Editing Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Part 3

<br>
Jump to: [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game|''' Part 1''']] | [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Part 2|''' Part 2''']] | [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Part 3|''' Part 3''']] | [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Part 4|''' Part 4''']] | [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features|'''Special Features''']]<br><br>  





Poco drives the truck into the cargo hold, where he and Valentine load the cargo on pallets with the fork lift, put the meds around the cryo units to hide them. Once everything's concealed, they climb on.  The drop off point for the cargo is northwest of the city. Rachel is convinced to drive. She gets behind the wheel and is appalled at what she's got to work with. <br><br>

'''Rachel:''' Good lord, it's got 16 gears and only three of 'em work.<br>
'''Poco:''' This one's in ''much'' better shape than the other one. Trust me.<br><br>

Rachel puts the truck in gear and they get going. They aren't able to travel far before they're stopped at what appears to be a check point at the starport gates. A guard holds up his hand. They stop. He walks up. They can tell he's a native from Nouveau Lyon the second he opens his mouth.<br><br>

'''Guard:''' [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features#HOW TO SPEAK FRENCH|''Papiers, s'il vous plaît''.]]<br>
'''Poco:''' Yeah, here's the papers. <br><br>

This is when the crew finds out if the documents they faked were faked well enough. The guard stares at the documents a moment, leafing through them carefully. Poco leans out the cab and grins, each word he utters wreathed in noxious cigarette smoke. <br><br>

'''Poco:''' (proudly) Now lookit that seal. Ain't it official-lookin'?<br>
'''Guard:''' [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features#HOW TO SPEAK FRENCH|''Très bien. Avancez le long''.]] (hands papers back) [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features#HOW TO SPEAK FRENCH|''Suivant!'']]<br><br>

Poco takes the papers back with a smile and Rachel grinds the truck back into gear. It mutters off into the night toward the drop point. <br><br>

Whew! Close call. Poco gives Rachel and Valentine something to think on as they drive.<br><br>

'''Poco:''' I'm beginnin' to wonder if the guy and the gal who tried to boost this stuff on Paquin weren't the Fisheries Union. I mean, we're just assumin' that this cargo's stolen. Maybe the Fisheries Union wants it anyway. <br>
'''Valentine:''' I'm hoping that they are, given how incompetent they were.<br><br>

As for the other truck, Tian draws attention away from the cargo by driving due east toward the city limits on the opposite side of town. Beaumonde is on the Rim and Nouveau Lyon is typical of a Rim town. Once past the built-up parts, the city falls away quickly to the surrounding countryside. It's not long before the truck is travelling through some dark and empty. <br><br>

Tian watches the road and the mirrors for tails. Vikki watches the sky for the same while also checking the blind spots the mirrors can't show. The road they're on is paved but it's not a controlled-access highway by Core standards. No, this road is perhaps three lanes wide and goes through every single town, hitting all the proverbial lights.<br><br>

Not that there's much town or lights to hit at the moment. That makes it easier to see the running lights of the aircraft dropping in and coming in low on their tail from above. Tain sees it first. Given her military experience, she's not unfamiliar with such craft and she starts swearing like a sailor.<br><br>

'''Tian:''' Ohhhhhh, [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features#HOW TO SPEAK CHINESE|'''''yuàn shàngdì tuī yǔzhòu zhōng de suǒyǒu xíngxīng héng pánle wǒ de pìgu!''''']]<br>
'''Vikki:''' What?<br>
'''Tian:''' [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features#OUT TAKES AND AD LIBS|Don't turn around.]]<br>
'''Vikki:''' Why? <br>
'''Tian:''' There's a shuttle on our butts!<br>
'''Vikki:''' Oh, okay. So we have to pretend we don't see this big-assed shuttle in our rear view mirror? <br>
'''Tian:''' How close are they?<br>
'''Vikki:''' Close.<br>
'''Tian:''' Hold on! [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features#HOW TO SPEAK CHINESE|Zhè jiāng shì yǒuqù!]]<br><br>

Tian knows that any moment the hijackers could be rappelling down from the belly hatches. She throws the truck into gear and speeds up to see what the hijackers will do. It's been quite a while since Tian drove an APC's on the front line and the truck bounces hard across the various potholes and bumps in the road. Vikki grabs the oh-shit! bar and hangs on.<br><br>

'''Vikki:''' Do you want me to call Val?<br>
'''Tian:''' Give it a minute.<br>
'''Vikki:''' Okay. (sarcasm) Gee, I've never been kidnapped before. This should be fun.<br>
'''Tian:''' Hold on….!<br><br>

The darkness and the road conditions are too much for Tian at their current speed and blam! she hits a deep pothole. The truck veers off the road with a squeal and plows across a farmer's field, throwing up greenery and dirt. <br><br>

'''Tian:''' Ohmigodomigodomigod—now call Val!<br>
'''Vikki:''' (thumbs comm) Val? We got some local color happening—Yikes!<br><br>

An irrigation ditch springs up out of the landscape and FWUMP! the truck falls in past the axles. Tian and Vikki slam up and down in the cab. Tian stomps on the gas, the wheels spin, and she knows they're not going anywhere. She cuts the engine and everything stops.<br><br>

Back at the other truck, Rachel has driven clear of Nouveau Lyon and it's pretty amazing how quickly everything reverts back to the countryside past the outskirts. It's obvious even in the dark how resources had been ripped out of the landscape to build the industrial complex behind them. Deforestation is brutal here. Even so, people are scratching a living as best they can on the denuded land. Thin pasturage and crops spread out to either side. After a bit, the landscape gets muddier and marshier. The paved road gives way to graveled dirt. The ride gets rougher.<br><br>

'''Valentine:''' Take it as far as you can. I know it's not conducive.<br>
'''Rachel:''' Nah, I c'n roll it.<br><br> 

She can, actually. She's leaning back in her seat, country music playing on the radio—which works, by God—just like she's gone out for a Sunday drive.<br><br> 

'''Rachel:''' Life is good.<br>
'''Poco:''' I don't think the shocks agree.<br><br>

They don't. They squeal and squeak as they compensate—badly—for the bumps. The river that runs through Nouveau Lyon curves through the landscape and parallels the road. By that, they know they're on the right track. The world outside starts matching the map that Selezneva gave them.<br><br> 

Sure enough, Valentine sees lights glimmering on the slow moving river ahead. After a moment, they drive close enough to see the lights are on a boat. Hinked, Poco advises caution and Rachel pulls over, comes to a stop, and cuts the lights. She keeps the engine running, however, because she's not sure if the engine will crank up again if they need to leave quickly.<br><br>

'''Poco:''' (to Valentine) I can try and see what's going on if you want me to. We're supposed to be here, though.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Go. I don't know why I'm telling you this, but don't take any risks you don't have to.<br>
'''Poco:''' A'right.<br><br>

Poco slips out of the truck and approaches on foot. It's dark and in a desolate area and it shouldn't be hard to sneak around. He slips into the marshy riverbank shallows and makes his way closer to the lights.  Closer in, he sees the lights are mounted to a riverboat with people standing guard aboard it. The boat is moored to a short pier. The pier is attached to a ruined building, of which there's very little left.<br><br>

The people on the boat seem suspicious of something, watching the land all around. Maybe it's the lateness of the hour or maybe it's the sounds rising from the marshy river. Or maybe they've heard him coming. Poco's been burned too many times in his past to feel confident they haven't seen him or that there might be someone hidden somewhere drawing a bead on him with a sniper rifle. Hyperaware now, he notices tire tracks in the road, notes the leaf pattern of the tread, follows them with a sharp eye to a point around the corner of the abandoned building. There looks to be parking lot or something back there. It doesn't seem to fit the function of the building, an old mill, so something's not right. <br><br>

He looks back the way he came, checking the road. The road comes up and ends at the mill. The road is built on a levee, the levee holds the river back, and the tire tracks go to the pier and around the back of the mill. To investigate the area to the rear, he'd have to run across the landing. Luckily there are the remains of a low masonry wall to lend him a bit of cover.<br><br>

Gaining the back of the building, he sees two vehicles in the moonlight. One is a van. the other is a small car of some sort. No one appears to be at the vehicles. It's likely the vehicles were parked here to hide them from the road. So it's clear that someone is expecting visitors to show up. Perhaps Valentine and his crew? Or is it someone else?<br><br>

He hides in the shadows of the building and waits for a few minutes to see if anyone comes around. No one comes along. Poco moves to watch the boat. The people aboard her don't seem to be concerned about the vehicles. It's probable that the vehicles belong to them.<br><br>

Damn, he'd kill for a cigarette. He doesn't dare light one. The burning end would give him away.<br><br>

Poco goes back to the truck. He creeps up to the passenger side of the cab and leans in through the open window.<br><br>

'''Poco:''' Well, somethin' weird's goin' on.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Go on.<br>
'''Poco:''' There are a lot of people on the boat, which I guess is to be expected. But there are cars that have been pulled away from the boat, like there were cars driven up to the boat and then away round back and down the levee. And this is all recent-like. It could be the cars of the people on the boat or it could be …<br>
'''Valentine:''' What do you think? What's your instinct tell you?<br>
'''Poco:''' My gut's tellin' me that somebody probably took the boat.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Right. Good job. Bonus in it for you.<br>
'''Poco:''' Thanks, Boss.<br><br>

Valentine breathes a soft laugh.<br><br>

'''Valentine:''' 25% of zero is still zero. Don't know if we'll actually get any money out of this. (thinks) We can't deliver it to the wrong people. We can't also just drive off with it and wander aimlessly. How many cars did you say it was?<br>
'''Poco:''' A car and a van. (a beat) Could possibly rig somethin', I dunno, so if we got into trouble we could get out on a diversion. You know, this is the time when the hero would slip into some breather gear and put a bomb under the boat. So when things went wrong, he could just say he's got a bomb on the boat. (shrugs) Then again, we could always bluff that we've bombed the boat.<br>
'''Valentine:''' We could.<br><br>

And if they call the bluff, what then? No. They're going to have to come up with an alternative. <br><br>

Meanwhile, back of beyond the eastern edge of town, Tian and Vikki are banged up by crashing the truck into a ditch. Dizzy and seeing stars. Tian groans.<br><br>

'''Tian:''' Uhnnn … god … <br>
'''Vikki:''' Ow. <br>
'''Tian:''' You okay?<br>
'''Vikki:''' (breathes) Yeah. <br><br> 

Peering at the rear view mirrors, Tian sees men approaching on foot. They're dressed in rough knitted sweaters and rubber boots. They look like fishermen.<br><br>

'''Vikki:''' (deadpan) Yay. We're getting kidnapped by the Wellington Brigade.<br>
'''Tian:''' Do ''not'' smart off.<br><br>

The men come closer and the women see they're carrying clubs. Vikki's eyes go wide.<br><br>

'''Vikki:''' Clubs? They're gonna club us to death? (false cheer) They're going to take us clubbing, right?<br><br>

Tian slants a look at her: ''grow up!''<br><br>

The leader of the men calls out, waving his club at the rear of the truck and then at the cab. <br><br>

'''Leader:''' Go check the merchandise. I'll take care of these. <br><br>

Two men peel off for cab while two others head for the rear. Tian hisses through her teeth to Vikki.<br><br>

'''Tian:''' Pull a weapon. Keep it hidden ''where you can fire it''.<br><br>

Vikki pulls her gun from her bag and sticks it in her rear waist band and blouses her shirt over it. Just in time, too. The leader draws even with the driver's door.<br><br>

'''Leader:''' Looks like you had a bit of an accident. Can we offer you some assistance?<br>
'''Tian:''' (angry!) What the gorrram hell're you people doin'? You nearly killed us!<br>
'''Leader:''' Well, there you go. See? You're in a good mood. We only nearly killed ya. <br>
'''Tian:''' What was that all about?!<br>
'''Leader:''' Come out with your hands up and everything will be okay.<br><br>

Tian pushes her door open and slides out of the cab with her hands up, still furious.<br><br>

'''Leader:''' We just came to get what belongs to us and then we'll be going.<br>
'''Vikki:''' You mean … the ''truck''?<br>
'''Tian:''' The truck belongs to you?<br>
'''Leader:''' Your ''cargo''. <br>
'''Tian:''' We don't have any cargo.<br><br>

One of the men calls out. <br><br>

'''Henchman:''' Boss, there's nothin' back here.<br>
'''Leader:''' (to Tian) You tryin' to trick me?<br>
'''Tian:''' No.<br><br>

Of course, she is. <br><br>

'''Leader:''' Don't try playin' stupid with me. We been givin' you plenty'a chances. You just refused to listen.<br>
'''Vikki:''' Have we … have we met before?<br>
'''Leader:''' You're with that ship. (off Vikki's look) Carryin' the contraband. Now where is it? Do we have'ta beat it out'a ya?<br><br>

The leader jerks his chin at his men.<br><br>

'''Leader:''' Get'em out'a here. And don't be too gentle about it.<br>
'''Vikki:''' Oh, man-nnnn, I really loved this bag …<br><br>

She makes a show of dragging the strap of her messenger bag over her head, using the action to hide drawing her gun from her waistband. She lets the bag fall and whips the gun up and around at the man approaching her.<br><br>

'''Vikki:''' ''Not tonight''. I'm not going with you, I'm not ending up in a ditch, I'm not going a slave pen anywhere. ''Fuck off!''<br><br>

The man blinks, clearly not expecting the little mouse to stand up and roar. He's a Union man, however, and no stranger to violence. He clubs Vikki in the head and she falls, bleeding. He raises the club in a vicious arc, his muscles bunching for the downswing …<br><br>

'''Tian:''' No, no—'''Stop!''' Don't hit her again. <br><br>

The Leader grabs Tian's arm hard, leans in, and hisses.<br><br>

'''Leader:''' ''Where?''<br>
'''Tian:''' I don't know. The only thing I know is my Captain said to take the truck and go east. <br>
'''Leader:''' I could hit you, too.<br>
'''Tian:''' Yes you can, but it's not like I could answer you then, either.<br>
'''Leader:''' But it might teach you a lesson.<br>
'''Tian:''' They're on a truck and they went northwest out of town.<br>
'''Leader:''' All right … (narrowly) … Where were they taking them, other than northwest? Who are they meeting?<br>
'''Tian:''' I don't know who they're meeting. (off his look) I know that they're supposed to be meeting someone at the old mill. And I know that they're supposed to be meeting a boat.<br>
'''Henchman:''' I wonder if she means the lumber mill at the large bend.<br><br>

The Leader looks at the man who spoke up, looks at the truck … and looks at Tian.<br><br>

'''Leader:''' Now, see? That wasn't so hard, was it? (to the men) Come on. Let's go.<br>	
'''Tian:''' The least you can do is pull the truck out of the ditch!<br>
'''Leader:''' Yup.<br>
'''Henchman:''' [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features#HOW TO SPEAK FRENCH|''Au revoir, Mademoiselle! Madame!'']]<br><br>

They fly off, leaving Tian stranded in the middle of nowhere at night with the truck in a ditch and Vikki bleeding from a head wound.<br><br> 

Meanwhile, Valentine is trying to come up with an alternative to the bomb bluff. As Poco is quick to point out, one always runs the risk of someone calling the bluff and at that point you must be ready to sacrifice life and limb with a real bomb … or suffer the consequence when the ruse is discovered.<br><br> 

'''Valentine:''' If I go out with a walkie-talkie and you Rachel keep the truck running in case we have to pull out, and if you, Poco, can fake an explosive on the boat to make it sound like I have an out, we still don't know what we're dealing with here. I don't want to put any of you at risk. <br>
'''Poco:''' Even getting close enough to the boat to make it look like it's rigged is going to be risky.<br>
'''Valentine:''' I'm open to suggestions here.<br>
'''Poco:''' You're over a barrel.<br>
'''Valentine:''' I know.<br>
'''Poco:''' We got no way to contact Tall and Frosty. We don't even know who we're supposed to leave it with.<br>
'''Rachel:''' We just know we're supposed to be dropping it off.<br>
'''Valentine:''' It could be them. This could be them and the boat could be run by someone else. Or they could have taken out the people who normally run the boat …<br>
'''Poco:''' Cuz our decoy is only gonna last for so long.<br>
'''Valentine:''' I know. I don't have enough information to make a decision. I need to find out who they are and what's going on. Maybe if I serve as a distraction for you to maybe—I don't do this on a regular basis. <br>
'''Poco:''' I don't know if there's a believable way to rig the boat. It was an idea, but no. When I worked in my official capacity as a marine detonation unit before, I usually had gear to get under the boat or whatever.<br>
'''Rachel:''' What if you just swam out to the boat?<br>
'''Valentine:''' That's what I'm suggesting. I stroll up to serve as a focus of attention. You get on the boat and see if we can figure out if they've got hostages or whatever it is. If you let them go, then that potentially evens the odds and puts us in the right spot.<br>
'''Rachel:''' Poppa Bear, honey. Can you swim?<br>
'''Valentine:''' I'm sure he could, as his past capacity as scuba gear inspector.<br>
'''Poco:''' Yeah, I can swim well enough.<br>
'''Valentine:''' (to Rachel) In this case, I want you at the wheel with the radio open. I'll keep my comm completely on.<br>
'''Rachel:''' All right. What happens if y'all get caught? What'm I supposed to do?<br>
'''Valentine:''' Drive.<br>
'''Rachel:''' Where?<br>
'''Valentine:''' Away from here. Back to the ship. <br>
'''Poco:''' We know they got air support. If they get any whiff of our location, all they gotta do is find a truck in the middle'a nowhere. But we can hide the truck now.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Okay, that's what I'm looking for. Let's hide the truck.<br>
'''Poco:''' And keep somebody with it so that it can be moved—no, that doesn't really do you much good.<br>
'''Rachel:''' At that point, y'all'd be better off with the backup of manpower. Or girlpower.<br>
'''Poco:''' Wait a minnit—now that might be an idea.<br><br>

His face lights up.<br><br>

'''Rachel:''' What?<br>
'''Poco:''' We use the radios to rig a dead man's switch to the cargo. See, the idea before was to have the cargo at the docks. If we can have the cargo ''away'' from the docks, if they kill us, they still don't know where it is. And if they kill us they blow it up.<br>
'''Rachel:''' Yeah. That'll work.<br>
'''Poco:''' That way, we got a way to get out alive if negotiations go south. And if you're wantin' to, I could still try to sneak on the boat from the back, but if I get caught, it's still gonna end up in a firefight.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Then let's not.<br>
'''Rachel:''' Then what're you gon' do? Feed a wire to the gas tank?<br>
'''Valentine:''' I feel like we're in a bad situation so—.<br>
'''Poco:''' Unfortunately, this is a crap job.<br>
'''Valentine:''' We do what we have to. We got the cards we were dealt. The only option we've got is to bluff and push it all-in to give it the weight.<br><br>

There are very few options left to them: the night is not getting any younger and Valentine dares not bail out on the job. They're going to have to go with the bomb bluff. Poco manages to rig up a deadman's switch to blow up the truck, using one of the walkie-talkies. The detonator is triggered by the squelch tone.  Poco and Rachel will hide near enough to provide backup while Valentine goes up to the boat on foot to parlay, deadman's switch in hand. <br><br>

Before Valentine leaves, there's a brief flurry of second guessing: [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features#OUT TAKES AND AD LIBS|should they take the cargo off the truck]], just in case? They decide against it. Selezneva was adamant that it be treated gently. The cargo is in rather sturdy specialized containers but they're big and heavy. No one wants them offloaded only to sink into the swamp. No, the cargo will stay on the truck.<br><br>

Poco hands him the detonator walkie-talkie with the warning to be careful with it. Valentine starts walking. Poco and Rachel fade into the landscape to offer him backup, paralleling their Captain. <br><br>

'''Rachel:''' (whispers) Poppa Bear, you got a little sidearm, baby?<br>
'''Poco:''' (ditto) I got the Baron.<br><br>

And he draws the big assed revolver from Anson's World. <br><br>

'''Rachel:''' Hell, you got an ''entire'' sidearm. You're fine. <br><br>

She looks a little sadly at her small pistol.<br><br>

'''Rachel:''' (sighing) I'll just look threatening.<br><br>

Speaking of threatening … Tian has fetched her medical bag and is treating Vikki's headwound. Headwounds bleed like crazy, making them look worse than they might actually be. Under Tian's care, Vikki revives, moans, and sits up.<br><br>

'''Vikki:''' That … didn't go well … Thanks. (pulls together) Are you okay? What happened …?<br><br>

Tian fills her in. They sit on the side of the road and take stock.  It's in the middle of the night. They're in the middle of nowhere. Their truck is out of commission in a ditch. The bad guys are on their way to hijack the cargo. Vikki is concussed with a head wound. Tian rises and dusts herself off.<br><br>

'''Tian:''' It's gonna be a bit of a hike.<br>
'''Vikki:''' Well … I'm not supposed to go to sleep, right? I might as well be busy.<br><br>

Vikki lingers for one last look at the truck. She starts thinking. It's in a ditch but it's got a powerful engine, designed to supply an ass ton of torque. Vikki looks around. There's a sturdy tree on the opposite shoulder.<br><br>

'''Vikki:''' Tree … use the wheel … winch …  rope … Ow …<br>
'''Tian:''' You okay?<br>
'''Vikki:''' Got hit in the head … (points) … right here…<br><br>

Tian whips out her penlight and checks Vikki's pupils again. They're dilating properly. The younger woman slaps the light away. Darned thing makes her eyes hurt.<br><br>

Satisfied that Vikki isn't suffering from anything worse, Tian looks through the truck and finds cargo straps. Will they do?  They'd better. It's all they've got. She and Vikki tie them together into a rope and by some miracle it's long enough for the job. Vikki crawls under the truck and wraps one end around the drive wheel of the truck and secures the other end to the tree across the way. All that's left is to start the engine and give it a little juice.<br><br>

Back at the swamp, Valentine strolls up to the boat as if he belongs there, as if he's not terribly concerned about what's going on. He's got a gun in hand and is just here to do business, thank you. A spotlight hits him before he steps aboard. Valentine manages not to flinch, though the light makes him squint a little. He can see silhouettes moving against the glare, but little else.<br><br>

'''Valentine:''' (calmly) Hail the boat.<br>
'''Man's Voice:''' You just ''walked'' up here?<br>
'''Valentine:''' I did. I need to talk to whoever I'm supposed to be delivering my cargo to.<br>
'''Man's Voice:''' That'll be us … (to the side) … It's those coffin-like things, right?<br>
'''Valentine:''' And who's "us"? Can I get somebody specific to talk to? I don't want to deliver anything without handing it off to the right person.<br>
'''Woman's Voice:''' My name's Celia. And your name is?<br>
'''Valentine:''' Celia. My name's Captain Quick.<br>
'''Celia:''' That's right. Captain Quick. That's who we're looking for.<br><br>

Valentine can tell that Celia isn't the person he's supposed to meet. He's had to prompt her with specifics, like his name. So who is he actually dealing with? <br><br>

'''Valentine:''' And what ship am I with?<br>
'''Celia:''' That would be ''Delilah''.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Good, good. <br>
'''Celia:''' You should be delivering a package on behalf of Ms. Selzneva, right?<br><br>

Celia flubs the Russian woman's name. <br><br>

'''Valentine:''' That is right, yes.<br>
'''Celia:''' We're to receive that. She was very insistent that it get here safely. I hope you were careful with it.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Yes.<br>  
'''Celia:''' So … ah, as you can see everything's on the up and up, why'n't you head back. Shall I send a couple of guys to help you get to the truck? You won't want to fall off into the marsh, there. Dangerous snakes and things.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Yes.<br><br>

Valentine counts three people on the boat. It's not a huge river boat, maybe the length of two recreational vehicles, and might be too small to carry much more than the three.<br><br>

'''Valentine:''' So you've got the signed document of delivery, right?<br>
'''Celia:''' Um … yes. She dropped it off with us.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Would you bring it out so I can see it and inspect it? I got a lot on the line here. I can't afford to not come back without the right pieces of information. If you knew my boss, woo! you'd understand I'm already—<br>   
'''Celia:''' No, it was all done verbally.<br><br>

Now Valentine knows for sure he's not dealing with the right people.<br><br>

'''Valentine:''' (irony) Really.<br>
'''Celia:''' Yes. This kind of cargo you can't have documentation for it.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Hm. Yeah.<br>
'''Celia:''' Why'n't ya put the gun down and come aboard and talk—<br>
'''Valentine:''' No, I don't think I'm going to.<br>
'''Celia:''' Well, now there's more of us than there are of you. You're just going to get yourself hurt.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Is there now?<br>
'''Celia:''' I figure the truck can't be too far away if you walked here in the dark.<br>
'''Valentine:''' You don't look like you got too  many people there.<br>
'''Celia:''' (aside) Reynard.<br>
'''Reynard:''' [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features#HOW TO SPEAK FRENCH|Oui]].<br><br>

One of the silhouetted figures hoists a carbine and points it at Valentine. Valentine shows them the radio detonator in his other hand, Black Rose still lowered at his side. <br><br>

'''Valentine:''' I wouldn't do that.<br>
'''Celia:''' (amused) Are you going to radio the police?<br>
'''Valentine:''' No, I'm going to detonate the truck. (beat) With the cargo in it.<br>
'''Celia:''' (scoffs) Detonate the truck … You're bluffing.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Actually, no. I'm not.  … (dead calm) … What you fail to understand is, is if I don't deliver this to the right people, I get killed. If I blow up the cargo, I get killed, but ''at least'' I get the satisfaction of denying it to you.<br><br>

It's the classic game of Chicken. The trick to winning is knowing when to flinch. Val stands fast with the switch in his hand and stares steely-eyed at Celia's silhouette.<br><br>

Crickets chirp. A bullfrog croaks. Something splashes on the far shore. <br><br>

Celia puts a hand on the carbine and lowers it. She calls out, her faint French accent thickening.<br><br> 

'''Celia:''' Okay, let's not be crazy.<br>
'''Valentine:''' I think I'm pretty sane.<br>
'''Celia:''' You know what? You must be understandably nervous. And that's good.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Actually, no. <br>
'''Celia:''' No, that's good, because this is very important cargo. Jean-Claude, fetch [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features#HOW TO SPEAK FRENCH|la Femme]].<br><br>

Sure enough, the smugglers escort Katerina Selezneva from below decks.<br><br>

'''Celia:''' See? She's here. Everything's fine.<br><br>

Selezneva doesn't sound fine. In fact, she's swearing in Russian: [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features#HOW TO SPEAK RUSSIAN|''Khuy tebe!'']] She yanks her arms free when she's topside, tugs her jacket straight, then looks at Valentine.<br><br>

'''Selezneva:''' Give them what they want.<br><br>

Valentine nearly refuses but remembers that Jann Wei specifically stated that he is to follow Selezneva's orders about the cargo to the letter. Still …<br><br>

'''Valentine:''' I just want to verify that you ''want'' me to give this cargo away to these people who are pointing guns at you right now? I just want to be sure.<br>
'''Selezneva:''' Well, if they release me—(turns to Celia)—you will release me, yes?<br><br>

Selezneva says something to Celia that Valentine can't quite make out. Russian? French? There is no telling. The women stop talking and turn around again.<br><br>

'''Celia:''' Yes, you bring the containers. We will release her. You have our word.<br>
'''Valentine:''' All right. <br><br>

Valentine has an open line with that walkie-talkie and Poco has been following every word on the dock. He talks into his to Valentine as he and Rachel creep back the way they came.<br><br>

'''Poco:''' I'll go get the truck.<br>
'''Valentine:''' (to Poco) All right. (to Celia) Truck's coming. It's going to take a minute.  What? Did you think I had it in my back pocket?<br><br>
 
Speaking of trucks … Tian's behind the wheel and gingerly stepping on the gas. As Vikki hoped, the engine turns the drive wheel, the drive wheel winds up the makeshift rope, and the rope pulls the truck out of the ditch.<br><br>

When the truck is on the road again, Tian jumps out to check Vikki's eyes again. Ow, again. Cut it out already, geez. Tian is insistent and Vikki gives in. When the exam is through, Vikki unties the rope from the tree, gathers the slack, and has Tian drive backwards to unwind the rope from the wheel. Once the truck is free from possible entanglements, she tosses the rope in the cargo bed and climbs into the cab. Tian turns the truck back toward the spaceport and home. She hands Vikki the comm.<br><br>

'''Tian:''' Keep trying to raise them. We're too far out probably, but keep trying.<br><br>

Meanwhile, Valentine turns toward ''his'' truck as it rumbles up to the dock. Poco sets the brake with a squeal and jumps out of the cab, puffing away on a cigarette. Valentine sweeps the dock with a critical eye. The cargo is heavy and the gangplank to the boat looks … iffy. It's not the only thing looking iffy.<br><br>

'''Valentine:''' Okay. The truck's here. Let her go.<br>
'''Celia:''' Once the cargo's—<br>
'''Valentine:''' (steely) No. That is not what we agreed upon. Let her go.<br>
'''Celia:''' It is customary for the hostage release after the—<br>
'''Valentine:''' I don't care what's customary or not. I'm the one holding the dead man's switch. Let her go.<br> 
'''Celia:''' We want to check to make sure that it's what we've been told. <br><br>

One of Celia's men comes down the gangplank to join Valentine. Valentine stops the man and holds the dead man's switch up.<br><br>

'''Man:''' You going to blow us up?<br>
'''Valentine:''' I might, at this point.<br>
'''Man:''' I want to check. <br>
'''Poco:''' (from the truck) He's the one walkin' into a bomb, boss.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Fair enough. <br><br>

Valentine steps aside and the man strides over to the truck where Poco's holding back the rear flaps. Beyond the canvas are the cryo units. Celia's man taps on the status screen on one of them, starts punching the buttons and fiddling with the controls. Poco watches, takes a drag, and says around a mouthful of smoke:<br><br>

'''Poco:''' You know, she gets really antsy if you mess with those.<br><br>	

There's a sharp hiss as the seal breaks on the cryo unit. The man lifts the lid and shines a flashlight inside. Poco cranes his neck for a look. The unit is well insulated and filled with … water. Poco leans in and sees the unit is filled with tiny fish. Hundreds. Possibly thousands. The man closes the lid, resets the controls, and sticks his head out the back of the truck.<br><br>

'''Man:''' This is it!<br>
'''Celia:''' All right. <br><br>

The man holding Selezneva at gunpoint takes her by the arm and starts moving for the gangplank. Celia and Mr. Carbine stay on the boat. Poco calls out from his position at the truck.<br><br>

'''Poco:''' We'll come back for the truck later. We'll skedaddle with the dead man's switch. You get your cargo and leave.<br><br>

Valentine calculates the odds in his head. Is he signing his death sentence by leaving? He has to figure the trade offs. The last thing he wants to do is die, but he doesn't want Rachel, Poco, or Selezneva killed if he makes the wrong decision. <br><br>

'''Valentine:''' You can start unloading the cargo once she's ''here'' … (points at his toes) … and your guy with the gun has walked away from her.<br><br>

Selezneva's escort shoves his gun in his back pocket and continues to the dock. The man in the truck starts shoving the IRP vaccines out to get at the cargo. The first container tips out onto the ground. The man pops out its built-in wheels and starts pushing it for the dock. Poco steps back and lets the man do all the work. Valentine takes exception.<br><br>

'''Valentine:''' Excuse me. I'm ''still'' willing to blow the whole mess—<br>
'''Man:''' (scoffs) No, you're not.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Let it go.<br>
'''Celia:''' (to Man) Take it.<br>
'''Valentine:''' Okay.<br><br>

'''BLAM!'''<br><br>

Valentine shoots the man pushing the container. He falls, wounded, possibly dead.<br><br> 

The fight is on. <br><br>



Jump to: [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game|''' Part 1''']] | [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Part 2|''' Part 2''']] | [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Part 3|''' Part 3''']] | [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Part 4|''' Part 4''']] | [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 105: Beaumonde Shell Game, Special Features|'''Special Features''']]<br><br>  

----
Return to [[Delilah Episodes|'''Episodes''']] | [[Last Voyage of Delilah, Season One|'''Season One''']] | [[Firefly-RPG|'''Firefly-RPG Homepage''']] | [[Delilah_Crew|'''Crew Page''']]