A Model of Decorum and Tranquilty

Posted on Mon Mar 22nd, 2010 @ 2:17am by Lee Pierce & Walter Jones

3,938 words; about a 20 minute read

Jones rubbed his head a bit, the multiple days at high warp in the cramped little ship had been playing havoc on him, and trying to remember all of the little nuances of the guild had turned him a little bit grayer. He looked over at Lee and had hoped the she had taken in everything he had been rattling off.

"Ohh, I don't think I mentioned, when we reach the entrance to the guild hall doors, we have to bow to the left guard and then to the right guard, after that they'll walk together, turn towards us, return the bow, then escort us into the main room of the guild hall. When in doubt always go left to right. Something back in the day about exchanging money from the left hand to the right hand to take possession of things or something another, and since I'm your boss, you need to be about 2 steps to the right of me. Think you got that?"

Lee spoke to herself quietly, going through the series of behaviors that were expected of her during their visit to the trade guild. The orion nurse was concerned with the proper behavior she was supposed to have. She was afraid she would get nervous and says things she should have which was very likely to happen.

"Alright, bow left then bow right and two steps behind you...I got it," Lee said with a nod, trying to sound as convincing as the captain was probably expecting her to be. "Can I smile? I mean...if I smile is that okay? Or could be problematic?" the nurse rambled and offered Jones an apologetic smile. "Sorry. It's a shame Sky is not here. She's a lot better at being proper."

"I'm sure you'll be just fine. You can smile, some of these guys are like five hundred years old, they will appreciate a pretty girl smiling at them." He smiled at her, then stood up and moved to the back of the cabin and started to change. "If we forget something we'll just smile bat our lashes and shoot our way out." Jones started to change into the suit that sky had bought for him. "Have you thought about what you are going to wear?"

"Sounds likes a plan," Lee commented with a slight shrug. She didn't know whether the captain meant that and it was actually the plan but the idea made a lot of sense. At this question, Lee pursed her lips. "I'm not sure," she told him, trying to remember the clothes she brought in this trip. "I might have a dress or something that resembles one," Lee said, thoughtfully. "What do you suggest captain?"

"Dress if you've got one, something nicer, or baring that, if you have something that doesn't have oil or blood stains on it." Jones zipped up his pants and appeared from behind the curtain. "I'm sure you'll look fine whatever you want to wear."

"Don't know about that," Lee frowned slightly. She felt weird wearing dresses, more self-conscious and she always thought she was going to release pheromones when she shouldn't. It could get messy. "But a dress it is," she accepted her fate and disappeared behind the curtain to change.

Lee's outfit was a simple strapless black dress but it was nice. It was below her knees and gave her a longer silhouette. She let her hair loose and flowingly which made her look more mature. She even put on a lipstick, a rare occurrence for Lee. The shoes were flat in case she need to run. Running in heels wasn't fun.

Jones tapped a few buttons on the console and dropped the ship out of warp, in front of them was a large asteroid with buildings, a hanger and an impressive structure that seemed oriental in its design. "They build the guild hall on an asteroid and move it around, never staying in any given location for more then a few months at a time. It is so in case they get in troupe with the various governmental agencies they can literally just pick up move out of the area." Jones hit a few more buttons and swung the ship into a parking orbit around the guild.

"That sounds like a wise idea," Lee commented from behind the curtains. She was still getting ready. "Orion pirates follow similar strategies," she added, remembering fondly of some of her syndicate friends. Not all of them were bad people.

Lee came out from behind the curtain and took position beside the captain as he contacted the guild folks.

A comm link lit up on the panel, Jones pushed the button and an ornately dressed man appeared on the screen, he wore a hat that was flared out on the sides and spiked in the middle, his shirt was a shiny red, and wore black mascara that almost blacked out his eyes. "Greetings, and salutations, as our ancestors traded across the sands of the desert, we trade across the stars of the sky."

Jones looked back at the man "Your hospitality is welcomed and returned in full, so were the stars their guide, the stars guide our trade." Jones bowed and nudged Lee to do the same."

Lee smiled broadly and mimicked the captain's action.

The man bowed to the two of them over the screen. "Captain Jones, it is most excellent to see you again, but who is this lovely young woman that you have brought with you?" The man focused on Lee. "I am Ocuu, Gatekeeper of the trade guild".

"It's a honor to meet you," Lee replied, sounding more genuine than she expected. "I'm Lee Pierce," she introduced herself. "A friend of the captain." Lee pondered whether to mention her status as the nurse in Jones' ship but she figured the less detail the better at this point.

Ocuu smiled at Lee then turned back to Jones. "You know she is not going to be happy to see you, you left under less then amicable circumstances last time, come around to docking bay 3 and proceed with caution Jones" Ocuu bowed once again and turned off the viewscreen.

"Remember how I told you that we might have to shoot our way out. Well, let's say that the last time I was here, I might have made a very powerful woman angry."

"Ohh. That's not good," Lee began, somewhat amused. "Did you break her heart or something?"

"Sort of, in a weird type of way, she was a minor official with the guild, I was just a young naive mechanic on a trade ship, classic story right?" Jones straightened his outfit a bit. "Well as the years went by things got a bit heated between us, we dated a bit, fell in love. She had moved up the ranks and was deputy of internal affairs for the entire guild, and I had told her that I was giving up the space business to go work on a station, where I didn't have to deal with the politics and infighting, and I left, haven't talked to her since, I got one message from her a few years ago asking me to come back, and I never responded." Jones paused for a moment. "That was five years ago, now she is like second or third highest guild member and in control of this quadrant."

"That's definitely not good boss," Lee commented wincing. Breaking a woman's heart not matter what race she was it was never a good thing. "I can't blame her for being upset," the Orion added. "I'd suggest you come up with a good way to make up to her," she concluded with a grin.

"Yeah, I thought that it might be for the best, looking back it was one of the things that I've really screwed up in my life." Walter looked at her and god a sad look on his face. "Hopefully she can forgive me."

"Did you bring a gift?" Lee asked and pursed her lips briefly. "I think some women are more willing to forgive when you get them something nice," she flashed the captain a grin.

"I brought her this." Jones reached down and grabbed a small black box with a red ribbon wrapped loosely around it. "It is a live white lily from earth, paid ten bars for the damn thing, it is her favorite flower and is also a guild tradition."

"Nice job boss," Lee said with a proud smile. "I'm sure she'll be touched with this gift and see that you are sorry for what happened in the past."

Jones eased the shuttle into the docking bay, several cargo containers were piled to the ceiling, small worker bee craft would periodically come in and grab one of the containers then move it off. Landing with a soft thud on the deck Walter shut the shuttle down and made sure that he had his phaser. "Alright, they really like Orion's, the guild is allied with the syndicate so I think we'll be good."

"That's good," Lee said with some confidence. She had a few contacts in the Syndicate. Her mom was popular there and her father won some friends when he deserted in the favor of Lee's criminal mother. "I can try to mention some people in the Syndicate that I know..." the nurse shrugged. That could work or just bite them in the ass. Orions were not the most trusting individuals after all. They could help you one day and just steal from you the next day.

"They haven't tried to kill anyone from the guild lately have they?" Jones smiled at her and started walking towards the entrance to the guild hall.

"I don't think so," Lee replied thoughtfully. There was no way to be sure. She hadn't been around them for a while now. "But I can't be sure. I could have contacted them before we left to ask but it's too late now," she continued. "I guess we can only hope for the best."

The halls were ornately carved, latinum gilded coverings over most of the fixtures, paintings, carvings of from what he had been told were ancient earth dragons, most of it in the old earth oriental style. At the end of the hallway, where two guards dressed ornately in armor and held polearms. Jones leaned over and whispered to Lee. "There is a line on the floor up there, that is where we will stop and do the bowing, then they should escort us right in."

"Got it," she said with a short nod. "Then we have the bowing thingy, right?"

"Right. Just play it cool and we'll be fine." Jones walked up to the line and proceeded with the ceremonial procession. The guards turned to face them and Jones bowed to the left one and then to the right one and hoped that Lee would remember the order, she was a sharp girl so he didn't even look out of his eye at her.

Lee stopped a couple steps behind the captain, remembering the hierarchy thing he had explained. She then bowed to the guard on the left and added a broad smile. He was kind of cute. Lee followed with a bow to the guard on the right and figured if she mimicked the captain everything was gonna be alright.

The two guards bowed and continued on with the ceremony leading them into the hall. It was a long high ceiling room with guards every few feet, as well as precious statues and items from all over the galaxy. Many of the fixtures were a bright right with golden trim, done ornately in the style of ancient earth china. At the end was a raised platform where a woman wearing a black cheongsam sat, with various people crowded around her. Off to her immediate right, Ocuu was standing holding a rolled piece of parchment.

"As the sands blow from shore to shore, two grains now pass onto our step." Ocuu read allowed from the parchment and a silence fell over the room. Jones made a slight motion to Lee to hold still. "Mistress, may I present to you, Captain Walter Jones, and Miss Lee Pierce." Ocuu rolled up the parchment then struck a gong to the right of him twice. "Lady Akiko Abana show now hear you."

Lee stopped at Jones' sign and cast her eyes around briefly. There were quite a few people in the room and the nurse first reaction was to check for escape options. She had been in this line of business all her life and knowing your way out of a possible messy situation was always good.

The woman stood up, her black dress reaching to her ankles slowly and carefully moved down the stairs, moving with the grace of and skill of a shark, looking for a weakness to exploit. Every step was deliberate, with purpose, her gaze had first turned to Lee, then back to Jones, her dark, black eyes not pulling away from his. Jones couldn't tell if it was a burning passion, or burning hatred that made the eyes drill through him.

She stopped about two feet in front of them and first bowed to Lee."I am Akiko Abana, arbiter of the beta quadrant, and as our ancestors did before us, I welcome you to this sanctuary. I offer myself, and my home, to you with open arms." She moved closer to Lee and took her hand and placed a kiss upon the back of her hand.

"Thank you," the green skinned woman said visibly pleased with the way things were going. "It's a honor to be welcomed here Lady Abana," Lee said with a genuine smile and a light bow. Things seemed to be doing good so far.

She moved back to her position and shot a look at Jones, "I am Akiko Abana, arbiter of the beta quadrant." She moved directly in front of Jones and kissed in on the lips, stepped back and quickly threw the bank of her hand directly across his face. "I offer my myself and my home to you only on tradition." She took a step back and bowed as she turned and walked back to the throne.

"I had that one coming." Jones leaned over and whispered to Lee. "Now we move up and state our business."

"Indeed you had boss," Lee remarked, holding back a chuckle but failing. "But on the bright side," she added on. "We are still breathing," she flashed him a broad grin.

"Yeah, for how long though." Jones laughed a little bit. "And I got a kiss out of it."

Akiko had reached her throne and looked at Lee again. "Ms Pierce, please approach, I'd like to speak to you before I speak to Captain Jones."

"Sure," Lee answered, a bit surprised the woman would want to talk to her first but the nurse figure it was to get her out of the way so the business could be handled without further delay. Lee glanced at the captain quickly and then moved a few steps until she was closer to Akiko's throne.

"I'm not sure how you came into employ of Captain Jones over there, but he is like poison. He'll infect you with sweet notions and sweet words but just wait until something like a commitment comes up professional or otherwise." Akiko looked at Jones and then back to Lee. "How did you get in league with this dog?"

"The dog hired me," Lee said without actually thinking about what she was saying. When she realized her words Lee's eyes widened and she glanced at the captain. "No dog..." she shook her head and bit her lower lip nervously. Bad Lee, bad Lee.

"Captain Jones was kind enough to hired me...I mean," Lee tried to correct herself. She winced a little and then took a deep breath. She had to watch out for her words. "I was really in need of work and Captain Jones offered me a position with his crew."

Akiko leaned back on her chair a bit and studied Lee a moment. "It is a good thing that he brought you along" she looked over at Jones then back to Lee. "Let me see what Walter has to say and then we'll go from there." She looked past Lee towards Jones. "Come up here Captain."

Walter moved up next to Lee and smiled at her. "This is going better then I thought."

Lee gave him a thumbs up. If he said things were going well she believed him. The Orion herself wasn't all that sure but she trusted the captain. He knew these people a lot better than her.

Jones grinned and then moved up to the foot of the chair. "Oh great powerful and merciful Quadrant Lord. I present this small token of appreciation to you." He bowed down and took out the Lily he had brought and placed it her feet then moved back. One of the guards quickly moved over and handed it to her. Opening the box she smelled the flower, the fragrance was almost alien, it was rare to find an earth flower this far out, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply from it. She took the flower box and sat it on the arm of her chair.

"Captain Jones, what do you seek from the guild? If I remember the last time I saw you, you said something about it being a cold day in hell before stepping foot back in here." Akiko shifted playfully on the chair looking directly at him and smiled. "Now, here you are, with a rather attractive young Orion Girl asking for an audience."

"Madame Abona, I am here seeking to fly the emblem of the guild, I've been tasked with a job that requires me to get myself and my crew safely into a less then safe environment, we also have the potential to save billions of lives in this deal."

Akiko put her finger to her chin as if she was deep in thought. "Tell me more"

"I think we are winning kiddo" Jones whispered to Lee. "Your eminence, there is a faction known as the purifiers that are looking to exterminate countless innocent lives, the Federation has contracted us out to go behind the lines and eliminate one of their staging posts and bring back information regarding their operations. If we can stop them, we can stop a potential war." Jones was still slightly bowing but looking up at her.

"Under contract with the Federation you say." Akiko straightened up. "First, I want ten percent of the gross, as well as any potential salvage rights from anything you acquisition."

"Five percent and I'll give you some klingon shipping contract rights, I don't want them, they all smell like Targs..." Jones stood up, the business side of him kicked in.

"Eight percent and keep your Klingons, and I will reinstate you into the guild at your full rank and position as if you hadn't of left, with a condition..." Akiko had stood up and approached them. "Since I don't want you to disgrace the name of this guild by claiming that you are a member of it, Miss Pierce will by my official liaison until you return with the guilds cut of the money." She turned to Lee. "You would speak on behalf of the guild if asked if this is sanctioned, and I would give you the paperwork required for safe passage."

In all honestly, Lee had been somewhat distracted while the captain and Akiko talked. She was looking around, studying the room and fiddling with the decoration in her head. She only turned her attention back to the matter at hand when Akiko stepped up to them and mentioned Lee. The Orion girl's eyes widened in surprised and she opened her mouth to protested but she held back. Akiko could see her refusal as an offense.

"I'd be honored to represent the guild," Lee replied with a sheepishly smile. She was honored but freaked out at the same time. Despite her Orion's origins Lee wasn't exactly all that great with people. "If that's okay with everybody," she added and glanced at the captain with a weak smile. She didn't think things were going as planned.

Jones looked at Lee and then at Akiko, "As long as you can get us into that convoy I'd even let you on my ship, this works for me." Jones looked over at Lee again. "I'm sure my associate here can bear the weight of such a responsibility."

"I've already arranged for the Warden to be placed in the next convoy headed for the Cestus region of space." Akiko sat back in her chair and smiled shrewdly. "As for Ms Pierce, I have the utmost confidence in her."

"Clever girl" Jones smiled at Akiko. "I think we shall be taking our leave your eminence." Jones looked over at Lee and nodded for her to start to leave.

"Not so fast Jones." She walked down right next to him and whispered into his ear then produced a small letter sealed with wax and handed it to Lee. "If questioned you are an official observer of the guild."
Lee picked up the letter carefully into her hands. "Understood," she told the other woman with a smile and a light bow of her head. "Thanks madam," the Orion girl added and gave one step back.

"May the ancient spirits guide on you on your Journey Jones and Pierce, for the deserts of space are ruthless and unforgiving." She moved back to her throne and nodded to them.

Jones bowed and nudged Lee to follow. Ocuu banged the gong next to the throne and yelled "LEAVE! LEAVE! LIKE THE SPRING RAINS!" Jones quickly hustled out of the main chamber and stopped in the main hanger bay and watched as the gilded golden doors closed behind. Walter pulled a small package of cigarettes from the inside pocket of his jacket and offered one to Lee. "That actually went a lot better then I thought it would.

Lee wasn't sure why they had to leave in such a hurry since things seemed to have worked but she hurried behind the captain when he started off the chamber and only stopped when he did.

"I guess so," Lee remarked as she recovered her breath. Running in a dress wasn't the easiest thing to do and was tiresome. She shook her head then. "No, thanks captain." she said with a smile and looked over the letter in her hands. That seemed to be a very important document. She better store that away somewhere safe for the duration of this assignment.

"You did good emissary, just keep that letter safe, it is worth twice the entire Warden and everything in it." Jones looked at her and started walking towards the ship. "Hopefully it doesn't come down to needing to use that."

"Twice the Warden?" Lee muttered under her breath as she glanced at the letter. Wow! "I'll keep it safe captain. I promise," she said as she walked after the Jones as he headed to the ship. "No one will touch it but me," the Orion added and then rambled on. "Unless I'm asked to present the letter of course. Then I would have to show it and someone else would open it," she remarked. "I hope we don't need to use it too, boss."

"Let's get out of here love" Walter smiled at her as he opened the door to the shuttle.

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