Rae and Marcus, May 4, 2513 My What Big Teeth You Have

Estes turns back to Marcus. “Why don’t you just leave the shoes there and be on your way?” Marcus looks at the man somewhat apprehensively, clears his throat and stands a little taller. “No, I think I’ll wait on Rhiannon, ah, Rae.” Estes crosses his arms and tilts his head slightly, still chewing on the cigar. “Who might you be then?” Marcus holds out a hand to the man. “I’m Marcus. I have a shop, antiques shop.” He trails off and drops his hand when Estes does not shake it. “Isn’t that nice. You want to tell me what happened last night?” Marcus looks at Estes blankly while his mind spins rapidly, wondering how to handle this new addition. He did not expect someone like Rhiannon, Rae that is, to have such a large… addition to her family. The man reeked of suspicion and distrust. No matter what he said, it would not sway this man.

“Rh, ah Rae didn’t tell you?” Estes looks at him slyly and says. “Let’s just say I’d like to hear your version of events.” Luckily at that time up walks Rhiannon herself. “Hi Marcus, thanks for returning those.” She reaches out and takes the boots from him. She is wearing what looks to be workout clothes, and they reveal much more than what she previously had on. He stares at her a moment, taking note of all the bruises she got from their spar. He is a little surprised that she wasn’t just sleeping it all off.

He follows them as they walk over to a bench. Rae puts her shoes on it and Estes sits down, picking up a wrap. Rae sighs and proceeds to lift her shirt enough so that Estes can wrap her ribs. Marcus notices even more bruises and thinks maybe she just bruises easily, being so fair skinned and all. He looks at her and notices she is staring at the wall above Estes’ head, looking embarrassed. “Why did you tell me your name was Rhiannon?” She makes a face, looks at him and says. “Because it is.” “Why does everyone here call you Rae?” She rolls her eyes and stares up at the ceiling, trying not to flash anyone as she holds her shirt up. “Because they think it’s cute. Sunshine Rae, ya know? They think if they call me Rae I’ll act like a girl more. I don’t know. They’re my friends. They call me Rae.”

Rae and Marcus, May 4, 2513 Location, Location, Location

Marcus calls out to her. “Wwwait! Where are you staying? I’ll bring them to you.” She stops and looks back at him suspiciously. “Sure you will. What are you getting out of all this Marcus? People aren’t usually so nice.” He looks at her blankly for a moment, not sure how to answer; fortunately she seems to take that as a good sign for she answers his question. “I’m staying at the Blue Dragon Dojo. Don’t bring your brother. He’s not welcome around me.” She continues on her way without a backward glance.

He watches her back for a moment before going back into the shop. His brother quickly confronts him. “You let that diji jinu in our shop, she could have stolen us blind! I never thought you would be so sentimental about a woman.” He stands there holding a cold pack to his privates and is distracted enough that he doesn’t see it coming. The blow to his head sends him reeling to the floor. Marcus crouches over him as he lies on the floor, stunned. “Never question me again. Never disobey me again. Be thankful I have you here. Father would have you killed you by now you xiaoqi haizi. Have you learned nothing? Do you want to go back? Leave the girl alone. It is not your right to question what amuses me.” Matthew looks up at him a trace of anger still in his eyes as he tries to compose himself and answer him. “Yes brother. Yes brother. No brother. Yes brother.” He waits tensely for another blow to come, one hand to the side of his head.

Marcus stands up and turns from him. Going into the back and retrieving her shoes, when he returns he tells Matthew. “Watch the shop. Put a cold pack on your face.”

He leaves and slowly makes his way in the direction Rhiannon went, wondering where the Blue Dragon Dojo was.

He gets to a heavily crowded market and asks a few of the vendors. He is pointed in the correct direction. A good thirty minutes later he stands in front of a holo-window with an elaborate blue dragon on it. Taking a deep breath he steps inside, blinking at the gloom. Looking around Rhiannon is nowhere to be found. A short but heavily muscular man walks over to him. “Can I help you?” “Yes, I’m looking for Rhianon.” “Who?” “Rhiannon, she said she was staying here. Young, short, colorful hair?” “Oh you mean Rae, yeah, sure. You’d better talk to Estes.” He points out a tall muscular black man, with short crew cut hair chewing on a cigar and holding a weight bag for someone.

Marcus makes his way over and stops, waiting for the man to have a free moment. Estes looks at him and says around the cigar. “Yeah, what can I do for you? Spit it out.” Marcus lamely holds out the shoes. “I have Rhiannon’s shoes, she left them at my shop.” Estes holds up a hand at the man who was boxing but is now staring at Marcus with an odd expression. “You mean Rae. So, that’s where she was last night. You the one who put his hands on her?” Marcus puts the shoes down by his side again and nervously pushes up his glasses. “Wha, what? No, no I. She was, and I. Maybe you should ask her. I just want to return these. Is she here? Does she stay here.” Estes gives his cigar a good chew. “I reckon if you’re here she told you she did and she is. She’s getting cleaned up. Going to have to wrap those ribs of hers. Got a broken one. Course, you wouldn’t know anything bout that would you?” Marcus shakes his head. “No, I, I tried to get her to see a doctor, but.” He trails off.

The boxer looks from Estes to Marcus anxiously. He looks at Marcus and asks. “You spent the night with Rae?” Marcus flushes and pushes his glasses up again. “No, she just stayed there.” The boxer looks back at Estes as if to gauge his reaction, then states. “You are one yi dwei da buen chuo roh.” Estes looks at the boxer. The boxer slowly backs away and moves to another area of the gym to practice.

Diary, April 5, 2518 II

Can you believe it? Shopping is over. I have a gorgeous dress, not like I'll get to wear it much after this. And wouldn't you know it. As soon as we spend money on a dress, in mores a high society lady who has tons I could have borrowed. Hmm, maybe I can get her to do my hair and makeup. Captains going to kill me though. I mentioned the party to her and said it was a ticket from a previous job and she wants to go with me. I don't know how to explain to her she can't. Maybe she could though, keep her off the ship and out of everyone's way for the night. I'll have to talk to the captain. Picked out my bunk today too, got to stow my stuff in it! The new lady's name is Lucy. She bought passage on the ship, though I don't know why she did it on a broken ship. Seems Lucy, Tommy and John are going to be the only ones on the ship that act civil. Tommy started out all grumpy and standoffish, but he came out of it real quick like. He seems pretty cool. All in a fix about his leg though, makin cripple comments. Seems to get him from one place to another fine to me, and he said it doesn't hurt any. John started out all snooty and high society and stiff. He's okay though, I think he must have a good heart and all. He is a doctor after all, isn't that a job requirement for doctors? He's awful fun to pick with, so's Tommy. When you can get him to crack a smile and stop being so evasive. Everyone on this ship is evasive. What did I do? Hire on with a bunch of escaped convicts? You'd think it! Paranoid escaped convicts!! Oh well, if you can get used to the fact that Lucy doesn't STOP talking atleast I seem to have one person here thats friendly. Still, its a job, and it'll get me back out there. Gotta stay long enough to figure out what's wrong with the captain besides anyhow.

Rae and Marcus, May 4, 2513 Avoiding Conflict

Rhiannon stood, glaring at Matthew with murderous intent. Marcus again placed himself between them. She wiped her eyes with a hand and turned, allowing Marcus to lead her out to the hallway and then the alleyway. Matthew watched them go with fury in his eyes.

Once outside she asked, “Here? This close?” Marcus answered her absentmindedly, “Yes, I told you, my alley.” She carefully began a slightly unsteady search of the alleyway, bracing herself against the wall to keep her balance. “I don’t see it!” Marcus stands in one spot, going over the previous nights activities in his head. He searches the ground with his eyes, tracing his memory’s path. He spots it caught on the edge of some metal, it almost blends in. He watches it for a moment, amazed that something so insignificant looking could cause such a reaction in someone. He turns to watch her speculatively, wondering what would happen if he told her it was gone. Even more, he wondered what would happen if he pocketed it and at a later date returned it as “him.” In the time it took him to debate this however, her agitation had grown and she was near tears again. He walks over to the area, pretending to search. Casting a glance in her direction he grabs the necklace and turns to her. “I found it.” He holds it up for her to see. “That’s it!” She reaches out to take it. Clasping it to her chest she closes her eyes and offers up a prayer of thanks. She reaches out a hand and grabs Marcus by the back of the neck. Pulling him down she puts her forehead against his and says. “Thank you.” She kisses his cheek and lets go of him. He looks at her wide-eyed and nervously pushed up his glasses. “It, it was nothing, glad I helped.” Wiping her eyes again she notices her bare feet. “I’ll come back some other time for my shoes. Hold onto them for me? I’m not going back in there. I’m sorry I was so much trouble.” She turns and begins to walk away.

Rae and Marcus, May 4, 2513 Rude Awakening

Rhiannon is woken up to a strange man standing over her and staring with a lewd look in his eyes. She opens her eyes and lets out a startled noise as she tenses and grabs the edge of the bed. “He pay for the whole night then? Any left over?” She glares at him and says, “Who the diyu are you?” He frowns at her. “I’m the brother. What’s the matter? Don’t do brothers?” She slowly sits up and levels an icy stare at him. “I am NOT a whore.” His eyes widen and his face goes sullen. “Yeah, why you in my brother’s bed then?” She puts a hand to her forehead and resists the urge to kick him. “Why don’t you ask your brother and get out of here.” The man looks like he’s doing his own resisting, like he isn’t used to taking orders from women. He gives her a glare and marches out, slamming the door behind him. Looking up Rhiannon notices her surrounding for the first time. She is in a medium sized bedroom with three doors. One obviously leads to the hallway, but the others? Getting up stiffly and feeling aches in numerous places she walks to the first door and opens it. Noting it is a closet she closes it and moves on to the next one and is almost giddy when she finds it is a bathroom. Going in she shuts and locks the door to inspect the damage in the mirror.

Marcus sleeps on the couch, resting peacefully when he is rudely awoken by a loud door slam. Wondering if Rhiannon was having problems he sits up and gets ready to check on her when he is almost bowled over by his brother. “What in the eighteen levels of hell are you doing?” He gives Matthew a stern look. Matthew wilts slightly beneath his brother’s stern gaze. It is obvious who is in charge here. “There’s a girl in your room.” He states sulkily. “Why are you on the couch.” Marcus sighs heavily, wondering how to explain everything to his obnoxious little brother. “Don’t worry about it. Just don’t tell her anything about us. And don’t act like a bendan if I do something you don’t understand.” Matthew now looks curious. “What are you going to.” He is interrupted by a scream from the back. Both men turn and look at the door as if they expect a woman on fire to come running through. When nothing happens Marcus swiftly goes through the door and to his room to find Rhiannon dizzily taking the sheets off the bed and searching through them. He looks at her in surprise. “Wh, what, what are you doing??” She looks up at him with a panicked and tearful expression. “I can’t find my necklace, I can’t find my necklace.” She chants in a sort of mantra as she rifles through his sheets and slowly gets down to look under the bed, swaying slightly. Marcus, concerned at her odd behavior over a necklace, leans down to help her. “What did it look like?” Rae looks up at him for a moment uncomprehending, and then blinks. “It was a rock, wrapped on a leather chain. Please I have to find it.” Matthew’s gaze flicks between his brother and the woman. “What’s the big deal, it’s a stupid rock. Go get another one meh lien duh jyah jee.” Marcus stops for a moment and gives his brother a look while at the same time Rhiannon turns and lashes out at Matthew, hitting him in the crotch. “Bi jweh you huen dahn buh dahn. Go walk out an airlock!” She sits with her back to the bed trying to steady her to kick him in the face as he’s doubled over. Marcus looks wide eyed at Rhiannon and does the only thing he can in the situation, he throws himself across her and raises his arms, talking calmly to her. He knows his brother would have to go through him to get to her and vice versa. “Rhiannon, the necklace is not here. When did you last see it? Calm down and think.” She drags her gaze from the now downed Matthew and looks at Marcus. Sniffing she wipes her eyes and thinks. “Last night, during the fight.” He nods at her and stands up, reaching down to help her up and steady her. “Then let’s go look in the alley.”

Rae and Marcus, May 3, 2513 Getting to Know You

He has almost dozed off when she sits straight up and then flops back down on the bed, out again. He sits up straight and watches her, reaching out to replace the cold pack. In a few moments, she slowly opens her eyes and looks around, tensing. Spotting him she asks, “Are you the guy?” Confusion plain in her face along with nervousness she watches him. “Why am I here? Where is here? Who are you?” He stands, fumbling with his glasses, “What? I, I’m, my name is Marcus. I found you. On the ground.” He grimaces slightly and restates the obvious again. “I found you, outside in my alley, there was a noise. I saw some drunks and you were out so…” He trails off for a moment. “Are you alright? Who are you?” She blinks and tries to sit up very slowly, wincing. “Are you really not him?” Marcus looks at her in confusion. “Who is him? Is that the one who beat you up? Why would I beat you up? Were you doing something illegal?” Marcus eyes her with concern. “Is the Alliance looking for you?” She gives up on sitting up and rolls over on her side to eye him better. “No, they might be after him though. You should have seen him. He was amazing.” She gets a dreamy look in her eyes and sighs. Marcus looks at her, an odd light in his eyes. “Who is him? Who is amazing? Are you on drugs?” She snaps back to reality and gives him a grumpy look. “Him is the guy in black who I spared with, if I knew who he was I wouldn’t tell you I don’t know you well enough. He was amazing with his fighting technique. No, I’m not on drugs, but I’m sure I’m going to wish I was tomorrow.” She winces again as she shifts. “Can you help me sit up?” He moves to support her head and help here sit up. She appears woozie for a moment, and then sits unsupported. “You think the man who beat you up is amazing? You’re sure you don’t know this man? He’s not your boyfriend?” She closes her eyes for a moment and gets a very annoyed look on her face. She misses the amusement on his face before he slips back into character. “You shouldn’t let men beat on you.” Opening her eyes she addresses him. “It’s my fault Okay? I followed him and asked him to spar. He could have killed me you know. He didn’t. I thought I could learn something. He was so good, I couldn’t resist. It’s my own fault. I’ll be out of your hair if I annoy you so much as soon as I can move without passing out.” She puts a knuckle in her mouth and bites it, closing her eyes and breathing shallowly. Marcus leans over her. “No, you stay. Are you hurt anywhere besides your neck? Do you need another cold pack? What is your name?” She opens her eyes and smiles slightly. “You’re sweet. I’m Rhiannon. Where am I exactly? Maybe another cold pack if you have it?” He nods and heads for the door, fumbling clumsily with the knob as he tells her, “You’re in my home, my shop. I’m an antiques dealer. You’re..ah, you’re in my ah.. That’s my bed.” There is a slight flush when he tells her this. He exits and returns quickly with two more cold packs. Knowing he hit her in more than just one other place and she’s probably worse than she looks. He almost drops the packs as he hands them to her. “Duibuqi. Do I need to, to call a doctor, to check you?” She grimaces as she holds a cold pack to her side and one to her neck, wondering how to put the other on her stomach as she sits up. “Huh? No, I just need a little while. I can sit in the chair. You can have your bed back. I wont be any trouble. I’m just not up for walking back to my room yet.” She gives him an embarrassed and apologetic look. He stands there, looking at her with a blank expression while his mind works. This girl amuses him, and it’s a nice change, he’s been bored lately. He can sense her discomfort and embarrassment at needing help and he makes up his mind. “N no, you sleep here tonight. I’ve got ah a couch. You stay as long as you like.” He gives her a shy smile. “You, you need help laying back down?” She bites her bottom lip as a grateful expression crosses her face. “Yes please?” Once she is settled, he leaves, grabbing a blanket and pillow and heading for the kitchen and lounge area. Marcus smiles widely as he wonders what he’s gotten himself into, and oddly he begins to think about the kiss she blew him in the alley.

Rae and Marcus, May 3, 2513 Perchance to Meet a Thief II

He lets her go, not sure if he should be angry or amused. She turns to him and rubs her arm. “What, that counts, coulda been a weapon of some sort. You should be more careful.” Her voice is laced with amusement. He is now a mix of angry and amused, she is right after all. He puts his guard up again and goes in for a blow to a pressure point on her arm to cause it to go numb. She drops to the ground and lashes out a foot to his knee, which he barely avoids. She is up fairly quickly and spinning in a roundhouse kick. He ducks her leg and lands a blow to her midsection, which has her gasping for breath. He again exudes cocky confidence. “What, like we both knew you weren’t going to kick my butt?” She stands up, stiffer and takes stance. “One down, one more to go. What do I get if I do this huh?” She slowly stalks back in, watching his stance, unable to see his eyes in the dark. He lashes out at her with a quick kick to the ribs and a blow to her abdomen area again. She reel’s backwards for a moment, then presses forwards, trying to get at his midpoints. She is able to slowly work closer and closer until she through pure luck lands a blow to his shoulder. She steps back and blows a kiss at him. “And that makes two.” A sudden noise in the alleyway makes her start and turn, as she turns back she almost but not quite is able to block the blow to her neck that knocks her out.

He stands there, breathing slowly to center himself again. This distraction was interesting, but he’d have preferred to be home long before now. He is also annoyed that his newly acquired data could have been damaged. Well, not really, looking at her skill level. He looks at her prone figure and up in the direction of the noise. Only an amateur would make a mistake such as that. Still she did get in two unexpected tags. He steps into the deeper shadows, as the perpetrators of the noise get closer. It is a group of drunks, and one almost trips over the unconscious woman. He lets out a drunken curse until he notices what he almost tripped over. He then calls out to his fellow drunks, one taking a leak on the alley wall. They gather around her, making lewd dares.

He watches this from the shadows, wondering if he should intervene. Finally with a somewhat reluctant expulsion of air he steps out and makes quick work of the drunks.

He hesitantly gathers up the strange woman and tosses her on his shoulder, quickly making his way home. He gives the urinating drunk another harsh kick for urinating on his wall. He thanks Buddah that he stopped and dealt with the girl before she realized how close to his shop they were. He enters a door concealed in the shadows, already coming up with a story.

He enters into a small hallway with a door ahead and off to his left and a hallway ahead off to his right with a few doors leading off of it. Opening one of the doors he deposits the woman on a bed and then slips out, locking the door behind him. He opens a closet and takes out a change of clothes. He hides his newly acquired data disk and changes. Once changed, he hides his original clothing and slips back in to check on the unconscious girl. He flips on the light and gets a look at her. She is younger than he thought, it looks like she is still in her teens and the colorful hair would attest to that. She is a pretty girl but an utter inconvenience at this point in time and he frowns and wonders what to do with her. He settles for taking off her shoes and straightening her on the bed. He goes out the door and turns left, going through another door into a small kitchen. He returns with a cold pack and places it on her neck, surprised in the light to already see a bruise forming. Pulling a blanket over her he settles down in a chair, wishing that he could have his bed, to wait.

Rae and Marcus, May 3, 2513 Perchance to Meet a Thief

He is a dark shadow as he evades the two attackers. His face covered by a black mask, his clothes matching it in color. He moves rapidly, countering their strikes and blows. They had long since been disarmed, their weapons lost in the shadows of the night in the dark alley. It is not hard to see he has them out classed in hand to hand, as each of them in turn fall, in a broken heap at his feet. He turns and races deeper into the alley after pausing briefly.

She watches him from the shadows, in awe of his skills. When he leaves, she follows behind at what she assumes is a safe distance. Turning a corner on a deserted street, using the moon as her light she comes up short. Turning slightly from side to side she searches for him, fearing she’s lost him. The sudden chokehold on her throat tells her otherwise. She raises her arms in a disarming gesture but is not released. Jamming an elbow into his ribs only earns her a grunt, so she grabs his elbow and wrist and works quickly to slip out of his hold. She is only free a moment before he is barraging her with blows which she clumsily attempts to block. It is obvious he is out of her league. She manages to spit out “Wait.” Which, oddly enough, causes him to pause. She gives him an annoyed look and asks, “Is that any way to treat a lady?” He steps back, stance ready and tilts his head slightly to the side. “I’ve got no doubt you are out of my league, and I am not after you, its just…a girl’s gotta learn somehow.” She smiles widely, taking a ready stance herself. “How about we start slow? Just for fun? You made a real quick job of those guys back there, and I have no wish to end up dead for this. How about I just land a couple blows if I can, and we call it a night?” His posture changes slightly to exude cocky confidence. “Gee, make a girl feel special why don’t you?” She moves in, aiming for his right side only to be quickly blocked and put on the defensive. She keeps her blocks up for several minutes before she spots another opening and goes for it, this one his midpoint area. She comes within an inch of contact before she is blocked, her arm caught and twisted behind her. She is held for a moment, immobilized, closed to him. She notices he is breathing hard and gives herself a mental cheer, thinking if she couldn’t touch him at least she was wearing him out. She reaches back her unrestrained arm and pinches him on the thigh.