wanderingwolf — Roleplayer Guild

@Saiyan

Thanks for that detailed response! I think you're on to something with having the interests of others steer and stretch you toward something new and exciting. All the things you've mentioned would totally fit here. 

As a little bit of orientating, we're broken up into various RP commitments: Free, Casual, and Advanced. If you're interested in learning more about what differentiates those three, feel free to read the descriptions from the main threads.

After that, you can generally find a subset of story styles, fandoms, original works, and the like in just about each category. One thing that I would add is that you can venture into the 1x1 thread, too, and check out the interest checkers there. I've found a writer there to write with via PMs and it's been a great experience, as well. Often times, I've seen people who say they're 'shy' gravitate toward 1x1 stories with just one partner. Writing with a group is great fun, too!

Thanks for asking what I'm into! I do like Firefly and have been in that universe for about 3+ years now? Most of that time was spent on another site and in Google Docs. That said, I'm pretty open to roleplays. I even saw a guy asking for fellow bird-people and considered applying. There's all sorts on here!

The DnD classic stuff definitely attracts me as well, but more than that, I like it when writers make up their own lore, races, etc. It makes for a great world-building exercise!

OOC: Cal and Penelope take the ship out for the first time! A JP between @aalakrys and @wanderingwolf

Matters managed, cargo strapped, and crew settled, it was time to put Persephone and Badger in the rear view. To him, this trip was the equivalent of begging to eat, what with a near full crew hired and a few jobs lined up on the side, Badger’s no-questions-asked crates were still the impetus for the China Doll seein’ black again. The notion that Badger’s mechanics had been crawling all over her made his stomach turn, but beggars as they say... Captain Strand climbed the ladder up and stepped onto the bridge. His pilot, Penelope Randell, was sat at the console absorbed in some measures or readings of some nature. 

“How’s she feel? Doll’s a mite lighter than the ol’ Komodo, but you’ll see once we shove off.” Cal entered, sans duster and hat, his ruddy hair nappy from the heat and humidity of Persephone.

Penelope turned to see the captain as he spoke,, giving him a grin that hadn't left her lips since she stepped aboard. "I'd say she fits like a glove I've had my eye on for a minute. Use'ta have a planet-side glider, so I'm raring for some lightness again. We all set down below to head up?"

“Glider, huh? Well, we ain’t quite that light,” he chuckled, turning to lean against the console, back to the China Doll’s expansive view of Persephone. “Cargo’s strapped down and the bay’s shut tight. Now,” he began, crossing his arms, “how about we take her up? First, some thing’s you oughta know about the Doll: She’s got a misconfiguration on output in the right atmo, so she pulls to the left when you first get goin’. Once we get a proper mechanic we can get that sorted out. Second, we’re gonna be a bit back heavy as we’re carryin’ passengers and cargo; we’ll tilt a little aft, but the hands did their best to balance out the crates.” He eyed the young woman to see if she was paying attention, but that big smile of hers never faded. “I’d take her up to show you, but I’m liable to send Hook’s fare of burger and fries onto laps in the galley. Let’s see how you do.” Cal stepped over to the captain’s chair.

Though she wasn't sure how much of what Cal said was for true or a test, Pen wasn't put off in the slightest. In fact, she appreciated that he didn't figure her take-off likely to tossle some plates. And, he didn't seem unnecessarily wary about her abilities - at least, he didn't show it. Nervous wasn't really something the pilot felt, but excitement, well she had buckets. All kept from flowin' over, she simply gave a nod before swiveling to the console to receive the controls as they released. "Fits just right, Cap'n. 'Fore I see how she handles, got any words for the hold and folks in her?"

“That’s good,” Cal nodded and picked up the comm receiver which crackled to life. “This is your captain speaking, and I’d like to welcome you aboard the China Doll. We’re prepped for take off on route to New Melbourne. Trip takes us near three days on full burn, so settle in. Deckhand Hook’s prepared some fare for everyone in the galley. Once we’re in the sky, feel free to enjoy what he’s set out. Passengers, now would be the time to strap in for take off; crew, take one last look over the bay and you know what to do. Any questions or concerns during the trip can be aimed at Rex, and thank you for bookin’ passage on the China Doll.” With that, the comm cut out and Cal returned it to its hook. 

Strand strapped himself in and turned to Penelope. “She’s all yours.” He had high hopes for the young woman, as she’d proven she knew a thing or two about boats. If she proved herself through takeoff, then he would be all the more grateful. It was a big ask to trust the China Doll in the hands of a stranger, but he was anxious to get off Persephone and Penelope had agreed to finesse the boat to their destination. His fingers itched for a cigarette, but he relented, instead leaning over his console to flip the landing gear switch in preparation for his pilot’s first takeoff.

While the captain was giving his passengers a word on the comms, Penelope had set to the preflight check once the go-ahead was given to fire the China Doll up, alerting the ground that they were departing. The hum of the engines coming to life was like music to her soul, set to soar along with the bird, amping up for the lift. Upthrust regulators checked real nice, aside from the flasher going that notified her of what the captain said earlier about favorin’ the right. Her mind was already compensating the pull of it, as well as the tilt of weight down in the cargo hold. This Firefly was a fair bit lighter than the Komodo, as Cal had commented, but all weight had to be attributed when gettin’ a girl off the ground. No ship wanted to drag its tail or nose-dive right on release, and no pilot wanted the embarrassment of it. She was far from green enough to avoid that, at least. 

Her eyes, now familiar with the layout given the time of her arrival onboard, danced over all the right places her fingertips found as the ship settled after its spark to life. If she were a musician, this was her instrument. There was more flexibility here than her last boat, too, and more movement, and she swayed with the seat as it swirled beneath her direction until she came to rest with her hands back on the control wheel. One second of a breath, eyes shut, heartbeat, and hum. 

It wasn’t nerves, it was exhilaration being kept in check. For if it were her alone, she would have blasted out full throttle. But there was the Doll to think about, and the passengers, and crew. This wasn’t her glider, and there would be plenty of fun to be had - she had a sure feelin’ about that one, especially from the little she picked up about the captain's previous adventures from that chat in the hall. So, the moment her hazel eyes popped open, herself in check, she gave the captain a wink and got to work.

With an ease back on the control wheel, she felt what the China Doll was tryin’ to tell her. They were talkin’, her and the girl. All through Penelope’s slight hands and tension in her right forearm to keep them steady as they lifted, her eyes on the primary flight display to keep mind for adjustment, she was listenin’ to what the Doll had to say. They were steady, and good, so she upped the throttle to give the girl the lift she needed before pulling back and flipping the thrusters. The rising sensation filled Penelope from her toes up, spreading along her chest and into the arms that buzzed with the vibration of the ship. Her smile broke free from her eyes and lit up her face as they took off at increasing speed to break atmo. In that moment, there was only her and the Doll and the bright blue they were about to burn to black sky.

The ship purred, in a much better state than when he’d arrived in Persephone. Cal had needed to fly her himself, and that had meant for a bumpy landing which cracked an atmo guard plate. Tweren’t his fault, he told himself, the China Doll had been worse for wear. Now, you wouldn’t even be able to tell it was the same boat under Penelope’s guiding hand. The lift was regulated, precise, not jarring in the least. The rising in his stomach told him he had picked true in Penelope, and he silently congratulated himself for being an excellent judge of character. He felt a smirk tugging at his cheek, watching the woman settle in as if she’d been in that seat forever and always. Did his best to hide it, though; didn’t want to puff up her head too much. All he dared say was a simple, “Mighty fine,” as the sky turned from blue to black.

Well, ain't that a grand compliment, Pen thought as her eyes flicked over to the captain and she gathered her cheer back inward some. All the while, she held steady at the controls - one small error could be quite a large catastrophy when breaking atmo was concerned. Had she been younger, he just might've caught her concentrating, but years of practice left her a little easy-going on the surface. Still, she spoke as her eyes turned back to the sky. "Thank you, cap'n."

Once they leveled out after the break, and the course checked and set with a once over and little tweaking on her part, Penelope let the controls relax out of her hands a bit. Less gravity meant less tension tugging against the ship and her arms. "Lookin' like three days at full burn. Slight veering could be a problem for the Doll to stay on course on her own. Did ya manage to wrangle up a mechanic?"

“We got one, an’ she’s tucked in, way I hear it.” Cal picked up the comm again and flipped the dial to the engineering bay. “How’re we settlin’ in there?” Cal called to the mechanic on the other end. 

After a second the speaker on the bridge echoed back, “Ship shape and ready for full-burn. Atmos heat reading is nominal, but you had some la shi mechanic set your right engine to one hundred and ten percent throughput and—”

Cal cut her off, “I know, I know. If it’s an easy fix you’ve got carte blanche to set it straight, less it requires something that costs, then you’re outta luck, sister.”

“Copy,” was all the reply that came. 

“Well ain’t that nice,” Cal crooned to Penelope, “we got a mechanic who knows what she’s doin’ to boot.” Captain Strand reclined in his chair, the picture of pleased to be staring out at the stars. 

Penelope followed along with what the voice on the other end of the conversation with the captain was saying, nodding with a little smile at the reply. If the issue cost, that meant more time on the flight deck for her. At least there was a head close by, and she already had something in her gut even if it'd been a while, just in case. "I'll monitor the output from here and keep us on course, if'n ya want to get some dinner and all."

Cal rose from the chair opposite Penelope, “Don’t mind if I do.” He took a step toward the door before adding, “Nice job taking her out of world; glad to see the Doll under proper heading again.”

"I'm happy to be here." The China Doll's new pilot showed that truth all about her. She started to turn back to the console, but pushed back 'round with a hand on the dash. "Hey, Cap'n? What'd ya want that adapter for, anyway? Everything here seems to be ship-shape after those guys cleared out - didn't see 'em install it on the flight deck. Though I did do a scan to see if they installed anything extra, if ya know what I mean."

Cal nodded, “Damn near forgot, what with cargo, passengers, and the like.” He joined her at the console, extricating the Epsilon adapter from his pocket. Getting down on one knee, the captain rooted around in the rat’s nest of wires and cables beneath the pilot’s console before he found what he was looking for. “Alright, so this piece ought to connect to this one… and perfect.” The adapter snapped into place with a length of cable. He wrapped it around so that it sat on the top far left of her controls. “Be right back,” Strand said, rising and disappearing through the hallway and down to the captain’s quarters. 

Penelope had been watching her new captain as he sorted through the mess of cables until he plopped the end of the adaptor atop the console dash before popping off. He was back before she had much thought as to what he was up to, just curious and not at all unsettled by the proximity in which he'd been previously. She was used to working in tight quarters with all sorts, and he sure didn't make her fell like ol' Dev did. Not a worry was spent in the moment before Cal was back again. 

A few seconds later he materialized back on the bridge with a black box the size of a book in hand. “Now this ought to fit,” he said, handling the box to line it up with the Epsilon adapter. With a snug clip, the two were one and the box started making a whirring noise. “You alright there?” The Captain called to the box. “Hullo? Huh, seems it’s shy. Well, this here is--” 

Beside them, the intercom blurted out, “Captain, need you here in the engineering bay.”

“Xiànzài shì shénme,” Cal uttered, pressing the comm to reply, “be right down.” Replacing the receiver, he added to Penelope, “Better deal with this before we end up adrift out here.” And then he was gone, leaving Penelope with the small whirring box on her console. In his absence it began making a slow clicking sound.

Though she was no stranger to talking to inanimate objects - case in point the conversation between her and the China Doll during take off - those little clicks had Penelope curious. She eyed it once the captain was off, tilting her head and asking aloud: "Well, introductions were cut short, so I'm Penelope - I'll be ridin' alongside you for the time being. Now, who might you be?"

Her eyes danced as she leaned in to get a good look at the newly rigged up box. This trip was already getting interesting, and she did like interesting.

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