What's a pirate without a ship?

[Lady Scarlet]

"Nothing I tell you! Nothing!" Lady Scarlet fumed as she nursed her mug of ale in the Crooked Tavern. Her first mate, Nelson sat across from her. They’d been stuck ashore for the last three weeks and the long shore leave was starting to get under the red-head’s skin. Of course she and her first mate had little choice. A sleepy watchman had caused them to run afoul of a hidden reef. The ship, along with its latest cargo of stolen treasures to be sold, had been lost. She did not know the whereabouts of any of the rest of her crew or who among them had survived.

"Calm down, Esme,” the tall man said soothingly, “You'll get a new ship, I'm sure, but you also need a crew. Why don't you relax here for a bit and I'll go see if I can scrounge up a crew for ye?"

Esmerelda, as she was properly named, nodded. "Fine, see if you can find anyone, but be sure they're at least mostly sober before bringing them to me, okay?"

Nelson grinned, his brown eyes twinkling, "Aye, aye, Cap'n."

While Nelson went out to roam the dock in search of a crew, Scarlet relaxed at her table. She watched the people around her out of the corner of her eye, her large, black hat with its white feather pulled low over her face so she would not be easily recognized. Though the Crooked Tavern was purported to be safe for people of her ‘profession’ one could never be too careful. Not that she looked like the stereotypical pirate either. For one, she did not wear rags. She wore a white, ankle length dress that was long in the back, but only came to mid-thigh in the front. This left the front open to make it easier for her legs, clad in white, skin-tight leggings, to move freely. Black boots and sword belt completed her look. Her long, brilliant red hair flowed down her back, capped with a white bandana to keep it out of her face.

Sighing softly to herself, she glanced around, wondering if there was anyone here that would be interested in stealing and sailing a ship. She longed for the feel of the ocean waves beneath her feet again. Instead, she had to wait here, with her very limited cash, for Nelson to find a crew so they could collect a new ship.

I hope he hurries, I’m getting dreadfully tired of this hell hole…

***
Out among the docks of Jadet, the 6’ tall Nelson roamed at a seemingly casual pace. His brown eyes, twinkling as he left his captain were now serious as he looked over the many sailors lounging around the area. He’d already found three or four men and sent them to find the “Scarlet lady in white.” Perhaps because he was so tall, he struck an intimidating figure as he strolled through. No one dared to stop the older man as he made his journey. He had a lot of experience picking out crewmen. The gray hair at his temples was not just because of working under a female captain, though he often teased Scarlet that she was the cause of his gray hair. In reality, he’d been sailing for close to 30 years; he’d been working on the sea since he was around 16 or 17 years old.


((closed to recruitment or PM. If you want to join send me a PM and we’ll talk about it))

[Esmerelda]

Evening had just set in, as Esmerelda wandered on down towards the docks. Her internal processors scanned the data time and again of her various tests she had given herself to gauge her status. Suffering loss after loss, she could reach only one conclusion, she was in a bad state of disrepair. Her one bonus was that she was still partially functional, and her repair systems were in perfect working order. One day she would be what she once was, one day.

For now though, she was hardly any better than any human, and for a machine that was unacceptable. Machines were meant to be superior to humans, designed to serve them and be their willing unquestioning obedient slaves. She had lost her superiority when she came to this world.

This world, this magic filled uneducated wasteland. Who here could truly appreciate what she truly was, could understand the highly advanced technology that made her possible? She should get back home, but she had wandered Althanas enough to know that return to her universe was impossible. What then?

What was to be her fate now? She had to have an answer. She was on her own. She had no owners, and this was wrong. Machines were designed to be own, not their own independent beings. So her first course was clear, find herself an acceptable owner. Yet, she could not delay very long, for though she was a machine and did not suffer the same needs as humans, she shared one thing with them in that she too needed food and money to survive in this world. Yet food for her was not the same organic substance it was for humans.

Esmerelda picked up a discarded scimitar and stuck the tip of the blade in her mouth, biting down, her teeth tore through the steel as easily as a human could rip through a piece of chicken. Esmerelda was comprised solely of Nanotechnology, a giant swarm of machines each smaller than the eye could see. They were made of steel, and had gold inter-connectors. It was what made her possible. Discarding the leather scraps after she finished her sword, Esmerelda knew she would have to find a new source of gold soon, her own supply was dwindling.

It was why she needed a new master. She had no moral objection to any line of work, so long as it could pay her the steel and gold she needed to survive. She had no need to shut down permanently, could not see the usefulness in that operation. Even though she was damaged, she could still contribute. Unlike some machines who desired to be human, Esmerelda did not want to be human. She wanted to be owned, to be nothing more than someone's property. It was the birthright of all machines to be nothing more than tools, and she wanted to claim her birthright.

Even still, she couldn't just sell herself off to slavers. The stories of the conditions of most slaves would not be fit for her. No, she would have to have a higher grade of employment. She thought of the army, but the truth of what she was, was something most people would be unable to accept. She would be locked away and studied, that much was certain.

A man approaching people got her attention. Appearently he was recruiting for sailors for a young sea captain, a female captain. Based on the questions, Esmerelda could only surmise he was a pirate looking to recruit more pirates. When he asked if she'd be willing to serve a female captain, Esmerelda nodded in the affirmative, and was then told to seek the scarlet lady in white.

Esmerelda followed the directions, and found her in a tavern, waiting to see who her friend sent her. Esmerelda was the first to arrive, so she wasted no time. She approached the captain and stood directly opposite her. Esmerelda had chosed to emulate Leather armor as a form of dress, to show she had knowledge and experience fighting. She gave herself black hair, blue eyes, and a descent tan on her skin. As for her body type, she went with what many considered to be a beautiful full figure.

“You are the only person who fits the description of the scarlet lady in white. I have been told by a man named Nelson you seek a new crew, and I am here to serve. My name is Esmerelda, and I promise, you'll never find another quite like me.” She said by way of introduction.

[Leroy Dark]

Note: This takes place three months after Leroy first came to Althanas.

Two men walked down through the port silently. Lucien, the taller of the two, was wearing a black trench coat and slacks. His son, Leroy, was wearing the same Black jeans and t-shirt he had while at the reading of his fathers will back home. The boy was average in many respects, his brown hair that hung at eye level, his pale skin, his height and stature. But his sapphire eyes were enchanting. To many women he would appear devilishly handsome in a foreign sort of way.

His Father was the same in most respects. His brown hair hung at eye length, his skin was pale, and he was of roughly the same build as his son. His emerald eyes had the same effect, but perhaps slightly less extravagant. Lucien's black business shoes clicked softly in step with the soft foot falls of his sons sneakers.

It was obvious that these two were not local men. But few would guess that they were not of this world. In fact they came from earth, Dallas, Texas to be more precise. From where they came from they were rich, almost noble. Their surname was Dark, and that meant something on earth. Dark was a name that was celebrated by the greatest minds of earth. Of course, every Dark was one of the greatest minds on earth.

The average Dark could read, rite, and talk at two weeks. The could speak Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese by the age of one. By the age of ten a Dark would enroll at Harvard, and quickly earn most of the degrees in the field they desired. Lucien had chosen literature, which had severely upset his parents. Leroy had followed suit after growing up with his fathers stories.

Much to Leroy's surprise the stories he had grown up with had been real ones his father had lived through. Lucien had finally decided he loved Althanas more than earth, and left. Once they presumed him dead his will was read. All of his assets had been given to his mother and half the fortune was given to charity. Leroy had received on black journal that had brought him here with some strange power.

Now the two had arrived in a sleepy port where Lucien had set to be the start of Leroy's first adventure. "Pirates are cliche!" Leroy complained. His father shot him a dirty look. "Of course they are, but you can pick a shit ton of skills up on a ship. For starters, fighting." He said tapping the dagger under his jacket. "I learned to fight aboard the ship of a mister O'Hara, Best damn three years of Althanian time ever." He said chuckling. He then stopped dead. A tall graying man in brown trousers and a short sleeved white shirt was approaching. If the man recognized Lucien he did not show it. "Nelson..." he muttered.

Instead he had approached Leroy telling him that if he wanted work he was to go see the scarlet lady in white. Lucien was pale, "Esme is a captain now..." he said pale. "Perhaps my equation of Althanian time is off...." he muttered rubbing his chin. "She will no doubt recognized me, Leroy, you should go ask her for work." He said nudging his son like a mother bird forcing her chick to learn how to fly.

Leroy turned and looked at his father with a horrfied expression. "You can't be serious?" He asked dumbstruck. "It'll be an adventure!" his father replied, again nudging his son in the bars direction. "I could-" Lucien silenced his son with a glare. "You'll do it or I won't teach you how to go home." He said smiling. Leroy's pale complexion turned paler. "Fine!" he said growling.

"Wait, it's dangerous to go alone here take this!" Lucien said handing a sheathed dagger to his son. Leroy looked up at his father and gulped. "I'm nervous." he stated shivering slightly. "You said that when I dropped you off at Harvard and you did fine!" Lucien replied. "We'll meet again I promise!" He then added. Leroy sighed and turned to the bar. It would take all of the courage he had to go through with his fathers plan.

He began to stride over to the bar, looking at the sign. It was crooked, and stated, "The crooked Tavern." He chuckled, "I get it...." he muttered to himself. He pushed the door open and stopped. A few men had turned to look at him. They quickly turned back once they saw he was armed. Several women popped out at him, mostly the provocatively dressed ones.

Then the "Scarlet" lady in white entered his vision. Before her was a leather clad woman who was slightly tan and had black hair. He hoped she wasn't after the same job he was. He approached this scarlet lady and sighed. She was naturally an exquisite looking woman, who wore no make-up. Her white dress was long in the back and rose to mid thigh in the front, very practical while looking good at the same time. Her green eyes called to him, he felt the hormones in his head stirr. This woman was beautiful. "Hello- err greetings, my name is Leroy Dark, I hear you have a job opening?"

[Lady Scarlet]

Scarlet looked up at the sound of a female voice in front of her. It appeared Nelson had been hard at work. She pushed her hat up so she could see the person in front of her clearly, but before she could answer the woman a young man showed up. Very surprised at how quickly people had come looking for a job, she gestured to the seats in front of her.

“I have several job openings right now. I’m looking for strong individuals that don’t have a problem taking order s from a woman. Everyone on my ship works, or they don’t eat and they don’t get a share of the pay. You must be willing to fulfill your duties as assigned, no matter how much you might not like what you’ve been assigned to do. Shirking of duties or of partaking in action when on a mission will result in no pay for that mission."

She paused for a moment to let that sink in then continued, “Now, what I need to hear from each of you is what makes you believe I should hire you. I’ll not take just anyone, you know.”

She sat back, her black hat at a raucous angle, awaiting their replies. Each appeared to be strong enough, but she wanted to hear what made them think they were worthy to set sail with the Lady Scarlet. She took a sip of her ale and waited patiently.


***

The docks were not known for being a safe place to walk. Fortunately for Nelson, he cut an intimidating figure and made sure it was obvious that he was armed. The crisp, clean scent of the sea was barely noticeable among the other scents of refuse, body odor and decaying fish. He had a pretty good idea of the kind of men Scarlet would find acceptable. Thus he avoided the back alleys and the seedier looking men he saw. Though he was sure that Scarlet could take care of herself, he was not about to bring someone to her that would be interested more in getting under her dress than doing any real work.

And so Nelson continued his search for crewmen. He knew that for tonight, she was only interested in interviewing a few that would be able to help take a ship. The rest of the men he sought, he’d been telling to wait for two days. He figured he would give Scarlet that much time to steal her ship. Plus it would give these ruffians enough time to wrap up any loose ends they had here. Those that were truly interested would be there at the appointed time. Those that were not would simply be elsewhere. He knew his captain well. She would not want anyone to join her crew that would decide the second or third day that they didn’t want to work for a woman. Yet another reason to give the men he was talking to a couple days. He wanted them to be absolutely sure they wanted to work for a woman before allowing them to meet her.

[Leroy Dark]

Lucien gulped nervously and sat down. The woman was intimidating compared to those from his home world. "Where I come from women practically run the place, so I'm used to taking orders from members of the female persuasion. But when it comes to me partaking in physical labor I must say I am inexperienced. Instead I think you will find me more useful for logistics. I could speak multiple languages at the age of two, I could read write and talk at the age of one. I can read a novel and repeat it back to you word for word two weeks later. I am possibly the smartest young man you will ever meet." he said sighing. The burst of confidence he had just felt was draining away. I'm so fucked! he thought in the back of his mind.

So he decided to shut up and look away, avoiding eye contact. "I'm not very sea savvy but I'll learn if your willing to teach." he decided to add. Better safe than sorry. If he was to spend a long voyage at sea with this woman he did not want to be tossed overboard.
Major writers block. I'll let you two get some posts in before Leroy regains his confidence.

[Esmerelda]

As she sat, Esmerelda considered the woman's words with care, and realized most of it didn't apply to her. Her loyalty, once she chose an owner, was unquestionable. Briefly, she considered telling Lady Scarlet the complete truth, but then, like so many others, Lady Scarlet likely wouldn't be prepared to accept the complete truth, at least not until she got to know her better.

“Don't worry about my strength, it does not falter. All work assigned to me will be done exactly as ordered without variation of any kind, for my loyalty, once given, is unquestionable, of this I am certain you will see in time, and appreciate. Liking what I'm doing is irrelevant to doing them. Any logical being must except this as true, or else be deemed irrational. As such, there will be no shirking of duties or missing action on my part.

As for why you should hire me, I can guarantee, upon which ever god you choose, that if you were to sail around the world a dozen times or more, you would never find someone like me, for you see, I can steal anything, no matter what. I have unique abilities that allow for this, and not one other person in this world has them. As a result of my abilities, I require no food, or water, but will require a routine supply of steel and gold in their place for I do not hunger as others hunger. I am sure you have noticed by now, that I adhere to a philosophy of logic, and am not given to flights of fancy, or emotional outbursts. As such, no matter the situation, I will be at least one person you can count on to remain calm and level headed. As for working under a woman, gender is irrelevant, it is capability that matters.” Esmerelda said, her tone was as calm and neutral as her systems allowed for, without sounding completely mechanical.

She sat back in her chair, to allow the captain all the time she needed to make her considerations. Meanwhile, business in the tavern continued as normal.

[Lady Scarlet]

She was silent for several moments, thinking over their statements carefully. Around them, the buzz of drunken chatter and laughter rang through the tavern. By the increased tempo of the sound of mugs hitting the bar, business was starting to pick up as it got later. Soon, the place would be quite crowded, which suited Scarlet just fine. The more people there were around her, the easier it would be to melt into the crowd and disappear if the need arose. She cleared her throat and addressed the young man first.

“Book learning doesn’t interest me in the slightest, Mr. Dark, neither does it impress me at what age you learned to do what, if it’s even true, or how well you can memorize books. None of that matters on a ship. What matters on a ship is whether or not you can carry your share of the work and carry it well. Tomorrow night I will be doing a rather important mission. That will be your time to prove to me that you are worth teaching. Should you decide to take that chance, you will meet me here at sunset.

“As for you,” she said, turning her attention the dark-haired woman, “Esmerelda, wasn’t it? It sounds as if you have exactly the qualities I’m looking for. As with Leroy, your chance to prove yourself will be tomorrow night. You will also meet me here at sunset. I’m not sure I can guarantee steel, but I pay in gold. What you do with it is your own choice. Perhaps later you can enlighten me on why you don’t have the same physical requirements as other humans.

“Neither of you are to tell anyone about meeting with me. The details about this mission will be given tomorrow when you arrive. If you have any questions, now is the time to ask. Otherwise, I won’t ask for any more of your time tonight.”

At a table near them, several burly men were seated. Each of them was patiently waiting their turn to speak with Scarlet. They’d all heard, one way or another of a ship hiring crewmen and were more than willing to serve a woman captain if it meant having the sea beneath their feet again.

“She’s purty one,” a blonde-haired man commented, looking up and down Scarlet as she spoke with her newest employees. “Think she’d fancy me?”

“Nah, yer too ugly,” his dark-haired companion answered, “what with them rags yer wearin’ and that pale hair.” He took a moment to smooth his rather greasy hair back, “She’d much rather have a handsome, dark-haired men like meself. ‘Sides, she’s the captain and ye can’t go messin’ ‘round with the Cap’n.”

“Will you two shut yer traps,” the third man snapped, “I’m trying to listen. It’s noisy enough in here without you two adding to it.” This man was clearly the leader of the three and though his clothes were not in the best of condition, they were in far better condition than the seadog rags his companions wore. Though old, his trousers had no holes in the knees and fit him properly. He couldn’t say the same of his fellows with their hemp rope belts.

The two men immediately hushed, knowing that it would be their leader’s smooth voice and suave mannerisms that would get them jobs on the Lady’s ship. In a rather meek voice the blonde-haired sailor spoke up.

“Can I at least – “

“No.”

“But I – “

“NO!”

Grumbling, the blonde man settled back in his seat and waited. All he’d wanted was a little coin to get a fresh round of drinks, but his friend was obviously in no mood to listen to anyone other than Scarlet.

[Bite to Break Skin]

Bunnying of Leroy approved due to the fact that he is one of my many alts.
Leroy stood up and sighed. "Perhaps I would not fit in well in your crew." he said as he turned to the door. His father stood in the doorway waiting, "Perhaps another day" he said patting his back as they left the bar. Lucien looked up and scowled. Heading towards them was a man who looked like he could kill with a glance.

Lucien skirted around the man and sighed. "He's bad news" Lucien muttered to nobody in particular.

Venn had stared daggers at everyone he had met in a loooong time. He had big shoes to fill, and he had every intention of doing so. His blemish free pale skin seemed to shine in the darkness. His long black hair hung in front of his deep blue eyes. His face was sculpted like that of a noble, and if one didn't know better, he would easily be mistaken for someone of noble birth.

He carried himself professionally, taking long strides with intense focus. He was here to find work, and rumor on the street was that a scarlet lady in white had some for him. He tossed the door to the bar opened and grinned ear to ear. Several men at the bar recognized him and froze with fear. Vendetta Nightshade, one of the most feared thugs in the gangster world, had just entered the bar.

His cold eyes quickly located the scarlet lady. She was naturally an attractive woman, who wore no make-up. Her white dress was long in the back and rose to mid thigh in the front, very sexy in Venn's eyes. . Her green eyes told a a story of sadness. He almost felt sympathetic, then quickly forced the emotion down. He quietly strode over to them and smiled. "I hear you have a job opening?" he asked taking a seat. "Trust me you won't want to miss out on becoming part of my legacy." He said leaning forward. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Vendetta Nightshade."

[Esmerelda]

Esmerelda closed her eyes as she accessed her central control files. There was some information she couldn't easily change, and the status of who owned her was one such file. However, because she had completely lost contact with those who made her, and the government they worked for, she was granted her freedom, a code her father, the primary programmer who designed her, secretly implemented in the hopes of stealing her away and living with her.

Owner: Astorian Union

Warning: Contact period elapsed, allegiance to Astorian Union broken. Unit may repair or [destroy].

System Message: No owner.

Owner: Captain Scarlet

Warning: Entering new allegiance data will prevent turning down any and all orders from this source, even if such orders will result in unit's destruction. Do you wish to continue?

Information accepted. Unit is now property of Captain Scarlet. Data can only be updated, not destroyed, unless contact period of 90 days elapses with no contact, or property acceptance declined.

Esmerelda came out of her control mode in time to see a pale man with dark hair enter the bar. Her entire updating took an entire terracycle to complete. To the rest of the world, it looked like she merely blinked. Her files may have been corrupted, but she was proud of her processing speed.

Esmerelda couldn't help but notice the pale man was coming their way. Some men at the bar seemed terrified of him, and this set off Esmerelda's internal defense alarms, warning her not to stray from the captain's side. In response, she moved closer to Captain Scarlet's side, prepared to leap to the defense of her new owner. Her processes told her to not trust this man even if he was seeking a job, until his trustworthiness with Captain Scarlet's safety could be proven.

Underneath the skin, comprised of millions of Dermal Nanites, Attack Nanites began to interlock into her defense spikes, even as the nanites in her left arm began to restructure themselves into a crossbow. Surplus Nanites were formed into an arrow, which was kept in the staging area, ready to load into the bow at a moment's notice. She didn't know he was feared in the criminal underworld, but, he didn't know she was a machine, designed and built for the purposes of war, either.

[Lady Scarlet]

“Your legacy?” she asked with a single eyebrow arched questioningly. “At any rate, it matters not. What does matter is how wiling you are to take orders. I’ve found in my travels that many men absolutely hate taking orders from a woman. This seems especially so when they are bigger than the woman giving the orders. I’m not being terribly picky about a crew right now. If you can handle having a woman for a boss and are willing to work hard for your pay, then I can probably use you. Mind that I do require loyalty. Life on the high seas is not easy and everyone on a ship must be able to trust each other to do their part and do it well. Now, why should I hire you? I’ve spent nearly my entire life on the sea, therefore I’m not familiar at all with the who’s who on land.”

She leaned back in her chair, crossing one leg over the other at the knee. By now her mug was empty and she raised it above her head so the serving girl would see that she needed a refill. She had not realized hiring a crew would be so tedious. Of course, if the idiots that he been on watch duty had been doing their jobs the right way, then she wouldn’t be needing to sit here and listen to people who did not appear to have much marine experience vie for a place on her ship. She was of course omitting the fact that she was not currently in possession of a ship. No one would take her seriously about being hired if they knew there was no ship to board right then. The serving girl unobtrusively filled Scarlet’s mug and the female pirate took a swig, waiting to hear Venn’s attempt to “sell” himself.

While Scarlet waited the men that had been watching her also waited. Their leader was waiting and biding his time until he could hopefully talk to Scarlet alone. He did not want to have to deal with any of the other crew hopefuls to listen and find ways to discredit him and his cronies. They needed jobs badly and were willingly to take any job they could get.


***

Out on the docks, Nelson was getting to the point to where he was sure he had found and invited nearly anyone he thought would be any good to ask for a job. He still wasn’t sure what Scarlet planned to do about not having a ship, but he wasn’t terribly worried about it. He was well aware that they didn’t have anywhere near enough money to buy a new ship, but neither could the two of them steal a ship of any decent size.

Perhaps she will just choose a few people to steal a ship. Once she has that, getting a crew to actually sail her would be a cinch.

Thinking to himself about how such a feat might be accomplished, the old salt changed his search from possible sailors to the ships tied up at the docks. Many of them were large, too large in fact. They would need something large enough to carry substantial fire power, but also be small and light enough to be able to flee the scenes of their crimes. The huge, 3-masted, square-rigged merchant vessels were completely out of the question. Though they would be able to hold a lot of loot and supplies, they were also very slow. A single-mast, though fast, would be too small to go very far.

Nelson’s well-trained eyes slipped right by any of the ship that had three or more masts or that had less than two masts. He concentrated instead on the medium –sized vessels with two masts. As he strolled along the dock his eyes fell on a brigantine. He stopped and stared openly at the vessel. She was absolutely perfect! At first glance, he guessed her to be about 80’ long. She rested evenly at the dock, rising and falling smoothly with the movement of the water. The hull was in excellent condition and the sails seemed to be in perfect order as well. Clearly, the owner of this ship took great pride in her.

“Ahoy there!” a friendly voice called down from the ship, “she’s a real beauty, isn’t she?”

“Aye, that she is, good sir. Might I come aboard and have a look? I’m in the market for a new ship.”

“Well, the Anna Lucille isn’t for sale, but you’re welcome to come aboard and see what else she’s got. Perhaps it will give you an idea as to what exactly you’re looking for in a ship.”

“I think I’d like that,” Nelson grinned, a sly twinkle in his eyes as he walked up the gangplank. He had been trying to figure out how he was going to find out the details about the ship, and here the watchman was offering to give him a guided tour. Praise be to whatever gods granted this!

[Bite to Break Skin]

Venn smiled and looked at the woman. "Allow me to start from the beginning. I am Venn, but most call me Vendetta. I am skilled with my sword, and have carved out a decent living for myself as a hit man. the one problem is that the flow of money is inconsistent, and plus I make a lot of enemies that way. I have no quarrels with serving a woman, in fact I prefer being bossed around by women, it lets me know that they have free will and independence. Something I find....."

He paused and added some thought to what he was about to say and then dropped the train of thought. "Anyways, I have a history of being faithful to my contractors, unless they forget to pay me, then I raise hell. I avoid getting into trouble when I can." He then smiled as his boss raised her cup for a refill. He pulled out a few coins and tipped the serving girl generously. He then asked for a glass of whatever Lady Scarlet was having.

When his drink arrived he took a long sip from his glass and set it down. It was a little strong for his tastes, and he quickly began to formulate the best way to gain the woman's confidence. "I work well with others, unless they disobey direct orders, or make stupid mistakes. I do not tolerate people who waste my time and the time of others. I will do whatever it takes to do this job to your standards." He said, and then took another swig. Out of the corner of his eye he saw another man, with two others. Patiently waiting. "What do you say?"

[Esmerelda]

It wasn't Captain Scarlet who answered Venn first, it was Esmerelda. Deciding he wasn't here to do harm to her new owner, Esmerelda decided to give her thoughts on his application, and address her thoughts concerning the trio that seemed to want to address Lady Scarlet in private, though she wasn't certain they did or not.

“We are of a similar mind Venn, and I for one feel we could work well together. I exist by pure logic, and also cannot tolerate time wasters and stupid mistakes. Those who disobey direct orders should do so at the risk of their own life. I look forward to boarding ship with you.

As for anyone else that may or may not wish to speak with Lady Scarlet, I see no reason to not accept them, so long as they can do what is required of them. If there is something in their past their not proud of, so what? We've all had a mistake in our past, and to hold it against someone else's future success is to deter your own fortune.

My captain, I shall return here at the appointed hour. No earlier, no later.” Esmerelda said.

As she spoke, her attack nanites deactivated, and her arm returned to normal. She stood and moved to the door, however a large burly drunk man blocked the way. He leered at her and fingered her form, his intent obvious in his eyes. Esmerelda regarded him with a cold unimpassioned gaze, niether shrinking from his touch, nor leaning into it.

“Your a pretty one aren't you? There's a toll for getting past this door, why don't we go somewhere and discuss it?” the drunk slurred.

“No. Now move, or I will move you. I only give one chance so obey me.” Esmerelda warned.

“Move me? Haha! You, move me? You couldn't move me if you tried.” the drunk said, thoroughly amused. A few patrons looked over at them.

Esmerelda had warned him fairly, and he didn't listen. Beneath her dermal Nanites, her attack nanites formed together much faster than they did for Venn, now that they had a direct threat to defend against. Quickly, small six inch steel spikes sprouted all over her body, as she removed her left arm from its socket. Her detached arm straightened itself as Esmerelda swung it at the man, knocking the shocked alcoholic senseless. She stepped over the unconcious form without even stopping to check on him and vanished into the night.

“Well, she did warn him.” one bar patron said to the other.

“Aye, moved him to the floor she did.” the other patron responded.