Space 2

[4/1/2013 8:23:08 PM] Josie: Okay! Let's see now, where were we.

[4/1/2013 8:25:04 PM] Josie: Oh, right. Captain Lark and her four prisoners came aboard your ship. In the night, one of her prisoners unleashed the one that was so bad he had to be sedated, and both the unleasher and Lark herself were killed. In the aftermath you managed to knock out the male humanoid prisoner, Vir shoved him back into the stasis coffin, and you opted to release the prisoner in the box. That one turned out to be a slug, which immediately took possession of Lark's corpse and is now, disconcertingly, talking to you and your engineer, a merguy named Vir.

[4/1/2013 8:25:36 PM] Coil: Right!

[4/1/2013 8:25:50 PM] Coil: ...so what do I call you? Or do you like the name box?

[4/1/2013 8:26:18 PM] Josie: Lark: Well, I doubt you could pronounce my actual name. ... in fact, I'm not entirely certain I can pronounce my actual name.

[4/1/2013 8:26:33 PM] Coil: Box it is, then.

[4/1/2013 8:26:57 PM] Josie: Lark makes a face. "Please, not that. Let me think a moment, and come up with something... analogous."

[4/1/2013 8:28:09 PM] Coil: This is fantastic. Vir, can you take a look at the crate this person was sitting in?

[4/1/2013 8:28:22 PM] Josie: Vir: The box or the coffin?

[4/1/2013 8:29:02 PM] Coil: The box. We're going to have to make it look like the alien was destroyed.

[4/1/2013 8:29:19 PM] Josie: Lark: Really?

[4/1/2013 8:29:49 PM] Josie: Vir peers at the box. "That should be simple enough."

[4/1/2013 8:31:39 PM] Josie: Lark: You intend to permit me to live, then?

[4/1/2013 8:34:00 PM] Coil: I'm in it now. I'm not going to kill you at this point.

[4/1/2013 8:34:58 PM] Josie: Lark: Excellent! How very civilized. Let me see. If I recall correctly, your people shake hands, yes?

[4/1/2013 8:35:05 PM] Josie: She offers her hand to Coil.

[4/1/2013 8:35:19 PM] Josie: Vir, meanwhile, is examining the box, scanning it with his pad.

[4/1/2013 8:37:19 PM] Coil: Coil shakes her hand. "So, do your people have a gender?  Or are you whatever you're living in?"

[4/1/2013 8:38:00 PM] Josie: The hand is cold, though given the recent death it hasn't quite cooled off to room temperature yet.

[4/1/2013 8:38:10 PM] Josie: Lark: I don't think our concept of gender maps well onto yours.

[4/1/2013 8:39:47 PM] Josie: Lark: As to what I should be called, it is customary to take some aspect of one's host's designation, so that they might be remembered. To honor them. And then a name that fits, to go along with it. Researcher? Inquirer. Quester. Ah, Stranger?

[4/1/2013 8:40:52 PM] Coil: I don't know. I'm still not sure what I'm going to tell them about Lark.

[4/1/2013 8:41:50 PM] Josie: Lark: What do you think would fit?

[4/1/2013 8:41:57 PM] Josie: Vir: "Dangerous."

[4/1/2013 8:43:52 PM] Josie: Lark: Really? ... I don't feel particularly dangerous.

[4/1/2013 8:45:47 PM] Coil: If I say Lark died, they'll want the body.

[4/1/2013 8:46:00 PM] Josie: Vir: We could tell them it was spaced.

[4/1/2013 8:46:27 PM] Josie: Vir: ... we could tell them they all were.

[4/1/2013 8:46:48 PM] Coil: Why?

[4/1/2013 8:48:18 PM] Josie: Vir: If we wanted to keep them. ... any of them.

[4/1/2013 8:48:44 PM] Coil: No. I mean, they'll ask us 'why were they all spaced'.

[4/1/2013 8:49:13 PM] Josie: Vir looks at the android. It's the same sort of look he gives the engines, really--the nearest thing he ever gets to affection.

[4/1/2013 8:50:11 PM] Josie: Lark: If I might make a suggestion? The captain did offer to reside in the hold for the duration of the journey. I suggest that you tell them she did just that, the prisoners attempted to escape and one of them tried to space the captain, but in the end...

[4/1/2013 8:50:45 PM] Coil: You can access her memories?

[4/1/2013 8:51:04 PM] Josie: Lark: Most of them, yes. She was a rather impressive individual.

[4/1/2013 8:51:25 PM] Coil: What did the other prisoners do?

[4/1/2013 8:53:03 PM] Josie: Lark: Mm. Embezzlement and tax evasion. Attempted genocide of a sentient nonproscribed species. And robbery. Er, and I am guilty of being a proscribed species.

[4/1/2013 8:53:46 PM] Coil: Who did what? The fellow in the coffin?

[4/1/2013 8:54:28 PM] Josie: Lark: Genocide. ... also homicide, impersonation of a Coalition officer, grand theft, larceny, robbery, multiple assaults...

[4/1/2013 8:55:33 PM] Josie: Lark: ... a variety of drug charges, humanoid trafficking, android trafficking, sentient species trafficking, violating a corpse (I believe he wore it as a hat) and vivisection.

[4/1/2013 8:56:02 PM] Coil: What about the girl? The augment girl.

[4/1/2013 8:57:06 PM] Josie: Lark: Ah, the frightened one. White-collar crimes. Forgery, embezzlement, tax evasion and that sort of thing. All theft. Her crimes would have been considered less serious had she not been so terribly successful.

[4/1/2013 8:57:36 PM] Coil: And the android?

[4/1/2013 8:58:56 PM] Josie: Lark: Robbery.

[4/1/2013 8:59:27 PM] Josie: Lark: In retrospect, I believe she intended to be arrested on that charge in order to allow her cohort to escape.

[4/1/2013 8:59:44 PM] Josie: Lark: He may well have programmed her to do so.

[4/1/2013 9:00:38 PM] Coil: All right. How's the android look, Vir?

[4/1/2013 9:01:56 PM] Josie: Vir: ... undetermined. My *conjecture* is that we will be able to restore her function, but her memory is irretrievable, her personality circuits will need to be completely replaced and vital elements will need to be reprogrammed. She may be somewhat... impaired.

[4/1/2013 9:02:00 PM] Josie: Lark: ... dear me.

[4/1/2013 9:02:59 PM] Coil: ... I guess you've got a project, then.

[4/1/2013 9:03:24 PM] Josie: Vir: Quite. It would be useless to return her to the Coalition; there is nothing left of the original... being.

[4/1/2013 9:03:49 PM] Coil: That was my thought. That and we can use a third crewman.

[4/1/2013 9:04:11 PM] Coil: I'd like to see the files on this coffin-guy.

[4/1/2013 9:04:16 PM] Josie: Lark: Perhaps a fourth?

[4/1/2013 9:04:49 PM] Coil: ...we'll see. Can you get me Lark's files on the male prisoner?

[4/1/2013 9:05:22 PM] Josie: Lark: Yes, but they *are* classified, you know.

[4/1/2013 9:06:02 PM] Coil: Mmm. Good point. Don't want to set off any flags.

[4/1/2013 9:07:14 PM] Coil: .... also it would be wrong.

[4/1/2013 9:07:35 PM] Josie: Lark: And she took an oath. A rather serious one. I should hate to... well. While I am *not* Captain Irene Lark, I *am*, ahh... the guardian of her memory, I suppose you might say.

[4/1/2013 9:07:56 PM] Coil: All right, then.

[4/1/2013 9:08:19 PM] Coil: Coil draws his gun, and goes over to the coffin.

[4/1/2013 9:08:56 PM] Josie: The guy is still in there; heavily sedated and thoroughly unconscious. ... as far as you can tell. He does have blood on his hands, likely from killing Lark.

[4/1/2013 9:09:53 PM] Coil: Coil opens the thing and yanks the guy out of the coffin, and puts a shot through his heart.

[4/1/2013 9:10:47 PM] Josie: His eyes open, briefly, only to close again as he slumps to the ground.

[4/1/2013 9:10:55 PM] Josie: Lark flinches; Vir doesn't.

[4/1/2013 9:11:07 PM] Coil: Coil then drags him to the airlock.

[4/1/2013 9:11:44 PM] Coil: ... he was guily of killing Lark and trying to kill me, at the very least. Still, spacing is not a good way to die.

[4/1/2013 9:12:13 PM] Josie: Lark: Yes. With my own gun. ... her own gun.

[4/1/2013 9:12:59 PM] Coil: Before we reach the space station, Vir, I'll need you to rig the airlock up so it looks like it was damaged and the cargo hold was vented.

[4/1/2013 9:14:24 PM] Josie: Vir looks up from his new shiny android girl toy. ... that sounds wrong, but it's actually pretty innocent. Anyway. "How much realism will be required?"

[4/1/2013 9:15:52 PM] Coil: As much as you can manage without putting me in debt to creditors. I imagine that they'll mostly be worried about you, anyway, am I right?

[4/1/2013 9:15:55 PM] Coil: Coil looks at Lark.

[4/1/2013 9:16:28 PM] Josie: Lark: ... it's difficult to say. People often have a large blind spot regarding themselves.

[4/1/2013 9:17:05 PM] Josie: Lark: She believes... believed... no one cared much, even her colleagues. I'm not so certain. She was much better-regarded than she saw.

[4/1/2013 9:17:30 PM] Coil: I mean, in regards to their investigation.

[4/1/2013 9:18:39 PM] Josie: Lark: Doubtful. The one in the other container was of most concern. I was considered contained and not a threat, and the captain was relatively low in rank.

[4/1/2013 9:19:06 PM] Coil: All right.

[4/1/2013 9:19:31 PM] Coil: Do what you have to do, Vir.

[4/1/2013 9:21:11 PM] Josie: Lark: Perhaps you ought to see to the other prisoner. ... possibly before she steals everything in your accounts.

[4/1/2013 9:21:59 PM] Coil: Good point. Stay here.

[4/1/2013 9:22:03 PM] Coil: Coil goes to find the catgirl.

[4/1/2013 9:22:27 PM] Josie: Lark: Quite.

[4/1/2013 9:22:36 PM] Josie: Where will you look first?

[4/1/2013 9:22:59 PM] Coil: Where he saw her last, in Lark's quarters.

[4/1/2013 9:23:50 PM] Josie: She's not there.

[4/1/2013 9:24:05 PM] Coil: Bridge, then.

[4/1/2013 9:24:25 PM] Josie: Are you going to sneak or stride noisily?

[4/1/2013 9:24:41 PM] Coil: I think that sneaking his kind of his default.

[4/1/2013 9:24:50 PM] Josie: True!

[4/1/2013 9:26:12 PM] Josie: You sneak almost soundlesslly into the cockpit, where she's sitting using the computer interface.

[4/1/2013 9:27:05 PM] Coil: Coil puts the gun to her head. "I've had a terrible day.  I would stop what you were doing."

[4/1/2013 9:27:44 PM] Josie: She squeaks; it almost sounds like a mew, and puts her hands up immediately.

[4/1/2013 9:28:01 PM] Coil: What's your name?

[4/1/2013 9:28:15 PM] Josie: Catgirl: ... Kitty?

[4/1/2013 9:28:34 PM] Coil: Is that a question or an answer?

[4/1/2013 9:28:53 PM] Josie: She flinches a little bit. "... Lou. It's Lou."

[4/1/2013 9:29:08 PM] Coil: All right. What are you doing, Lou?

[4/1/2013 9:30:45 PM] Josie: Lou: Changing course. I just don't want to go to prison! They torture people in there and I'm not, I'm not *strong* like the others! All I ever did was take money!

[4/1/2013 9:31:18 PM] Coil: Play your cards right, you're not going to prison. There's been some complications.

[4/1/2013 9:31:53 PM] Josie: Lou: ... complications? ... can you... can you put the gun down? Please?

[4/1/2013 9:32:12 PM] Coil: Turn and face me, hands on your lap.

[4/1/2013 9:32:21 PM] Coil: Coil takes a step back and lowers the gun.

[4/1/2013 9:32:53 PM] Josie: Lou lowers her hands, very slowly, trembling a bit, and swivels the chair around, also very slowly. She flinches a little bit as she turns around.

[4/1/2013 9:33:21 PM] Coil: Coil still holds the gun, but is no longer pointing it at her.

[4/1/2013 9:33:48 PM] Coil: ... robot girl and coffin boy are dead. So is Captain Lark.

[4/1/2013 9:34:47 PM] Josie: Lou stares at him, mouth open. (Her teeth are somewhere between humanoid and felinoid.) "You... you *killed* them?"

[4/1/2013 9:35:01 PM] Coil: Of course not.

[4/1/2013 9:35:01 PM] Josie: She wails "Please don't kill me I'll be good I promise!"

[4/1/2013 9:35:11 PM] Josie: Lou: ... oh.

[4/1/2013 9:36:41 PM] Coil: Well, I killed coffin boy, but he tried to kill me first.

[4/1/2013 9:37:25 PM] Coil: The plan is to tell them you all got spaced.

[4/1/2013 9:38:30 PM] Josie: Lou *stares*, big green cat slit-eyes wide. "... you're... you're not going to space me, are you? I can help you! I can do lots of things!"

[4/1/2013 9:38:52 PM] Coil: No, I'm not going to space you. I'm not a monster.

[4/1/2013 9:39:16 PM] Josie: Lou: ... oh. Oh, good.

[4/1/2013 9:39:36 PM] Josie: She relaxes a little bit, tail lashing a bit.

[4/1/2013 9:40:36 PM] Coil: Going to have to hide you when we get to the station, though.

[4/1/2013 9:41:53 PM] Josie: Lou: Hide. I'm good at hiding.

[4/1/2013 9:43:56 PM] Josie: Lou: I can hide anything.

[4/1/2013 9:44:17 PM] Coil: And please don't embezzle from me.

[4/1/2013 9:44:38 PM] Josie: Lou grins. "That a contract?"

[4/1/2013 9:44:58 PM] Coil: Good with computers?

[4/1/2013 9:45:18 PM] Josie: Lou: Better'n'anyone. Got into yours, didn't I?

[4/1/2013 9:46:10 PM] Coil: Make yourself a new identity, and you're hired. I could use a computer person. Clearly our firewalls aren't great.

[4/1/2013 9:48:01 PM] Josie: Lou nods. "Spongecake. What kind of ident? Princess? Copper? Coalition president?"

[4/1/2013 9:50:22 PM] Coil: Something innocuous. The point is not to attract attention and remind the coalition that you're a feline-augment hacker who looks exactly like a feline-augment hacker who died mysteriously.

[4/1/2013 9:52:28 PM] Josie: Lou: Right. You need more or just for me?

[4/1/2013 9:52:54 PM] Coil: Just worry about yourself for now.

[4/1/2013 9:53:33 PM] Josie: Lou: What's my cut?

[4/1/2013 9:53:39 PM] Coil: ...how far did you get into my files?

[4/1/2013 9:53:47 PM] Josie: Lou grins. "Far enough."

[4/1/2013 9:54:55 PM] Coil: You'll get a fair cut. Don't screw over me or Vir, and you'll even get to enjoy it.

[4/1/2013 9:55:44 PM] Josie: Lou: Don't hit me or use me, then.

[4/1/2013 9:57:06 PM] Coil: Wasn't planning on it, Lou. If you're part of my crew, I'll treat you right.

[4/1/2013 9:57:51 PM] Josie: Lou: All men say that.

[4/1/2013 10:01:59 PM] Coil: I don't care what 'all men' say. I'm speaking for me. You can take the deal and stay aboard. Or once we're clear, I'll drop you off on some populated world where you can get to robbing again. It'd probably be more lucrative.

[4/1/2013 10:03:07 PM] Josie: Lou eyes him.

[4/1/2013 10:03:18 PM] Josie: Lou: Maybe you're just not thinking big enough.

[4/1/2013 10:03:56 PM] Coil: Oh?

[4/1/2013 10:04:47 PM] Josie: Lou: You used to get a *lot* more of a payday.

[4/1/2013 10:05:21 PM] Coil: I used to.

[4/1/2013 10:05:44 PM] Josie: Lou: What happened? What went wrong?

[4/1/2013 10:07:47 PM] Coil: ... we're not discussing that right now.

[4/1/2013 10:08:12 PM] Josie: Lou shrugs. "Suit yourself." She looks at the gun in his hand interestedly. "Do I get a shooter?"

[4/1/2013 10:09:26 PM] Coil: No. Well, you buy one yourself, sure, but they're not standard issue, no.

[4/1/2013 10:12:41 PM] Josie: Lou: ... sure about that? Whose money would I buy myself anything with?

[4/1/2013 10:13:55 PM] Coil: When I start paying you, I mean.

[4/1/2013 10:14:39 PM] Josie: Lou: And before that?

[4/1/2013 10:15:07 PM] Coil: ... if it will make you feel better, I'll loan you a gun until you buy one of your own.

[4/1/2013 10:15:20 PM] Josie: Lou: ... okay.

[4/1/2013 10:15:23 PM] Josie: She holds her hand out.

[4/1/2013 10:15:37 PM] Coil: Not this one. Follow me.

[4/1/2013 10:16:14 PM] Josie: Lou: Sure thing.

[4/1/2013 10:17:03 PM] Coil: Coil goes to his quarters and hands her the sidearm he keeps under his pillow.

[4/1/2013 10:18:34 PM] Josie: She checks to make sure it's loaded and/or charged.

[4/1/2013 10:18:59 PM] Coil: It's fully charged. Coil's hand is on his holstered gun.

[4/1/2013 10:19:20 PM] Josie: She points the gun at Coil. "Now give me all your money."

[4/1/2013 10:19:52 PM] Coil: Coil blinks. "Seriously?"

[4/1/2013 10:20:21 PM] Josie: Lou grins and pockets the gun. "Nah."

[4/1/2013 10:21:03 PM] Coil: Funny. C'mon, this way.

[4/1/2013 10:21:18 PM] Coil: Coil leads her to another cabin. "You can stay in here."

[4/1/2013 10:21:34 PM] Josie: She peeks inside, sniffing at it. "Not this one."

[4/1/2013 10:21:42 PM] Coil: Why not?

[4/1/2013 10:21:54 PM] Josie: Lou: Smells like water.

[4/1/2013 10:22:16 PM] Coil: Coil finds her another one away from Vir's cabin.

[4/1/2013 10:22:46 PM] Josie: She sniffs at the second cabin. "... better."

[4/1/2013 10:24:33 PM] Josie: Lou sits on her bunk. "You let the others go too?"

[4/1/2013 10:25:01 PM] Coil: Coffin guy is dead. He's getting spaced.

[4/1/2013 10:25:18 PM] Coil: Robot girl is effectively dead.

[4/1/2013 10:25:28 PM] Coil: Lark is dead.

[4/1/2013 10:25:58 PM] Josie: Lou: ... droid wasn't very nice. Captain Bitchipants is dead? Really? Well, couldn't've happened to a nicer copper.

[4/1/2013 10:27:09 PM] Coil: Oh, and the fourth prisoner is inhabiting the dead nice copper's body. So, fair warning.

[4/1/2013 10:27:35 PM] Josie: Lou's face drains of color. "*What*?"

[4/1/2013 10:28:08 PM] Coil: Yeah. Complicated.

[4/1/2013 10:28:16 PM] Josie: Lou: The slug got out?

[4/1/2013 10:28:27 PM] Coil: What do you know about the slug?

[4/1/2013 10:29:08 PM] Josie: Lou: It's a parasite. It's a bodysnatching *parasite* that consumes people from the inside out while they're still alive.

[4/1/2013 10:30:43 PM] Coil: Well, this one is wearing someone who's dead.

[4/1/2013 10:31:07 PM] Josie: Lou: How do you know? Did you take her pulse?

[4/1/2013 10:31:38 PM] Coil: If there's one thing I know, it's when someone is dead. She was dead.

[4/1/2013 10:31:51 PM] Josie: Lou: You can't let that thing stay on board!

[4/1/2013 10:33:25 PM] Josie: Lou: They *drink blood.*

[4/1/2013 10:34:13 PM] Coil: Do they?

[4/1/2013 10:34:29 PM] Josie: Lou: Don't you know *anything*? Yessssss.

[4/1/2013 10:36:49 PM] Coil: Apparently not.

[4/1/2013 10:37:52 PM] Josie: Lou shudders. "If that thing's here I'm keeping this gun in my hand and I'm not gonna sleep, either."

[4/1/2013 10:39:00 PM] Coil: Try and make yourself undelicious, then. Don't wear low necked billowy dresses on balconies.

[4/1/2013 10:39:19 PM] Josie: Lou: They suck energy too, numb-nuts!

[4/1/2013 10:39:32 PM] Josie: Lou: And then they crawl into you and hollow you out until your face collapses...

[4/1/2013 10:41:59 PM] Coil: Huh.

[4/1/2013 10:43:27 PM] Coil: ... you hungry?

[4/1/2013 10:43:34 PM] Josie: Lou: ... starved.

[4/1/2013 10:44:59 PM] Coil: Coil nods, and shows her to the galley, with it's supply of space-food.

[4/1/2013 10:45:54 PM] Josie: She follows him, although she does keep her gun out and ready.

[4/1/2013 10:46:27 PM] Coil: Help yourself.

[4/1/2013 10:46:39 PM] Josie: Lou: I only eat meat.

[4/1/2013 10:47:37 PM] Coil: Coil pulls out a thing of jerky.

[4/1/2013 10:48:32 PM] Josie: Lou takes it, and tears at it with her sharp little teeth.

[4/1/2013 10:48:52 PM] Josie: Lou: So. What's with the fish boy?

[4/1/2013 10:50:09 PM] Coil: Coil points to another container. "This is protein, by the way.  And his name is Vir.  He's my engineer."

[4/1/2013 10:50:46 PM] Josie: Lou: So you have absolutely no problem with having someone that importnat on board, huh?

[4/1/2013 10:52:53 PM] Coil: I'm the last person to judge people based on what they are or were.

[4/1/2013 10:53:16 PM] Josie: Lou: And you're not worried. Fine, suit yourself.

[4/1/2013 10:53:29 PM] Josie: She shrugs and hops onto a table, sprawling out a bit there.

[4/1/2013 10:56:11 PM] Coil: Coil files it away for later and heads back to the cargo bay.

[4/1/2013 10:56:35 PM] Josie: She stays there, gnawing on the jerky.

[4/1/2013 10:59:04 PM] Josie: As soon as Coil steps into the room, someone grabs his hands and whisks him into a very capable waltz. It's actually Lark, or to be more accurate, the slug in Lark's body. The corpse's face looks a bit less dead at the moment; though it's still pale it has a fairly realistic flush. At the same time, Lark's blue-green eyes have become a much deeper shade of the color--iridescent, and very saturated.

[4/1/2013 10:59:32 PM] Coil: ... what are you doing?

[4/1/2013 11:00:42 PM] Josie: Lark: Testing it out, of course! This is a dance called the waltz. The captain learned it when she was quite young. Thank you for your assistance!

[4/1/2013 11:00:51 PM] Josie: She lets Coil go, and bows, sweepingly.

[4/1/2013 11:01:45 PM] Josie: Vir is still fiddling with the robot, some of whose guts are now on the floor.

[4/1/2013 11:02:03 PM] Coil: Is it true that your people drink blood and life energy?

[4/1/2013 11:04:35 PM] Josie: Lark: ... er, well.

[4/1/2013 11:06:30 PM] Josie: She looks embarassed. "I did warn you there were certain elements of upkeep."

[4/1/2013 11:07:32 PM] Coil: And you were very vague on the point. So, spill.

[4/1/2013 11:08:05 PM] Josie: Lark: I'm not carrying any liquids.

[4/1/2013 11:08:22 PM | Edited 11:08:27 PM] Josie: She frowns, a bit puzzled.

[4/1/2013 11:09:28 PM] Coil: .... tell me everything.

[4/1/2013 11:09:46 PM] Josie: Lark: Ah, yes, a colloquialism! How delightful.

[4/1/2013 11:11:07 PM] Josie: Lark: Yes. Er. Well, it's a bit complicated to explain, but yes, I do require some vital component on a somewhat regular basis. Blood will do. Energy will also do. However, given sufficient supplies I believe I can synthesize a substitute that will be adequate for my purposes.

[4/1/2013 11:12:22 PM] Coil: How long can you survive without?

[4/1/2013 11:13:06 PM] Josie: Lark: Two days or so. ... the amount required wouldn't kill an ordinary humanoid, you understand. One unit, perhaps less.

[4/1/2013 11:14:29 PM] Coil: What kind of supplies do you need to synthesize a non-blood non-vital energy substitute?

[4/1/2013 11:17:45 PM] Josie: Lark lists off a few items. Most of them you likely have in your emergency medical gear, but there are two items on the list that are contraband, and could only be found in a hospital or possibly a specialty clinic, and then always under strict lock and key, as one can be used to make powerful explosives and the other is itself a powerful narcotic.

[4/1/2013 11:20:19 PM] Coil: ...how did the coalition catch you, anyway?

[4/1/2013 11:21:51 PM] Josie: Lark: Er. Well. I'm not entirely certain, to tell you the truth.

[4/1/2013 11:23:33 PM] Coil: How could you not know?

[4/1/2013 11:24:05 PM] Josie: Lark: I can't remember.

[4/1/2013 11:24:11 PM] Josie: Lark: It's very embarassing.

[4/1/2013 11:25:46 PM] Josie: She actually blushes a bit.

[4/1/2013 11:26:02 PM] Coil: What were you doing before you woke up in the box, then?

[4/1/2013 11:26:52 PM] Josie: Lark: ... I can't remember that either, I'm afraid...

[4/1/2013 11:27:14 PM] Coil: Is that normal?

[4/1/2013 11:28:13 PM] Josie: Lark: No.

[4/1/2013 11:28:47 PM] Coil: Any theories on that?

[4/1/2013 11:29:38 PM] Josie: Lark: I may have been injured if they tore me from a host.

[4/1/2013 11:30:53 PM] Coil: So you don't know anything about what you were before you got caught?

[4/1/2013 11:31:44 PM] Josie: Lark: I was me, of course!

[4/1/2013 11:33:24 PM] Josie: Lark: I'm a scientist. A researcher, an explorer.

[4/1/2013 11:35:01 PM] Coil: All right, then.

[4/1/2013 11:36:20 PM] Josie: Lark: I specialize in biology and medicine.

[4/1/2013 11:36:22 PM] Josie: She smiles.

[4/1/2013 11:42:24 PM] Coil: Oh, okay. So you weren't a contract killer and forgot about it, or anything.

[4/1/2013 11:43:03 PM] Josie: Lark: ... no. No, I'm fairly certain that isn't the case. I feel quite a bit of abhorrence at the idea of killing.

[4/1/2013 11:45:13 PM] Josie: Vir: Good.

[4/1/2013 11:47:08 PM] Coil: Coil nods. "The question is what I'm going to do with you."

[4/1/2013 11:47:36 PM] Josie: Lark: Er. Well. I'm certain I could make myself useful in some way.

[4/1/2013 11:49:28 PM] Coil: Lou, the feline augment might be staying as well. I'm not sure.

[4/1/2013 11:50:08 PM] Josie: Lark: Excellent! The more the merrier, I always say.

[4/1/2013 11:50:21 PM] Coil: Mmm. I haven't decided yet.

[4/1/2013 11:50:46 PM] Coil: We might all be busy getting executed.

[4/1/2013 11:51:37 PM] Josie: Lark: ... I would prefer not, please.

[4/1/2013 11:51:57 PM] Josie: Lark: I have a number of useful skills I could proffer on your behalf, sir.

[4/1/2013 11:52:17 PM] Josie: Lark: The good captain was quite the dancer!

[4/1/2013 11:53:33 PM] Coil: That's not terribly useful.

[4/1/2013 11:53:54 PM] Josie: Lark: No?

[4/1/2013 11:54:14 PM] Josie: She looks disappointed. "Biological classification? An expansive knowledge of various organisms?"

[4/1/2013 11:54:30 PM] Coil: We ship cargo and passengers.

[4/1/2013 11:55:16 PM] Josie: Lark: Er? Painting and sculpture?

[4/1/2013 11:55:36 PM] Coil: Sometimes.

[4/1/2013 11:56:04 PM] Josie: Lark: I mean I can produce it. Um.

[4/1/2013 11:56:32 PM] Josie: Lark: ... I'm considered an excellent singer?

[4/1/2013 11:56:45 PM] Josie: She looks absurdly hopeful.

[4/1/2013 11:56:47 PM] Josie: Vir snorts.

[4/1/2013 11:59:24 PM] Coil: ... can you treat wounds? Gunshots, beam burns, that sort of thing?

[4/1/2013 11:59:40 PM] Josie: Lark: Naturally! But that's hardly worth mentioning.

[4/2/2013 12:01:44 AM] Josie: Lark: ... I can make jewelry?

[4/2/2013 12:02:22 AM] Coil: The medical thing would probably be much more useful.

[4/2/2013 12:02:39 AM] Josie: Lark, puzzled. "Oh, would it? Very well, then."

[4/2/2013 12:03:12 AM] Coil: Yeah, we don't have a doctor on board.

[4/2/2013 12:03:26 AM] Josie: Lark: Then I'm your woman!

[4/2/2013 12:03:34 AM] Josie: She offers her hand to Coil to shake.

[4/2/2013 12:05:43 AM] Coil: Are you? A woman, I mean.

[4/2/2013 12:06:18 AM] Josie: Lark looks down at herself. "Yes, I should say so. Two breasts and, er. So forth."

[4/2/2013 12:06:50 AM] Coil: I mean you, personally. Are you a 'her', because you're in a female body?

[4/2/2013 12:07:17 AM] Josie: Lark: ... shouldn't I be?

[4/2/2013 12:07:36 AM] Coil: I don't know how it works.

[4/2/2013 12:08:35 AM] Josie: Lark: Oh, do you mean *my* gender?

[4/2/2013 12:09:19 AM] Coil: Yeah.

[4/2/2013 12:09:34 AM] Josie: Lark: ... I'm not entirely certain the concepts quite align, but... yes?

[4/2/2013 12:09:41 AM] Josie: Lark: Why do you ask?

[4/2/2013 12:12:01 AM] Coil: Just... curious, I suppose. I've never met one of your species before.

[4/2/2013 12:12:49 AM] Josie: Lark: Ah. Well, we don't reproduce quite *exactly* like you do, as I understand it.

[4/2/2013 12:13:45 AM] Coil: I wouldn't think so. I just don't know to what degree you take on the traits of your hosts.

[4/2/2013 12:14:50 AM] Josie: Lark: Er, well. More and more over time. It could become rather awkward.

[4/2/2013 12:18:14 AM] Coil: Huh.

[4/2/2013 12:18:30 AM] Coil: ((How long till we're at the space station?))

[4/2/2013 12:18:42 AM] Josie: ((Probably another four hours or so.))

[4/2/2013 12:18:46 AM] Josie: Lark: It makes sense from an evolutionary perspective.

[4/2/2013 12:19:32 AM] Josie: Lark: We benefit by the memories of our hosts.