PM] Coil: ((I dunno! Maybe one of those places where they bring skewers of meat to you table and you sample them.))

[4/19/2013 11:57:43 PM] Josie: ((I have never been to one of those! It sounds good, though!))

[4/19/2013 11:58:30 PM] Coil: ((I've been to this place that does it once... it was brazilian. It was very good.))

[4/19/2013 11:59:34 PM] Josie: ((Omnom.))

[4/19/2013 11:59:45 PM] Coil: ((So yeah, one of those places!))

[4/19/2013 11:59:59 PM] Josie: It's a pretty upscale place, but not *super* upscale, so your clothes blend in pretty well as you're escorted to your tables.

[4/20/2013 12:00:35 AM] Josie: Stella has gone a little bit quiet, and she's stroking the little white kitten.

[4/20/2013 12:01:27 AM] Josie: The waiter comes and drops off menus and takes your drink orders; Stella orders gin, neat.

[4/20/2013 12:04:36 AM] Coil: Coil orders water!

[4/20/2013 12:04:42 AM] Coil: But, like, fancy water.

[4/20/2013 12:05:33 AM] Josie: He can get all kinds of fancy water! Fruit infused, fizzy, you name it!

[4/20/2013 12:05:59 AM] Coil: Fizzzzzzy.

[4/20/2013 12:06:57 AM] Josie: Indeed! The waiter brings your drinks, and Stella sips at hers, petting the kitten. She seems to be thinking.

[4/20/2013 12:07:12 AM] Coil: Whats on your mind?

[4/20/2013 12:09:10 AM] Josie: Stella: The past.

[4/20/2013 12:09:18 AM] Josie: She smiles; there's a bit of sadness in it.

[4/20/2013 12:12:30 AM] Josie: Stella: But the present is much nicer, isn't it?

[4/20/2013 12:12:57 AM] Coil: You shoiuldn't live in the past. It's like a room that it's easy to get locked in.

[4/20/2013 12:14:03 AM] Josie: Stella: Sometimes it feels like the future is closing in.

[4/20/2013 12:14:18 AM] Coil: Does it?

[4/20/2013 12:15:10 AM] Josie: Stella: To me, anyway.

[4/20/2013 12:15:16 AM] Coil: Why?

[4/20/2013 12:16:59 AM] Josie: Stella: Life is short. Anything could happen on a ship like yours.

[4/20/2013 12:17:34 AM] Josie: The waiter comes again and takes your orders!

[4/20/2013 12:18:38 AM] Coil: Coil orders the MEEEEEAT.

[4/20/2013 12:19:50 AM] Josie: She orders too!

[4/20/2013 12:20:44 AM] Coil: Coil waits for the waiter to leave. "There's more than that, isn't there?"

[4/20/2013 12:22:13 AM] Josie: Stella: ... If I tell you, it'll change things between us.

[4/20/2013 12:22:42 AM] Coil: Will it?

[4/20/2013 12:24:10 AM] Josie: Stella: I don't want it to change. And I've been thinking about tonight.

[4/20/2013 12:26:18 AM] Coil: Oh?

[4/20/2013 12:27:11 AM] Josie: Stella: Haven't you?

[4/20/2013 12:30:29 AM] Coil: Well... is there something happening tonight? Or were you teasing?

[4/20/2013 12:30:44 AM] Josie: Stella: Why would I tease?

[4/20/2013 12:32:27 AM] Coil: Well, you have a vagueness to you.

[4/20/2013 12:33:50 AM] Josie: Stella: I didn't want to spoil the mystery by being direct.

[4/20/2013 12:33:59 AM] Josie: Your salads arrive!

[4/20/2013 12:36:00 AM] Coil: As you can guess, I'm a direct kind of guy.

[4/20/2013 12:37:42 AM] Josie: Stella: I do like that about you.

[4/20/2013 12:38:20 AM] Josie: Stella: ... if I were direct, I'd have dragged you into a closet by now.

[4/20/2013 12:39:28 AM] Coil: Well, it's probably good that one of is indirect, then.

[4/20/2013 12:41:30 AM] Josie: Stella: Yes. Working around all the brooms probably wouldn't be ideal.

[4/20/2013 12:42:51 AM] Coil: It might be tricky, yes.

[4/20/2013 12:44:09 AM] Josie: Stella: I'd like to see what you can do under more ideal circumstances.

[4/20/2013 12:47:59 AM] Josie: Stella: On a bed, or a soft carpet.

[4/20/2013 12:48:15 AM] Josie: Stella: ... a table would be all right, I suppose.

[4/20/2013 12:49:28 AM] Coil: Coil chuckles.