Common Area - Firefly Class Transport
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A few stairs lead into this space. It is spacious, containing a kitchen area, eating area, and place to lounge all in one. Cabinets and alcoves provide room for storage.
Two support beams have been given an opportunity to hold a flat plank of a table between them, thus serving as a primary staging area for both preperation and delivery of the food to the table. Behind this sits another counter top, this one with several cooled storage units above it. To the left lies the sink itself.
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Cole slips out of his electrical junction, a book under one arm and a slight bruise on his head, looking about eight hours old. With a grin to the crew, he starts towards the fridge. "Any blue protein cubes around? I'm oddly in the mood for one."

Annabelle grins, assembling a sandwich. "Folks did tend ta get hurt 'round the ranch sometimes... Angie an' me patched 'em up as often's not, with Mom gettin' what we couldn't. She really knew her medicine, Mom did..." She steps aside a bit, gesturing to the counter, upon which most of what she's been preparing has been placed. "Help yourself, Am. I know ya gotta be a mite hungry after what all we just did." Cole's entrance brings Anna's attention to him, and she smiles. "Cole, hey! There's some in the 'fridge, but there's hot food if ya want any. Barbecue sandwiches an' potato wedges with cheese dip." She won't push the issue, but she'll make sure he knows it's there.

Leaning against the counter, Amery turns a smile to the boy, "Hey." She waits for Annabelle's offer to settle, then turns back to her cousin, "I expect that, after t'day, we won't be staying on planet much longer. Might make up a grocery list and I'll take it with me when I go t' town. Don't want t' run outta stuff in the black." At last, she moves past Annabelle to the sink and begins to wash her hands.

"Cheese dip?" Cole asks, popping his head up over the fridge door. "Heck with the protein cubes, /those'll/ be there tomorrow." He digs around in there, finally emerging with two sandwiches and twice as many potato wedges. "Was there another shindig and you just didn't want me to break another bone?"

Ishmael arrives from Aft Passageway - Firefly Class Transport.
Ishmael has arrived.

Annabelle nods to Amery, glancing back to the 'fridge. "I'll get it ta ya a little later... plus I'll want ta go with ya inta town. Best ta get the best prices we can, even if it takes longer."
Sighing, she shakes her head at Cole's question, her cheerful mask evaporating. "'Fraid not... it was somebody else got hurt this time. Seems the Captain, Mister Dravis, an' Remy went ta meet some folks, an' the meetin' weren't as friendly as they'd been led ta believe... Mister Dravis, he's got some cracked ribs, an' Remy got winged a couple times. They're sleepin' now."
She suddenly notices the bruise on Cole's head, in the brighter light in the kitchen area. "Ooh," she murmurs, concerned, kneeling to examine the boo-boo. "Your poor head... where'd ya pick up that knot, Cole?"

Turning as Annabelle comments about Cole's head, Amery lifts a brow slightly. She does not move over to crowd the two, but there is concern in her gaze and tone, "Y'a'right, Cole? Do you need any ice f'r that?" Slowly, she shakes her head, "Seems we've gone and become accident prone now that Doc's away." She moves past the two, drying her hands on a towel. She does pause to gently squeeze Cole's shoulder as she passes in a reassuring sort of way.

Cole smirks up at Amery as she makes the contact, shaking his head in response to her question. Bringing his meal to the table to sit, he explains meekly to Annabelle, "Few hours ago, in the junctions. Went climbin' down a port and left my stuff at the top, jiggled the ladder and bam, somethin' decided to follow me down." He looks between them. "What was this meeting supposed to be about?"

Annabelle shakes her head, following the boy to the table. "Wish I knew, Cole... the captain took ta his room right in the hatch, an' nobody else was in much shape or mood ta talk. So we're waitin' for 'em ta come 'round an' tell us somethin'." She gently touches the area around the bruise. "Not too bad, this time. Maybe a little ice is all this head-hill'll need. But watch those ladders in the future, 'kay?" She leans down a bit to gently kiss the bruise, remembering a remark of her mother's, and carefully stands.

Amery smiles over at Cole, her gaze as close to tender as it's ever been. "Either that or make sure your gear's stowed proper." She claims a chair near the boy, her hands folded on the table's top. "What else've you been up to of late? Any useful news come through the Dex?"

The sound of footsteps heralds another arrival from the aft corridor. A moment later, Ishmael steps into the kitchen area, Am's Singleton 9mm still filling his right hand, but pointed at the floor, his finger resting on the outside of the trigger guard. "If they haven't come knockin' by now, they probably won't come tonight. Looks like we can all breathe a bit easier for now." Noticing Cole at the table, he offers a nod and his familiar half-smile. "Hey. How are ya tonight, smart guy? Finish your letter?" The words contain no hint of a taunt, merely affection. The head injury is too obvious to miss, however, and brings a look of concern to his face. "Ow... How'd you get that?

Cole offers Ishmael an oddly somber, yet genuinely peaceful, nod. "Just a reminder to be more careful with my stuff," he responds to the man. Looking back to Amery, he explains, "There's not much... just an /awful/ lot of noise over this Chow character. Seems to be all they can talk about." He starts munching on a barbecue sandwich, removing his book from it's cradle under his arm and opening it to peruse while he eats.

Annabelle settles down at the table as well, taking a load off her tired feet. She's been walking a lot today. "He's kinda popular lately... 'tween the media an' the local police, nobody can stop talkin' 'bout this guy." She shakes her head. "Well, he's no concern o' ours. 'Th any luck, we'll be supplied an' in the black 'fore the next new bulletin hits 'bout this Parson Chow."
She glances up with a smile as Ishmael comes in. "Hey, Ishmael. Some hot sandwiches an' potato wedges over on the counter, 'f you're hungry."

Amery nods to Cole, then again to Amery. "An' I wonder 'bout what happened at Three Hills. We were just there not a few days a'fore they lost contact." She frowns, then shakes her head. A smile begins as Ishmael comes in, "Hey. No comp'ny? Can't say as I'm disappointed, truth t'tell." Her gaze leaves him, then floats up past Annabelle to the platter of sandwiches and all. "Hmmm. Sounds good, really." She begins to rise from her chair, "Anyone else want some?"

"Least you didn't get really hurt. I'd hate to see you in a cast again, especially on your head. As long as you learn from it, a mistake's no big deal." There's genuine relief in his voice as Ishmael gives Cole's left shoulder a comradely squeeze with his free left hand. "You take care from now on, hear?"

Annabelle gets a grateful nod and a bit more of a smile. "I'll surely appreciate some of both, Miss Annabelle, right after I take care of one last piece of business." He turns to Amery then, expertly reversing the Singleton and handing it back to her, the safety on and the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, down the forward corridor. "Shouldn't be any marks on it that weren't there already. I'm hoping I can get my gun back from the Captain tomorrow, so I won't have to borrow it again."

Cole grins up at Ishmael's affections, but otherwise stays quiet, already munching on food and lost in the book.


"Nothin' for me, Cuz," Annabelle replies, smiling tiredly. "But that leaves more for y'all, right?" Her smile warms a bit as Ishmael speaks with Cole. Amery gets a nod of agreement. The blonde girl had been getting used to her duties then, and had missed news of that.

Rising the rest of the way, Amery turns to face Ishmael. She curves a half smile as she accepts the gun. After a moment of odd silence, she looks down at the gun then quickly up at Ishmael. "I... uh." A slow blush rises to tinge her cheeks crimson and she swallows slightly. "Uh... Thanks. Lemme know if the Captain don't, a'right?" She seems to find comfort in ordinary conversation. After checking the saftey with a flick of her finger, then holsters it. "I... Um... I think I'll head..." She backs away, almost stumbling over the chair, which she pushes back under the table... "Scuse me." With that, she retreats back toward the aft passageway.

The startled look on Ishmael's face as Amery suddenly starts blushing and stammering, followed by her sudden evacuation of the room, is priceless. A sudden surge of worry passes across his features, and he bolts after her with a slightly strained "Am, wait? What's wrong?"

Amery heads through Aft Passageway (AP) into Aft Passageway - Firefly Class Transport.
Amery has left.
Ishmael heads through Aft Passageway (AP) into Aft Passageway - Firefly Class Transport.
Ishmael has left.

Cole looks up briefly at the disturbance, but pays it very little note, focused on the reading.

Annabelle's eyes widen at the sudden stammering from Amery. Seconds later, her cousin dashes out the door! "Am?" the blonde girl calls, half-rising to look after her as Ishmael calls out and follows as quickly as he can. She watches after them for a long moment... then softly sighs and settles into her chair again. This is complicated. Probably better if she's not in the way, despite every instinct of hers that screams to follow.

Cole looks up, sensing Annabelle's apprehension. "They'll be okay," he assures her with a grin. "I'm sure God's looking after them."

"I hope so..." Annabelle murmurs, never having been a religious person. Still, even if she doesn't look hard for signs of the divine, she won't deny that kind of help to Am or Ish.

Cole goes back to his book.