Gunther

the alphabet game. lol

Vegetables

Word association Game!

Coke

the alphabet game. lol

Tangerine

the alphabet game. lol

Pear

Word association Game!

Truck

Word association Game!

Void

the alphabet game. lol

Kale

Firefly - Second 'Verse

The image of Izzy (Isabella) is taken from Lana del Rey's childhood as Elizabeth Grant.

Firefly - Second 'Verse

Ready to Sail

or

Lucky the Sailor

_{Collaboration: @wanderingwolf}

“Izzy, Hurry up,” Penelope Abernathy looked over her shoulder, holding tight to her 11-year old daughter’s hand. “We have to leave now!” She exclaimed in hushed tones. Her volume was loud enough to be heard by her daughter alone and to convey the urgency of the situation.

“But mummy, I don’ want to go?” the tow haired girl whined. “I made a friend. Can’t we stay a little longer?” The girl was tall enough to see over counters, about 59 inches.

Penny took hold of her daughter by her upper arms. She squatted down to eye level looking her in the eyes. “Izzy, if we are taken by that man and his son who you think is your friend, they will put us to work doing terrible things that neither of us want to do. We would be nothing more than slaves. Move!”

The girl complied to her mother’s forceful demand. The pair did get away, but moved off along the complex closer to where ships docked and away from the retail vendors. Once Penny felt comfortable with the distance she’d placed between herself and the would-be kidnappers, she settled down on some boxes hidden behind other much larger boxes. Then she pulled a shard of bread out of her satchel and handed it to her daughter. “Here, eat this. It may be the only food we get for awhile.”

The girl took the food, shoving it into her mouth, she chewed heartily. Penny took a second piece from her satchel and ate it as well. Then she retrieved a small plastic bottle with water. She took a few sips and passed it to her daughter who took three large gulps leaving about a quarter of the bottle full.

“Izzy, that chunk of bread is all we have for the moment. Until I find a job or some way to get food we are done,” Penny looked around not sure if anyone could hear her.

But Lyen did hear Penelope’s plight, on her return to the China Doll.

The nun had reached her destination in Thames Court, and engaged the proprietor for both a synthflute and a lesson. The last hour had been a rigorous one, replete with Lyen becoming acquainted with the ins and outs of hand holding, finger movements, breath stability, and note changes. The man who had taught her, Marcus P. Wilx, was patient and intrigued by a member of the Interverse wishing to learn an instrument. He included a book of basic melodies in her lesson, so that she could continue practicing, as well as his wave coordinates, should she seek a follow up lesson. Lyen held the synthflute, an interesting instrument which produced a synth wave of sound based on the buttons held and the pressure of breath, under her arm as she journeyed home, but that was before she overheard something which pricked her ears.

The sound emanated from behind a stack of cardboard boxes and braced travel crates; it was just loud enough to hear someone morosely mention their last meal to someone else. Halting her gate, the nun investigated the boxes carefully, her long braid falling to her side as she peered around the corner to discover a woman and a child, both eating bread, but the child feasted with wanton abandon. Such a sight tugged at Lyen’s gut when she remembered the food stall not far from where she stood: the purveyor of the finest meats this side of the rim. Unnoticed, Ly skulked off to engage the man for three skewers of meat, the source of which she purposefully did not request, before returning to the boxes and, with her free hand, knocked gently on the box nearest the pair, her other hand brandishing the three kebabs. “Amituofo, may I come in?” her clear voice was gentle as she made her request.

Penny swallowed the last bit of bread, glanced at Izzy and then quickly turned her neck toward the woman’s voice. “Hmmfpf!” she cleared her throat. “Yes, please come in.” It was a reactionary response, but what was in? The small blind she found inside stacks of boxes and crates? “May I help you?” Penny remained seated looking up at the woman. She looked back at Izzy who had devoured her chunk of bread as well. Then back at the woman.

“Please pardon my intrusion, but I couldn’t help but overhear that you might be hungry, and our Order strives to meet the needs of others,” Lyen, clad in what was recognizable as the bright orange kasaya robe of the Order of the Interverse, stepped closer and extended the three skewers to the seated pair. The smell of the meat, fresh off the sizzling grill, filled the hiding space. The nun made eye contact with first Penny, then Izzy, as crouched beside them and held out the offering.

Pride. That insufferable trait restraining people from getting what they want. “I couldn’t possibly.” Another reaction. Refuse. She glanced at Izzy and then back at the meat. She couldn’t deny her daughter. “Izzy,” Penny accepted the skewers and handed one to her daughter. “Eat this…and thank the nice lady.” The girl hungrily tore into the warm meat, ever so delicious and tender, like a ravenous wolf devouring its prey.

“Thank you, nice lady,” Izzy addressed the woman in orange robes without giving her more than a glance.

The moral battle in her head fueled by pride fought a losing battle with her stomach. “Damn it” Penny ate the meat on one of the skewers. She held the third to see if Izzy would want it. She looked at the woman from the Order in her bright orange robes. “Thank you…thank you very much.” She took another bite of the meat. Swallowing her pride, she felt shamed.

Once that was complete, holding three wooden sticks she looked up at the woman again. “We are actually looking for work. Do you know of a ship’s captain who may be in need of a cook or deckhand? I could do either. I feel bad taking your food without some compensation. I am a trained and experienced cook. I have worked in that capacity on other ships.”

Lyen was moved, despite the brevity of their interaction, by the way what appeared to be mother and daughter interacted and adapted to their situation; even insomuch as the woman made plain their plight. The ‘Verse had steered Lyen here in one form or another, into this hiding spot behind the boxes, of that she was sure.

“I’m Lyen,” she gave a short bow before extending a hand to shake, “and I have just the place for you. A Firefly class ship, and a Captain I’m sure will find a station for you and miss…?” The nun nodded gently to the child on the cusp of womanhood.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lyen,” Penelope spoke sheepishly. “I am Penny and this is my daughter, Izzy. We were dropped here a few weeks ago and our…” she paused, “My former employer left us here. I have money, but can’t access it and no one seems to want to hire me. It can be quite frustrating.” Her eyes welled up a bit like she was on the brink of tears, but successfully fought it off.

Lyen nodded as names were exchanged and her brow furrowed as Penny braced herself,”The China Doll is a cargo vessel departing for a long haul to the RIm. I think our first mate said three months travel time?” Ly nodded, “I know it’s a long trip, but after that I conjure we’re headed for the Core.” Considering for a moment, she added, “I’m sure Edina–that’s our cook–could use a hand, and Abby–our deck–wouldn’t turn anyone away who’s looking to help.”

“I really appreciate your offer and would love to take you up on it, but how would your captain feel about taking on both a mother and a daughter. I realize that’s two mouths to feed. She is accustomed to being my assistant in the kitchen. I spend time teaching her school subjects too, so she gets some form of an education.” Penny did start to relax a bit. “Where is your ship and Captain?”

“You’re both coming with me, and if I need to I’ll give the Captain an encouraging nudge.” Lyen rose, hands at her hips. “The China Doll is just down this way, not far. Come on, I’ll take you to Captain Strand.” The crowds had thinned a little, since the trio began their caper. Only a few engineers, busy with seeing to the needs of docking ships, their fuel, battery levels, or otherwise, remained in the corridor between Lyen, Penny, and Izzy and their destination.

“Lead on, Miss Lyen,” Penny spoke as she rose, reaching for her daughter, Isabella’s hand. “Come along, Izzy.”

Berth three-hundred and nine offered entry to the cargo bay of the China Doll, whose airlock door was ajar only enough for people to enter and exit one-at-a-time. “This is it; it may not look like much, but it’s a good home.” Her smile touched her almond eyes.

Penny looked up at the Firefly class ship. “I’d seen one of these before, but never been inside one. This will be my first time.”

“First time for me too, mummy.” Izzy contributed her two cents. “Mummy, will we be able to get our belongings?”

“We don’t know if we will be going with these people yet or not. Best to leave them be until we know, right?” Penny responded to her daughter. She turned to Lyen, “is the Captain aboard? would he be available and any chance we can see your galley?”

“By all means!” Lyen led the way through the portcullis into the cargo bay proper. The crates and provisions stacked and strapped there left little room for the trio as they entered the China Doll. A three month journey, after all, requires a lot to sustain the whole crew. Ly made a mental note to ask SAM if the hydroponics bay on this craft was operating; they’d need some seeds to get it going, but it might produce some salient relief in the ocean of protein paste that was invariably their future with such a long leg. The med bay was just visible at the end of the stacks as Lyen led the other two toward the catwalk and up toward the galley.

“So this is a Firefly.” Penny muttered aloud holding Izzy’s hand as the pair followed the nun through the cargo bay. “That must be the medbay,” she pointed out the location for her daughter. “What sort of medical personnel do you have aboard ship?”

Ly looked up as Penny gestured, “We have a medic onboard, newly appointed, actually. Her name is Imani, and she does something else for the Captain, too, but I’m not sure what it is.”

The three walked the stairs. “I guess I didn’t imagine there were this many steps on a ship this size. It is definitely larger on the inside.”

The galley itself was a modest space, made cheerier by the chalk drawings on the cold steel walls and doorways, and served as the center of the ship, in the nun’s mind. Here they all heard the Captain’s orders, relaxed after a hard day’s work, or played games of Tall Card across from one another. The sitting area to the side had been relegated as Lucky’s new perch, and his cage hung at waist height between two armchairs so he could always be a part of the action. Lyen had taken quite a charm to Lucky, though he did brandish some very foul language. She had no idea who would have taught the bird such filthy words; though the only other person she’d witnessed spending much time with Lucky was none other than the Captain himself.

Speak of the Devil…

Captain Cal Strand sat at the head of the dining table opposite the entryway used by Lyen, Penny, and Izzy. His hat on the table beside him, he was elbow deep in what appeared to be requisition papers detailing provisions, steel, tools, and all manner of bits and bobs needed to truss the Doll in preparation for their destination. A cigarette hung from the corner of his mouth as his eyes darted to the orange robes of Lyen and the two in tow.

“Hey Captain,” Lyen said in a steady tone as she repositioned her long, braided hair. “Do you have a moment to spare?”

Cal fixed her with a look and rubbed his face with his hand, “I might, what do you need?” Reclining slightly from his work, he rested his wrists on the table and picked up a tin cup of something strong-smelling.

Ly glanced at her charges before taking a step toward Cal. “I’d like you to meet Penny and Izzy.” She fixed him with a smile, “They’ll be joining us on our next leg.” Cal’s eyebrows rose expectantly, to which Lyen parried, “We could use some extra hands, and they need a ride.”

“Mummy! They have a bird!” Izzy squealed and ran closer to the bird. She truly could care less about what adults got on about. But a bird on a spaceship. That was something new. “What’s the bird’s name?

“Izzy get back here!” Penny snapped, but the 11-year old had a mind of her own.

“Look mummy! A bird” the girl repeated with an ear to ear grin on her face.

Penny looked at Cal Strand. “I am very sorry, sir. My daughter is young and excited. She doesn’t get to see too many birds.” The black haired woman from Hera and Ariel extended a hand toward the ship’s captain. “My name is Penelope Abernathy. Your friend, Miss Lyen says you may be able to use me as a cook or a deckhand here on your ship? I have experience and my daughter is actually quite helpful. She serves as my Sous chef on occasion.” Penny smiled at the Captain.

“Now there’s a four-dollar-word,” the Captain said, taking the woman’s hand politely. “You oughta tell her the bird’s liable to bite.” But there was nothing to fear, as Lucky engaged immediately with Izzy, “Ready to sail!” he cawed. The excited bird traveled by beak and claw to the edge of his cage to cock an eye at the little girl.

The woman before him had a pretty smile, and the way her dark hair was cut and laid told Strand she knew how to take care of herself. There was something fiery about her eyes, like a hope that wouldn’t blow out. The girl, Izzy, looked to be all spunk. He hadn’t paid mind to kids for many a moon–Abby being seventeen when he took her on, she barely counted. Part of him didn’t much like having an innocent under his roof to look out for… but there was a determined look in Pennelope’s gaze, and it was out of character for Lyen to bring in just any stranger to bear like this. His eyes flit to the nun’s, then back to Pennelope’s.

“Nice to meet you and your girl, Ms. Abernathy, but we’ve already got a cook–”

Lyen broke in, finger raised, “Surely, Edina wouldn’t mind some help–”

“You callin’ orders now, Sister?” He fixed her with a stare to which Lyen folded her hands in front of her, but made not acquiescence to his tone, “As I was sayin’, we got a cook, but we could use another deckhand, especially since the haul on our next stint will have us strapped to the gills.” Cal cocked his head toward Lyen, raising his eyebrows. There was more to it than met the eye. Lyen nodded in affirmation.

“What do you say?” Cal said, rising from his seat, he tapped his cigarette into the ashtray on the table. “There’s room and board, and everyone pitches in for chores. Shiny?”

“Shiny!” Penny smiled. She didn’t know this man, this sister but the desperation in her situation afforded the accommodating nature. “Where should I store my bags?” Izzy? She didn’t care. This was a grown up business.

“Mummy! Lucky is a sailor!” Izzy was smiling from ear to ear.

Word association Game!

Bare