Last Voyage of Delilah, Episode 106: Newhall, New Directions, Part 2
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Tian: How far is your village?
Nuri: It's the next island. Banggi.
Tian: I could probably do that, yes. (beat) What's going on?
Nuri: (quietly) My father, I believe, has this. As well as many of our villagers.
Tian: I'm not surprised. It's essentially Verse-wide, at this point.
Nuri: Harris bin Akhmal doesn't want us using this, though. He keeps our traditions.
Tian: It can be very difficult to balance traditions against …
Nuri: This is not a long-standing tradition but many people believe that this disease was caused because of moral failures—But moral failures don't cause diseases, unless moral failures make you do something to catch a disease, right?
Tian: (gentle smile) You're correct.
Nuri: Like a sexually transmitted disease or something but this isn't sexually transmitted, right?
Tian: No. It's not. Certainly the argument can be made that the moral failings of those who caused the illness are rather extreme, but you are correct that morality in and of itself does not cause these things.
Nuri: Well, you can see just by looking at this, I mean, the number of possible permutations in one single string of DNA has to be … what is it? If you had ten with …
And off she goes in a description of what she means. She doesn't have the language to describe it in the proper or accepted terms but Tian can tell that by order of magnitude that the girl is fairly correct.
Nuri: (continuing)—there's got to be that many, so it's not impossible that people could have good intentions and made a mistake with something like this. I like to think that people are often misunderstood, that people confuse sometimes good plans and good intentions for … wrong thoughts.
Tian: I think you're very wise for your age.
Nuri: (sighs) You would be in the minority with that regard.
Tian: That's unfortunate.
Nuri: I hope you can come to our village. Perhaps you can convince them that this is a good idea. (smiles) I like your ship.
That smile lights up her face and Tian can't help but be taken by it … and the girl herself.
Tian: Let me ask you … You said that Harris … Harris bin …?
Nuri: Akhmal.
Tian: (nods) Akhmal. Um … Is he an Elder of your …?
Nuri: Yes.
Tian: And it would be he that I would have to convince?
Nuri: We are … um … He is our leader but if the will of the people were against him, he would go with them. That is our way. The leader sometimes follows the will of the people, as well. This is probably true in all places but in our small community it is that way as well. You can't … You can't tell everyone what to do if you're just one person.
Tian: How many are in the village?
Nuri: There is … 242, counting me.
Tian: All right. Let me gather some supplies together and speak with my captain and see if I can get a trip out there.
Nuri: Was your … was your captain the one who—(gives vague description of Valentine)—good looking … man?
She blushes a bit.
Tian: Yes.
Nuri: He seems nice. It was … something that he said that got me to come out here. (shrugs) It wasn't hard to lose Pallo. Pallo knows he's not supposed to drink alcohol but … if no one else knows, then he doesn't know either. But that gave me the freedom to come here. Very good. You talk to your Captain. Um, we … I can't pay but this looks like this is free.
Tian: It is.
Nuri: We can pay a little. We have some things. If that makes a difference.
Tian: (Shakes head) There is no need.
Nuri: Some people need it.
Tian: I do what I do because it's the right thing.
Nuri looks at Tian a moment, as if assessing the truth of that statement. Then she nods.
Nuri: I should go.
It's getting on toward sunset and Tian starts packing up. However, she can't help but think of the odd brilliant girl and her request. Rachel, on the other hand, is thinking of very little other than enjoying the beaches and the drink in her hand. At the moment, she's got a Mai Tai and it goes very well with the sunset beach indeed. Once it's dark she turns back toward home and Delilah to join the crew for supper. When everyone's gathered and eating, Tian broaches the subject of her afternoon.
Tian: Val, I understand that you met a group of people from the next island over today.
Valentine stops, a fork half way to his mouth. What? Who? Then the dots connect.
Valentine: Teenager? Yes. I did. She made her way here, then?
Tian: Would you have any objections if I ask Rachel to fly Vikki and me to the next island?
Valentine: (cautiously) Not specifically. Do you have a plan of action for this? My impression I got from the man I talked to was that most of them considered this to be a curse that was brought on by Allah.
Tian: Yes. It's a curse, all right.
Valentine: Well, I worry that … that messing with people's religions is a quick way to—
Poco: Do we need to have another Beaumonde discussion about giving your xìngjiāo de duìxiàng when it ain't your turn to give it?
Vikki: Please, don't talk about xìngjiāo, okay?
Valentine: (curious) Do I want to know, Vikki?
Vikki blushes and suddenly gets very interested in her dinner. There's gotta be a pony buried in it somewhere … Tian guesses the source of the woman's apparent discomfort.
Tian: (to Valentine) No, you don't want to know.
Valentine: All right. None of my business.
Tian: (to Vikki) Does the Chief need a beat-down?
Vikki: No, no, I think I left him feeling … not too badly about himself. It's just … I … He …
Tian: Stop there. Just stop there.
Vikki: Yeah. That's what I kept saying.
Poco chokes on his dinner. Tian turns to Valentine.
Tian: You have got to beat that man down.
Vikki: (amazed laugh) Just kidding! Oh my God, Tian. Loosen up!
Tian: No. That's not funny.
Vikki: Well, now—
Tian: Not funny.
Poco: Tink can do whatever she wants to. She's grown up. More or less.
Rachel: Was he comely?
Vikki: In a … cute kinda puppy way, yeah.
Tian gusts a sigh. Fine. Just kidding. Can we stay on task, people?!
Tian: In any case, as I understand it from the young woman, they are group-led, perhaps Council-led …
Valentine: Okay.
Tian: And the gentleman seems to be in charge of the group that came today doesn't wish for them to partake of medication. However, it sounds to me as if her father may be the leader of this Council and that she wishes for him to be seen. And that he might in fact be able to sway the opinions in the other direction. Apparently this tradition of avoiding medication is something of a brand-new tradition.
Poco gusts a sigh of his own.
Poco: Gahhhhh ….
Tian: (annoyed) Stay out of if, if you want.
Poco: Have we not learned our lesson on this? Fine! Just don't take the pilot.
Tian: (angry now) This is my job! This is what I'm here for!
Poco: (pissed now) Well, that's great.
Valentine: This is what she paid for. So regardless of anything else, if you were a paying customer—which is a bit of a leap, so I gather—
Vikki: Oh, he's paying, just not out of pocket.
Rachel: Val, before you say that, just remember who makes this ship run.
Valentine: I understand that. I'm not saying that he doesn't—you are earning your keep, by far—however, if you were a paying customer, you would want me to be giving you what you paid for, right?
Poco: I can't argue with that … But I can argue with takin' the pilot and walkin' through another shit storm.
Vikki: She doesn't have to. All she has to do is hover and we'll just jump out and then she can just keep on going.
It's hard to tell if Vikki's serious or joking again.
Rachel: No, I wouldn't do that to you, baby.
Valentine: No, nobody is hovering and nobody is jumping out.
Tian: That's why we're talking about this.
Poco: Can't the air car take the container? Or does the ship have to go?
Tian: No, it can't. The ship has to go and that's why if I asked if anyone had objections.
Poco: … Hrhnnnnnn ….
Valentine: Two hundred and forty-two people. How long will it take you, assuming everyone's willing?
Tian: Six … to eight hours, maybe?
Valentine: Let's say triple- to quadruple that number for working through potential resistances, in terms of convincing them this is the right thing to do and to make it available—
Poco: (sotto voce) And not getting shot and not getting killed. Right …
Rachel: Papa Bear, we'll keep you in the engine room. You'll be safe.
Poco: (sarcasm) Yeah, cuz the engine room's completely shielded against any sorta small arms fire, I'm sure.
Rachel: If they shoot, I'll just land the ship on them.
Tian pins Valentine with a look, ignoring the kibbitz-y end of the table.
Tian: That girl … (points off ship) … That girl is phenomenally bright. I would very much like the opportunity to take this clinic there to help her people and potentially … as awful as this sounds … to keep her father around to be able to protect her interests later. Because it sounds to me like … (moved) … The flash of brilliance that I saw? I would really like to see out in the Verse.
Valentine: Okay. (to Poco) I know where you lie on this, unless you changed your mind in the last three seconds. (to Vikki) And you're with her.
Vikki: (nods!) Uh-huh.
Valentine: (to Rachel) What about you?
Rachel: I'll fly anywhere. You know that. 'Lilah'll get you there.
Valentine does some quick math in his head. His contract with IRP will be up soon and Beylix is only a few days away from here. He's got time before the month is out to do this without getting delayed. To ensure there are no undue delays or fussing …
Valentine: We'll do this, but here's the thing. We're not going to push it too far.
Tian: If they refuse the treatment, then I—
Valentine: People sometimes, even those who want to be convinced, need a little bit of extra push but we're going to be really well aware of where that line is and we're not going to cross it.
Tian: You think I don't know my job?
Valentine: I know you know your job.
Vikki: Are you sure you're looking at the right person when you're saying this? Cuz that's normally the sort of thing you tell me.
Valentine: Yes, I actually am. (to Tian) I'm just stating out front what the conditions are of doing this. I know you know what your job is. I also can tell that you like her and that's fine. But personal attachment sometimes … I … once again, I'm just setting out—
Poco: That's not all she's sayin'.
Tian: I don't like seeing ignorance out in the Verse.
Valentine: Once again, I'm not arguing against it.
Poco: I'm thinkin' if it's a choice between getting' locked up in a dungeon or not, let's choose not.
Tian: Well, yeah. Let's choose not.
Valentine: That's a semi-precise way of thinking about it.
Poco: (sarcasm) Cuz it's not like that's exactly happened before.
Poco wheezes a laugh and the mood lightens enough for everyone's hackles to go down.
Tian: So here's the one thing I'm concerned about I'd like to ask around very briefly before we leave about this island and whether or not … um …
Poco: Cannibals?
Tian: (ignoring him) The way she was dressed indicates to me that we may have a problem.
Rachel: Like what?
Tian: Possibly with modesty.
Poco: Why? Is she hot?
Tian: (SO ignoring him!) We may have to make sure that we're … completely covered. We're stepping onto their property at this point as opposed to setting up the clinic here.
Valentine: We'll figure out what their religious customs are. We'll ask around. It's perfectly good research.
Vikki: You know what?
All eyes go to Vikki at the firmness of her tone.
Vikki: I'd go see the Sheriff. He's probably got a dossier on everything within his jurisdiction.
Poco: You just wanna see him again.
Rachel: Actually, that's what I'm thinkin'.
Vikki: (to Poco) You wanna come along? He's really sweet.
Valentine: (to Vikki) If you want to ask him, feel free.
Vikki: Yeah.
Tian: Thank you.
Valentine: Let's say we'll give it another day here and then we'll leave for the island.
Tian: I need the day to restock the clinic from the container anyway, because I'm running low. And if that's settled with everyone, I'm going back to work.
Vikki: Take a sandwich with you. You're forgetting to eat. Don't—(mimics Tian's look)—me. Nuh-uh!
Vikki shoves a ham sandwich into Tian's hand and Tian takes it with as much dignity as she can manage. Once the doctor's left the galley, Poco turns to Valentine and tells him that he wants to fix the ship before flying again. Cuz he has the engine room torn apart at this point. Talk falls to what needs fixing enough to be able to fly.
When Tian gets back outside, she notes that the shift at the plant has changed again. The plant runs 24/7 on three shifts, making it hard for some to get treated at the clinic. While it's not expected that the clinic remain open 24/7 and it's impossible for Tian to man it round the clock, she stays open as late as she possibly can so as to catch people who would otherwise fall through the cracks. Somewhere in the middle of her long stint that evening, she does manage to eat that sandwich. When it gets very late, Valentine steps outside and orders Tian to bed and to go to sleep.
Rachel and Poco spend the balance of the evening making sure that the engine room and the bridge console are able to talk to each other. That entails a lot of shouting back and forth on hand comms, checking connections. Does that light down there light up when I push this button? No. How about now?
While she's on the bridge trying yet another combination, Rachel keeps an ear out for the com chatter coming from off-ship. She eavesdrops on the chatter coming off the other ships in the area as well as the news channels.
This is what she hears:
Announcement: … Look out for IRP…
She jumps on the dials when that comes through, hoping to get a better signal through the static … but loses it altogether. Damn. She comms Valentine on the private channel and interrupts him while he's gently chivvying Tian to rack out.
Valentine: You do need to sleep. It's not good for you if you don't—
Rachel: (over comms) Val? …
Valentine:—I know you know your job—.
Rachel: Val!
Valentine: (gives up) I'm coming!
Rachel: Oh, you—! (grumbles, miffed)
Valentine: Yes?
Rachel: I was listenin' to the radio and I heard "look out for IRP"…
Tian's head whips around at that. What? But Valentine is already walking back to the ship. Tian is right behind him. Poco sticks his head out the engine room as Valentine passes it, still talking, and follows.
Valentine: And where would that be and from who? Do you know anything about it?
Rachel: "Look out for—hkkkhhkkkkkhhhh!—IRP—hkkkhhkkkkhhhh!" That was it.
Valentine: Oh, that was good. Was that you mimicking the static? Or was that you?
Poco: In what way, exactly?
Rachel: (over comms) You're still young enough I can bend you over my knee, Val, don't think I won't do it. And do you have your underwear on that I washed for you, Poco?
Poco: (abashed) Yes, Mama Bear.
Valentine: (quietly) Thank you. If you hear anything more about it, it's good to know.
Rachel turns around as Valentine, Tian, and Poco step aboard the bridge on that last comment.
Rachel: Yeah? Well, what the hell is an IRP?
Valentine: It's them.
Rachel: Oh! (to Tian) Why are they lookin' out for you?
Tian shoots Valentine a look. She's told him and only him about her exit interview with the Alliance Navy, explaining the cloud she is currently under. Has he told anyone else? She reads the answer in his eyes: No, he hasn't.
Tian: Well, let's see … you know my crate has weapons in it.
Rachel: (nodding) I know your crate has weapons. I don't know why they'd be lookin' for you specifically. There've been hints around they're lookin' for you specifically. You brought trouble on this ship.
Valentine: They're probably on the lookout for the weapons.
Rachel: We should'a dumped them in the sun.
Tian: So far as I know, I'm not actually wanted for anything.
Valentine: That's good. That's good. (a beat) The weapons are also cursed.
Poco: Unofficially.
Valentine: So, look. Keep our eyes open. Keep your ears open. Pay attention. There's not much we can do about it right now past raising the alert level a little bit. (to Tian) Think about what your plan is for convincing the Council and try to get a little bit of sleep so you don't stumble through that or fall asleep in the middle of the presentation … (waggles his hand) …
Yeah. That would be bad.
Meanwhile, a little earlier … Vikki's over at Boykin's office, hoping to get information for their coming trip.
Vikki: We might be going to the next island over with our clinic and I was wondering if there was anything we should be aware of over there?
Boykin: Ah … (hitching his belt) … the Banggi …
He pronounces it as if it's two words: "bang" and "ghee". He starts flipping through some paper maps, looking for the island. Vikki leans in to get a closer look. He gets a closer look at her tee-shirted chest
Vikki: I'm sorry? The what?
Boykin: The Banggi. Banggi's the island. Settled by the … Malayan … Malays … people.
Vikki: Okay …
Boykin: Ahh, yeah. They're pretty stand-offish. Not real friendly types. Don't really spend a lot in town. Townfolk don't mind them though. They bring timber and rice and sometimes fish and such. Um … (looks up) … What can I tell you? Kinda tribal. I went over there once or twice. We had a guy that went out there tryin' to do some surveying. And disappeared and I had to do a little, you know … (inhales) … investigation.
He leans in conspiratorially.
Boykin: It turns out he, ah, he fell … and hurt himself.
Vikki: (nodding) Well, when you're out surveying, you could break a leg or—
Boykin: It wasn't hard or anything but we, ah, we did interview a bunch of people and did some interrogations just to make sure there wasn't foul play, but … they were pretty much on the up and up, as near as we could tell. Unless people were … (looks wise) ... trying to hide something from us.
Vikki: I can't imagine why.
Boykin: Well, you'd be surprised. There's all sorts of criminal types out there doin' all sorts of stuff. You should watch out.
Vikki: Um, yeah. Criminal types, yeah.
Speak of the Devil and you shall see his horns. At that very moment an off-world wave comes through on the police band the next room over. Boykin turns around as the message pings in.
Boykin: If you'll just wait right here, I need to take this important interstellar communiqué …
Vikki: Sure.
She stretches her ears to catch as much as she can. She can't really make anything out. She waits … and waits … and starts thinking that Boykin's taking a little longer than usual to simply read over an incoming message. He comes back in looking a little … pale? Vikki pastes a smile on her face and goes alert.
Boykin: So … How long have you been with this … flyin' around with—Here I am, talkin' about myself this whole time. It's rude. I shouldn't.
Vikki: Aww, no. It's okay. Um … (pretends to think) …Let's see, what day is it? The twentieth? … Okay, so we landed on the 23rd and we've been here a few days … (counts in her head) … so it's the 25th of February, right? Yeah, okay, um, twenty-five days?
Boykin: You've only been on that ship for three weeks?
Vikki: Uh, yeah.
Boykin: So you probably don't know those people all that well.
Vikki: Oh no, I never met them before I stepped aboard. (brightly) This is our first mission out. The IRP is—
And she launches into the PR spiel that she received on Persephone, how their mission was to change lives for the better, ask not what the Verse could do for you, ask what you could do for the Verse.
Vikki: (continuing) … We're all here to make things better—cuz we totally humped things up—and it's our duty to make things right. See, one of the things we want to do is spread the goodwill around to people who need help. We're supposed to go everywhere anyway and give these people inoculations or the treatments or whatever. So since we're going to go over there, we don't want to go in flying blind—
As she goes on and on about her hopes and dreams with this mission, she leans closer and closer to Boykin. She's eaten up with curiosity about what he'd read in the message the next room over and why he came out looking so pale. She knows he's kinda sweet on her and if perhaps she could ingratiate herself with him, he might open up to her …
Hence, the leaning.
Vikki: (still continuing)—because it's important, what we're doing and so we don't want to step on any toes when we go to this village. And you know, from what Tian said, they may be a little conservative and oh, by the way, do I need to wear a burkha? Because I didn't pack one.
Boykin: I don't know what a burkha is, but boots. It can get muddy out there—
Vikki: No, it's like, you know when you were a kid and you were playing ghosts and you threw a sheet over your head? It's sort of like that only it covers you from head to toe there's this little embroidered panel that you look through and actually it looks—and you could wear anything under there. No one would ever know wha—.
Boykin: They could be a little dangerous.
Vikki: (wide eyed) What do you mean by dangerous?
Boykin: Well, here's the thing….
He leans in close in turn. My, they're getting almost cozy-like, leaning over that desk with the maps.
Boykin: They are … a primitive people. They probably believe in evil spirits. And they don't like women. I seen how they treat their women. They don't like 'em. They're not as modern and sophisticated as we are. A lot 'a these little islands, people go there to get away from the Alliance and the—
And it's his turn to go off on a tangent about how some folk just don't cotton to modern technology and the civilization that goes with it, like a proper education and equality and so forth. It's the standard liturgy most people recite about the savages that live outside the Core. Vikki keeps her expression interested as she listens and her patience pays off. Boykin smiles and leans closer.
Boykin: I'm gonna help you out. I'm gonna make sure you're goin' to get there all right.
Vikki: (beams) Thank you. That's really nice of you.
Boykin: so when do you think you wanna go do that?
Vikki: Um … I'll have to ask our Doctor but I think we're pretty sure it's first thing in the morning.
Boykin: Oh, well, don't you leave without me.
Vikki: Oh, no. Is oh-six-hundred okay?
Boykin: That's a bit early.
He seems taken aback by it, actually.
Boykin: That is six o'clock, right?
Vikki: Yes! As opposed to eighteen-hundred, which is also six o'clock but six o'clock p.m., which is why military time uses the 24-hour clock so there's no ambiguity at all as to a.m. or p.m., see? Did you ever wake up from a nap and couldn't tell from the light outside if it was a.m. or p.m and you're scared you might have overslept and missed an important appointment and—
And Boykin's mind starts to wander, stupefied by her prattle: her lips are moving but … hmm … nice rear on her as she walks out the door …
Vikki: (Continuing)—Oh, speaking of which I have to go but—
Once she's safe way from Boykin's office, Vikki smiles into the night. She got more information about the village. That wasn't as bad as she thought. He didn't try to hit on her. She thinks she could get the hang of this… Then she realizes she has to tell the crew that Boykin's coming along with them.
Rachel: We're going to pick him up?
Valentine: Excuse me?
Vikki: He's going to help us.
Valentine: Doing what?
Vikki: Making sure nothing happens.
Valentine: In what way?
Vikki: The bad kind. The kind you have to call the law in on.
Valentine: So … he's going to be our … bodyguard? I'm just not real clear on the role that he plays here in this particular scenario and why you chose 0600. Because—
Vikki: You said, "First thing in the morning".
Valentine sighs.
Valentine: When I say first thing in the morning I actually mean "first reasonable hour" in the morning. 0600 is ... which is less reasonable, but …
Tian: He must have meant seven.
Valentine: But we'll roll with it as it goes. So he's going to be here and he's going to help us to—?
To save everyone time, Vikki tells them everything that happened while she was at his office.
Vikki: He suspects they might be … (sighs) … Insular.
Valentine: And that's the word he used.
Vikki: … No … (over the crew's laughter) … That's the word I used.
Valentine: And what word did he actually use?
Vikki's starting to think that maybe she didn't manage to pull this off well after all. Perhaps if she explained …
Vikki: I don't properly recall, but I got the feeling that he felt they were benighted ignorant people who are superstitious and treat their women horribly, throw them in burkhas—no, wait, I suggested that—and, um, well, he said, "Tell you what, I'll go along with you to make sure nothing happens to you." And I said, "Okay, sure, when?" And he said, "Oh, first thing in the morning?" And you know, one thing led to another and it was like, there were parts where I had to keep talking to keep him occupied and not doing what I didn't—it—(embarrassed grimace)
Valentine: Stop there.
Vikki: (relieved) Thank you.
Valentine: You're welcome. So … Our options are to leave at 0500 hours, which is even worse—
Vikki: Oh, no, we can't break our promise to him.
Valentine: You're right.
Poco: He is the law, after all.
Tian: He's still not … (frowns)
Valentine intuits Tian's unease and gives Vikki a pointed look … and an order.
Valentine: I'm not completely convinced, so he's your responsibility. Not I'm not going to keep an eye on him, but—
Vikki: It's okay. I can handle him. Just give me a trank patch. If he gets fresh, I'll slap it on him.
Tian: Uhhh, Val? I don't … (reconsiders) …. (stops).
Valentine: Speak up. Because it really looks like you want to say something and I'd rather you just say it rather than holding it.
Vikki: Yeah, her mouth is making that funny straight line again.
Valentine: (to Vikki) I figured she'd learn from you so … (to Tian) … Speak up. Going once … going twice …
Tian sighs.
Tian: Here's the thing. Rachel listened in on a call—
Valentine: I understand that.
Vikki: What? Wait.
Tian: And I'm concerned. Why would he come with us?
Vikki: (to Rachel) What?
Rachel: I heard something about lookin' out for the IRP. On the radio. In between static. (brightens) Which, Papa Bear, we need to work on. Or maybe Tink. (to Vikki) Babydoll, it's no fun havin' no radio up there.
Vikki gasps and her eyes go wide. Everyone stops talking and stares.
Vikki: Maybe that's why he came back all pale.
Valentine: Wait, wait—what? Let's back this story up.
Tian: Excuse me? Did you skip something?
Valentine: What happened? And keep it shìdàng xiǎojiàng. It's a family-friendly ship here.
Vikki: Oh, please, he didn't even get past yī lěi.
Valentine: What happened? Pale.
Vikki: In the middle of our discussion when I was trying to get him to tell me about the village, a comm came in. He said, "Oh I got to get this interstellar communiqué." He exits the room. He closes the door. I try to listen in—
Valentine: He actually used the words "interstellar communiqué"?
Vikki: Yes, he did.
Tian: 'Way to bury the lead, Tink!
Vikki: As I was saying, I tried to listen in but I couldn't hear anything. So, you know, he came back into the room and he was looking kind of pale, so I engage him in conversation to try to calm him down and maybe try worm the information out of him and he starts talking about the village like I was trying to get him to tell me about anyway and … well … yeah, I told you about that part, so I don't have to go into it again.
Full stop. Valentine blinks.
Valentine: Okay. (to self) Let's consider this a new challenge. (louder) So clearly—
Poco: So, we're leaving now.
Rachel: Cuz I ain't getting' up at no five in the mornin'.
Valentine: There was some thought about it, but.
Valentine quells the kibitzing with a look and turns back to Vikki. How to put this? In certain law enforcement circles, we're a damn big collar. If Boykin were in charge of investigations for the area and he thought he'd just gotten the biggest collar in his life, what is he liable to do? Call in other people for help? Or tackle the arrest on his own?
Poco prosaically points out that Boykin doesn't look like he's got a lot of funding at his disposal. And where is he going to get the extra people? Call in the Alliance? Boykin might not send that invite.
Valentine: I'm not wrong in thinking that this is a guy who's pretty sure he can handle this sort of thing himself. He seems the sort. I'm just trying to make sure if we leave in the middle of the night we won't draw more attention to ourselves or if it's more worth it to keep him on board to keep an eye on him.
Rachel: Hey, Tink. I take it he's interested in you?
Vikki: (sighs) Yeah. God knows why.
Rachel: I got ropes in my room. You could maybe get him interested in—
Tian: WHOA! Bié nàole, jiù zài nàlǐ!
Rachel: What? (to Vikki) Just tie him up, baby.
Vikki: (squick!) … Uhhh … (squick, again!) … Ewww …
Rachel: You don't gotta do it. Just make him think he's gonna get somethin' an' tie him up.
Vikki: You—you can't do that to a police officer!
Rachel: Sure you can. Baby, sometimes they're the ones enjoy it the most.
Vikki: Then you do it.
Tian: I think he got a better offer.
Vikki: He hasn't met her yet. How would you know?
Tian: To be quite blunt, Tink: Because her rǔfáng aren't high enough.
Rachel: Yeah. Darlin', I done bǔrǔ yīgè yīng'ér. They ain't sittin' where they're 'sposed to be.
Valentine: Okay, that was quite blunt. What did I say about it being a family-friendly ship here? (deep breath!) Plan A: Go. Plan B: Take him and keep him under control.
Tian: So we're going to take him to the island with us?
Valentine: I don't know for sure that if we bolt, if that will be the trigger to make him call in someone bigger. Is there anyone bigger in the area?
As for bolting, that's assuming we can even lift off right now. We don't even know if we're landlocked, because the landlock indicator lights on the bridge don't work when they would normally kick in.
Tian: My concern is two-fold. First, why are they on the look-out for us, which is yet another one of those things where we still don't know what's quite happening with that … and …
Valentine: Second?
Tian: Did he call anybody? Did he call the Alliance Navy and let them know we're here?
The Alliance has her Navy and though it's not at its former glory it's still big enough to patrol everywhere except (by agreement) Blue Sun. Also by agreement, the Alliance keeps its hands off anything that happens on the dirt outside the Core, but once they're in space everyone falls under Alliance Naval jurisdiction. So if we stay on the ground, we're likely only at the mercy of local law enforcement and Boykin might be managed. Once we're in space, it's a whole 'nuther ballgame and Boykin can call us in to the Alliance.
The unknown factor is: will he?
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