Episode 506: Mortal/Coils, Part Four

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Joshua: “If we are going to do this, the most straightforward plan would be to get Bannon, his controller, her, and then going back to the brothel, getting the girls, and high tailing it out. ”

Their planning is interrupted by a wave.

Beggar: “Langiappe, Langiappe. ”
Nika: “Langiappe here, what's going on Beggar?”
Beggar: “Just checkin in, making sure everyone is okay. We had an alert down here. A barge done got blowed up.”
Nika: “A what?”
Beggar: “A barge. A wood barge, they use them to transport lumber.”
Nika: “Blown up? Like by the local Browncoat Insurgents?”
Beggar: “I don't think that they are local. But, yeah, some terrorists. That's what they are calling them. But yeah, the news said that there were some other attacks in other places as well. That's why I wanted to check on you.”
Joshua: “Where'd they attack?”
Beggar: “There was a barge carrying some kind of wood products, I don't know what kind, they just call it the 'wood barge.' It was sank. There were explosions on board, then it sank. I didn't hear anything, but we were radioed and told to stay on the ground and not to venture into town. ”
Nika: “Well that's helpful” (Sarcastically)
Arden: “It is actually. We could use something like that as a distraction. A bomb at the factory would lure their security to the factory. in the confusion we could do what we want.”
Nika: “The cover of terrorism is a good one.”
Arden: “It's not like we haven't blown up factories before.”
Nika: “So much for doing this tonight.”
Kiera: “Yes with Beggar stuck on the ground.”
Joshua: “Beggar, you're not under Landlock are you?”
Beggar: “No sir, just told not to take off.”
Joshua: “It was just safety advice. ”
Arden: “It's not like we know where Bannon is anyway.”
Kiera: “We'll know when he get's close.”
Arden: “Only if we stand outside watching”
Kiera: “Well of course, we will be.”
Rina: “For all we know, they may already be back.”
Arden: “Yes, if what the girl you talked to about how quick the men can be out here.”

Joshua: “That brings back another issue, that I hate to bring up, but…”
Nika: “What?”
Joshua: “Fourteen girls, what are we going to do with them, once we get them free of this slavery? Are we going to drop them off somewhere and say god luck to you? We can't leave them here. ”
Nika: “Why do you always need to go and complicate things?”
Joshua: “I'm sorry. I really wish it were more clear.”
Rina: “I say we call home to daddy and say we are bring guests to dinner.”
Arden: “Who?”
Rina: “Christian. He would have the contacts.”
Nika: “And he's here in system.”
Rina: “He would have the contacts.”
Arden: “Combination orphanage, and brothel, yeah! Let's go.”
Joshua: “No… but he might know somebody that might be able to help.”
Rina: “It's remote enough that no one will bother them.”
Arden: “Depends on how irritated we make them.”
Joshua: “I just want to make sure we are't going to make their lives worse.”
Nika: “I agree, of course. But I like the idea of employing Christian for this. I thin Christian would like that idea too.”
Kiera: “Well, I would say, Bannon is a big deal on this planet, but that doesn't make him a big deal everywhere.”
Nika: “It might mean he has resources, but we don't know.”
Joshua: “Let's go find Bannon.”
Arden: “It could be a simple as killing the Baron, and taking over the brothel.”
Rina: “I'm not staying here.”
Kiera: “Just walk in and say you're the new boss and gun him down.”
Arden: “I was thinking, walk in, gun him down, then say you are the next boss in town.”
Joshua: “It's important to get the order right.”
Arden: “Rape, pillage… THEN burn.”
Kiera: “I'm alright with that plan too.”
Arden: “Just an alternative plan.”
Rina: “Do we have to kill anyone? For the record, I'd rather not kill anyone.” (Now that's out of character!)
Joshua: “I am, of course, with Rina on that. How can we do this with minimal casualties? If we can get Bannon and the controller, it is possible that I can borrow him. I can't be Bannon, I don't have time for that.”
Kiera: “If you don't mind the pain, I can whip up your face right quick. Give me an hour.”

Of course, that is not really practical. They would need to return to Equinox, and do the surgery, then come back again.

Joshua: “If we could do that, it wouldn't be too hard to Bannon in there, and clear the place out. He might have that kind of power. I might be able to pull that off. And that would give us a chance to do this about as violence free as possible. Except for the violence we'd need to perpetrate against Bannon. Even that might not be peaceful and quiet like. ”
Rina: “We could slap a patch on him, tie him up. ”
Nika: “But I really want to shoot someone!"
Arden: “I know some of you have ties to the Browncoats, can you contact the insurgency, maybe get us some help?”
Rina: “They could bomb the factory while we raid the brothel.”
Nika: “You did not just smile at me like that!” (Looking at Arden)
Arden: “I did. Is is not a good idea?”
Nika: “It is. I like it.”
Arden: “Not only wouldn't we need to worry about the girls after the fact, the insurgents could take care of them. But, we'd be striking a blow against the corporate entity and the badness of slavery."
Nika: “Jpshua. Even you must agree it is good idea, as much as it might pain you.”
Joshua: “I don't know if I'd want to leave the girls in the hands of the insurgency. That doesn't strike me as a winning development.”
Arden: “We could leave them with the hyper-intelligent gorillas if you prefer.”
Nika: “Maybe we can merge these plans together. If we can find someone in contact with the insurgents, then maybe we can arrange something. Use that as a distraction to overrun the brothel. And then, take the girls with us. I guess we are not going to try this tonight. Not if we are going to try to the Browncoat route.”
Arden: “True, but it is a good plan. Whose come up with the last plans that have worked?”
Kiera: “List them again?”
Joshua: “Can you tell me what we are going to tell the insurgents?”
Nika: “I guess we'd need to find out what their goals are here. If they are just sowing hate and discontent, they might be happy to blow up the factory and sow hate and discontent here. The question is, can they even be bothered to do this. We don't know what they want. So that would require a little time to do a little background and figure it out.”
Joshua: “If we are interested in talking to the insurgency, we could go to Del Marin, broadcasting that this is the Equinox, formerly the Exeter, and see if the name rings any bells with any Browncoats.”
They hope the reputation of the Exeter as a hero ship of the Independents might give them an in with the insurgents.

Rina: “If nothing else they might have some resources we can use.”
Joshua: “And a side benefit, Del Marin is another town whose name appears in the Green Book. So if we make a trip there, we can look into that.”
Nika: “Not to mention people seem to be a bit on the edge here now with those terrorist attacks.”
Rina: “Not to mention, explaining why we'd be hanging around here for a week. We need to leave.”
Nika: “Alright let's go to Del Marin.”

They launch Langiappe, return to Equinox, and make a quick trip to Del Marin. As the approach the space port at Del Marin, it is eerily quiet. It isn't much of a spaceport, even compared to that at Resurrection. There is no radio contact or anything. There is no response to their hails. They set down, cautiously, and secure stations. No one approaches, at first anyway. It is morning. They all get armed. There is no activity. For a spaceport, it is pretty dead. Really it is more like a landing strip in the middle of the jungle. The crew arms up and leaves Beggar on board to keep the ship. They exit the vessel and head into the small town. It has ramshackle buildings, and muddy roads. Some of the buildings look recently abandoned. It definitely looks like it has seen better days, or maybe it was made from materials taken from some other town that had seen better days. As they reach the main street they see people hurrying about. Apparently their arrival was neither unnoticed, nor well received. Eventually they find a bar that is still open. There are a couple people in the bar, and the barkeep looks a little nervous as they enter.

Barkeep: “Ah… uh. Come in.”
Joshua: “Thank you.”

They enter and take seats. As Arden takes a seat he turns to Joshua.

Arden: “Do you think they have sarsaparilla?”
Barkeep: “So… we don't know anything.”
Kiera: “That's a beginning salvo. Why the hell would you not you not know anything?”
Barkeep: “If you are here looking for someone, or something, we don't know where it is.”
Rina: “I'm looking for vodka.”
Barkeep: “We don't have vodka.”
Rina: “What have you got?”
Barkeep: “We have tequila.”
Nika: “Beer would be fine.”
Rina: “Alright, I'll also have a beer.”
Kiera: “So if we weren't looking, what would we not find.”

The barkeep looks puzzled by the question and mumbles a little to himself.

Barkeep: “I just serve drinks lady. ”
Kiera: “I guess that proves that there is something going on here.”
Barkeep: “You see what is going on, not much. You scared away my two customers.”
Nika: That's okay, I brought you five more.”

The barkeep sets them up with a round of luke warm beers in generic bottles. He cracks them open silently as he does.

Arden: “Who would we need to talk to about getting a cargo?”
Barkeep: “There hasn't been work here in months.”
Nika: “What happened to the town?”
Barkeep: “It just sort of closed up.”
Arden: “We noticed some abandoned buildings”
Barkeep: “The mill and the nursery closed down, so there is no work. ”
Joshua: “Nusery?”
Barkeep: “Yes, they grew plants”
Rina: “What kind of plants?”
Barkeep: “They grew rubber trees, bananas, others.”
Joshua: “This wasn't what I was expecting. All that talk about insurgents, insurgencies. I thought we'd be walking into the middle of a war zone.”
Barkeep: “Welcome to the warzone.”
Rina: “Maybe it's economic war.”
Arden: “Is Adrian on the radio?”
Kiera: “Apparently in the middle of a war you get vodka and cheap beer.”
Barkeep: “No vodka.”
Kiera: “Just beer.”
Barkeep: “And tequila”
Rina: “I'm sticking to beer.”
Nika: “And I was hoping to actually see something.”
Kiera: “Looks like we aren't going to. We missed all the actions. What was it a few months ago they pillaged through here?”
Barkeep: “Once the mill and nursery got destroyed, most people got on the river and went downstream.”
Kiera: “How'd they destroy a mill?”
Barkeep: “I don't know.”
Arden: “That's right, you don't know anything. Do you know anything about the bombings up North?”
Barkeep: “Bombings up North?”
Arden: “Seems so, that's why we're down here. We thought it would be safer to get cargo down here.”
Kiera: “They do't have no cargo up North.”
Beggar: “I don't know about that.”
Kiera: “I don't know. Blow up a Mill, that sounds horrible. Whoever did that is mighty cold.”
Nika: “We could always put out word for passengers. The Exeter has always picked up people in need. Taking people food in, taking people out.”
Barkeep “Do you want to use the.. bulletin board.” (He points to the the tattered cork on the wall with one Che Guevera style propaganda poster speaking about the PMV.)
Arden: “What is the PMV?”
Kiera: “Is there a bar with someone who knows something?”
Barkeep: “This is the only bar left.”
Joshua: “What is down river?”
Barkeep: “There is another town down river, that maybe there is work.”
Arden: “Do you want a ride?"
Barkeep: “Ride where?”
Arden: “Down river, since no one else lives here.”
Barkeep: “I'm not getting on your ship. ”
Arden: “What I am saying, is if there is no business here.”
Barkeep: “There is no business today, but eventually when people come back. It's a big town. People can come back, walk into an empty building. It's yours. There are some nice houses.”
Arden: “That's a mighty fine real estate pitch.”
Barkeep: “I am thinking about upgrading my house.”
Arden: “Yeah, I would.”
Kiera: “Nobody gonna stop you.”
Joshua: “How long you live here?”
Barkeep: “All my life.”
Kiera: (Looking to Joshua) “Any of the girls from here?”
Joshua: (To the barkeep) “Do you know anything bout a girl named Jelly, she'd have shown up here five-ten years ago?”
Barkeep: “I don't know nothing about no jelly”
Nika: “Is he lying?” (whispered to Joshua)

They all look at his weak smile. Of course, he is lying.

Joshua: “Is there anyway you might remember Jelly. A few more rounds?”
Barkeep: “No sir, I don't know nothing about that sort of thing.”
Nika: “That kind of stuff?”
Joshua: “What kind of stuff are you talking about?”
Nika: “The fact that you know enough to say you don't know, means you know something.”
Barkeep: “Look I don't want to get killed. So buy all the drinks you want, or don't. But if I get in trouble.”
Joshua: “Who's doing the killing?”
Barkeep: “I don't Knooowww!”
Joshua: “I like you. I do.”
Barkeep: “I don't want to die. So I don't talk about anything I shouldn't, wouldn't know about.”
Kiera: “Did you not notice how many guns we walked in with.”
Arden: “Would a lubrication of a silver color jog that memory of yours?”
Barkeep: “No! I can't use money if I am dead!”
Kiera: “Man's got a point, money's dead”
Barkeep: “I'm here my ship is still here. Because, I don't talk.”
Arden: “Do you know someone who does talk?”
Barkeep: “If I knew them.”
Kiera: “What if we slipped you a piece of paper, you could write…”
Barkeep: “Nooo!”
Kiera: “I think its time to go.”
Barkeep: “I wish there was a witness here who could see that I am providing no useful information.”
Arden: “I will witness that.”
Kiera: “I will go outside and tell everyone you were a waste of time.”
Arden: “Of course, if we go outside and act like he was a big help.”
Barkeep: “What are you trying to do, get me killed?”
Arden: “Only if you don't help us.”
Nika: “See, your choice, either you tell us nothing, and we act like you told us something, or you tell us something, and we act like you told us nothing.”
Kiera: “True, we're good actors.”
Arden: “Well some of us.”
Kiera: “Shut up.”
Joshua: “I don't think this is right, we should just go.”
Nika: “Now really, because the girl I want to know about got kidnapped.”
Barkeep: “Down the road, you'll get some answers down the road. About a quarter mile down the road, you'll see the house.”
Nika: “Someone's house?”
Barkeep: “Sort of, I think you'll know when you get there.”
Arden: “A red light hacienda?”

They tip the man, and leave the bar. They head down the road. About the distance they were told, they find the burnt hulk of some building. All across the remaining walls they find "PMV" sprayed painted. They had seen a few tags here and there, but here, this house was claimed with a strong emotive quality. Whoever did this, was pissed off. Picking through the rubbish and debris. They discover signs that this building was once a brothel itself: the decorations, the number of beds, etc.. No one seems to have died in the fire, except for one person. On the second floor there is a burnt skeleton that was probably tied to a bed.

Kiera: “I am wondering what happened to the other girls?”
Joshua: “That's what I wanted to mention. They're probably with the PMV, wherever they are. The question is..”
Kiera: “Are the free or not”
Joshua: “Was this a rescue or was this a raid for the women?”

After a little bit, while they are going through the debris a figure steps up and calls out.

Young woman: “You folks from the North.”
Nika: “Depends, why?”
Young Woman: “You don't know?”
Joshua: “It's a small planet.”

The woman seems a little puzzled by their responses.

Nika: “It depends on who wants to know and why?”
Young Woman: “So you are from the North?”
Nika: “On some planets”
Arden: “Oh please, we're from off planet.”
Joshua: “Oh Jesus.”
Nika: “We're not from this area. Wy do you want to know?”
Young Woman: “I'm just wondering why you are looking at the old whorehouse?”
Joshua: “We're looking for someone. I had information saying she might have been there.”

She approaches and smoothed the remnants of draperies still hanging from a single hook in one unburnt wall.

Young woman: “Who are you looking for?”
Joshua: “Jelly”
Yound woman: “Ha. You are looking at her handiwork!”
Arden: “She burned the place down?”
Nika: “She did this?”
Rina: “Good for her!”
Kiera: “You go girl!”
Joshua: “So she is with them now? The PMV?”
Kiera: “Well she's obviously not working here anymore.”
Arden: “Does that make her an important person with this group.”
Young woman: (Nervously) “Yes, she is a Pantera now. ”
Rina: “What does that mean?”
Young woman: “PMV, Panteras Marrones de Verbena - Brown Panthers”
Arden: “How can we get in touch with her, or have her get in touch with us”
Young Woman: “I expect if you keep your ship there much longer, they will get in touch with you.”
Joshua: “In a shoot us into the ground kind of way?”
Kiera: “A take it away from us kind of way?”
Nika: “Why are even willing to come talk to us, when everyone else is too scared.”
Young Woman: “I have my reasons.”

Arden steps out of the house to call Beggar.

Nika: “You want out?”
Young Woman: “I got out.”
Kiera: “So you were one of 'em?” (Pointing around)
Nika: “I meant do you want to get out of the area, we could offer a ride if you want to get out of here.”
Arden: “We pick up stray kittens and puppies as well.”
Kiera: “Is she inclined to do something like this in another place.”
Nika: “Was this specifically revenge for being here?”
Young Woman: “I reckon it was.”
Kiera: “If they are willing to do that..”
Joshua: “We looking for her for any ill will. If for some reason you get to her, or she gets to you, before she shoots us up. Just let her know that..”

Meanwhile Arden calls Beggar on the ship.

Arden: “Beggar, there may be some visitors coming by the ship anytime now. Try not to antagonize them. We'll be there soon.”

Back at the house.

Nika: “You know if this is the sort of thing she does, she might be the sort of person we need.”
Young Woman: “What do you need from her?”
Nika: “There is another girl held in another place, up North. We were hoping someone in the PMV might help us out. We want to bust her out, and the other girls with her. It would be right up her alley. We are looking for allies.”
Young Woman: “I don't know…”
Kiera: “Tell her she has friends, if she is interested.”
Young Woman: “I don't really talk to her.”

It is clear the young woman isn't comfortable working with the crew and they decide to leave her be. Now at least they have a good lead.

Arden: “Our job here is down. I mean our job, right here, is done.”
Joshua: (to the woman) “Much appreciated, if there is anything we can do for you. Let us know.”

They decide it is worth waiting around a bit to see if their ship lures the PMV to them. They feel relatively confident that the ship can withstand whatever punishment they might throw at them, if they do. They wander down the street casually contemplating what to do while they wait. As they do a military grade mule comes down the street bearing five guys in camouflage and wielding weapons of various sorts. They slow down as they spot the crew and head for them. Two of them hop out of the vehicle to provide cover by flanking the group. The mule drives up along side the crew.

Guerilla1: “Nice ship you have. What brings you to Del Marin? What are you here for?”
Nika: “Actually, we're looking for y'all.”
Joshua: “We're looking for a 'Jelly'”
Guerilla1: “I don't know a 'Jelly.'”
Guerilla2: “Do you think he means 'Jao Li'?”
Guerilla1: (Looking angrily at #2 and under his breath) “Shut up”, then once the other look adequately chastised, he speaks to the group. "You have business with this 'Jelly'?
Joshua: “Yes, actually, I do.”
Guerilla1: “And what's that?” (pausing) "I don't know anyone by that name, but perhaps I can help you."
Kiera: “Everyone seems to know nothing here.”
Joshua: “We originally came here looking to see that she was doing alright. Clearly, by what we've seen so far, she must be doing alright for herself. Seems that way anyway. But we might have some information for her about her family. I don't know if she is interested in that. If you could pass that on to her.”
Guerilla1: “You want to see her?”
Joshua: “I do.”
Guerilla1: “Do you have a mule?”
Joshua: “Yes we do.”
Guerilla1: “We will have to blindfold you.”
Arden: “Hard to drive a mule with a blindfold.”
Guerilla1: “One of us will drive for you.”
Joshua: “Alright, we can do it.”

The crew heads back to the ship, divests themselves of their guns, and pulls the flatbed out of the cargo hold. Arden gears up with extra supplies, anticipating they might need them. There is a bit of tension as the guerillas eye the ship with appraising eyes.

Beggar: “Do you want to me to lock weapons on them Captain?”
Nika: “No, but if we aren't back in an hour, and you don't hear from us, take off and level the place.”
Beggar: “Aye aye Cap'n.”

They board the mule, are blindfolded, and a member of the original group takes the driver's seat. They set off through the woods. The hover mule hides most of the terrain features, so they can't know precisely what they are missing, but the going is slow suggesting off road travel. They eventually end up in a guerilla camp. It has the typical tents, campfires, people engaged in the usual activities, cleaning guns, mending clothing, exercising, etc. There are probably a couple hundred people: men, women and children. For guerillas they are reasonably well equipped, with antiaircraft guns hidden under camouflaged netting, and other high tech gear, small missile launchers, even some weapons that look bigger and more sophisticated. Eventually they are lead down to a campfire circle where a young woman is waiting. She is an in army uniform with Independent insignia.

Jao Li: “You are looking for me?”
Joshua: “Yes we are. Although the only name I have is Jelly”
Jao Li: “Jao Li. Jelly is what the slavers called me.”
Joshua: “That's what we needed to know.”
Jao Li: “How did you know about that name?”
Joshua: “We stumbled upon a list.”
Jao Li: “What list?”
Joshua: “We have a list. It has 39 pairs of names. And, I am trying to do right by those names.”
Nika: “You're the first one we've found that survived, and escaped… so afar.”

Jao Li releases a tirade of Chinese and Spanish invective that leaves even Joshua's finely tuned linguistic abilities challenged to get more than the general sentiment that she has no fondness for the JJB. She is particular wrathful towards Ah Toy, the leader of the JJB. She makes it clear she'd like a shot at the woman. Eventually she exhausts herself, takes a swig of some local tequila and calms down.

Jao Li: “So, did my parents send you?”
Joshua: “All we have is pairs of first names and places, names where they picked up, and different names where they were dropped off, but nothing to put them together, nothing matches. ”
Nika: “You are the first one we could really talk to.”
Joshua: “There is someone else in Pottersville, on the Northern continent, that is still in the predicament you escaped from..”
Nika: “Since we've seen your handiwork, we were hoping you might help us.”
Arden: “Why don't you show her the list, maybe she can shed light on it.”
Jao Li: “It would be difficult getting up to Northern Continent. But we could get you weapons or explosives, if you want.”
Joshua: “That would be helpful.”

The crew scans the area wondering what weapons would be most useful. Kiera and Arden seem to drool with gun-lust for a bit.

Joshua: “Where did you come from?”
Jao Li: “Constance.”
Joshua: “Yes right here, Jao Li, Constance, Fender's Roost.”
Joa Li: “Yes Fender's Roost.It has been a long time.”
Nika: “So they are correlated.”
Joshua: “Well, they have matches, but they are correlated in anyway we could know who came from where, or where they went.” (He shows them all the hodge podge of names.) "We are trying to make the rounds. And every planet, every.."
Nika: “Hang on. Real quick. How did they take you?”
Jao Li: “I was just a girl, and security came to town. And they had a "lottery". They brought out five or six of us, and lined us up. Then they offered positions of "Citizen Watch", to parents who wanted their daughters taken off the lottery. And then they just picked a number, and I found myself being pushed on the ship with a bag of clothes.”
Rina: “Dear God!”
Nika: “Did you ever meet the other girls?”

The crew feeling impotent and helpless in the revelation of this tragedy seeks to help. Arden offers medical care. Rina offers to fix things. They all look for something to do. But of course, nothing can undo what was done.

Jao Li: “I am confused. You found this list, you're looking for the girls. And then you hope to make amends by offering aid?.”
Joshua: “Well, the plan, which was not fully formed… ”

Suddenly, with a start, Jao Li get's something in her head. Calling to a comrade she yells

Jao Li: “Wait, what the ship they came in?”
Guerilla1: “I think it was a Durance class.”
Jao Li: “You're on.. that.. ship!”
Joshua: “We came into the ship. The JJB isn't around any more.”
Nika: “The ship has changed hands several times.”
Joshua: “We're trying to make it right.”

She gets a look on her face, almost afraid. The once confident and composed warrior begins to resemble a young girl being led off from her parents. She trembled slightly whether from rage or fear or sorrow, it's unclear. The crew looks a little startled themselves, wondering what wounds they've opened. Finally with a palpable effort she regains her composure.

Jao Li: “I am okay, I am here. My brothers and sisters here rescued me about seven months after I got here. They took a liking to me. They 'liberated' the house. ”
Rina: “Who was the person chained to the bed?”
Jao Li: “It was the pimp. ”
Rina: “I hope you tortured him a bit first.”
Joshua: “Umm. My point, which I can't seem to get across is.. while my plan wasn't fully formed, was if we found a girl who wanted to get back home, back to where they came from, to get them back. If we knew who their families were, to go back and let them know. To make things as right as can be made. It can't be fixed, but at least we can make a stab at trying to improve on things. Because that ship…”
Kiera: “That ship, used to be a good ship, before it was used for evil. We're trying to redeem it. Bring it back.”
Jao Li: “It will take must work.”
Joshua: “I know.”
Jao Li: “You say there's another girl in Pottersville? I will talk to the Major and see if we can give you some support.”
Joshua: “Thank you.”
Jao Li: “I don't want to go back to Constance, I belong here now. We're fighting a good fight.”
Nika: “Do you want us to attempt to give word to your parents?”
Joshua: “That you are alive.”
Rina: “Doing well.”
Kiera: “That you want to make contact?”
Jao Li: “If they didn't send you, I don't know what they did, or even if they are still alive. If they have given up. ”
Nika: “They might still be around. And we might be near there some time”
Jao Li: “I could give you a letter I suppose. I don't know what to tell them. I mean. They can't come here. And I can't leave. Is it better for them to think me dead? I don't think they would approve of me being a Browncoat.”
Joshua: “They are your parents, they'd want to know that you are alive. Even if you don't tell them anything else. They'd want to know that you survived.”
Jao Li: “Okay I'll give you a letter. I appreciate your efforts. I will make sure you and your ship are not molested by the troops.”
Joshua: “Thank you. Just one more question, do you know anything about Lockmyre?”
Jao Li: “It's a small fruit growing region. Not worth much reason to go there.”
Joshua: “A girl from there is on the list. Just wanted to know if you knew anything that could help.”
Jao Li: “When they landed here, the last thing they told me was to clean my cabin, for the next one.”
Kiera: “Which cabin was yours?”

Jao Li tears up a little.

Jao Li: “It is hard for me to think about this. It was next to the airlock on the port side.”

The discussion continues a bit. Then the crew breaks off to help out around the camp. They bring on some stores. During this time they learn a little bit about the insurgency. The PMV is attempting to wrest the planet from the Alliance and make it an independent world, like some others. They hope through their terrorist actions, they can make doing business unattractive, thus lowering the value for any one to want to keep it. This way they hoped to disinterest the Alliance, and any corporate backers until they pulled out their security, and without private security or the Alliance, it wouldn't be long before they took control.

Rina: “Economic warfare”
Joshua: “Except with bullets and bombs”
Nika: “Sounds similar to what is going on in Blue Sun. It is working out reasonably well for them out there, so hopefully it will work out for you here.”

There is a brief discussion about the independence movement of late. Then Nika returns to the issue at hand.

Nika: “Would the Mill where the other girl is being held be of interest to you?”
Major: “You want us to provide some sort of distraction?”
Kiera: “We'd like a distraction, but anything you think would benefit your progress.”
Nika: “If you thought you could take the town, we could help you do that too.”
Major: “No, we don't have the supply train to hold the town, but damaging the town would be good. IHS is big there, so it is definitely a target. We haven't tackled that town mostly because it is sort of spread out, high cost to damage ratio. ”
Nika: “There are a lot of innocents there too, and you don't want too much collateral damage, cause that turns public sentiment against you.”
Major: “Sure.”
Nika: “If you take away their livelihood of the innocents because the people running the place are corrupt…”
Joshua: “Distraction would be good.”
Major: “Well, we are going to take away their livelihood, that's how this works. ”
Joshua: “Distraction will be good, yeah.”
Arden: “Blowing up the factory would be best.”
Major: “There will be some short term suffering in order to get independence, that is the way it works. I assume some of you were in the war. You have to make sacrifices.”
Nika: “And out side always seems to be on the short end of the stick.”
Major: “Do you have coordinates of where you want the strikes?”
Nika: “Yes we can get you that.”
Major: “We could put a couple missiles over there. Just tell us when.”
Nika: “How accurate are your missiles?”
Major: “Its a stationary target?”
Nika: “But that doesn't mean your targeting sensors are good enough to hit what you are aiming at.”
Kiera: “Do they really need to hit it exactly?”
Nika: “I don't want it to hit the town.”
Kiera: “If they just it near it though”
Nika: “That's what I am asking, how accurate are your targeting sensors? So we are not looking at leveling the entire town of innocent people. Because, that would be bad for your business.”
Major: “We don't have missiles that big.”
Arden: “Do you know what you are doing at all?”
Nika: “That's the only reason I am asking. I don't want the deaths of a bunch of civilians on our hands.”

The major seems to be getting a little frustrated with the direction this is going. First insinuating his weapons will be inaccurate, then guilting him about using them.

Major: “Look do you want our help or not. You came to us.”
Arden: “We want your help.”
Major: “I can't guarantee you that there will be no casualties.”
Kiera: “There will be casualties.”
Major: “We are launching missiles, they blow up and hurt things.”
Nika: “I just want to be able to plan if they are not entirely inaccurate.”
Major: “They might not hit exactly on target.”
Nika: “that's fine, I understand that. I just wanted to know how accurate we could plan for.”
Major: “You said you wanted a distraction, I can give you a distraction. But I can't promise you that no one will be hurt”
Nika: “I understand that. I wasn't asking for your promise on that.”
Major: “Then I am not sure why you are asking. Unless you are trying to make me feel bad about what we are doing”
Nika: “No I'm not trying to do that.”
Joshua: “So, when are scheduling the distraction?”
Nika: “Figure it out.”
Joshua: “Yes ma'am.”

The discussion gets more specific about targets, and which will cause the most destruction, noise, or most distraction. This goes on into the night, and eventually people head off for rest.

The next day they make another side trip to Lochmyre, where they come across a banana plantation, run by one Elyce Madrid. She asks if they are with the Marshals, which the crew disavows. Then she asks if they are here to buy bananas, which they do, but they explain their real purpose as well. After they explain what they've discovered, she asks how much money they want. They disavow that as well. She gives them photos of Marisa her daughter. She offers them whatever they want in return for her daughter. She asks them to tell the girl that her brother and sisters and mother are fine. She knows what happened to her father. Tell her that "we're here, we're waiting." The crew don't promise anything, but the mother asks for any news, good or bad. When they leave there is some question about the wisdom of visiting the families, for fear of instilling false hopes. They leave with a sense of purpose, and gravity.

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