One dark eyebrow cocked in genuine surprise, her head tilted curiously as she regarded Souma's strangely wolfish grin with renewed interest. Oh surely there was something dangerous written there, and Galina could read that threat as well as any. But she was truly amazed at the words he spoke, and she did little to hide that fact.
"I was speaking candidly, Mr. Takahiro. Granted, considering my given skill set, it would only be prudent to greet my ever word with a good deal of suspicion. But yes, I will correct you there - I was not implying you were gloating - or at the very least, that you certainly would not have good cause to do so if you wished."
Galina lifted the cup to her lips, taking a long pull of the strange wine within before setting the mostly empty cup on the table once more, looking to Souma expectantly. "And I do not say so, because I feel threatened by you or what you might do to me here. Oh, I will grant you my shoulder will be sore for some days to come... "
She rolled her aching shoulder meaningfully, a self-deprecating little smile tilting the corner of her lips - the words that followed were no boast. "But you have lost the element of surprise, and I am not helpless. I have no reason to lie, unless you are waiting for me to beg for my life? No? Ah well, always best to ask I suppose..."
As for whether she had any more to say tonight? Galina very nearly burst into laughter all over again though she did not, only her shoulders rising and falling gently as she shook her head. The things she could not - would not - say, could fill entire libraries. The spy was contented to see the pall fall over Souma's expression, that dearly-remembered smile he wore at the Winchester mansion turned cold and distant, filled only with the promise that this was now no more than a meeting between two consummate professionals that would quickly enough come to a close with no need for bloodshed.
But the woman within the spy wept silently in the shadows of her soul, mourning the loss of something precious - even if that something never existed in the first place.
"No, I have nothing more to say, though I do have a few questions, if you would indulge me?" Galina's dark eyes returned to the jug and her near empty cup. "What is the name of this... Wine is it? What is it called - and may I have a touch more? It is rather nice actually."
And while she waited for Souma to refill her cup - or not, as he would, he was technically her host after all - Galina's sweetly musical voice continued on with her questions. "I simply must know as well, how is it you remember me after you woke? The drug I put into your champagne is well known for its amnesiac properties - and yet, here I am. That is truly perplexing."
"Which leads me directly to the biggest question of them all. Why am I here? Why would you ever go to the trouble and expense of bringing me aboard the Empress? Was it to gloat - did I have you wrong there? I admit, I would be sorely disappointed if that were true, so I am truly hoping there might yet be some greater reason than that."
"Because for a certainty, you did not intend to see those schematics again. You dismissed the possibility far too quickly for that to be your true intent. So why?"
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Connor looks fantastic Kuro - cannot wait to see him in this story. I also managed to get a few extra bits of info in concerning the Copernicus, the vast majority of which is thanks in GINORMOUS part to Kuro as well - thank you so! 
Step up you did! And well, you're welcome hon, but I'm pretty sure I didn't do much there at all but suggest something you already loved anyway - it's all you, Justric! 
As far as the plot hook? It's all co-GM'd, so I guess we'll see eventually what might strike your fancy too! So looking forward to seeing how all these characters will be interacting - this is all shaking out to be so much fun.
As far as the plot hook? It's all co-GM'd, so I guess we'll see eventually what might strike your fancy too! So looking forward to seeing how all these characters will be interacting - this is all shaking out to be so much fun. I couldn't agree more Heroes - so looking forward to this! And in that same vein? While everyone is crafting and/or putting finishing touches on their characters, I'd have no problem opening up my Abby to prior associations if anyone has a burst of inspiration, a way to have them know each other prior to the start. I already have one or two previous contacts started, but I'd be glad to open up more - and I'm pretty sure most everyone else here would too, if exciting ideas pop up during the thinking process ;)
Antonia laughed and, for the very first time since she'd met the helmsman, returned Jax' smile genuinely, without the least hesitation. There was not a concern in her head that he was mocking her, or wondering if that grin held the least touch of lechery - though she did have a wonder whether dear, good-natured Spice might yet reconsider his hygiene, if the helmsman decided to go back for a repeat performance sans hand.
The rogue did not think of sailors' superstitions, nor the share-and-share-alike traditions of the pirate brotherhood. In truth, these considerations never once occurred to her. For all her worldly knowledge, for all the ugly, hard-learned understanding of human nature carved into her mind? Antonia simply did not have the years experience at sea that the vast majority of these men - and of course, Nicolette Beauchamp - possessed. All Antonia knew of this life, was the year she had spent aboard the Skate with these same sailors, sweating and fighting, toiling and killing right alongside them and, where needed before the First Mate's arrival? Splinting their broken bones and stitching wounds, sharing her own Maman's ancient ointments and salves where she might and even crafting not-a-few poppets, charms for love or retribution, at the bidding of a whisper in her ear.
If these things were not enough to secure her place in the crew's estimation, Antonia had not the least notion. But one thing she knew damn well, for all Jax' jest: the best man the rogue had ever known certainly was on board, this very moment. The message in that confident, reassuring smile from Thomas was all she needed. Win? Lose? Psh... His kiss brushed away all concern for either in this race he and Jax engineered. Antonia stepped back some paces, grey eyes lit with quiet approval for Thomas' salute (and a few silent words beseeching Mami Wata's blessings under her own breath) before her gaze turned to Luc.
Luc's young mind had reeled, caught somewhere between horror and ecstasy. Tante 'Tonia had kissed the captain, which was bad enough even if it was over quickly. But then? Then he kissed her back! The boy cringed all over again. So. Gross!
As if he were not thrown completely enough anyway, those dark, amber-lit eyes widened appreciably when he followed the length of the solid, strong hand, past the elbow to the shoulder, all the way to that sternly beautiful face? The boy felt his knees go all gushy.
Whoa...
Suddenly he wondered if, well... If maybe that whole kissing thing was truly all that off-putting. And in that same moment, something clicked quickly in young Luc's mind, a thing he could not possibly know was a familial gift for finding the most golden of opportunities in any given moment. No matter those suddenly jiggly knees, Luc's smaller hand reached up to gently pat the First Mate's hand at his shoulder, beaming a sweetly reassuring smile up to her, one that promised he had fully regained his proverbial footing.
"Merci, Mademoiselle Beauchamp," he said, his voice laced with a gentlemanly courtesy decades older than his mere eight years, and gave a small, gallant bow to the First Mate. For a brief moment, he thought of taking that incomparably fair hand and laying a soft kiss to the back of her fingers, but decided swiftly he probably ought not push his luck.
Luc stepped swiftly to the space between the two men, the captain and the helmsman, smiling up at both of them in turn. "Gentlemen!" he shouted, his voice piping well above the sound of surf about the Skate. "On your mark!"
Luc held both arms high over his head. "Get SET!"
The boy's arms fell swiftly to his sides though his head tilted back to the night sky overhead, his voice sailing to the captain's shimmering Home Star, and the helmsman's beloved Lady Moon.
"GO!
The rogue did not think of sailors' superstitions, nor the share-and-share-alike traditions of the pirate brotherhood. In truth, these considerations never once occurred to her. For all her worldly knowledge, for all the ugly, hard-learned understanding of human nature carved into her mind? Antonia simply did not have the years experience at sea that the vast majority of these men - and of course, Nicolette Beauchamp - possessed. All Antonia knew of this life, was the year she had spent aboard the Skate with these same sailors, sweating and fighting, toiling and killing right alongside them and, where needed before the First Mate's arrival? Splinting their broken bones and stitching wounds, sharing her own Maman's ancient ointments and salves where she might and even crafting not-a-few poppets, charms for love or retribution, at the bidding of a whisper in her ear.
If these things were not enough to secure her place in the crew's estimation, Antonia had not the least notion. But one thing she knew damn well, for all Jax' jest: the best man the rogue had ever known certainly was on board, this very moment. The message in that confident, reassuring smile from Thomas was all she needed. Win? Lose? Psh... His kiss brushed away all concern for either in this race he and Jax engineered. Antonia stepped back some paces, grey eyes lit with quiet approval for Thomas' salute (and a few silent words beseeching Mami Wata's blessings under her own breath) before her gaze turned to Luc.
Luc's young mind had reeled, caught somewhere between horror and ecstasy. Tante 'Tonia had kissed the captain, which was bad enough even if it was over quickly. But then? Then he kissed her back! The boy cringed all over again. So. Gross!
As if he were not thrown completely enough anyway, those dark, amber-lit eyes widened appreciably when he followed the length of the solid, strong hand, past the elbow to the shoulder, all the way to that sternly beautiful face? The boy felt his knees go all gushy.
Whoa...
Suddenly he wondered if, well... If maybe that whole kissing thing was truly all that off-putting. And in that same moment, something clicked quickly in young Luc's mind, a thing he could not possibly know was a familial gift for finding the most golden of opportunities in any given moment. No matter those suddenly jiggly knees, Luc's smaller hand reached up to gently pat the First Mate's hand at his shoulder, beaming a sweetly reassuring smile up to her, one that promised he had fully regained his proverbial footing.
"Merci, Mademoiselle Beauchamp," he said, his voice laced with a gentlemanly courtesy decades older than his mere eight years, and gave a small, gallant bow to the First Mate. For a brief moment, he thought of taking that incomparably fair hand and laying a soft kiss to the back of her fingers, but decided swiftly he probably ought not push his luck.
Luc stepped swiftly to the space between the two men, the captain and the helmsman, smiling up at both of them in turn. "Gentlemen!" he shouted, his voice piping well above the sound of surf about the Skate. "On your mark!"
Luc held both arms high over his head. "Get SET!"
The boy's arms fell swiftly to his sides though his head tilted back to the night sky overhead, his voice sailing to the captain's shimmering Home Star, and the helmsman's beloved Lady Moon.
"GO!
"Are you being serious?"
Galina's brow wrinkled in stupefied confusion, her mouth falling open just a little as she regarded Souma for several long moments. She ran his words over and over again through her head and... Yes. Yes, Takahiro Souma had just asked her to rate his underling's performance.
He really did.
She began to laugh. Galina laughed because God in Heaven above knew, she just could not stop herself. That laughter did not even begin quietly. Oh no, far from it. Laughter slipped past her lips, high and sweet with a warm musicality that said nothing more nor less, than this was Galina's own genuine mirth.
Galina set the cup she'd held in her lap back to the table, half afraid she might yet spill some on her skirts. And with her fingertips, still catching her breath, she dabbed at the tears of laughter that had begun to spill down her cheeks.
"Forgive me, I... I just... " Galina cleared her throat, meeting Souma's gaze with that still incredulous smile. "That was very much the last thing I thought you to ask of me." She folded her hands in her lap gracefully, fingers interlaced and still.
"Well then, an honest appraisal of your man, in my professional opinion. I must admit, my presence here might be the most obvious assessment of Goemon's abilities. So no, of course there were no 'big mistakes.' Well, certainly at least none greater than my own. Wouldn't you agree?"
Galina sighed, her breath fully caught now, and still smiling despite the words . "But I fear it was Goemon's smaller mistakes that could have cost him his life. I see now, he was genuinely enjoying the anticipation of bringing me here - my comeuppance I suppose, for denying you the theft of the schematics. It was his desire to witness my... Surprise? My horror? My abject humiliation, better yet?"
She shook her head, only one corner of her mouth tilted upward now. "It was that desire that nearly killed him. Goemon should have been quicker to the door. There should have been no opening at all for me to bolt, at the time of your... 'Unveiling.' Because if he were only a little slower, and I a little faster?"
Galina shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "If that were so, then Goemon's throat would be opened up right now, and he'd be bleeding out on your floor - or rather, he would be dead by this time, I imagine."
"Your man needs to understand, it is good to enjoy your work. To take pride even, in a job well done - and he certainly did do what you set him to do, very well. But it is foolish to gloat when your quarry is not thoroughly snared and put down."
Galina's brow wrinkled in stupefied confusion, her mouth falling open just a little as she regarded Souma for several long moments. She ran his words over and over again through her head and... Yes. Yes, Takahiro Souma had just asked her to rate his underling's performance.
He really did.
She began to laugh. Galina laughed because God in Heaven above knew, she just could not stop herself. That laughter did not even begin quietly. Oh no, far from it. Laughter slipped past her lips, high and sweet with a warm musicality that said nothing more nor less, than this was Galina's own genuine mirth.
Galina set the cup she'd held in her lap back to the table, half afraid she might yet spill some on her skirts. And with her fingertips, still catching her breath, she dabbed at the tears of laughter that had begun to spill down her cheeks.
"Forgive me, I... I just... " Galina cleared her throat, meeting Souma's gaze with that still incredulous smile. "That was very much the last thing I thought you to ask of me." She folded her hands in her lap gracefully, fingers interlaced and still.
"Well then, an honest appraisal of your man, in my professional opinion. I must admit, my presence here might be the most obvious assessment of Goemon's abilities. So no, of course there were no 'big mistakes.' Well, certainly at least none greater than my own. Wouldn't you agree?"
Galina sighed, her breath fully caught now, and still smiling despite the words . "But I fear it was Goemon's smaller mistakes that could have cost him his life. I see now, he was genuinely enjoying the anticipation of bringing me here - my comeuppance I suppose, for denying you the theft of the schematics. It was his desire to witness my... Surprise? My horror? My abject humiliation, better yet?"
She shook her head, only one corner of her mouth tilted upward now. "It was that desire that nearly killed him. Goemon should have been quicker to the door. There should have been no opening at all for me to bolt, at the time of your... 'Unveiling.' Because if he were only a little slower, and I a little faster?"
Galina shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "If that were so, then Goemon's throat would be opened up right now, and he'd be bleeding out on your floor - or rather, he would be dead by this time, I imagine."
"Your man needs to understand, it is good to enjoy your work. To take pride even, in a job well done - and he certainly did do what you set him to do, very well. But it is foolish to gloat when your quarry is not thoroughly snared and put down."
Best wishes to you Dot, and it's fantastic that you can both live and love your home and work! You're going to be great, no doubt hon :)
Oh yeah Kuro, it would be an excellent way to get not a few very needed replacement elements/compounds - such a cool concept!
Wasn't gone today near so long as I thought today, so got the chance to catch up I hope with characters and all :)
Wasn't gone today near so long as I thought today, so got the chance to catch up I hope with characters and all :)
"More than ready - though Barlow's still likely pouting some up there in the nest. I did lay his bet on you though, Silverfish. That ought to keep him happy enough - when you win this thing, of course." A swift, glinting flash in those laughing grey eyes still said that Thomas' victory was still anything but optional.
That did not mean she resisted giving him a laughing wink though, mouthing the words "Merci beaucoup" to her love, who had seen fit to ensure his lady was there to cheer him on.
Antonia's eyebrow arched in amusement though, arms still folded easily over her chest as she returned Jax' pointed gaze and wide smile without the least embarrassment. Captain Lightfoot had just yesterday, before his entire crew, announced his love for her - she hadn't the least shame on that fact. And her relieved embrace after Cooper's very timely demise said all the words Antonia did not in the moment, that she returned his all his affections to the last, in full.
But that did not mean she wanted the grinning helmsman with an earful of even one of those delectable, delightful moments they had only just shared. Antonia's smile never slipped, though she let a long breath of a sigh escape through her teeth.
Despite herself, the rogue's smile grew wider still when Jax summarily "promoted" Luc from mere cabin boy, to a crew member trustworthy enough to officiate the start of this race, and call them to ready. For all that she was a bit irritated with the man at the moment - well both men really, Jax and Thomas, unsure who had first decided the spoils of their wager - she was glad the helmsman helped make the close of Luc's first day at sea so full of laughter.
And truly, between Capitaine Lightfoot's salute - the captain saluting him! - and Monsieur Jax's giving him such a genuinely important task? Oh, Luc forgot almost entirely, his disappointment concerning the angelic Mademoiselle Beauchamp's attentions, even with the heavenly woman standing right beside them. He did not miss the pointed look the helmsman gave to his Tante 'Tonia, though he truly did not understand the import at all.
At least, not until after Monsieur Jax finished proclaiming that should he win handily, he would wait for Capitaine Lightfoot while kissing his beloved Lady Moon.
The boy's dark eyes widened, mouth falling open in a shocked little "o" as something very like horror crept over his face. His Tante 'Tonia unfolded her arms to step up to the captain, wrapped them around his neck and then... Then she kissed him! Luc felt that weird, kind of squidgy feeling in his belly, like when he caught his Maman and Papa in one of their endless, long kisses, because that was just...
The boy shuddered.
That was just gross!
"Just a little... Incentive." Antonia whispered in Thomas' ear as she pulled back a bit, "Pick your side, Captain Silverfish - and it'd best be the winning one... "
That did not mean she resisted giving him a laughing wink though, mouthing the words "Merci beaucoup" to her love, who had seen fit to ensure his lady was there to cheer him on.
Antonia's eyebrow arched in amusement though, arms still folded easily over her chest as she returned Jax' pointed gaze and wide smile without the least embarrassment. Captain Lightfoot had just yesterday, before his entire crew, announced his love for her - she hadn't the least shame on that fact. And her relieved embrace after Cooper's very timely demise said all the words Antonia did not in the moment, that she returned his all his affections to the last, in full.
But that did not mean she wanted the grinning helmsman with an earful of even one of those delectable, delightful moments they had only just shared. Antonia's smile never slipped, though she let a long breath of a sigh escape through her teeth.
Despite herself, the rogue's smile grew wider still when Jax summarily "promoted" Luc from mere cabin boy, to a crew member trustworthy enough to officiate the start of this race, and call them to ready. For all that she was a bit irritated with the man at the moment - well both men really, Jax and Thomas, unsure who had first decided the spoils of their wager - she was glad the helmsman helped make the close of Luc's first day at sea so full of laughter.
And truly, between Capitaine Lightfoot's salute - the captain saluting him! - and Monsieur Jax's giving him such a genuinely important task? Oh, Luc forgot almost entirely, his disappointment concerning the angelic Mademoiselle Beauchamp's attentions, even with the heavenly woman standing right beside them. He did not miss the pointed look the helmsman gave to his Tante 'Tonia, though he truly did not understand the import at all.
At least, not until after Monsieur Jax finished proclaiming that should he win handily, he would wait for Capitaine Lightfoot while kissing his beloved Lady Moon.
The boy's dark eyes widened, mouth falling open in a shocked little "o" as something very like horror crept over his face. His Tante 'Tonia unfolded her arms to step up to the captain, wrapped them around his neck and then... Then she kissed him! Luc felt that weird, kind of squidgy feeling in his belly, like when he caught his Maman and Papa in one of their endless, long kisses, because that was just...
The boy shuddered.
That was just gross!
"Just a little... Incentive." Antonia whispered in Thomas' ear as she pulled back a bit, "Pick your side, Captain Silverfish - and it'd best be the winning one... "
That. Is. Awesome... I have no clue what a dunkadelic ho is - Idle is working with some kind of compliment. I'll just... Yeah, just going to nod my head and agree, because I've got even less of a clue. I'm good with that.
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