Devils Double: Brig

Jane waited until her ship, the Devils Double, was well away from the Odyssey before she went to the brig to visit her captives. It also had given her time to look over the data her assistant had given her. The information promised great reward, but it disturbed her as well.

She stopped in front of the cell that August was in. The holding cell was simple and clean. The bunk wasn't luxurious, but not uncomfortable. There was a partitioned area containing a fresher unit that could provide privacy, but both captives had been warned that the privacy screen would only stay in place for a few minutes at a time. The wall with the door in it was completely transparent, as was the door itself. The glass was obviously designed to be shatter-proof. Jane pushed a button near the door to trigger the intercom.

"You certainly are a surprise, Captain. But I am wondering, why would you give yourself up so easily to me? You have a lot to lose in revealing who you really are."

~GM~

August stepped up to the glass wall and looked Jane straight in the eyes. A slight smile appeared on his face. "Have I?"

When he and Ayla had set foot aboard the bounty hunter ship, things had gone pretty much the way August had pictured they would go: after a short but effective search for hidden weapons or tracking devices, both Odyssey crew members had been put into separate cells. August had counted on the fact that Jane would find out his true identity, although he was impressed with how quickly she'd found out. But he wasn't about to tell her that. Everything about the woman and the company she claimed to work for radiated efficiency. The ship had an almost military feel and August hadn't found any way in which he might escape his holding cell yet.

"I knew you'd find out who I really am", he continued. "In fact, I counted on it. But let me ask you a question instead: you've found out that the Alliance has put a bounty on my head. But have you also found out why?"



-August Solitaire

Jane met his gaze and held it.

"I suppose if you don't value your life, then you have nothing to lose."

She paused a beat, then moved back and forth in front of the cell, her red fingernails trailing across the glass as she went, providing a soft scraping noise that wasn't unpleasant.

"You've been around a long time, Captain. You already know the Alliance doesn't provide a 'why'."

She had reached the end of the wall and turned and made her way back to where August stood.

"Being a bounty hunter means not caring about the 'why'. It's too much of a liability to get to know your bounties. It can lead to... undesirable outcomes for the business."

Stopping once again in front of August, she held his gaze once more.

"I find you intriguing. You sacrifice yourself so that the girl wouldn't feel scared and alone. Perhaps another day, another time, we could have gotten to know each other better." She pressed her hand against the glass, as if she would caress his face in this moment. However, the ice in her veins was too strong to let her care.

"I'm not much for 'what if's." Her hand dropped and she turned away.

"Goodbye, Captain August Solitaire. I do not think we will talk again." The clacking of her heels was suddenly silenced, indicating to August that she had turned off the comm system.

Out of sight of August, it took only a few steps to be standing in front of Ayla's cell. She watched the girl before turning on her comm system.

"Comfortable, dear?"

OOC: Mischa, feel free to respond to Jane during her little speech before she walks away. I just wanted to get Misty involved as well so she wasn't twiddling her thumbs.

Jason Andersen wrote:Jane met his gaze and held it.

"I suppose if you don't value your life, then you have nothing to lose."

She paused a beat, then moved back and forth in front of the cell, her red fingernails trailing across the glass as she went, providing a soft scraping noise that wasn't unpleasant.

"You've been around a long time, Captain. You already know the Alliance doesn't provide a 'why'."

"Tsss" he answered with a mocking smile. "Such a shame as the 'why' in this case is so very interesting."

Jason Andersen wrote:She had reached the end of the wall and turned and made her way back to where August stood.

"Being a bounty hunter means not caring about the 'why'. It's too much of a liability to get to know your bounties. It can lead to... undesirable outcomes for the business."

"A good bounty hunter can also tell you that it's an even bigger liability to know too little about your bounties." August wondered how Jane would respond to this, since he had now implied that she wasn't a very good bounty hunter.

Jason Andersen wrote:Stopping once again in front of August, she held his gaze once more.

"I find you intriguing. You sacrifice yourself so that the girl wouldn't feel scared and alone. Perhaps another day, another time, we could have gotten to know each other better." She pressed her hand against the glass, as if she would caress his face in this moment. However, the ice in her veins was too strong to let her care.

"I'm not much for 'what if's." Her hand dropped and she turned away.

"Goodbye, Captain August Solitaire. I do not think we will talk again." The clacking of her heels was suddenly silenced, indicating to August that she had turned off the comm system.

"Oh but I do, dear Jane", he answered without her being able to hear hem. He knew that this short conversation would probably lead to Jane digging deeper into August's past. She would want to find out the 'why'. And when she did, she would come back to him.

Not feeling the slightest sign of anxiety, August turned around and headed for the bunk that was present in the holding cell. He lay himself down and stared around his prison. Not to find a means of escape, but to locate all the cameras.



-August Solitaire

Jason Andersen wrote:Out of sight of August, it took only a few steps to be standing in front of Ayla's cell. She watched the girl before turning on her comm system.

"Comfortable, dear?"

OOC: Mischa, feel free to respond to Jane during her little speech before she walks away. I just wanted to get Misty involved as well so she wasn't twiddling her thumbs.

OOC: Of course. Why settle with pestering one prisoner when you can pester two? ;-)

After she was escorted to the brig, and separated from Captain Solitaire, Ayla had stood motionless in the middle of her cell practically numb before she finally made her way to the bunk. Tentatively she sat down, her back against the wall. Ayla brought her legs up, hugging them to her chest as she wrapped her arms around herself.

Jason Andersen wrote:
Out of sight of August, it took only a few steps to be standing in front of Ayla's cell. She watched the girl before turning on her comm system.

"Comfortable, dear?"

OOC: Mischa, feel free to respond to Jane during her little speech before she walks away. I just wanted to get Misty involved as well so she wasn't twiddling her thumbs.

The only part of her body to move as Jane’s voice resonated through her jail cell, was her head. That she lifted to look again on the strange lady. Ayla had spent her time so far trying to figure out why they want her. What had she done and who wanted her, were questions that were running rampant through her head. She didn’t answer the question, figuring she wasn’t really meant to answer the thing anyways. So Ayla just watched Jane with a wide-eyed stare.

Ayla

OOC: How did you know that's what I was doing!

OOC: GM intuition.

IC:
Before Jane triggered Ayla's comm, she sent a message to her assistant. August implied there was more to his bounty, and despite what she had said, she wanted to know what. It wouldn't change her course of action, but it could lead to other opportunities. She hadn't risen the ladder this quickly ignoring opportunities like this one.

Not to find a means of escape, but to locate all the cameras.

August could see two - one in each corner, flush with the ceiling so as not to be easily broken. Likely the glass was shatter-proof, not that there was much for him to use to shatter it. The bed was part of the wall, and the thin mattress and pillow wouldn't do much. The privacy screen was a retractable wall, and the utilities appeared to be molded and seamless - likely any maintenance of them would have to come from access hatches beyond the cell walls.

So Ayla just watched Jane with a wide-eyed stare.

Jane waited for an answer. Seeing as Ayla wasn't in the mood to talk, she stated, "If you need anything, let one of the guards know. I wouldn't want you to think we are inhospitable."

She turned to walk away, but then stopped and paused a moment, considering her thoughts. She faced Ayla once more.

"Your Captain is quite fond of you."

She paused to see if the girl would respond.

"He has risked his own life to accompany you, you know. Odd considering so little time has passed since you met each other. I wonder how you became so close so quickly..." The implication was clear. Someone trained in the nuances of speech - such as a Companion - would detect a hint of jealousy in Jane's voice, although Jane would never admit that to herself.

"Did you know he has a bounty on his head?"

~GM~

Jason Andersen wrote:

So Ayla just watched Jane with a wide-eyed stare.

Jane waited for an answer. Seeing as Ayla wasn't in the mood to talk, she stated, "If you need anything, let one of the guards know. I wouldn't want you to think we are inhospitable."

She turned to walk away, but then stopped and paused a moment, considering her thoughts. She faced Ayla once more.

"Your Captain is quite fond of you."

She paused to see if the girl would respond.

Still, Ayla stayed in her protective position. It was an unconscious, feeble attempt to close herself off from the situation she found herself in. She shook her head in response to Jane's statement. He couldn't be fond of her, Olaf yes and Ronan, maybe, but not the Captain.

"He has risked his own life to accompany you, you know. Odd considering so little time has passed since you met each other. I wonder how you became so close so quickly..." The implication was clear. Someone trained in the nuances of speech - such as a Companion - would detect a hint of jealousy in Jane's voice, although Jane would never admit that to herself.

Her body seemed to unfold itself as she temper flared at the implication. How dare she. Placing her feet on the floor she found herself walking forward before realizing it would accomplish nothing and stopped. "How dare you! You have no right to say such things, besides you know nothing about me except for what you've called yourself reading on some sort of bounty." Ayla took the rest of the needed steps to carry her close enough to the clear barrier. "And I want to know what I am doing here!" She stressed her demand by poking a finger at the wall.

"Did you know he has a bounty on his head?"

~GM~

"Wait...What did you say?" Ayla said, her finger frozen as the woman's words broke through her rant.

Ayla

Misty Taylor wrote:

"Did you know he has a bounty on his head?"

"Wait...What did you say?" Ayla said, her finger frozen as the woman's words broke through her rant.

"Yes, a sizable one at that. Why would he have brought that to my attention, if not for a fondness for you? He could have let me take you and been on his way without me being the wiser."

Jane's mouth lifted slightly into an evil smirk. Her words were carefully, coldly placed.

"Your futile flight has not only sealed your fate, but your Captain's fate as well. I can't imagine he'll live long after I turn him in for his bounty, as high as it is."

She paused, letting the words sink in like the fangs of a snake.

~GM~

Jason Andersen wrote:

Misty Taylor wrote:

"Did you know he has a bounty on his head?"

"Wait...What did you say?" Ayla said, her finger frozen as the woman's words broke through her rant.

"Yes, a sizable one at that. Why would he have brought that to my attention, if not for a fondness for you? He could have let me take you and been on his way without me being the wiser."

Jane's mouth lifted slightly into an evil smirk. Her words were carefully, coldly placed.

"Your futile flight has not only sealed your fate, but your Captain's fate as well. I can't imagine he'll live long after I turn him in for his bounty, as high as it is."

She paused, letting the words sink in like the fangs of a snake.

~GM~

Ayla let her hands, along with her forehead rest against the cool barrier. Maybe this Jane lady was right, and if she was then it would be her fault if something happened to the captain. Everytime she seemed to speak, she got more vicious with either he words or tone. Kinda made Ayla wonder why she seemed to hold such contempt for her.

"I don't guess there's anyway I can talk you into letting him go, is there?" She was pretty sure of the answer, but still felt the need to ask.

"Looky, lady..I wasn't running or fleeing from anything. So I don't know what you think I was, or what I was supposed to be running from."

She really was trying to be strong, but it was getting harder, and harder the longer she thought about Jane's words, and be confined wasn't helping much either.

Ayla

OOC: Great RP'ing, guys!

IC: Meanwhile August couldn't catch anything about the conversation between Ayla and Jane. Instead, He pulled his hat over his eyes and placed his arms behind his head as if taking a nap. As his hands reached behind his neck, he pinched a small vial in his left wrist with the thumb and index finger from his right hand until he heard the faintest click. Help would be on the way. One way or another...



-August Solitaire

Misty Taylor wrote:
"I don't guess there's anyway I can talk you into letting him go, is there?" She was pretty sure of the answer, but still felt the need to ask.

Jane smiled as if explaining something to a small child. "Not unless you can pay higher than what the Alliance wants for him, which I very much doubt."

Misty Taylor wrote:
"Looky, lady..I wasn't running or fleeing from anything. So I don't know what you think I was, or what I was supposed to be running from."

"The bounty is legitimate, so you must have done something. Charges have been brought against you, that's all I know. Maybe you weren't running, that's not really my concern."

~Jane~

Jason Andersen wrote:

Misty Taylor wrote:
"I don't guess there's anyway I can talk you into letting him go, is there?" She was pretty sure of the answer, but still felt the need to ask.

Jane smiled as if explaining something to a small child. "Not unless you can pay higher than what the Alliance wants for him, which I very much doubt."

Misty Taylor wrote:
"Looky, lady..I wasn't running or fleeing from anything. So I don't know what you think I was, or what I was supposed to be running from."

"The bounty is legitimate, so you must have done something. Charges have been brought against you, that's all I know. Maybe you weren't running, that's not really my concern."

~Jane~

Ayla was fast headed to either breaking completely down or having her temper explode. And she sure couldn't put her finger on which was on the verge of happening, as either could bring on tears. What she wanted was to be back on board the Odyssey with Olaf and Freya and not here, held for a bounty she had no idea about with Captain Solitaire. She sure hoped that the captain's plan would work, almost as much as she wanted to know why she had a bounty on her head. Her eyes started watering with unshed tears as she looked away from Jane, "Can you at least tell me what they are? Who put out the bounty?"

Ayla

Jane relished the distress she was causing. She fed off it like a shark detecting the distress in its prey. She couldn't help but smile. Her face almost took on a predatory look. This toying with the young girl wasn't going to increase the bounty she'd receive, and wasn't particularly good for business, but for some reason it helped her relax.

"You'll find out," she replied simply, before turning off the comm completely and walking out of the brig with a slinky swagger. She doubted much if anything this girl had to say about her would affect business at all.

~GM~

OOC: Going to be fast forwarding here a few hours, if either of you wants to post something feel free. Otherwise, we'll pick it up with an announcement over the PA. I'll post that 24 hours from now.

Jason Andersen wrote:Jane relished the distress she was causing. She fed off it like a shark detecting the distress in its prey. She couldn't help but smile. Her face almost took on a predatory look. This toying with the young girl wasn't going to increase the bounty she'd receive, and wasn't particularly good for business, but for some reason it helped her relax.

"You'll find out," she replied simply, before turning off the comm completely and walking out of the brig with a slinky swagger. She doubted much if anything this girl had to say about her would affect business at all.

~GM~

Her forehead hit the barrier of her cell as Jane walked off without giving her any information. She was still as clueless as ever as to why she was being held. A single tear slipped out and down her cheek. Standing straight, Ayla wiped the wetness away and hit her hand against the spot her head had been moments before. She wouldn't let it get to her, she thought. She had to be strong and protect herself the best she could, and if possible get the captain out.

Ayla

Some time passed... without any instruments it was difficult to say how much. Both of the captives could guess at a few hours at least, but not enough to get sleepy - telling them it wasn't "night" quite yet, at least according to Odyssey time.

A pleasant sounding series of tones could be heard over the speakers, followed by a clear, calm male's voice:
<- "All hands, brace for atmospheric entry and landing sequence." ->

If the entry was going to be difficult, there wasn't much to hold onto for those in their cells - just the bunk, the sink, and the toilet. A hard landing would have them bouncing around like the bones in a dice cup.

A moment later, a slight bump indicated they had entered atmosphere. There was no jarring, no turbulence that most ships experience. Another testament to the skilled pilots Jane had working for her.

Another minute passed, and another bump and the spinning down of the engines told them they had reached their destination - wherever that may be. Neither had much time to think about it, as two guards appeared outside of each of their cells and opened the doors. They said nothing, assuming the prisoners were smart enough to come out without prompting.

~GM~

Jason Andersen wrote:Some time passed... without any instruments it was difficult to say how much. Both of the captives could guess at a few hours at least, but not enough to get sleepy - telling them it wasn't "night" quite yet, at least according to Odyssey time.

A pleasant sounding series of tones could be heard over the speakers, followed by a clear, calm male's voice:
<- "All hands, brace for atmospheric entry and landing sequence." ->

If the entry was going to be difficult, there wasn't much to hold onto for those in their cells - just the bunk, the sink, and the toilet. A hard landing would have them bouncing around like the bones in a dice cup.

A moment later, a slight bump indicated they had entered atmosphere. There was no jarring, no turbulence that most ships experience. Another testament to the skilled pilots Jane had working for her.

Another minute passed, and another bump and the spinning down of the engines told them they had reached their destination - wherever that may be. Neither had much time to think about it, as two guards appeared outside of each of their cells and opened the doors. They said nothing, assuming the prisoners were smart enough to come out without prompting.

~GM~

August stood up from his bed, as if he had just been awoken by the slight turbulence due to the landing. Walking to the opened door of his cell, he gave both guards a malicious grin. He stopped in between them and held out his hands in front of him. "I assume you have orders to cuff me?"



-August Solitaire

Following the conservation with Jane, Ayla had taken the same previous position on the bed as she waited for whatever was to happen. She picked her head up and eyed the guards standing there waiting on her. Unfolding herself she slowly walked over, staring defiantly at each of them. Ayla really didn't want to go anywhere with them, but it seemed to be the only way out of this cell. And the only way she'd be able to find out anything she desperately wanted to know.

Ayla

"Arms behind your back," the guards instructed August. Cuffing him, he saw Ayla step out of her cell and was similarly cuffed. She looked like she may have been crying, or close to it.

"This way," they were told. Two guards in front, two behind, they were led together through the corridors of the ship.

OOC: I'm assuming you'll want to interact in some way here, so I won't forward you to the destination just yet.

Jason Andersen wrote:"Arms behind your back," the guards instructed August. Cuffing him, he saw Ayla step out of her cell and was similarly cuffed. She looked like she may have been crying, or close to it.

"This way," they were told. Two guards in front, two behind, they were led together through the corridors of the ship.

OOC: I'm assuming you'll want to interact in some way here, so I won't forward you to the destination just yet.

OOC: That would be nice, although August isn't the most conversational type ;-)

IC: August looked at Ayla. To be more precise: he checked if she had not been wounded in any way, but he did not find anything to indicate that she had. After that, he only gave her a simple nod as he started his way next to her to wherever the guards were leading them. He did not seem freigthened in the least. Without drawing too much attention to it - although he was sure that several security cameras were monitoring him and Ayla - he looked around the corridors, taking in as much information about them as possible. He noticed where the security cameras were (at least the visible ones), counted the doors they passed and tried to see where they lead to and made a notice of all the ship's crew members they passed. "Nice running ship you have here", he said to the guards behind Ayla and him, trying to start up a conversation.



-August Solitaire

The guard seemed to ignore August. Either he wasn't into friendly conversation with his captives, or he had been ordered not to speak to them. Either way, August was given a cold shoulder.

~GM~

OOC: Gonna give Misty one more day and then I'll move things along.

OOC: Was that a hint, hint, nudge nudge....got sidetracked & I can't get on forums at work to post, anymore.

Ayla hadn't said a word to the captain. She was afraid that if she tried her voice would betray her. And right about now she didn't want to loking weak, or like a weepy little girl either. She did, though sneak a glance in Solitaire's direction as he addressed the guards. What is he doing? she thought,

Ayla

OOC: Nope, not at all. Just wanted to make sure you had the option to post something.

IC:
The guards led them to a ramp that lead down onto the surface of a hot, dusty planet...

-> Continued in the new thread...