SIM:A Rogue Amongst the Stars/Chapter 4
 A Rogue Amongst the Stars |
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Chapter 4
((Private Yacht, somewhere in the Shoals))
After the pirate raider had disabled the private yacht, two men beamed over onto the deck, one with his weapon drawn, the other gleefully surveying the surroundings.
Douglas: Alrighty! ::rubbing his hands together:: What have we got here?
Li Wei took a look around the trashed interior of the yacht, cradling a worn disruptor in his right hand. When he saw the three passengers and the injured yacht captain, he looked back at his companion and cursed.
Li: You said there’d be more!
Douglas: I said there’d be a *handful*!
Li: ...ugh, she’s going to be pissed.
They’d both been on Captain Yolanda Madrid’s bad side lately after a few too many failed runs. This was supposed to be an easy redemption to win back the favor of the fierce pirate captain, but that was assuming Douglas had been right that there was going to be a whole boatload of rich tourists.
One of the passengers who’d been tending to the fallen stood up, a dark-skinned Trill woman in a red dress.
Rahman: Who are you and why have you attacked us?
Li stepped towards her menacingly, pointing the disruptor.
Li: We’re asking the questions today, sweetheart.
Kinan’s eyebrows rose at the term, and then fell into a deep frown, her chin tilting down as she glowered at the armed pair.
Teller’s adrenaline flared as the pirate swung his weapon towards the Captain and he spoke without thinking.
Teller: ::voice booming:: Don’t you dare point that at her!
The pirate turned, ready to blast this oaf when his face froze as he saw the man step into the light.
Li: Holy %#$&.
Douglas: Oi! Language!
Li looked over, his weapon still aimed at the other male passenger.
Li: ::whispers:: That’s the *guy*! That’s him!
Douglas leaned forward and squinted at the short people.
Douglas: Nah, mate. You’re dreaming.
Li looked back at the redheaded man, cocking his head slightly.
Li: ...Captain Finley?
Roshanara furrowed her brow as she looked over at Teller. Who was Captain Finley?
Teller’s already amped mind began whirling. Captain Silas Finley was a hastily concocted pirate persona he’d used once aboard the ill fated Bolian Rose. It was a desperate bluff that barely got G’var, Wil, Mistress IA and Teller off that ship alive. How could these pirates possibly know anything about that?!
Teller: oO No time to figure that out now. I’ve gotta sell it or we’re all dead. Oo
Teller’s voice grew dangerously cold as he tried to summon the cruel bravado of Captain Silas Finley of the entirely imaginary pirate ship Dead Star. He was going to have to bluff big.
Teller: You worthless fools. How dare you operate in this area without my permission.
It was fortunate the pirates had kept their focus on Teller because right now, Roshanara was giving him an utterly astonished look. The woman would have made a terrible poker player.
Underneath a frown that might have rivaled a Rodulan's, Kinan’s eyes widened at the exchange, totally confused about (WHAT THE HELL) was going on.
Douglas: Uahm . . . ::he took a casual step back.:: *About* that . . . *We* aren’t technically operating in your space . . . I mean . . . we’re just *crew*?
Teller saw an opportunity and took it, brazenly stepping forward and placing himself between Rahman and her would be assailants without breaking his gaze with the wavering pirate.
Teller: Are you trying to make excuses when you should be begging for your lives,you imbeciles?
Li lowered his weapon and cursed again. The last thing they needed was the wrath of *two* pirate captains. He looked back angrily at Douglas.
Li: I thought you said there weren’t any signs of someone else operating out here!
Alas, the Trill couldn’t take this confusion anymore. They might as well have been speaking in code.
Kinan: Hold up two seconds--let me get this straight. ::She rubbed at her temples, directing her question to the two pirates and gesturing at Teller.:: You two *know him*?
Douglas: You *don’t*?
Kinan tried to respond to that, but only managed to open her mouth and promptly close it, taking the advice from Ettan, her first host (who had been killed by *pirates* thank you very much Kinan). She only blinked--not really willing to risk the cover Teller had already afforded them, but also not really sure how to respond or play into whatever this . . . scene was.
Li looked back at the two Trill women that were with Finley.
Li: oO Oh. Oo
It suddenly all made sense now. No wonder he was pissed.
Li: Captain, I’m so sorry for the mix-up.
Still, Li was impressed. The man certainly lived up to his reputation.
The pirate waved around the interior of the yacht with his disruptor.
Li: And our *sincerest apologies* for the, uh… mess to your fine vessel.
Teller hoped the two officers with him stayed stunned enough for this little act to play out. He could feel the pirate wavering under his iron hard stare, backed by Finley’s apparently fierce reputation. He just needed to apply a little more pressure...
Teller: You think I care about this worthless garbage scow? Not only have you exposed my presence here to valuable assets, you’ve committed the grave sin of wasting my time. I should call my ship right now and have them start heating my knives.
Kinan: oO Wait, who’s the ‘valuable assets’? Did he just call *us* ‘valuable assets’? Oo
Before Douglas and Li could try to continue defusing the situation with the irate pirate captain, a call came over the line to the two crewmen.
Crawford: =/\= Douglas? Li? What the hell is taking so long over there? =/\=
Douglas: =/\= Uh . . . a slight mix-up? =/\=
Crawford: =/\= Mix-up? =/\=
Li: =/\= It seems, uh, that we’ve stumbled upon Captain Finley while he was on a… =/\=
He glanced back at the two short Trill women again.
Li: =/\= ...private little excursion. =/\=
There was a growl on the other end of the line. And before anyone had time to think, all the passengers and crew of the Golden Wattle were whisked away in a transporter beam.
Continue to Chapter 5