Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 103: The Wolf That Wins

Air Date: 09 Apr 2014
Present: Andy, Kim, Terri, Matt, and Maer

Tuesday, 06 Feb 2525
Paderborn, Anson's World
Red Sun (Zhu Que) system

The Baron of Paderborn is suffering from TSE. It's making him increasingly paranoid and unstable. Tian and Valentine are assisted in winning free from the Baron. In return, their benefactor (a young woman named Janelle) would like the crew to kidnap the Baron and bring him before the village Elders.

Not quite a coup, but close.

Before we storm the castle, Poco wants to clarify an important point or two with our Captain as Janelle and the rest of the crew look on. As usual, Poco's speech is broken by drags on his cigarette.

Poco: So like, a week ago, we flew by a bunch of people who were going to kick the bucket in … (drags) … eight minutes … (drags)
Valentine: Yes?
Poco: …(blows) … And our reaction was … (drags) … hump'em. Right?
Valentine: (calm) Roughly, yes.
Poco: Now we're here. And this guy wants to kill us … (drags) …
Valentine: Yes.
Poco: And our reaction, instead of just doing the—(coughs)—the intelligent thing and gettin' on that big ship we got that … (drags) … mostly works and gettin' the hell outa here … (drags) … is to stage a violent revolution? I'm not clear on it.
Valentine: I owe her. I didn't—
Rachel: (knowingly) Huge tracts of land.
Valentine: Actually, no. (to Poco) I didn't owe that other ship anything. They didn't do anything for us. I didn't have any responsibility for them. I do, to her.
Poco: If you'da waited a … (drags) … hour or a day or so, we were going to break you out. You didn't have'ta … (drags) … You didn't see us at the edge of the party?
Valentine: That's—
Rachel: You see, if that other Firefly had flashed him, we'd be helpin' that Firefly.
Poco: (chokes) 'Scuze me, I need a minnit …

He chokes down his laughter as best he can. Lord, the stuff that Rachel can rip out with.

Poco: I just wanna make sure that I'm clear on the stakes here.
Valentine: You don't have to participate.
Poco: No, no, no. I think that, you know … (drags) … That's a choice that ain't a choice.
Valentine: That's true, it is. But it's still a choice regardless.
Poco: And it's also a choice to participate. (drags) … I jus' wanna know, jus' for my future reference, at what point do people buy your participation in a violent revolution? Is it like … (drags) … They jus' have'ta bat eyes? If they give you a candy bar, is that violent revolution territory? … (drags) … Or does it require the flashin' bit? I don't know.
Valentine: You're welcome to question all you want.

Valentine keeps his cool despite the insinuations, refusing to respond to Poco's baiting. That much is obvious. However, Valentine is going to the castle, with or without Poco's approval or even participation. That much is obvious, too.

The crew falls in and follows Valentine and Janelle all the way to the castle's back door. It's locked and unguarded. There might be an alarm on it. We suspect it leads to the kitchens. Valentine looks at Poco, who still looks a little dubious about this whole revolution business.

Valentine: Are you willing to open the lock on the door, now?
Poco: (grumbles) … Well … do we care if anyone knows that I've came through the lock or not?
Valentine: As long as it doesn't alert them now. Don't, if you can help it. Once it's all done, it won't matter, but while we're in the process …
Poco: … A'right …

Poco pulls a drag on his cigarette and pulls the tools from his pockets and gets to work. It's not a very challenging lock and he gets through it with ease. Unfortunately, in doing so, he's rendered the door unable to close completely. In the dark, with only a glance, it might pass inspection. A closer look, however, will give the game away. The crew decides to risk it. Most of the guards are out in the village and surrounding area, looking for Valentine and Tian. There doesn't seem to be anyone stationed outside to guard the castle itself. We didn't see any on our way in.

Then again, for all we know, there could be an entire garrison waiting inside the castle walls. The only way to find out is to actually go inside and see.

We discover that the door is attached to a storeroom. Going by the stores inside, it's likely attached to the kitchen. Two doors lead out. One goes to the kitchen—naturally—and the other opens into the castle's courtyard. We know that the Baron is most likely in the tower with his anti-aircraft gun. Anyone in that tower would have a good view of anyone and anything in the courtyard. It would be better to stay inside and make our way to the gun tower internally.

Our assumption about the guard complement seems to be holding true: we encounter no one inside. We ghost through the kitchens and find stairs going to the upper floors. We take them all the way to the 3rd floor to the Baron's suite.

The front room of the suite is unkempt and littered with broken tchotchkes. A quick look in the bedroom shows the sheets are rumpled and stained with sweat. We find a bottle of battle meds as well as a bottle of booze on the bedside table. Tian recognizes the meds as the sort given to soldiers to keep them alert. Prolonged use isn't healthy, leading to all sorts of emotional, mental, and physical side effects. There is also a big-assed revolver of large caliber under the Baron's pillow. Poco takes possession of it.

There is an attached office and it's here that the Baron's mental illness is most apparent. The walls are a vast whiteboard for his psychosis, papered over with reports and flimsies and maps and photos. Names and dates are marked. String runs from one piece of evidence to another, making a complicated web of connections that only the Baron can decipher.

We take pictures of it.

There is an en suite bathroom and in it, we find more meds. The meds are mixed haphazardly together. Some look like allergy meds, others look like anti-psychotics.

Shiny.

Poco: Why not take the uppers and the downers, mix'em around in a bowl, and take a handful?
Rachel: It looks like a fraternity party in here.
Poco: Now we know that he's crazy … Not that we didn't know that an hour and a half ago …
Valentine: We're pretty certain he's crazy but the only thing that I might be potentially looking for is whether there is any sign that it's been induced by anybody. Something along the lines of being poisoned.

We all take another look around. Valentine searches the office walls and finds a printout, one of the more recent ones. It's an Alliance APB. He takes it down and examines it. It says:

Warning: Someone with IRP credentials may be in fact an insurgent trying to arm rebels. If you encounter such a person asking permission to land, alert the proper authorities of their request. Barring that, alert the authorities when they leave.

Valentine carefully reads it, folds it, and tucks it away on his person without showing it to anyone. Now is not the time for that discussion. Vikki's also in the office but is absorbed in following the string trails and doesn't notice what Valentine's done.

He calls the crew together to discuss their attack plan

.

Valentine: There are two ways we can go about this. One of which is to try and convince the personnel that are on duty in the castle that he's nutball-crazy and needs to be removed.
Rachel: What if they're just as crazy?
Valentine: That is a possibility but we haven't seen that super-paranoid behavior out of them.
Rachel: You don't know them that well.
Valentine: I understand that but we also have limited amount of information and have based that decision on limited amount of information. So that was Option One. Option Two is, he's sitting at the gun. So we basically go up to him and knock him out or put a gun to his head. But I think it best if we keep this as quiet as possible.
Vikki: I think it's best if we trank him from a distance.

And how are we going to do that? We don't have a trank gun. Vikki suggests making blowdart gun using a hollowed out pen and a push pin from the office wall. Tian vetoes that idea, stating that even if Vikki was successful in making the gun, they've only patch tranks as a source of medicine. The patch reservoir is too microscopically divided to suitably soak the broader surface area of the pin to make an effective coating.

Scratch that idea.

We'll have to approach the Baron in the tower and hope to get Tian close enough to slap that patch on him. We'll need a distraction to draw the Baron's attention.

Poco and Vikki will search out the castle's generator to cut the power. The sudden onset of darkness might be the opening Rachel, Tian and Valentine can use to get the drop on the Baron. Valentine orders the generator team to bug out of the castle once the power is cut. Valentine and the women will get the Baron out. Once they're all together again, the team will deliver him to the village Elders. It's not much of a plan, but keeping it simple will at least limit the points at which it can fail.

The party splits up. The generator team makes their way back to the kitchen, thinking that the kitchens will have stairs going down to the basement, where perishable food is traditionally stored. If we're lucky, they'll have installed the generator down there too. Poco has his tool bag with him, as does Vikki. Once they make it into the kitchen, they pause and listen for any sounds of discovery or pursuit. Poco hears voices approaching and accidentally fumbles his bag. There's a small racket as the tools spill out on the floor and Poco hastily sweeps them aside with a broom and ducks out of sight down the stairs with Vikki. No one comes to investigate, however, and the voices recede. Poco gathers his things and he and Vikki take the stairs all the way down.

They enter a chamber that's got multiple vats and a network of pipes alongside and overhead. There are crates stacked to one side and they're filled with bottles of beer. The vats and the pipes make sense: the Baron has a brewery under the castle. The labels are pre-printed with the name "Paderborn Pilsner" and there is evidence that this was a decent business. Everything sits idle, however, sidelined by the Baron's descent into madness.

Beyond the brewery is a tunnel. Following the electrical conduits that run the brewery, the lines lead down the tunnel and it's likely that the generator (or at least the power/junction box) is down there. It's dark and it's also wet, with water up past the soles of their boots. They will have to be careful not to be standing in the water when they throw that switch.

Meanwhile, Rachel and Tian are taking one last turn through the Baron's rooms and find Tian's med bag in the armoire. Good. She's got some decent meds and equipment in it still. There is also a small bar stocked with bottles of booze, better than what we've got aboard Delilah. Rachel doesn't hesitate to confiscate some bottles for herself. If it comes down to it, they'll make handy makeshift weapons.

And not a moment too soon, either. As they exit the suite, they hear the distinctive whine of assault rifles warming up a floor below. It looks like the guards are back. Rachel and Valentine stay behind to delay them while Tian hustles for the tower above.

Rachel plants herself in the open at the bottom of the stairs and when the guards come round the corner, she greets them, trying to defuse the situation. They wouldn't shoot an old lady in cold blood now, would they? Nah.

Rachel: Hi, boys.
Guard #1: Put your hands up, ma'am.

The other guard raises his rifle. He has a wild eye on him and Rachel thinks that maybe he's got a touch of the mad cow disease too. It's obvious he's unsure what to do. Rachel is clearly an outsider and not supposed to be here, but she's an old lady and is unarmed. The first guard claps a firm hand on his shoulder.

Guard #1: Easy, now, Clem.

Valentine is behind Rachel. The men can't see him. He can't see them. He slips away to sneak after Tian. The route he devises takes him out into the courtyard. Valentine realizes his mistake and turns to go back inside but it's too late. The Baron spots him from his vantage point in the tower and …

BOOM!

The Baron shoots a round into the castle's wall. He misses Valentine but the blast sends debris flying and the shock wave slams Valentine down, concussed.

Ouch.

The force of the shot makes the entire castle shake and down beneath, in the utility tunnel, Poco and Vikki take that as their cue.

Vikki: (sighs) Okay …
Poco: They should'a just waited.
Vikki: Just cut the power. Don't stand in the water.

Poco throws the switch. The power shuts down. The lights go out.

Rachel is shaken by the impact. She's an old woman and though she's reasonably fit, the barrage still takes her by surprise. She manages to keep her feet. The guards are shaken as well. Rachel makes a break for it, busting one of the filched bottles of booze over the nearest guard's head.

Outside, Valentine picks himself up and is blasted down again by another missed shot by the Baron. The debris and the shock wave pound into him, concussing him further. At this point, Valentine resigns himself to being the distraction they need and staggers this way and that, playing target for the Baron's gun. The Baron shoots off another round and again, it hits the castle wall, missing Valentine and slamming him down to the cobbles.

Valentine is really rocky by now, barely able to stand upright. Nevertheless, he draws his pistol and shoots in the Baron's direction. Against all odds, he actually hits, winging his target.

Blood flows. Curses fly. Valentine runs for cover.

Inside, Rachel's bottle bounces off the guard's head, stunning him. He's still in the fight, lacerated and bloodied.

Valentine makes it to the doorway leading inside.

Rachel rushes the guard and hits him again. He goes down. One guard left.

Poco and Vikki run up the stairs just in time to see Rachel swing that bottle. Vikki impulsively runs forward to help her but Poco's just a touch faster with his pistol. He shoots, he hits the remaining guard, and the guard falls.

Rachel overrides Poco's dash for the door. She's not leaving without Valentine. She, Poco, and Vikki turn around and run off to find him.

Meanwhile, Tian gets to the tower door. It's closed. She can hear the gun moving behind and above it. Using her military experience, she kicks the door in and climbs the ladder beyond to the top of the tower. The lights go out as she makes it to the hatch at the top of the ladder. Something heavy is on it, making it hard for her to open it. She could waste time trying to muscle it open or …

Counting on the fact that the Baron's a veteran and hero of the First U War, Tian fills her lungs and bellows as authoritatively as she can through the closed hatch.

Tian: Soldier! If you wreck my undercover in the IRP to get a-hold of the people tryin' to sabotage the Alliance, I'm gonna kick your gorram ass into next year!

Tian gets that hatch open and gains the platform.The Baron is still firing at Valentine and she yells again.

Tian: You are wrecking my cover, soldier!

Valentine, meanwhile, has entered the castle and found the ladder up. Tian hears him coming and thinking he's the Baron's guards, she kicks the hatch shut on him and stands on it.

Ouch.

The Baron turns around at the sound of the hatch slamming to and he grabs for his assault rifle, leaning off to the side. Tian manages to dodge his shot, grabs the gun, and tranks him.

He falls. She secures the rifle. She examines the Baron.

The trank hadn't done him any harm other than rendering him unconscious. Valentine cautiously raises the hatch. Tian immediately sees he's concussed and insists on examining him. He'll be dizzy for the next little while but he'll be able to make it out on his feet.

Valentine: (of the Baron) He's out? He is out, right?
Tian: Yes, he's out.
Valentine: We need to tie him and then we need to … (sighs) … Sorry, I'm having trouble thinking. We need to … the eventual goal is to get him down to the village Elders. I don't know that it needs to be right this second … but the sooner we get out of there, the better. Can we get him down the …

She and Valentine truss the Baron up and start hauling him down that ladder for the back door. They run into the guards at the bottom of the stairs. They've got Poco, Vikki, and Rachel. Valentine and Tian get taken into custody, too. The Baron is laid aside. Poco leans over to Valentine.

Poco: So, how's that quiet coup goin'?
Rachel: (softly) Val, honey, you okay?
Valentine: Are you okay?
Rachel: Yeah, honey, I'm fine. I'm tough. (pushes Val's hair back) What about you? Your eyes don't look right.
Valentine: I'm … I'm okay.

Because they're no longer on the move, Tian treats the flesh wound Valentine dealt the Baron. It's shallow, a mere graze, and she gets it under wraps easily. Tian takes the opportunity to examine Valentine a little deeper.

Poco: (mutters of the Baron) I think we should just kill him, but whatever …
Valentine: It's got to be their decision. (nods toward the guards)
Poco: I meant, "accidentally."
Rachel: Tian, is Val goin' to be okay?
Tian: He'll be fine. He's just concussed. (to Valentine) Do not go to sleep.

Valentine will be dizzy for a while yet and it would be dangerous for him to sleep. The guards don't interfere with Tian, apparently deciding that having the doctor look after the welfare of their prisoners would be a good thing. Valentine and Vikki notice the sergeant of the guard talking into a hand-held radio, then listen to the response. Vikki wilts.

Vikki: (softly) Oh, mannn ….
Poco: Here comes the cavalry.
Rachel: (catching on) Aw, hell.
Poco: You wanna lead this fouled-up revolution, Concussion Man?
Valentine: I'll do what I have to do.

Amazingly enough, Janelle is there and she's already getting a cool wet cloth for Valentine's tender forehead. Tian nails one of the guards with her Doctor's Look.

Tian: You need to get the Elders here. Now.
Valentine: Yes, please. (nods for the door) … Janelle, please …
Sergeant: I just called for the Feds. They're on their way.
Valentine: (relieved) Wonderful.
Tian: (sincerely) Perfect.
Rachel: (what?) All right …?
Valentine: Janelle. We're going to want the Elders involved in this. We're going to want to leave now.
Poco: Janelle, you might wanna go check out the office of your crazy-man Baron.
Valentine: He is not right in the head.

Tian continues talking to the Sergeant.

Tian: Do you remember I told you that I thought that he had some sort of Prion Disease? You should go take a look at his office.
Sergeant: He's shown us.
Poco: His Crazy map?
Tian: Take some of the Feds up there and show them.
Sergeant: Crazy? He has evidence.
Poco: (skeptical) Of?
Tian: No, he doesn't.
Vikki: He's got yarn everywhere.
Sergeant: He's got what?
Vikki: Yarn.
Sergeant: Well, yeah. Showing the connections.

Valentine pulls the APB out of his pocket and holds it up.

Valentine: (firmly) We're going to want to leave now. We are not going to want to wait.
Tian: I've got my orders, Sergeant, and I need to depart.
Sergeant: Well, since you got the advantages … I can't stop you.

And just like that, we're free to go. Tian leaves them with some parting instructions.

Tian: You should let them know when they get here, that he needs treatment very quickly. It won't make him all better, but it will at least mitigate his symptoms.
Sergeant: This ain't good. Before he got here, we were … not doin' well.
Valentine: You still can be, again.
Tian: You've set yourselves up a good town. And you've got a solid start. The Elders should be able to help you continue what you've started.
Poco: Why aren't we doin' more walkin' and less talkin'?
Valentine: I agree.
Poco: C'mon. C'mon, Boss.

Never use real names during a heist. Poco catches himself in time.

Valentine: Okay. Let's go.

Valentine waves a little wave at Janelle as he passes. Hopefully everything will work out well for her and her people. The crew follows in Valentine's wake, leaving their parting words.

Tian: Good luck, Sergeant.
Sergeant: We'll see.
Vikki: I hope he gets better. Oh and I'm real sorry about the kitchen.

Cuz it's a mess from the fight. Broken glass everywhere. Wet bootprints from the tunnels. Oops. Poco grabs Vikki by the arm and drags her out before she can say more.

Poco: C'mon. (growls) This is why we don't get involved. We need a rule of some sorts.

The trip to Delilah is uneventful. No one seems to be guarding her. Anatole is relieved to see Rachel in one piece.

Anatole: Well, I was able to hold them off.
Rachel: (warmly) Thank you, Honeybunch.
Valentine: (not fooled) Well done.
Anatole: Are you okay?
Valentine: We're okay.
Anatole: Rachel, you …Oh sweetness, are you hurt?
Rachel: I was. Some of them hit horrible. I reckon you could make it better.
Anatole: The savages …
Rachel: I found somethin' for you … A souvenir.

Rachel pulls out one of the bottles of booze she'd confiscated and the two walk off arm in arm for the bridge, lavishing each other with endearments. Poco calls after them.

Poco: Mama Bear, the engines'll be spun up as fast as they can spin. I'm puttin' two squirrels on th' wheel.

The party splits up, each taking up their duties. Valentine pulls Tian aside and shows her the APB.

Valentine: I figured you'd want to read this.

Tian examines the letter. She notes the routing string, sees that it came from the Alliance Federal Marshals and it went to all the authorities on Anson's World, being an all points bulletin. Vikki wanders in and joins them. Valentine steps aside to give them some privacy.

Valentine: (off Tian's look) We'll talk.
Tian: It's not paranoia if they're out to get you.

She hands it to Vikki.

Vikki: I never said you were paranoid. (reads) Oh, gosh. Does APB mean what I think it means?
Tian: (groans) Uh-huh.
Vikki: Wait. It doesn't name us specifically.
Tian: We're the only ones they sent here.
Vikki: (sputtering) But I … it's … not … I …
Tian: We are the only ones here.

Vikki's not entirely convinced but she can't marshal her wits to reply. Valentine comms Rachel on the bridge.

Valentine: Rachel. Got a course?
Rachel: Sure. If you tell us where we need to go, Captain.
Valentine: Where I want to go, but … (gives up)
Rachel: Val, c'mon up to the cockpit so you can see what you need to see.
Valentine: On my way.

Tian butts into the conversation and nails Valentine with a don't-argue-with-me look.

Tian: You need to see me in med bay every half hour for the next twelve.
Valentine: Okay.
Rachel: (over the comm) I got a seat in the cockpit I can strap him into.
Tian: Okay. Just don't let him sleep.
Valentine: I won't.
Rachel: (amused) Oh, 'Lilah won't let him sleep. We'll shake him awake.
Valentine: (to Tian) I won't.

Poco gets those squirrels to runnin' and we lift off. The ship lurches and it sounds like we might have stripped some gears a little bit somewhere. All the cabinets in the galley on the top deck pop open and spill their contents all over the floor. Our proximity sensors show us we've a ship on intercept. They hail us.

Interceptor: Fleeing ship. Stand down. Return to your launch site.

In the engine room, Poco hears this and starts singing.

Poco: (sotto voce singsong) … I tollld youuuu so-oooooooo ….

Rachel answers the hail from the bridge.

Rachel: I don't know if I can make her go back down. We're just lucky enough to get back up.
Interceptor: Identify yourself and get back on the ground.

Rachel reaches for the comm to give our registration number and call sign. Valentine covers her hand with his, shaking his head.

Valentine: (steely) Do not touch that comm. Do you really want the Alliance, or whoever that is, chasing us all over the freakin' galaxy?
Rachel: Sure it's not like it's an Alliance world that's after us.
Valentine: They're one of them. They're a key identified player in this game.
Rachel: Well, considerin' your hand's on the comm and I'm busy flyin', I guess you overruled me.

Rachel flies. The interceptor changes its orbital course to give chase. It's a fast ship, an ASREV actually, and even if it's not crewed by the Alliance, an ASREV is an Alliance model. Poco does what he can to boost the power to the engines so we can rabbit out of there. Vikki helps as best she can.

Delilah's a Polaris class Trans-U and is almost always underestimated by others due to her size. She's a muscle car of a ship, albeit one that moves like a fish but steers like a cow. In the engine room, Poco and Vikki get that hack in place.

Poco: Mama Bear! You got three squirrels on the wheel. You better go now!

Rachel murmurs a prayer at Delilah to c'mon, invoking her glory days in the war when she was a kick-ass blockade runner. The pilot calls, the ship answers, and in a maneuver scarce possible, Delilah evades the ASREV hot on her tail. We leave the interceptor in the dust. Our lights flicker and everything goes dim … but our girl holds together.

Valentine peels his fingers off the dashboard but manages to speak calmly.

Valentine: Good job.
Rachel: Thank you, darlin'.

It's not entirely clear who she's talking to at that moment, the ship or the man. A veteran of wartime naval maneuvers, Tian breaks in over the comms from where she strapped down.

Tian: That was amazing!

Rachel sighs happily, puts Delilah on autopilot, and rises from her chair.

Rachel: Okay, boy. I gotta help you down to the doctor.
Valentine: That'd be good.
Rachel: (beams, pats ship) I love you, you old girl. Fweet! Mortimer!

Sure enough, the rat scampers out of his hidey (of which there are many) and climbs up Rachel's leg to sit on her shoulder. She pets it and takes Valentine down to medbay. She goes back to her quarters, the rat riding on her shoulder easy as you please. Rachel is all smiles. She hits the comm and hails the engine room.

Rachel: Thank you, Papa Bear. I don't know what you did to goose her but that almost felt like old Delilah.
Poco: (over comms) Well, I shunted the intake. It'll take a week to fix, but … whatever. We got the week to fix it.
Rachel: Yeah. That's true. We got another day. (changes comm channel) Anatoly, I feel like celebratin'. You feel like havin' a different bed?
Anatole: (over comms) Ah, very well. If you're sure … I would be happy to.

Rachel laughs. She'd been grieving Freddie's death and wasn't up for company after Persephone, but now with Delilah's fast escape and fancy flying, she feels young and cocky again. Wooo, but the girl'll demand the best of ya, just like Rachel's always said. Rachel's flushed with adrenaline from her victory and she needs to share it with someone. Anatole is all to happy to share it with her. He's also happy we're going to Paquin. Of all the worlds out this way, Paquin is the most Core-friendly. So this looks to be a happy flight for him.

Over the next couple of days, we fix what we can that came loose in our hard escape and of course, there's the galley mess to clean up. Thanks to our bumpy ride, some of the pots and pans and what-not have migrated to the decks below. A few pots fall straight through to the cargo hold.

Yikes.

Rachel, Anatole, Vikki, and Poco find themselves taking their ease after cleaning up the galley. Rachel gathers the crew at the Tiki bar and reveals the booze she'd filched.

Rachel: I got away with a bunch'a bottles.
Poco: (amused) Whoa. You mean you didn't kill everybody with 'em?
Rachel: That was a shame because I hit him with one'a the better beers.
Vikki: Share?

Rachel hands Vikki one of the beers and the young woman takes a swig.

Vikki: (choking) Ohmigod, that's awful … what is this stuff?
Rachel: Liquor, darlin'.
Anatole: You're not complaining about the Paderborn Porter, I hope? That's good beer. (off her look) It's supposed to be good stuff.
Vikki: Gaghhh … You actually drink that stuff?
Rachel: We would.

Vikki takes another sip. Makes a face.

Rachel: You are a Princess. (to Poco) You sure she's Tinkerbell and not Princess?
Poco: (drags, blows) …. It don't really matter.
Vikki: (quietly) I'm not a princess.

A drift of smoke from the end teases Rachel's nose and she grimaces.

Rachel: What did you do? Take the grass off that planet we was just on?
Poco: These are Blue Sun imitators … (drags, blows) … Do well enough.

Vikki nods at Mortimer sitting on Rachel's shoulder.

Vikki: Does he like to be petted?
Rachel: Sure, darlin'. Wanna hold him? (hands Mortimer over)
Vikki: Ooh, he's so sweet. What's his favorite thing to eat?
Rachel: He's a rat, hon. Pretty much anything.
Vikki: Omigosh, his whiskers are tickly.

Sure enough, Mortimer's on Vikki's shoulder and sniffing her ear, his whiskers brushing lightly on her neck. She pets the rat with a fingertip.

Vikki: He's so soft. Do you wash him?
Rachel: Um-hm.
Vikki: What do you use?
Rachel: Shampoo.
Vikki: And you carry him around on your shoulder? Or in your pocket? Where did you get him? Where did he come from?
Rachel: Out of a box.
Vikki: Oh. (winking at Poco) Like someone else we know …
Rachel: I'm just glad it was a rat and not a roach.
Vikki: So you make a habit of making a pet out of things that crawl out of a box?
Poco: (amused) Seems to be a trend.

Rachel retrieves Mortimer and puts him back on her shoulder. She smiles at Poco.

Rachel: You're an awful cute pet.
Poco: Thanks, Mama Bear.
Rachel: (pats ship softly) She really is somethin' when she's workin'.
Poco: (drags, blows) … Appears to be. That's a big "when".
Rachel: She's a good ship, when you get to know her.

Vikki's still got the beer in her hand and she's still drinking it.

Vikki: It smells so much better than it tastes. Hardly seems fair. (another swig) Gaghh …
Rachel: Keep drinkin', darlin'. It'll taste better.
Vikki: Is that before or after you get drunk?
Rachel: After you get drunk, it'll taste real good.
Vikki: (another swig) … Gahhhh …
Rachel: Well, it's a good thing I got another bottle, cuz Tinkerbell's done bogarted that one.
Vikki: Does he drink? (nods at Mortimer)
Rachel: Sure, if you pour it into a bottle cap.

Vikki does and Mortimer laps it right up. Vikki's delighted. The beer and the rat do a great job in breaking the ice. Talk moves on to other topics. Nothing really serious or dire, just a crew taking their ease and relaxing in each other's company.

Meanwhile in medbay, Tian and Valentine finally have that talk.

Tian: Here's the thing. We're traveling in the blind, now.
Valentine: I know. (sighs) I know.
Tian: We've still got their weapons.
Valentine: (quiet) Yeah.
Tian: We're gonna need to talk.
Valentine: Yes. Yes, we are. Good work back there, by the way.
Tian: I'm not just a pretty face, Captain.
Valentine: I didn't say that. No matter how intelligent you are, it doesn't mean you don't deserve praise when you do something well. And you did something real well. Got me out of that hole. (sighs, switches gears) What do you think?
Tian: Well, at the risk of feeding into your concerns …
Valentine: Yes?
Tian: We're traveling with their weapons still in our cargo hold. They've got no idea where we're going now because clearly they were supposed to get them on Anson's World. Or they were supposed to get me. I'm not sure which, still. I still don't think I'm that important. Now that being said … I may know somewhere that we can get rid of them.
Valentine: (evenly) What are you thinking?
Tian: Do you remember that I told you that I was at Vandenburg, on Boros, when they came in?

Tian was Alliance Navy. When the Independents freed Boros, Vandenburg was one of the positions they overran. Tian had been captured during that action.

Valentine: I remember.
Tian: I spent some time in the company of the Independents … who were not bad people.
Valentine: Giving it to them? Or …?
Tian: Lemme put it this way. The Feds are putting it out there that … best case, here, they're just trying to make it look like I'm doing stuff.
Valentine: I'll tell you right now, you don't have to sell me on it. I want these off my hands. I want this off this ship. So that I can sell or do whatever I need to do to the ship and … (sighs)
Tian: Paquin may be the place where I can get a message out, maybe. And they might even be willing to pay you for them. To get us the credits you need to get this ship scrapped. But I gotta tell you something: I ain't a Browncoat.

Valentine looks down at himself.

Valentine: I'm not wearing brown either. Here's my thing. I got a mother that I'm responsible for, on Paquin, and what I'm concerned about is how much does the Alliance know about who's piloting this ship. They didn't mention the ship by name in that letter. It just mentioned a ship.
Tian: Yes, but your father's had this contract for how long?
Valentine: I don't know.
Tian: At least a month.
Valentine: Huhnnn … (thinks) … Somewhere around there. It's quite possible they know. It's quite possible they don't. So I need to see her but I can't put her in trouble either. (sighs) Gorram hellm this is …
Tian: Darlin', I have a son who's still in the Alliance Navy.
Valentine: I know. I'm not trying to downplay anybody else's concerns, I just—.
Tian: No, I get that we've all got concerns and people back home.
Valentine: I understand—
Tian: We've got to get these things off of this ship and the only place I can think to do it that might even be remotely safe for us is doing it this way.
Valentine: I've got no issues with that. I don't—
Tian: I do.
Valentine: My point is just more immediate. It—
Tian: They're putting out a letter that says we might be travelin' in, supplyin' insurgents with weapons. And what am I suggestin' we turn around and do? Exactly that.
Valentine: Well, you can't make it any worse, right?
Tian: I suppose if I'm going to go down for it, I might as well do it.
Valentine: Tian, my point is more immediate. I am worried about her but it's more along the lines of: Is it safe? Will I get us in trouble? Will they be watching? And I just don't know. I gotta think.
Tian: I would really like to contact the Federal Marshals and let them know we found this in the cargo container and leave it at that.
Valentine: (shakes head) And that would just be a bad idea all around.
Tian: You know, up until a year ago? I'd have told you you were out of your mind.
Valentine: The Alliance knows they're there.
Tian: Clearly. That memo? says it all.
Valentine: I wouldn't be surprised it was them shipping it.
Tian: That's exactly what I mean. That memo says it all to me.
Valentine: (sighs) We'll worry about it when we get to Paquin. We're on the way there.

We're running low on fuel, but we should get to Paquin even so.

Valentine: The question most on my mind is: How much they know? They got the alert that someone in the IRP is shipping the weapons. They asked for identification, so it's possible they don't know who we are. They only know that it's a ship. That gives us a little bit of room versus if they know who we are and—
Tian: There's no way.
Valentine: There's no way that they don't know who we are?
Tian: There's no way they don't know who we are.
Valentine: Why?
Tian: They know who we are.
Valentine: Why? That's why I'm asking. Why?
Tian: How many other ships do you think they're sendin' to Anson's World? We were all sent in different directions.
Valentine: The piece of hope I'm going to cling to—just let me have it for a few days, at least—is that if they've known that from the beginning, wouldn't they have put it in the APB "the following ship, going on this name and so forth—"
Tian: No.
Valentine: Why not?
Tian: Because we hadn't left yet.
Valentine: How do you know that?
Tian: The IRP hadn't shipped anybody out yet. We were the first group. Me and Vikki. The group that was in the conference hall with us. As far as I know, we were the first group they sent. I could be wrong. But as far as I know, we were the first large group that went. And they hired on with anybody who was going anywhere and paid us passage to wherever it was that ship was going.

Tian thinks back to what the Sergeant said. Nothing about putting them under arrest. Nothing like that. Just … they would see how it would all work out. So maybe being arrested wasn't their final goal. Maybe what they had in mind for her was even worse.

Tian: (miserable) Can't we dump these into the sun somewhere?
Valentine: I don't know.
Tian: I don't want to give these to anybody. They are so dangerous. I know they can pay to scrap the ship but … they are so dangerous. (Sighs) Val?
Valentine: Yeah?

For the first time ever, she tells him exactly what happened during her military exit interview, when she realized how the land really lay between her and the Alliance. She's never told anyone the entire story before, not even her son, but she tells Valentine.

Valentine: (softly) Fantastic. If there were a way for me to travel back in time, shoot my father in the head …
Tian: (sad laugh) Val, I wish this was your Daddy's fault but it's not.

Valentine looks pointedly at his surroundings. Not his father's fault? You sure about that?

Valentine: Oh, he could take a large cut of the credit, here. You being on this ship is his fault. Me being on this ship is his fault.

Regret. Recrimination. Paranoia. Doubt. Without evidence to the contrary, Tian and Valentine cannot entirely discount her argument that things are only going to get worse. Trapped in a ship inbound for Paquin, uncertain of their reception when they arrive and unwilling mules for illicit cargo, there is little they can do but ride it out and hope that they make it through whatever lies at the far end.

NOTE:
To read the parable about the two wolves within, go here.

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