With A Little Help From My Friends
Posted on Sat Feb 25th, 2023 @ 7:02pm by Alden Loxley & Drake Loxley & Daiyu & Jonas Bailey & Kindra Graham & Spencer Wainwright & Jacy Wright & Whit
Mission:
Home Sweet Wonderful Home
Location: Fortune's Echo - Infirmary
Timeline: November 17, 2517 Morning
There had been the shuttle ride with Jacy, some quality time with a real paid professional doc (under the insistence of both Loxleys and elder Armstrong) at a real hospital, then a ride 'home' to Echo and a overnight for some medicated slumber. Now the sun was almost completely risen over Cloudwater port and people were no doubt awake and curious.
Fresh from an argument with Drake, Alden had stormed into the infirmary with a tray of warm beverages and eased into friendlier compassion with the calm coolness of one who clearly didn't want to talk about it. The harsh words had drifted, incoherent, through the ship such as to advertise ill feelings more than the reasons behind them, but the pilot's demeanour now was one of responsible concerned adult. He handed Jacy the first mug of freshly brewed coffee and then leant against the counter nearest to Kindra and waited for her to sit up enough to take hold of her tea.
"You look awful," Alden said, with a friendly smile as he handed over the cup and saucer, planted a kiss on the companion's forehead and then stepped back to resume his lean. "How ya feeling?" He asked, more seriously now, reaching out a hand to firmly squeeze Kindra's own.
Taking the offered coffee, Jacy wrapped both palms around it as she shifted, leaning back against the counter. She'd done what she could for Kindra with what they'd had available...and a few things from the bag of goodies she'd gotten from Arlo before joining the ship. But none of that she wanted to think about. Just like she didn't want to think about how she felt as if she was intruding as she watched the two of them clasp hands.
Kindra grimaced as she sat up, expression more in response to Alden's good-natured and accurate observation than to pain. She really did look awful. Even if she was inclined to, she wouldn't be accepting clients anytime soon. "I'm feeling better. Hospital doctor said it could take as long as six weeks 'til my ribs are completely healed." The hospital staff had allowed only her father – her recognized next-of-kin - to stay with her until she was discharged, and Kinmont had asked thought-provoking questions and shared information Kindra needed time to process. She gratefully accepted the cup of tea with one hand and laced the fingers of her other hand with Alden's.
Whit walked in at that moment, eager to check on Kindra as well. It didn't take God's own wisdom to see the captain was having a moment though. "'Scuse me. Didn't mean to interrupt anything. Just wanted to see how our Miss Kindra was faring."
Offering up a friendly amused expression to the Shepherd, Alden shook his head lightly and let Kindra answer the polite request for information.
"Much better." Kindra gave Whit a fond smile. "Thank you kindly for everything you did to help bring me back safe to 'Echo. I'm lucky to be alive. And I'm in very capable hands now." She raised her tea cup to Jacy.
Blue eyes slid to the other woman, with what she hoped was a passable smile on her face.
"Anything infirmary supplies-wise that you need that you don't currently have?" Alden asked Jacy outright, making an ongoing concerted effort to integrate this woman into the crew. She was mysterious, but useful, and he'd take that trade for now, especially with Kindra laid-up. "More chance of getting it on Three Hills than most other places, so please speak up if you need something."
"It took a few seconds, longer than it probably should have for her to answer. Maybe they'd think she was just making a short list in her head. Not that she was. Jacy bobbed her head, "I'm sure there's something. I'll look and make up a list?" she asked.
Clearly, Alden considered, Jacy was giving that question some serious thought, which was both a relief and understandable. It was going to be okay, he told himself, Jacy would help Kinda recover, they'd pick up an easy cargo job, rest her up while the legal work was done, see if they couldn't do some straightforward fetch-and-carry work for a couple of trips and stay close to worlds with decent medical facilities. He realised then that Jacy had answered him. "Sounds good!" Alden said. "Work up your list and I'll get Drake on it."
Jonas stood outside the infirmary and leaned against the window. The room was small enough as it was and there were people starting to gather. Adding his height at this point was not a good idea. But he did want to stop in for Kindra...see how she was recovering.
A grin spread across Kindra's face at the sight of Jonas in the window. She always felt comfortable with the big man; there were no secrets between them, and she always knew where she stood with Jonas. Kindra still had not broached the topic of her inheritance with Alden, and there were many secrets he kept from her. Recalling what she'd heard about Jonas and Alden's confrontation with Kinmont in her shuttle, Kindra said, "Just so you know, I gave Kinmont permission to access the cortex in my shuttle and modify my Guild registration access, to add enhanced security protocols."
He didn't miss that big smile in Jonas' direction, but that wasn't why Alden frowned. He wasn't keen on Kinmont tinkering with anything on his ship, even though, for the moment, the port shuttle was legally rented to Kindra and not linked to the Echo's main communications, it still made him a little uncomfortable. Now though, was not the time to argue on that point. He'd get it checked over later.
Whit rubbed his chin in thought before giving the tip of his nose a flick. "Seems like our departed friend had something of a personal vendetta," he noted, possibly fishing for information that wasn't for him to rightly ask. "Hopefully not any more of those out there in the 'Verse."
Answering Whit's implied question, Kindra said, "It was the personal part of the vendetta that got me caught up in it. Kinmont assures me I'll be safe now, though. Especially after James' death gets back to his associates." Kindra sipped her tea and considered whether her father had told her anything she couldn't repeat. "When Kinmont, uh, interrogated Salkeld... he discovered that man is an asset of the same organization Kinmont works for. Another branch. Salkeld's objective was to collect evidence of James' connection to Alliance higher-ups and ensure Kinmont didn't divulge sensitive information."
Half-listening to Whit and Kindra trading info, Alden's gaze sought out Jonas. He gave his brother in all but DNA an upward nod that flicked backwards into a subtle summons/invitation. You take over here. That gesture said, while their eyes remained locked. Then Alden gave Kindra's hand another gentle crushing and stepped back. He didn't want to get into it with Kindra right now, but father and daughter had spent a considerable amount of private time together (understandable of course in the circumstances) and he wanted to talk to Kinmont without her present. "I'll be back in a few," Alden promised, and then stepped outside to allow Jonas room to interact with Kindra and company in the infirmary.
"So about that organization," Whit said to Kindra with a look of passive interest. "I reckon it ain't the salesy kind as said at first meeting?"
With her attention completely focused on Alden's abrupt departure, Kindra barely registered Whit's question.
A firm hand on a beefy shoulder, a worried smile as Alden faced entirely away from the infirmary window and allowed Jonas alone to see the raw emotion in his eyes. "Go make her smile some more," Alden asked, hopefully and softly. Then softer still, for Jonas' ears only. "I'm gonna go talk to her dad."
Jonas saw the worry and emotion in his blood-brother's eyes. "I'll do my best. In the meantime, be careful. I guess in a way he owes us a favor for saving both their lives...but still, watch your back."
Alden offered up a wan, wry smile. Usually the big fella here was watching his back, and stepping into a confined space with Kinmont mustered up mixed emotions. "Thanks. I'll try not to be too stupid," he promised, tone level, still muted quiet and serious. "Figure he owes us too, but I'll not turn my back on him." He turned before walking out of view, and added. "If I screw that up, bury me in my boots, k? In the good shirt. The dark blue one." That flippant comment was a private ongoing joke they'd traded for just over a decade now, and it signalled the level of underlying concern in the elder of the two men.
Jonas nodded and smiled. "Boots and good shirt. Got it." He knew Alden was concerned regardless of everything they'd already been through with Kinmont. That long-time private joke between them was almost like a code at times. "If you need anything, yell. This ship echoes like a canyon. Somebody'll hear. And you know me...I'll make it right." That last phrase had always been Jonas' reply. He'd make it right one way or another.
Liking Jonas' 'I'll make it right' as the last word on this matter, Alden gifted the big man an upward nod, a brief fraternal hug and an appreciative smile then exited stage left towards the port shuttle.
Kindra's gaze followed Alden to the infirmary exit. Once his back was turned away, her composure slipped from her features to reveal the anxiety roiling underneath. She lifted the cup to cover her face and drank the last of her tea. Kindra needed to talk with Alden, without so many people around. Her ribs were wrapped, and the swelling around her eye and the other bruises just needed time to heal. "Jacy, when can I leave the infirmary?"
She watched Kindra, Jacy's gaze following the other woman's to the Captain and back, noticing the way her face changed. The way her mask seemed to fall away. Kindra probably didn't want anyone to see such an expression if she was hiding it from Alden, so Jacy's turned her attention to the cup in her hand, pretending to be deep in thought. "Hmmm". Her attention back on Kindra, eyeing her clinically. "Guess if you can promise to take it easy and rest, you could leave whenever you're ready."
Kindra tore her gaze away from Alden and Jonas, to nod solemnly to the ship's medic. She really should make a point of getting to know the shy young woman. "I promise."
Jonas walked in after his quiet and quick conversation with Alden, little expression on his face. "Glad to have you back. Sorry it has to be like this, though. But at least now you won't have to look over shoulder for James any more. Just wish we'd have been able to take care of him back then."
"You saved my life back then, Jonas, and you saved my life in the here and now. You and Alden… and all of you. Thank you." Kindra's wan smile included everyone in the infirmary. She was fortunate indeed to have such friends and allies. But what kind of terrible friend and ally was she? "Not lookin' over my shoulder for James, that'll be a relief. But, I owe you all an apology. My presence on the ship put you all in danger."
"I can't speak for everyone else," said Jonas. "But you know that you never owe me an apology. For anything. I've lived my life in some kind of danger nearly all the time." Jonas patted her shoulder gently. "You'll be outta here before you know it and back to work in no time."
Kindra glanced at Jacy, hoping the medic would indeed release her from the infirmary soon. She rested her hand on top of Jonas' hand on her shoulder. "It'll be a while regardless, I can't take clients looking like this." The thought of accepting a client contract sent a shiver of dread down her spine. The danger she put herself in had never been more stark. Especially on border planets like this one, where far too many people had no proper respect for companions. "Always in danger. Is that the way you want to live your life, Jonas?"
The two started chatting like the old friends they obviously were and Jacy felt suddenly awkward. Like she was somewhere she shouldn't be, or like she was intruding. Maybe she should just leave? But her thoughts turned inward as she listened, bringing to mind her own... ordeal. Kindra didn't know it, hell no one knew, with the expection, she guessed, of Arlo and whoever he was working for, how their situations were similar. Only, in her case it was her younger brother, and there was no one to protect her. No one would come to her rescue if Ford ever found her.
It hit her then, her hands starting to shake, that she was also putting everyone on the ship in danger. Hoping that her action went unnoticed, she turned and tried to set the mug on the counter only to have it miss. It tumbled, threatening to spill its warm contents and when she reached to grab it, she knocked it off the counter. "Sorry! Guess it's one of those days to be clumsy."
"No need to say you're sorry, Jacy." Kindra looked from Jonas to Jacy, and wondered if it was Jonas' proximity affecting the pretty young medic. Though Kindra thought of Jonas as a dear friend, no woman could fail to notice he was tall, dark, and handsome.
Jonas was glad for the brief reprieve. "Don't worry about it, Doc. Nobody's hurt. Clumsy happens to most people at some point in their lives. Just shows you're human. You are human, aren't ya?" he added with a grin.
Kindra abruptly realized that Whit had asked her a question, and she hadn't responded. "Forgive me, Whit. I didn't answer your question about, uh… if Kinmont is really a salesman..?" She didn't remember Whit's exact phrasing. "He's not a salesman, that was his, uh, cover." She gave Whit a smile with a hint of mischief. She knew he was not a real Shepherd, ordained in an abbey and sworn to a life of poverty and non-violence. But, if Whit wanted to present himself as a Shepherd, what was the harm? "Are you thinking of taking up a side hustle, Shepherd? Kinmont said the most annoying aspect of that cover was people kept buying the merchandise. He'd probably gift you his remaining inventory, on account of your help."
"Mighty kind, but I have no need for inventory of anything," Whit said with a shrug. "I already got everything I need. Perhaps his largesse could be gifted on the rest of the crew, though. Do it in my name if it makes him feel better."
"Uh…" Kindra wasn't there when her father arrived on Fortune's Echo, and assumed from what Kinmont told her that he'd presented himself as an adult-toy salesman to the entire crew. "Shepherd Whit, your open mindedness is impressive. Perhaps you could select appropriate items to distribute to the crew, and arrange to sell the rest?"
Whit didn't know much about supply and distribution, but he gave a congenial shrug anyway. And he certainly never saw what Kinmont had kept in the crates. "I s'pose I can help any way I can."
Jonas couldn't help but laugh. "Well, you'd be the first Shepherd I've ever heard of that passed out guns and adult pleasure toys to a ship's crew. 'Specially in your name. I can see it now...somebody holdin' up one in each hand. 'Preacher Whit gave me these and said it was done in his name.' Open mindedness, indeed."
"Guns and adult pleasure toys?" Whit repeated carefully as if unsure of what he was hearing. "Wish I could say that's the first time I heard those words put together in one package." He started chortling and then made the sign of the cross across his chest. "I'm afraid I'm gonna recant on my offer, but y'all do as you please."
"Well then," said Kindra with a wide grin. "Perhaps it will be up to me to find an appropriate, uh, method of distribution for Kinmont's merchandise."
Jonas let out a hearty laugh. "It's okay, Preacher. I'm sure Kindra will find some way to hand 'em out. Maybe she can wrap 'em up as presents and leave around the ship. Well, 'cept for the guns. I wouldn't leave those layin' around the ship."
Meanwhile, outside, Drake was talking to someone none of the crew had seen before, and Cooper hadn't failed to notice that there was no sign of Echo's petite, blond engineer. Across the private landing area, Audley was working on the skiff's electrics, rewiring permissions and rewriting some essential code, while Arlo ran some tests on Echo's thruster controls, sat crosslegged atop the broad curve of Echo's upper outer hull.
"Who's that?" Daiyu asked everyone and no one in particular. Her unblinking eyes were fixated on Drake and the stranger.
"Dunno," Cooper answered, leaning against the ship and studying the stranger just as blatantly. "But Chloe's apparently gone, so guessing mebbe a new hire?"
"And this is the Firefly I was telling you about," Drake was telling the lean, brown-haired man beside him. "My brother's ship, definitely needs a lot of attention, he throws it around the Verse like someone else is paying the bills." Which, as it happened, they often were. "You've worked on them before, right?"
Spence took a look at the rotting hulk of a ship. Where others saw filth and disgust, Spence saw opportunity and character. This little 'fly had seen a lot, and he was certain her insides would tell quite the story. "Once or twice," he replied to Drake. He noted some of the scars on the hull, likely from atmospheric burns and re-entries. Several panels had been replaced, and others seem to be precariously held in position. Even the paint had been touched up here and there. "Seems like this one has seen some 'venture."
Drake nodded sincerely. Given Spence's past, he suspected more than twice for sure, and likely in all the wrong situations. Situations that were often liable to occur to his brother and reminded him somewhat uncomfortably of their father's exit from this world. Those images haunted them both, Drake and Alden, the freezing dead ship with its cold dead all too familiar crew. They'd been young then, a decade ago, young and optimistic, at least up until that salvage run. The younger Loxley shook those hard thoughts and watched Spence's cursory visual examination of Fortune's Echo.
"Definitely seen more than her fair share of 'venture I'd wager," Drake told his friend. "We rescued her from a rocky grave - literally - and restored her up. Now Alden's trying to keep her flying long enough to pay for all the stuff I had to replace." He rolled his eyes comedically. "Seems to be every time he takes her out he ends up owing more though, but I figure we all know how that debt can build up."
Spence chuckled. He knew too well how quickly debt could build up, which was why he relied on people like Drake to find him jobs. "Somethin' like that," Spence muttered. "Restored, huh? Looks like the job's not quite complete."
There was an ironic expression and a brief snort from the younger, richer Loxley that definitely wasn't directed at Spence. "I'm not sure it ever will be complete," he admitted, "but y'know, family... so I try to help." He rested a comradely hand on the engineer's shoulder. "Job here for as long as you want it, I'd say. You have any issues with my big bro, let me know though k?"
While the two allies had been talking, Cooper, with Daiyu in tow, had made the few steps journey to come within impolite conversational intervention, and the big Shepherd grinned as he rocked up to stand within Drake and Spencer's orbit.
"New engineer?" Coop asked outright, well aware of the nuances folks like Drake were capable of, it not the details of any such currently, and feeling unwilling to dance.
"New engineer," Drake confirmed, resting a supportive hand on Spence's shoulder though he hadn't entirely 100% cleared that with Alden. Both Loxleys knew it was bound to happen, but officially, the position was still subject to a Conversation 'tween Captain and new employee. "Spence, this is Shepherd Cooper and Daiyu."
Spence looked up from his visual inspection to see some faces come out from inside the ship. "Shepherd, eh? You don't really see men of the cloth on ships like these." He also took a moment to size up both the Shepherd and the woman beside him. It was strange to see someone in such close proximity to the Shepherd, but then again, what wasn't unusual about scraping together a life aboard a Firefly.
"You don't?" Cooper asked, amicably enough. "I spose not," he conceded swiftly with a sage nod. "I didn't 'sactly plan on being a passenger," he admitted. "Was sorta a rescue situation..." Coop didn't tell that whole story, but moved swiftly onwards. "Then me and my colleague, we stuck around on account of these folks needing Shepherdly guidance and protection." That was kinda a lie, but Daiyu specifically was someone Coop didn't wish to name or out, troubles-wise, to a stranger.
Spence couldn't help but mentally repeat Shepherdly protection in his mind. He had enough interactions with shepherds to know that not all men of the cloth were saints, and each one had their own story. Spence would probably learn it in time, and clearly, this shepherd didn't want to share it today, and rightfully so. "I s'pose that means that this ship here ain't too troublesome. At least for its passengers."
"Not gonna lie," his smile was gruff as Cooper responded. "Been a mite troublesome, but company's good, and the food's decent." He turned to the young woman beside him to check on her current mood, then glanced back to Spence. "So, you all cleared to join the crew?"
"He's cleared..." Drake interjected, then he had to turn away in order to take an urgently chiming inbound call on his cortex.
"Do you kill people?" Daiyu asked Spence in a deadpan expression. "The last few people Alden's brother brought to us had killed people."
"I've killed," Spence answered honestly since it didn't seem worthwhile to withhold that tidbit. "But I don't go around looking to kill people. It's been mostly self-defense and the like."
That admission visibly set Daiyu at ease in her posture. Spence would only be dangerous if threatened and would be less likely to think poorly of her if she... Daiyu began shaking her head furiously. "Duì duì duì duì duì duì!" It was unclear to whom the affirmative repetition was addressed.
Spence raised an eyebrow, finding the woman's tick to be a bit odd. Then again, what wasn't odd out here in the black? He assumed that her reaction was some form of acceptance, so he brushed it off. "Not a bad little ship here," he remarked to Drake. "I suppose it'll do."
Drake closed down his call with a thump and a stomp of his right boot on the ground, then turned back to face the trio, his attention serious and focused entirely on Spence. "We'll be going to Ezra," he said. "Someone shot momma."
Letting out a gasp, Daiyu covered her mouth with her hands. Her almond eyes spread wide with horror. "Is momma all right?!"
Cooper rolled his eyes at Drake, placed a firm, supportive hand on Daiyu's shoulder and said nothing as they both regarded Drake in anticipation of his response.
"Can't say for sure," Drake said. "Comms cut out. And it ain't coming back up yet. But she's alive right now."
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