Geneva (XO/FMK) - In that old interrogation room, "So. 'Captain' Where do we go from here ... "
Captain - "You're not of a law enforcement agency, are you ?"
Alley - A laugh, "Absolutely not." Inhales the smoke, "There's only one of us at any time, we usually kill our predecessors when they inevitably become weak. It resolves clearance matters, and they tend to rebel when they get old. 'Proving themselves'. Adolescents coming up ... adolescent going down ...
"They start having opinions."
Captain - "I love that you're telling me all this, makes it a lot easier being interrogated like a criminal for saving the last of humanity. May I ?"
His table chained hands motion for a smoke.
Geneva - "Of course !" She lights one, her eyes not leaving him and passes it. "We're scuttling your ship."
Captain - Observes her a moment, inhales ... exhales. "The Hell you are."
Geneva - "The Hell I am ... "
Captain - A sigh. Smokes. Sizes her up. Glances to the camera with a nod.
The door opens, crew entering guns drawn. Geneva smiles still watching him. He looks to her waiting.
Geneva - ... "Oh ! Of course." She pulls her pistol and passes it back to the crewman, digs for the keys and slides them across the table. "I'd dispose of that quickly, a fine weapon but it does have a tracking chip."
Crewman - Looking it over, "That is unfortunate."
Geneva - Turns suddenly to him smiling, "You appreciate fine weaponry."
Crewman - "I do ... " Looks into her, "A great deal."
Geneva - "Hm." Back to the captain as the finishes the cuffs. "Sorry the key's a bit janky, the cuffs are very old. So. Where do we go from here ?"
Captain - Getting up and massaging his wrists, stabs the smoke out on the old table. "I take my ship and go."
Geneva - "I see. You know it's not about me I'm concerned with, but your knowledge off these events. So yes do go be insane with that mad dream of yours. Steal your ship away ... and become 'pirates'."
Captain - Smile ... "How did you know ?"
Geneva - "I read your profile. You did not intend to retire and now you're ... 'proving yourself'. Just another aged adolescent, off to play pirates."
Captain - "Finally. Do you intend to you pursue us ?"
The crewman taps the side of his rifle, pointed at her head.
Geneva - A laugh back to the crewman as though he'd said it, "Of course I will. It will be to ask of you just one favor for your freedom today." To the captain, "I'm impressed your people took this base so easily."
Crewman - "Jesus Christ ... "
Geneva - Turns again suddenly, "Have you met him ? I have. Not quite what you'd expect really, but a good man nonetheless."
Crewman - "Huh." ... "No. I meant this whole deal's a setup."
Geneva - Back to the captain, "That it is. The base was a test of your infiltration skill. You'll do. There will be one job. Fail and die, refuse and lie unto yourselves ... it is inevitable. You will do this thing. Now go."
Captain - "No. What about the royal circus."
Geneva - "Excalibur is theirs and they took the same deal an hour ago. Lights another, "But frankly their odds of surviving their job are much lower than yours for yours."
Crewman - "Didn't get your name."
Geneva - Still staring into the captain, "It's Geneva. A joke by the first of us when once more 'politically biased' agencies
complained of his methods. He was capable of great destruction, but
very accurate in its path. There were complaints.
Inhales ...
Geneva - "And yours captain. You'll be needing a new name of course. For my records"
Captain - A laugh, "You called it. It's 'Kidd."
Geneva - "Hmmm and your ship the Cara Merchant I think." She turns back to the crewman, "I'm the 34th Geneva. We are the sin." Smiles away to watching the captain leave.
Crewman - "Those people we killed getting in here ... "
Geneva - Smiles to herself, "Yes."
...
The crewman leaves.
~ Xenofix ~
The newly named 'Cara Merchant' departs the installation, knocking aside the debris from the smaller crafts likely destroyed to get there. A crewman jumps off the side, wire attached and begins scraping 'Centaur' from the nameplate.
While the now haggard and glamorously disheveled crew of Excalibur depart the other way. Aboard Cara Merchant, the crew to their jobs, a few glances between those who couldn't resist the Xenofix curse.
Aboard Excalibur the crew has been appointed by need alone, no one knows what they're doing but a very few. Yacht captains and engine buffs, a few self proclaimed physicists and chefs.
And Mary watches their departure among those who chose to remain, uniform jacket mercilessly unbuttoned, duffel on her back, she's distracted by a goth girl walking by ...
As the camera follows the woman's smile back, it passes a few other XO/FMK characters departing behind her, among them Clyde watching Bonnie leave with her pimp and girls, dressed for political and nobleman marks from the Centaur's passenger list.
A skully cross on the side now, the painter pops a champagne cork and slips in a drinking tube. A smile ... she smashes the bottle across the newly painted name leaving the shards tumbling over the name in a zero G momentum splash of the toss.
'The Cara Merchant'.
____________
Gunner - Entering the captain's quarters, "So. I understand your XO died in a knife fight."
Kidd - Looks at her a moment from his desk. "They'll say you fucked your way to the top. Plain and simple. Doesn't matter how we feel. If we feel. It's what they'll say."
Gunner - Pulling off her jacket, "They'll be right. Let me make one thing perfectly clear. That's exactly what I'm here for today. Third date. I like you. And I'll still like you when you promote me. But I am not going to spend our exile anywhere, but on top of this ship. No more third hand orders, and no more shoveling coal. I respect you as a commander."
Sitting on him, "I respect your orders. I will follow them. And I will enforce them. Kisses, "And there is no one better."
Kidd - "Well."
Gunner - "Seriously ? It's her isn't it. She already asked. Didn't she."
Kidd - "And she'd fuck me for free. Now you understand this." Gets up sliding her off, works his buckle. "I'm promoting you first." Pulls off his belt. "Before we do this. Congratulations. She is the better gunner but you're the better first. Winds th belt around his hand, then a fist. "You scare the crew more."
Gunner - "And ?"
Kidd - "And yes I absolutely will take it out on your ass." He slams her hard over the desk, binds her arms behind with the belt and hikes her skirt. "Third date."
____________
Excalibur 'captain' - "Mate !"
The first mate walks to the chair leaning in like a waiter for the order.
Captain - "Do you think this ... 'crew' is ready."
Mate - "No sir."
Captain - "Hm. Well do you think they can bring her about now that Centaur ... "
Mate - "The Cara Merchant sir. It's been redubbed."
Captain - "Yes ... why do you think ... "
Mate - "The Excalibur was expunged from the final archive sir, so there wasn't need for a new name."
Captain - "Well that is interesting ... I wonder ... "
Mate - "It's all I know of it sir."
Captain - "I see ... well set this tawdry crew to bringing her around, now that this ... 'Cara Merchant' thinks we've gone the other way. They are lost. As we are lost. They will go in a straight line without deviation I think. So follow the line but not the ship."
Mate - "Very wise captain." Walks to station and pulls the ship wide microphone cone, "Bridge to crew. Bring her around directly, we track the Centaur, currently the Cara Merchant, far enough out so as not to be seen.
"Follow the path of departure and deviate not ! Deviate not in your hearts nor your wills, for we once ruled the world, for reasons. Bridge out."
Captain - Stares ... "Well that was very nice ... who the Hell are you ?"
Mate - "Shakespearean actor sir."
Captain - Turns back to the viewscreen, "Pf. I was always a Marlow man myself ... "
Mate - "Died in a knife fight sir."
Captain - "Yes ... "
____________
XO - High in bed on extreme endorphins ... looks to the kitchenette, "Are you literally making me breakfast !?"
Gijo - On the comm, "Captain, the Excalibur appears to be following us."
____
Excalibur Captain - "Be sure to keep distance helm ... we do not wish them to know ... "
Helm - "I'm an equestrian with a model rocket collection." Clears his throat, " 'Sir'."
Captain - watching the engine trail ahead ... " 'Sir' ... I do like that."
Mate - "It's a fine collection sir."
____
Gijo - Still comm, "And congratulations to the new 'XO', you absolute whore."
XO - "Well look at you ... fucking everything but where it counts."
____
Captain - "You've seen it ? Well that's rather strange odds. I certainly haven't seen his model rocket collection. I barely know who the hell he is and I've seen everybody's collections ... "
Helm - "I was his ... 'benefactor'."
Mate - "And now you're my bitch."
____
Gijo - In the pilot's grid to the new XO, "Did you Literally just say that to me."
____
Mate - "Aye helm I did. You've gotten too close, they'll surely know we're here."
Captain "Core ... it's true."
____
XO - "You are the better gunner."
Gijo - "Oh my fucking god ... are you hitting on me ?"
XO - "Well that just wouldn't be appropriate. Would it. You're the better gunner, even while piloting and running the overall sensor systems."
Gijo - "Well they're all really like one system."
XO - "To you. That's why you're the best. Now we all got what we wanted so let's leave it at that. We need you here. And the captain needs me by his side."
Gijo - "Are you using him ?"
XO - "Yes. And no. It's one of those lucky events where what you want, is what you need."
Gijo - "You are ... ultimate evil."
XO - "And now we're pirates. That's why captain needs me on the bridge. Ironic. You've got more of a conscience. It would get in the way up there."
...
Gijo - "Orders ?"
XO - "Now that Excalibur understands what it means it means to have no crew ... "
____
Excalibur Captain - Throws a shoe at the helmsman, "Absolutely Useless."
Mate - "Shall I have him beaten sir ?"
Captain - "Too right."
____
XO - "We take her again. Can you spin us round and reverse to make it look to Excalibur like it's not flying into our main fore cannons ?"
Gijo - Smiles ... "Absolute evil. Yes I can."
XO - Smiles back, "Excellent." Turns for the door.
Gijo - "Whore."
XO - "Trollop."
____
Mate - Flogging the helmsman, "Useless fucking cunt."