OOC: Joint post from Aalakrys and Sail
As Penelope made her way through the throngs of folks going about their business, she hummed a tune of her own makin’ idly as she was known to do when particularly content. Not only had she found a way home, but somethin’ to do on the way there. More than somethin’ to do - fly a bird on her list of desirables. Even if the crew and captain didn’t work out, she could at least say that she flew a Firefly.
Since it could be a bit before they took off, and the smoked jerky smelled mighty fine, Penelope made her way over to one of the vendors O’Malley swore used real meat. She smiled at the familiar face as her shoes crunchin’ on the gravel and dirt came to a stop before the man. After a small exchange, jerky with a complimentary kabab for some coin, her lively eyes turned in the direction of slip eight and the ship she could see docked there. The kabab was taken in along with the bustling sights as she made no hurry to the ship despite how excited she was to see it up close.
When she made it, the kabab was gone and stick stored away back behind her in the large flap of her rucksack. There was a use for that, she thought, and she’d find it when she had time. Right now, she had a fellow crew member to meet. Penelope’s light smile she’d been wearing spread just a little as the sound of the ship’s metal gently met her soles and she greeted the red-head girl letting folks aboard. “Hey, there. You must be Abby. Cap’n Cal sent me this way on account of your need of a pilot.”
“Uh...yeah,” Abby found herself caught flat footed in the bright presence of this new person. The woman before her was petite, and looked her senior by just a few years. Though her clothing weren’t no match for the kaleidoscopic First Mate she’d just boarded, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she was gave her to stand out. Could be the feathered earrings. Mayhaps it was the open face, the lively eyes...or that ready smile. Whatever it was about this new pilot had just managed to completely disarm the deckhand. “Sorry,” she stammered as she thumbed her way through the clipboard. “I’m Abby, alright. Cap’n told you true. What’s yer name?”
"Penelope Randell," Pen said as she watched the red-head flip through whatever the clipboard held, patiently waiting on her to locate whatever it was she was looking for. While she did, her eyes scanned the view into the cargo hold and what she could see beyond from where she stood, just taking it in. Conversationally and with her gaze drifting back to the girl before her, she asked Abby: “Ya been with the China Doll long?”
The deckhand shook her head. “Nope. My first day, too.” She turned the page to the list Cal had left behind. “I wasn’t on the street twenty minutes afore Cap’n gimme this clipboard an’ said “git stuff done.” She took a moment to write Penelope’s name...or at least a reasonable facsimile...into the roster. “As fer pay, Cap’n says it’s standard pilot’s share’n yer own bunk,” she lifted her eyes as composure reasserted itself. “Three squares a day...well, food, most like,” Abby shrugged. “Ever been on a Firefly?”
"Oh, I have been on one, when I was 'bout your age, prob'ly." The now official pilot was grinning, but not about anything the girl was doing or saying. All that was reasonable. Rather, it was their new captain's apparent on-the-spot manner. "Sounds like we both got a bit'a luck today. I was headin' this way to book passage, and here I am set to fly the very ship I was told was headin' my way home."
Hazel eyes flickered past Abby's shoulder at that, eagerness of her own starting to take root now that all the paperwork was out of the way. Still, she had manners. "Reckon I'll head in and get settled 'less I'm to get straighta work?"
Abby couldn’t put a finger on it, but after the loss and confusion she’d tamped down so ain’t nobody would see, Penelope’s straight up cheer was hitting her like a tonic. “Crew quarters is right above us,” she pointed upward, toward the boat’s angled neck. “Grab a single, less’n yer bringin’ someone along. Hook’ll show yah...Hook!” Abby shouted over her shoulder. “This here’s our pilot. Wouldja help get ‘er squared away?”
Penelope glanced back inside just the way one's eyes would naturally follow such a calling out; searchin' for its intended briefly before returning to the caller just as Abby turned back.
“Got another fella aboard...looks to be our First Mate. Rex Black...you can’t miss’im. Got a few passengers, them as paid up,” she added. “Cap’n says we’re not goin’ til after dark, so you got time to get squared away.”
"That sounds real shiny, Abby. It sure does." Penelope said in soft joy, ready to head and get acquainted with the bird. The crew, too, but there was always somethin' about meeting the ship that say special for a pilot like her. Standing just outside her neck had that feelin' tickling at her to the point of it almost becoming silly. But, she held off showin' it - for now.
Instead she nodded in way of a parting as she passed by Abby and her chair, strolling up the ramp with eyes scanning for whoever "Hook" was in the milling folk settling their boarded cargo, 'least to tell him she'd be fine finding her own way around. It was awful nice for the offer though. Cal, Abby, Hook, Rex… and I make five. Yep, this is shapin' up real nice indeed.
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