Icy Destination

[Suzumibachii]

Looked at the sun setting before sighing softly she hadn't found the captain she was looking for, but it was getting colder and colder and she wasn in no way going to be able to do well in the cold. She retired to her small apartment. Lighting the fireplace and putting a small pot of soup to start heating it up. Walking towards her desk she opened a large drawer and pulled out a small crossbow, it was heavily modified and had several gears and parts on it. "Nearly there....just need to modify the auto loader and auto winder some more..." She started to focus a tiny point of intense heat developing on her finger as she welded a few more gears into thier correct positions.

[Kaya]

Nettie smiles as she easily follows along side Friedrich. She is still keeping an eye on her surroundings, after a bit of silence she decides to be truthful. "My name is Netra'senaa... I.. don't really have a shortened version of my name because I don't normally.... associate with others." They get to the entrance of the pub and Nettie pulls her clothes a little closer. the last time she was in this pub she ended up getting tossed back out into the street after only a few seconds of entering. Looking a lot younger than she actually was tended to be a problem when she wanted to actually get things.

[Grrxmaster]

Friedrich bit his lip after Nettie said that she didn't associate with many people. There were always lonely people somewhere, and every time he met one, he felt it his responsibility to befriend them. "Netra'senaa," Friedrich repeated, sounding it out carefully. "That's a lovely name. Maybe I could just call you Nettie, though?" He smiled at her, as they entered the tavern. There were a relative few patrons, some at the bar, some near the back. Friedrich thought he saw a reptilian or two, which was unusual for this district. As they found a table, a barmaid looked suspiciously at Nettie. Friedrich waved her off. "It's okay, she's with me."

[Aldrea945]

(Alright, we're going to move ahead.  Thamir, when he can get on, will need to contact me via either PM or OOC.  He won't be dropped, so long as he's here before we get another three pages in, but I may ask him to delete his post and join up later.)

A single buzz, from a radio at the hip of each watcher, alerted them to move out.  At the pub, a large female snake and smaller male lizard approached the goat and cat.  Another, a large female komodo, knocked at the door of the bearded lizard.  She smiled brightly while she waited.  Still more approached those at the docks, smiling and tapping the husky and Velociraptor on the shoulders.

It had begun.

Rachel slipped through the door out of Creya's office building, smiling as she carried a small pack of cookies and a thermos of tea.  She'd insisted on leaving them for Creya and De'cive, have them much on the food, but Creya hadn't taken no for an answer, followed closely by the mouse working at the desk to straighten up before bedding down.  She smiled.  They were so good to her, like another family.  Her own family was... dysfunctional, to say the least, but the people she worked for were always so welcoming.

Her paws turned down the main street, moving almost of her own accord as she got lost in her thoughts.  A crew...  Her bushy tail swished on the cobblestones.  Rachel'd been without a crew for so long after they'd moved on.  It wasn't that she didn't want one, just that good crewmates were hard to come by that hadn't been taken up by others.

She was so lost in her thoughts as she walked she never noticed the eyes watching her from the second story of Creya's building, following her toward the docks.

[Suzumibachii]

Walking to her door as there was a knocking from it almost surprised to see the komodo waiting for her with a smile. "May I help you?" she asked rather softly before listeneing to the komodo telling her that she was beining called to be part of an airship crew, but no details were given. "I guess I can go check it out. Let me grab a few things." Folding her crossbow up before slinging it over her back and grabbing some clothes and tools she walked out her apartment and locked the doors. "lead the way."

[Kaya]

"um... sure.. I guess Nettie will work.. " She says the name a few times to herself testing it out. "It may take me a while to get used to having someone calling me that.."

Nettie was about ready to pull out her coins to get a mug of tea and a hotcake when she noticed a pair, a lizard and an adder that didn't quite belong in the pub. Nettie's tail twitched nervously and she quickly steered Fredric to an empty table near the back exit of the pub. She glances up at Fredric then discreetly toward the lizard and snake that were dressed enough akin to hunters that it made her uneasy.

"Do you have a bounty on your head that you know of?" Nettie quietly asked as she looked him in the eye. Her eyes were not the big and wide innocent ones from earlier, but cold and calculative. Her whole demeanor changed from one of mild relaxation and trying to appear non threatening, to a more standoffish posture. "I appreciate your help but I would like to know why two reptiles started eying us the moment we walked past them, and if it has anything to do with you.. "

[Scout Brighton]

Scout felt a tap on his shoulder, not expecting anyone at the moment, he was slightly startled, jumping.
"Ah...!" Scout yelped as he flinched. "*Please* don't sneak up on me like that...! About pulled my blade...what is it you need?"
He stood there giving the fur that tapped him a look of interest as they explained to him about being part of an airship crew.
"I've been looking for a permanent crew for a little bit of time, this could be good for me, I'll follow. Lead on, stranger."
He followed close behind the fur as they led on.

[Grrxmaster]

Friedrich looked at Nettie with surprise. She had instantly turned from a lost kid into a possible force to be reckoned with. He looked at the reptiles she had indicated. "Bounty? No, of course not! I don't know why they're looking.."
As he was speaking, they looked over to them, and stood up. "Are.. are they dangerous?" Friedrich asked Nettie, suddenly afraid.

[Kaya]

Nettie looks back to the pair in the pub. They were walking towards Fredric and her. She did not like this at all but she knew this was one of the safer pubs and that, if they were smart, would not attack her and Fredric while they were inside.

"I don't THINK they are dangerous... I don't mean to scare you  but they are dangerous... Dangerous to us right now, on that point, I am not so sure. We are in a crowded, public place, so I doubt they will try anything in here... "

She looks away from Fredric and straight at the Adder, then to the Lizard, locking eyes with them both to let them know she has seen them. Nettie growls softly her fur bristling as they are now close enough to the table to over hear Nettie and Fredric talk.

Nettie turns on her seat to face the pair "What do you want? Neither of us have bounties on our heads, nor have we done anything to warrant one. state your business or leave... " She growls, abet it looks rather comical, with her fur standing practically on end trying to make her self appear larger, more threatening.

The adder, the elder one and certainly female, clearly ignores her words. "We've heard you're both good ship-hands."

"Do I look like a ship hand to you?" Nettie starts picking dirt out from under her claws and starts flicking the little clumps at the Adder to gauge her reaction as well as the lizards, they didn't look like patient creatures. She wanted to see just how patient they were. "I may be a ship hand I may not be, all depends on who's asking and what they are paying..." Nettie seems to have forgotten that Fredric was siting across from her at the table.

The adder narrows her eyes, staring down the cat like a piece of steak. It doesn't come through in her voice, however. "You look like a thief in need of a pardon," she says, careful and somewhat cheerily, as she curls her long tail up, under her heated black coat. She is wearing no hat, but she does seem to have gloves on. Her partner is dressed rather similar, with a thick black coat and pants. It was safe to assume they were likely heated as well.

Nettie smiles a bit at the observation made by the Adder and then seems to relax a bit. She looks at Fredric and smiles sheepishly. "Heh... I hate to admit this but... She's kinda right on that front.." Nettie looks back at the pair "Seems like you came well informed."

[Grrxmaster]

At the mere mention of ships, Friedrich's eyes lit up.
"A.. A ship hand? Me?" He had dreamed of this sort of adventure for years. He had never expected that someone would actually come up to him and ask him to join their crew. "I'd love to! Oh my goodness.." The two reptilians smirked at his enthusiasm. "But.. oh no! I'll have to tell my family, I can't just leave!" Friedrich was getting flustered. "I.. I have to go tell them first. I'll be back though!" The two recruiters nodded, and Friedrich ran off, right after giving Nettie a rushed 'seya'.

About ten minutes later, Friedrich arrived at home. It would not be long before his parents would be heading for bed. "Mother, Father!" he addressed them as he entered.
"Friedrich, you're home early.", commented his mother.
"I.. I have to ask you two something."
"Well, goodness, what is it?" asked his father.
"You two both know I've always wanted to see the world. Well.. an opportunity has come. A shipping company has approached me to be a ship-hand. I'd like to take this opportunity." Friedrich cringed, expecting to be told no.
"Well, I can't say we haven't seen this day coming.", his father replied. "You've helped us a lot throughout the years, but I think we'll get along fine without you. You have our blessing if you desire to go. Just make sure to say goodbye to everyone before you leave."
Friedrich had never felt so excited in his life. "Really? That's wonderful!" He quickly ran to hug them both, promising to be careful when he left, and to bring back fantastic tales of his adventures. They also gave him some money for his journey. It was lucky that none of his siblings had fallen asleep yet. He gathered them together, telling them all of what he was going to do. Each sibling was torn between excitement for his upcoming adventure, and grief for his leaving. He assured them all he would bring them all back a souvenir, and hugged each of them. His elder brother and sister of 2 years younger approached him afterwards to give him more personal congratulations and warnings to be careful. They each had a gift for him as well. His brother, a well-honed knife he had traded for many summers ago. "Just in case.", he said. From his sister, a jar of herbs. "You taught me these ones were medicinal." She said, with a smile.
Friedrich had tears in his eyes by the end of it. It had only really dawned on him that this would be the longest he had been away from his family. He would miss them, but he would be back someday, he was sure. He had grabbed his messenger pack, and a suitcase full of clothing. He had everything he would need, he was sure. He said his final goodbyes, and headed to where the two recruiters had said to meet.

[Aldrea945]

Each of the agents took the lead, heading for the docks.  They don't share much more about the assignment, keeping to only answering questions as needed.  Many had only the barest of smiles to them.  One thought crossed all of their minds.

Soon.

Rachel tapped along over the cobblestone, food and drink in her bag.  It was so late and so cold, she couldn't wait to get into bed and sleep.  She assumed the work on Taneris would start the next day.  Until then, she'd just relax and make sure she had everything she wanted unharmed.

As she reached the copper beauty, Rachel stopped and watched nearby figures move closer.  If they were people out to hijack her baby, she would give them more than a run for their money.  She couldn't fathom Creya gathering a crew so fast.

[Kaya]

Nettie walked after the Adder, and the Lizard keeping an eye on them as she walked with Fredrich. She didn't ask him where he ran off to so quickly, she assumed it was his family by how excited he seemed. Nettie glanced up at him as they re entered the dockyard. As much as she felt at home when she was there, it still made her feel uneasy, being that she was up and about, at night, with strangers. She saw other looming figures  and shifted, getting herself ready to bolt if there were any signs of treachery on the parts of the Adder and Lizard.

[Suzumibachii]

Abbygael kept walking something seemed a little strange...it was colder than usual and the komodo dragon with her didnt do anything to ease that uneasy feeling growing inside of her. Small sparks of flame dances over her fingertips as she was getting more tense by the minute. If push came to shove she would have to fight but close range wasn't her strong point and she knew it. Once again her eyes glanced up at the copper airship, it was truly magnificent to look at even if it could use some repairs.

[Scout Brighton]

Scout kept following the leader, reaching the ship docks yet again. He's been here, what did this random person suddenly want? If he was here before, why didn't they catch him then? Questions filled Scouts mind as he approached the docks. When he finally arrived, he noticed similarly dressed others, leading more to him just as well. Feeling of slight unease, and bad experiences, he gently gave pressure to his wrist blade ejector and softly clenched his fist, it starting to weakly glow. He awaited patiently as he examined the others approaching.

[Grrxmaster]

Friedrich had made his way down to the docks, panting. He had ran a good portion of the way, and he was a bit more burdened with his luggage and supplies than he usually was. There was a small crowd gathered together by the time he had arrived. He looked back and forth between them all; there seemed to be some tension. Friedrich shifted uncomfortably, and decided to break the silence.
"Good eve, all! I suppose this is the crew?"