[h2]Cold Hands, Warm Shuttle[/h2]
[h3]en route to Greenleaf[/h3]

OOC: JP between [@Winters], [@MK Blitzen], [@Yule], [@Gunther], and [@sail3695]

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/WlTD9hR.jpg[/img][/center]

[center][hider=Coming In From The Cold]
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smw2g-enr6k[/youtube]
[/hider][/center] 

With the sign in place, Cyd blew on her gloved hands and went back into the shuttle and its welcoming warm air. “They have  lank tuna,” she commented, “tons. The Fishstick king would be madder jealous.” 

To keep himself occupied, or rather to look occupied to get out of dancing, Mathias had spread the mats on the floor for people to sit and was currently breaking out his playing cards.  “Spit?” He offered. “Eights?” 
 
Cyd  chuckled and shook her head, taking a seat across from him. “Anything but 52 pickup,” she warned him. The ball was in the crew’s court, they were more than welcome if they wanted to feel their fingers and toes. 

The perfesssor’s all looked after.  Abby set ‘im up with a hot bowl ‘o’ beef stew an’ a carafe ‘o’ fresh brewed tea.  She give ‘im a walkie, jest in case he needed somethin’.

“Thank you, Ms. Travis,” Marquina smiled graciously.  “I couldn't ask for more.”

“Well if yah do,” she held up the radio, “just push an’ call fer me, [i]dohn mah?[/i]  I’ll be about.”

The botanist shrugged toward a small heap of sketches and notes.  “I don’t anticipate leaving this room tonight.  And you should rest, too.”

The girl nodded an’ stepped fer tha door.  “Soon enough, perfessor.  Got a couple more chores an’ then I’m like tah bundle up fer tha night.  Have a good evenin’,” she said afore leavin’ tha warmth of his room.

Mrs. Wyman was still closed up in hers, with the door locked.  Abby set the tray beside it.  Tha stew an’ coffee would stay hot fer a few hours, even while temperatures down here in the passenger dorm was droppin’ perty sharp.  She’s wearin’ a red knit cap an’ a heavy sweater, both hand-me-downs from Aunt Lupe.  Sweater fit tolerable enough, even though Lupe’s so much shorter’n Abby growed up to be.  [i]”Tall...like yer daddy,”[/i] Uncle Bob used tah say.

In the room she shared with supplies, Abby collected a bunch ‘o’ spare pillows an’ blankets, which she stuffed inta a large bag.  After slingin’ it over her shoulder, the deckhand worked ‘er way up the aft stairs by medbay.  She’s still limpin’ a touch, but the cold’s actually makin’ things nicer down there.  Next time she saw the doc, she’d ask about when them stitches could come outta her [i]pi gu.[/i]

Upper deck weren’t much warmer’n below, but she could feel the rise of some small heat, most like from the engine room an’ Hook’s stove.  She checked on Lucky.  Parrot didn’t appear partial to her company.  [i]”Don’t take it personal, Cal Junior,”[/i] Rex teased her once. [i]”He doesn’t like anybody named Cal.”[/i]  Shiny with her, long’s he stayed warm an’ safe til Greeenleaf.

The fella they saved today, Yuri, was in  the starboard shuttle.  She ain’t met ‘im yet. Doc said he’s gon’ be all right, but he’s doin’ some grievin’ tonight.  That she could conjure.  As she made ‘er way toward the port shuttle, Abby thought on that.  Hadn’t been time to put up pitchers of her people yet.  She’d do that tomorrow, after they’s on the ground.  Her folk was owed their due.  Ain’t nobody grieved fer Uncle Bob yet.  Abby conjured just how she’d pay her tribute.

Skyes had put a cheery message up on their hatch.  She brung the bag off her shoulder an’ set it afore her. After steelin’ herself with a breath, Abby knocked.

Mathias finished rolling a new daga and handing it off to Cyd before getting up to get the door. He yawned and stretched and made his way to the hatch, blinking at Calamity Jane doing an impression of Santa at their door.  

“Abby! Howzit?” Cyd called from behind him. “Come in, come in, warm up!” 
 
“I guess Christmas came early.” Mathias joked moving to the side to let the pistol kissed deckhand in.

“Hi,” Abby stepped past the smirkin’ big’un.  “Brung yah some extra blankets an’ pillows, seein’s how yah’ll have some extra folk about this evenin’.  She looked about their shuttle.  “Got anyplace yah’d like ‘em set?”

“Any place, any place,” Cyd offered, standing up to give her a hand. “But are you sure the crew won’t need ‘em? Shuttle is pretty warm.” 

The deckhand give a shrug.  “Perty sure we got enough.”

“All right,” Cyd replied, taking them off the deckhand’s hands. “We appreciate it, but if anyone needs ‘em, they’re welcome to ‘em. You got some time tusit… er.. To hang around?” 

“I conjure I do,” the girl answered.  “Wouldn’t mind a warm up a’tall.”   Shuttle was warm...they’d kicked up the heat well enough.  Fer now she’d keep the sweater on, but if she did stick fer awhile she’d pull it off tah keep from sweatin’.  Nothin’ worse’n gittin’ all wet afore hittin’ tha deep freeze.  “Nice whatcha done in here,” Abby said as she looked about the place.  “Might borrow a couple ideas when I got coin to put toward my digs.”

“Oweh?” Cyd asked, looking around, before nodding. “If I can help, you let me know. Here, take a seat.” She offered one of the folding chairs they’d repurposed. “We might get a couch or something to sit soon enough, but for now, the open space is great for practice, depends on how long we’re with the shuttle.”

The teenager sat where she’d been bid.  “Oh,” Abby caught on, “word was yah’s doin’ some redecoratin’ on New Melbourne.  Thought this was it,” she give an apologetic smile.  “On my way up I’s thinkin’ ain’t even had time tah put my pitchers on the wall. I’m hopin’ the Cap’n gives us a couple days on Greenleaf so’s I can get sorted.”

“Don’t get too excited.” Mathias Chuckled at Cyd's sudden passion for interior decorating. Mathias was of the mindset that they live where in a constant state of movement and impermanence. Thus,  wasn't willing to get too attached or get things too well cozy and decorated. If they moved on it meant most of it would get thrown away and that would be such a waste. “Oweh! If your rus bene for bit, care for a game? Guest get to choose.” Mathias offered to change the subject.

Abby looked from one t’other.  “Sure,” she give up a nod.  “Whatcha got?” 
 
“He’s going to say cards,” Cyd warned. 

"I wasn't going to say [I]just[/I] going to say cards. Just one of many options!" Mathais said with an exaggerated wounded look to Cyd. "We got a mancala set around here … I think. We got dice and of course cards. See not [I]just[/I] card. But we do play a lot of card games." Mathias admitted.

“They’re light and easy to carry,” Cyd explained. “Good when you travel a lot, ja nee?” 

Mathias snapped an ear smartingly loud finger as a thought hit him. “I forgot we have Mahjong! Almal is lief vir Mahjong ja?”

Isaac peeked his head out from behind a privacy curtain that drapes in front of the largest bed. He pulled off his headphones, the tunes turned loud enough the others could hear the music coming out of the tiny speakers. "Heilige kak! We actually got takers??" The youngest Skye looked astonished but pleased. "And here I thought you didn't like us." He smirked as he teased Abby.
 
The girl cocked an eyebrow.  “Heard tha jury’s still out on yew,” she quipped.

He crawled out from the sleeping area dragging his drumsticks and a pillow he'd been practicing playing on. The boy sat cross-legged on the floor but realizing it was too hard, reached back in to drag out another pillow for his butt. "Better!" He said, sounding quite satisfied with his little arrangement. "So, work's all done, fish all cozy?" He asked with a smile.

“Good an’ cold...jest like my feet.  Hey, while yer’ goin’ deaf there, what’s a good set ‘o’ buds I should buy?” Abby asked.  “Just got a cortex today an’ I want music while I’m doin’ all them fun chores.”

Isaac scootched over to where their new guest was seated, butt pillow in tow. He put his sticks in his teeth to free up a hand as he gave the "give it here" motion to his sister, requesting to borrow her cortex. 

Cyd tapped a few keys to unlock it, and handed it to her younger sib. “What kind of music are you going to use them for?” She asked, “a lot depends on that too.” 

Abby looked her way.  “My aunt who raised me was Spanic, so that’s where I started.  Since she passed, I’ve kinda been all over the place.  Funk and hard beats fer work, flamenco fer nighttime...gotta be honest,” she said., “I’m jest out there givin’ all sorts ‘o’ things a try lately.”

Isaac started tapping away on the screen until he brought up an electronics equipment site. He quickly scanned through the offerings for headphones. "Crap….crap…" He flicked his finger on the screen passing by several options. "Pretty much anything Blue Sun is crap when it comes to headphones. Sound comes out tinny." He finally landed on a pair that looked strikingly similar to the ones he was wearing. "Love. These." He said with confidence of someone who fancies themselves a connoisseur. "Weyland-Yutes! Thumping bass, sweet mids, get some loss on the highs but for the money, solid." He turned the cortex to face the girl to show a pair of Weyland-Yutani CM-88B portable headphones. "Oh! And they stick real good to my head too! See?" He said as he popped the set back on his head and thrashed around a few times to demonstrate before going right back to the cortex. "These Odin headphones are supposed to be really sweet too buuut waaaaaayyy outta my price range." He said as he showed her some of the higher end models with equally higher end price tags.

“Weyland-Yutes,” she parroted.  “Weyland-Yutes…all good tah know.  I’s most like gonna just pick up somethin’ from a street stall.  Least I gotta chance ‘o’ doin’ right now,” the girl smiled.  “Thank yew...I’ll put a good word in with tha jury.”   She conjured they’s no way she’d ‘member that name proper til she could go shoppin’.  Abby pulled out ‘er cortex an started typin’.  W-E-Y-L-A-N-D Y-U….The little box vibrated in her hands.  She had a message.

[i]Message from Jinks, Thomas - Image attached.[/i]

She finished typin’ Y-U-T-E-S, then slipped the cortex back inta her pocket.  “Tell yah what,” she said to Isaac.  “I’ll bring the ones I buy around fer you tah check out...jest in case I FUBAR’d it all up.  That be alright?”

"Geen probleem!" Isaac said with a thumbs up before catching himself slipping into Lo. "Er...no problem." He added with a sheepish grin.

Abby looked on him with fresh eyes.  Nine times outta ten she just had tah sit there all dumbfounded when they took native.  But he’d just changed up...fer her.  “Thank yew,” she offered in a warm tone.  Surprisin’ how much she appreciated such a simple thing…

Cyd tried her best to hide a smile at Abby and Isaac making eyes and conversation. “Mathias, cards, oweh?” 

"Uhh … I can go make some Honeybush … or cards, we can do cards …" Mathias said digging around for the most beat up deck of cards. He was getting to the point where he was going to need some new cards and toss some of the wrecked ones.

The deckhand shook her head.  “Whatever game yah choose, yah’ll just as like end up havin’ tah teach me.”  She shifted on  tha chair.  “Only game ever ran on my old boat was poker.   Hard tah conjure, since mah Uncle Bob went by nickname ‘o’ ‘Blackjack.’  Go figger.”  They’s right; their shuttle was warm.  If she’s stayin’ she’d best ditch tha hat an’ sweater.  Abby pulled the red knit cap off an’ tucked it ‘neath a leg.  Next she pulled the sweater over her head.  After tyin’ the sleeves about her waist, she glanced at tha hosts.  “Alright,” the girl said, “I’m all set tah lose whatever we’s playin’.”

“Anything but 52 pick up,” Cyd warned Mathias with a glare. “And I can brew up the honeybush. Abby, do you like tea?” 

“Tonight I’d drink anythin’ hot,” she agreed.  “Reminds me.  We got coffee an’ Oolong goin’ fer passengers an’ such all night.  If y’all want any ‘o’ that I can bring some.  Shoulda ‘membered that sooner.”

"No worries, 'sides if you ain't had Honeybush before then you're in for a real treat." Mathias assured as he shuffled the cards with practiced ease.

Cyd rummaged through a box until she found the loose tea. “Back in a flash,” she promised, wrapping her scarf around her neck before heading out into the cold ship. 

Abby took tah watchin’ the  cards slip ‘twixt his fingers.  “What’re we ‘bout tah play?”

"Well since you're familiar with poker we can do that, if you're feeling daring there's always Screw Rat but if you're willing to learn something new there is always the great equalizer Bridge." Mathias explained. "So what do ya feel comfortable with?"

“Did y’all mention fifty-two pickup?”  Abby smirked.  “Fer true I’m horrible.  Please, if there’s one yah like, let’s go with that an’ I’ll try tah catch up.”

"Hooboy." Isaac sighed. "Never admit that to Mat. He's gonna rake you over the coals now." Isaac hopped up onto his feet and went to check their snack stash. "Anyone want chips?" He asked to the room as he rummaged for a good half a minute. When his head came out again, there was a dried meat stick jutting from his mouth. "By the way, what're we playing for? Buttons, snacks, what?" He polled the group as he dropped down some fun size bags of various sorts then went back to hunt for the box of buttons.

“Jo loscop. We have a guest, we play for fun. We’ll save fifty-pickup for another time.” Mathias said with a wave. “How about screw rat? Little luck littl skin but lots of fun. Don't worry, you'll pick it up quickly.”

Abby’s shoulder blades rested upon the chair’s backrest.  “If it comes with laughs I’m up tah learn.  Don’t got nothin’ else tah stake.” 
 
[center][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVzvRsl4rEM]Joe the pastry chef tending to people’s needs[/url][/center]

Joe Hooker had been busying himself in the galley. He found a serving platter in the storage closet. He brought it out, cleaned it up and laid it on the table. He cut two slices of pie from each of the three types. He had two Apple, two Blueberry and two Peach Cobblers. Each he placed on a plate along with an assortment of cookies; chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and Sugar Cookies. He draped a towel over the deserts. 

“That coffee is gettin’ right ole. Migh’ as well change it,” Joe mumbled to himself. He unplugged the cord from the wall, pulled the lid off, then the basket of grounds out, which he dumped into the trash bin. Then he rinsed the basket out and dumped the remains of the coffee down the drain. He set up a fresh pot of coffee and plugged it in.

He looked at his jacket hanging up in the corner and decided he wouldn’t need it. He did put the wool knit cap back on. He picked up the tray and headed out the galley door toward the starboard shuttle.  When he arrived, he found the notice on the door. He noticed what looked like a woman holding a torch and holding a book with letters scribbled on it. He really wasn’t sure what it was, then headed inside.

“Hello!? Anyone home?” Joe Hooker announced his presence. He walked into the shuttle finding the Skye’s hanging out with Abby playing cards. “Hey ah brought some goodies; pies and cookies if you will. Ah also set the pot to brew a fresh pot in the galley.” Joe noted they were playing cards. He didn’t want to take advantage of these young people but often enjoyed playing a hand or two of Texas Hold ‘em.

Watchin’ cards fly was kinda like havin’ a dream she couldn’t ‘member upon wakin’.  She knew it’s happenin’, but tryna keep her bearings as the deck was shuffled and hands dealt out was like tah make her out the deer in the headlights.  When she’s little, Abby seen Uncle Bob play...leastways til the grownups shooed her from the room.  Toward the end, when it was jest them two an’ whatever hands he could hire tah keep Mariposa flyin’, Uncle Bob cared less an’ less fer a game his tippin’ the bottle made ‘im lose more an’ more.  So, ‘cept fer watchin’ and an occasional round ‘o’ [i]Fifty-Two Pickup,[/i]  the girl had no card sense a’tall. 
  
“Alrighty,” she said all amiable as she picked up the cards landed afore her.  “How do I….heya, Hook!”   Abby give Joe a smile as he come in with a tray.  “Yer jest in time tah watch me make a right fool outta myself.”

“Ok Miss Abby. Watcha playin’?” Hook asked. “Ah, fifty-two pick up.” Giggling, he looked for a table to set the tray down on. The quarters were a bit sparse. He decided a corner of the floor was good enough. “Don’ y’all have a table here?”

The girl chuckled.  “I don’t know an’ I don’t know.”  She glanced from Isaac to his older brother.  “But I conjure them what brings the goodies should get a say in that, [i]dohn mah?[/i]

“Darn tootin!” Joe Hooker exclaimed and felt embarrassed as soon as the words left his mouth. “Ah guarantee the pie is delicious. There is some whipped cream in cold storage back in the galley and the coffee is fresh.” The cold didn’t seem to bother Joe as much as it did some of the others. He considered checking on the cargo in the bay, but that could wait.

“That sounds right…[i]lekker[/i],” Abby tossed a grateful smile Isaac’s way, afore focusin’ on Hook.  “I’m fair certain our passengers wouldn’t turn down yer bakin’, neither.  Next time I run ‘em tea an’ coffee, I’ll dish some up.”

*****************************To Be Continued****************************