Log:Down Where It's Wetter: Zhu Yan Has A Plan

Anyone else feel something ominous?

OOC Date: February 28, 2017
Location: Defiance Hangar Control Tower
Participants: Zhu Yan (as GM), Jehni'va Cihn, Sajin, Nyla Forr, Sapphira Tavers, Defiance

Long story short: Zhu Yan wants to rob a casino, complete a checklist, and get Jehni'va Cihn into a dress.

The whole story:

Someone had dragged a couple of the chairs from the dining table towards the control center part of the Control Tower. Someone had also tried to drag one of the couches over too, but clearly they'd given up because now the couch was sitting awkwardly half-way across the room.
The culprit was probably Zhu Yan, standing over the holoprojector in the middle of the room pressing buttons with one hand while holding on to some large bread-wrapped meat-based meal in the other. It was hard to tell whether or not the Bryar on his hip or the cholesterol count of his lunch was more deadly. A small data stick was stuck into the side of the holoprojector's control panel. "Hang on, I got this," he mused to no one in particular.

"Yes, hello? Yeah that's me: fixing blaster holes, no questions asked. Welcome to Nar." The voice drifts into the Control Tower just before Jehn gangles in, arguing animatedly into a commlink. "I'll see you then, thank you." Mama needs money, apparently. She stops dead in the middle of the room, staring at Yan as she tucks the commlink back into her pocket, Crona the anooba snuffling at her ankles. "You, uh, need help with that...?"

CRACK! The tell-tale sign, or sound rather, of Sajin Kovo Kah. Oriana's hunkey boyfirend--Fiance, the strong and silent type. The shoot first and ask questions... enough stroking my own ego. He was here too, eating one of those coveted pretzels of his. He hadn't done much with Defiance other than work security around both Oriana and their Hangers, despite Oriana taking her leave from the Organization for the time being to focus on other things that were important to her. Sajin, well... he didn't have anywhere else to go. So he came here. IF there was a job to do, it was time to do it. He stands in the back corner, chewing and crunching, a single arm draped across his armored stomach the elbow of the hand which holds the bread stick to his mouth resting on the aformentioned arm.

"Nah, this thing will behave or my name isn't Javelis Armstrong," said Javelis Armstrong, actually Zhu Yan but whatever, the man went by so many names that really who knew what the real one was? He punched a few more buttons before sighing, throwing his hands up in the air, and trudging away. "All I wanted to do was show you guys something real cool!" he complained, before gesturing at the panel. "Jehn, if you can make the thing show the thing on the thing," what, "please do."

The apartment door to number two slides open and Nyla Forr comes out, a pail of cleaning supplies slung on her arm and a backpack over her shoulder. She blinks, curiously, at the little gathering in the control tower. "Heee--oof!" the mechanic starts to great but is attacked by a gangly teenager puppy. Nyla holds the cleaning stuff up and out of reach, scratching Crona behind the ears. "What's going on?"

"Is your name Javelis Armstrong?" Jehn is confused - she doesn't know Yan well enough to know better. "And, uhhhh.... Did you try putting it in the right port?" Jehn points lazily at the holoprojector with a shrug. Those things have ports, right? Good space gods it's like calling tech support. The anooba is more interested in tackling cleaning-supply-laden Mommy2 and Sajin's pretzel, the latter of which she will undoubtedly make a beeline for once she's done giving Nyla a face bath. Jehn points at the holoprojector again. "Nyla! Fix this?"

Sajin keeps quiet not exactly taking part in the banter or activities. He's more interested in what Yan has to say. He recognizes him but really is far too amused by Jehn's confusion, a small smirk forming on his still chewing lips. HE takes another loud bite looking around the room.

"Hey, man, that's not important. What's important is that we are talking about a substantial credit sum here that I want to cut you all in on," said Zhu Yan, thoroughly uncharacteristically for the greedy bastard. He was waving his arms around dramatically now, hoping that failing to notice the holoprojector would make the problem suddenly fix itself. Management! "Oodles upon oodles of money! Fancy environments! All you can drink! Kill a few people! Whatever! And look real good doing it! Which reminds me," he said, eyeing the three ne'er-do-wells in the room. "You I don't really have to worry about," he said, glancing at Sajin, "but ladies, has Kasia taken you dress shopping or anything?"

Nyla Forr lazily swings her attention towards the hologram projector. Her eyes narrow thoughtfully and she sets the cleaning bucket on the nearby counter before angling herself towards Zhu. She grabs the chip "Yoink!" and bends down to flip open a small latch and slide it in. With a quick press of the button it starts to hum. "There ya go," Nyla chirps and makes her way to flop down onto the couch. Zhu's question, of course, turns her attention from looking a Sajin curiously. She busts out laughing. "Dress...shopping?" the grubby mechanic asks between wheezes of laughter. "You'd have to cut me a rather large slice of that pie, boy-o."

Did someone say DRESS SHOPPING?! Kasia certainly didn't take Sapphira dress shopping, but she looks nice all the same. It's Naelyn you have to thank for that. The new engineer comes up the steps into the space, wearing a royal blue sheath dress, fitted, though the sleeves from the shoulders to the tight cuffs are loose, giving her a bit of a delicate appearance. Much of that delicateness might be lost when one notices that, upon the brown stylish belt she wears, there is a holster and a blaster. She wears brown leggings beneath the dress, and her feet are fitted into brown boots, stylish too but utilitarian. Her bright red hair is braided over one shoulder, and while she wears little makeup to cover her pale skin and freckles, her lips are a bright whorelike red. "Oh," she says, apologetically when she comes up. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb. I was coming through to see if my room was ready." Cause it's not ready yet. Her eyes trace over those present. They stop on Yan. "...we've met..." she says slowly, as if trying to place the man. But Jehn she placees almost immediately. "Oh! Hello again." She was there for the big Tavers reveal. "I don't know if you heard, but Hex hired me on after all the ... drama settled. It's lovely to see you again." Damn, but she's cheerful.

"I like money." Jehn attests, glancing sidelong over at her girlfriend as she 'yoink's the holoprojector into useability. "And uh..." The grubby, nasty pilot looks down at herself, eyeing the torn, burned, grease-stained jumpsuit that she's half-unzipped and tied at the waist only to reveal a white wifebeater underneath it, which exists in a similar state of disarray. "...No." Pause. "Naelyn bought me fancy goggles though?" She adds, looking up. Because fancy goggles fix /everything/. Tugging the anooba away from Sajin and his pretzel, the pilot/mechanic drops heavily onto the couch beside Nyla, and immediately 'oofs' under the added pressure of the tusked canine - who vacates this position with a 'BOOF' to cheerfully greet Sapphira. Some guard dog. "Oh! Uh, welcome!" Her voice says 'welcome' but her tone says 'there is something seriously wrong with anyone who willingly joins Tavers in marriage and I haven't found what's wrong with you, yet.

It was becoming apparent to Zhu Yan that he would need to recruit both Naelyn and Kasia on as the wardrobe department for what he had in mind. Because GOOD GOD. At least, until he spied the fairer Tavers. "Perfect! You're set!" he declared to her, with a giant grin and a thumbs-up. Then, looking at Jehn on the couch that Yan had half-moved over to the holoprojector before giving up, then switching to eye the skeptical Nyla, he gestured in Sapphira's direction and started addressing the room as a whole. "See, witness how young Sapling is dressed in both a classy and disarming manner! Exactly the sort of thing we need, because..." and he trailed off as he went over to play with the holoprojector. Not even a thank you to Nyla. What a jackass.
Yan pressed a single, SINGLE button and a picture of what appeared to be a whale bloomed into view. "This, is the Coral Vanda," he said, gesturing to the whale that was clearly some sort of spaceship. "It's a luxury cruise liner that sails under the seas of Pantolomin." Submarine. Whatever. "And it's a classy-as-balls casino with a lot of money on hand. Can you guys see where I'm going with this?"

Sajin's mind seems to have wandered off a bit but of course he snaps back to attention when he hears the words money. He was a moral guy, did the right thing, but money was also a bit part of his life for a while. He was a Mercenary for a rather long time before his adventures with the Princess and Defiance. Now there was someone else in the room, he blinks not having noticed her enter. He gives her a nod in greeting but only takes a bite from a stale bread stick, chewing loudly before looking back to Yan and the presentation. "Are they all Slavers?" Asks the attractive Hapan, mouth full of breadcrumbs.

"Sapling?" Because that's the first time that's come up IC before, but yes let's roll with it! Sapphira is blinking with bright green eyes in Yan's direction. But he gestured to her, so in she comes, sliding over the arm of the oddly placed sofa in order to make her way into the space. She still looks rather bewildered. But then there's talk of a casino cruise liner. And slavers. And her face suddenly looks desperately hopeful and excited. "This is a job?" she asks, looking at those around her. No Tarion here. Haha! Now she can show him what for. "It's a job, isn't it?" She looks excited. Not just like 'oh hay let's have a fun time excited.' More like 'my bones are vibrating in anticipation' kind of excited. Her eyes are locked on Yan now, as the Most Interesting Man in the World to her, and she moves to sit blindly. Listening intently.

"She cleans up nicely," Nyla promises with a thumb thrown towards Jehn. "Myself...?" Her shoulders bunch into a shrug and she tosses a look to Sapphira curiously. "Who..." she begins to whisper to Jehn before looking /slightly/ offended at Zhu. She makes a low, mostly inaudible huff noise and leans back to pull the anooba onto her lap and starts to scratch at it. "Casino, huh?" Nyla grinds her teeth. "Yeah, that might pay well enough to get me in a dress."

Draping an arm over the smaller woman beside her, the Coruscanti pilot smirks. "I do not - you're biased." This is the woman who literally spray painted her work boots for a formal event. "So uh... Sneakin' us in as wait staff or something?" Jehn knows how this goes. She knows how this ALWAYS GOES. No one wants her at the forefront of anything - and with very good reason. She flicks her gaze back and forth between the holoprojector, Yan, Sajin, and... Sapling? She leans over and - with a wide grin - whispers "That's Tarion's /wife/." to Nyla. Let that sink in a moment.

Zhu Yan paused before responding to Sajin's query. "It's full of rich people, so sure, why not," he responded with an undue amount of flippancy. Jackass. "Yes, this is a job. A well paying job for a bunch of people with particular sets of skills. Assuming we get a good take, each person involved could walk away with six extra digits in their bank accounts." That was sure to set the Greedometer to maximum. And not in a getting-shot-under-the-table sense. Well, maybe.
Yan tapped a few more buttons on the holoprojector and two decks, one at the top and one at the bottom, went from blue to red. "These are casinos," he said, stating the obvious. They went blue again and the central deck lit up. "This is the operations area. And this," and the dead center started blinking, "is the vault. Now, I say vault, but everything's processed electronically so it's more like a financial mainframe. This thing is kept isolated to the ship only until the Coral Vanda docks, where it updates with head office. We hit that whilst the ship is submerged and change the head office account to, say, Jehni's bank account, she suddenly finds herself so rich she can afford all the anooba food she can dream of."

"This is a job," Sapphira repeats, excitedly matter-of-fact to the two women seated beside her. She's excited enough that she doesn't even to seem to notice the spreading of truths around her. Yes, Tarion has a wife. Yes, she's it. And boy does she just look positively /thrilled/ right now. The figure? That only makes her blink a few times. But the description of how they'll get it? That makes her grin even wider. That pretty face might just crack straight across. Her fingernails are digging into the fabric of her dress on her lap, twisting slightly. Robbing a casino! How exciting!

"Ew, /what/?" Nyla can't help but blurt out the reply to Jehn. She flushes red and coughs, peering up at Sapphira. "Yes," she says slowly. "it is a job. For money." Speak slowly. Whatever head injury Tarion inflicted to trick this poor creature into marrying him must be a whopper. Another small clear of her throat and she glances to Yan. "You have a plan, or...? I can reprogram droids to do /anything/. And you know they have droid dealers there."

"Well... I'll try and looks for the worst in them and maybe forget about the hard working lot. It's a job, I need money." Sajin says in that deep husky voice of his. With a nod to Yan, he shuts up and continues to listen to the plan. He looks over to Saphira and the other two after a moment, raising an eyebrow, not exactly sure what their connection is. He met Tarrion once really, twice... First he almost shot him... Second he almost had to take a blaster bolt for him. Neither times were exactly pleasent. Back to the Heist breifing. "Flying Casino... I used to be a pirate you know." He crosses his arms over his chest.

Yes! It's a job. Sapphira is still too green to realize that this means she's going to have an ass full of blaster fire soon. "I like this plan." Jehni'va says quickly once figures and her own bank account are brought into the equation, choosing to let the newcomer learn about assfire on her own. The arm looped around loudmouthed-Nyla's shoulders tightens, hugging the woman a little bit closer in a 'see? What money troubles?' kind of way. They can get those mods for Pickle, those mods for the ship, maybe a little shack on a planet that isn't full of people constantly trying to kill them, pay Raim back... But enough meta. "I'm in. But, uh -" In the wake of Nyla's discussion of droids and Sajin's pirate comment, there is a rare show of foresight from Jehn: "- if shit goes sideways, how do we get out? If we're, uh. Underwater?"

"I have a plan," said Zhu Yan, and promptly the universe said 'Uh oh'. "But, it's gonna need setup." And herein lay the catch.
Yan tapped a few more things on the holoprojector and it switched to an image of some tall towers. "This is the Towers of Pantolomin. These. Whatever. Most of the crew stays here when the ship is berthed and this is where we start. We need to do three things." He moved the image to focus on one tower in the complex. "We need to get the daily security codes. The security chief will have those and we need to steal them on the day. Secondly," he zoomed in to the lobby, "we need to get ourselves on the manifest and that requires some slicing. Finally, we need to get our equipment on the submarine, and that requires a pre-heist infiltration. There are other things to take care off, such as a Lorrdian bank account, uniforms, slicing tools, false identites, but we can do those beforehand. These are the big three."
IN SUMMARY:
A: Copy the daily security codes into a datapad.
B: Get on to the manifest.
C: Get our stuff on the sub beforehand.
"In terms of escape, the ship has six pods littered about that set a course straight back to the Towers upon ejection. We can get in and rewire one as needed. Any questions?"

When Nyla speaks to her, Sapphira looks over at the woman and smiles warmly. "Hello," she says. "I'm Sapphira." But that's said quickly and lowly so as not to interrupt Yan's presentation. Very important presentation! Sajin too gets the same nod with that introduction. As Yan gives the rundown, her face falls a little again. "Oh," She says, thoughtfully. "That sounds very complicated," she admits, biting gently on her lower lip. No doubt her mind is already seeking a slot for her own involvement. So, naturally, what does the girl fresh out of the academy do? She raises her hand to ask a question.

Nyla Forr leans forward, elbow on her knees and leaning against Jehn as she squints at the projection. "Sounds easy enough," Nyla snorts at the long list of must-dos that Yan rattles off. She glances over to Jehn, another curious peek at Sapphira, and then stands up. "Okay, well. The ship isn't going to clean itself," the mechanic announces. "Yan. Count me in. Jehn can... write down the details." She ducks around Sapphire, nodding her head. "I'm Nyla, Tarion's best friend," and then she scoots out the hangar exit door.

"Well I'm not exactly sure where my skills come in until the actual heist. I can carry things. I'm certainly no good with Computors or Droids." Sajin says with a shrug. He really was a very specific skilled individual and that was breaking bones, burrning blaster bolts, and cutting people in-twain. "But if you think this is a job that can work and get us some credits. Well then that works for me."

Jehni'va Cihn has learned that it's best not to ask questions. She just goes where she's told, gets shot, mauled by wildlife, and then heads home with some cash and it normally works out alright in the end. DEFIANCE. Once Nyla has departed, the human shrugs again, settling back into the couch with the anooba draped across her lap, periodically trying to lick Sapphira's face. "Not sure how useful I could be unless you need someone to mech that shit up." She shrugs and gestures to Sajin. "What he said. Suppose I could try to get hired in the engine rooms, make that access a little easier. But other than that? Just tell me where to go." Because playing lady just... Might not work out well for her: spray. Painted. Boots.

"You can hit people, right?" Yan asked of Sajin. "Because you look pretty and you can hit people. It literally doesn't need to be more complicated than that." Moving on. Zhu Yan took the time to sort out Jehn first. Some people were just rude and didn't raise their hands to ask questions. "Trust me, I've got a few ways I can use your skills, Jehn. Now..." he turned and pointed to Sapphira. "Shoot, young lady."

Sajin blinks at Yan, "I just said that..." He shakes his head and moves his hand up to take another bite of his hard bread stick.

Sapphira lowers her hand as Jehn's pet decides that her face is apparently good eats. "What-oh!" And the redhead laughs, a free sound of chimes and gaity. Goodness, she's chipper. "I was just ...oooch! Down!" She laughs, gently encouraging the creature away. "I was just wondering how I might best be of assistance to you, sir." Because Yan seems to be in charge. So Yan's a sir. "I have a background in engineering, specifically in communications and fightercraft. So not /terribly/ relevant, I'm afraid." But she's armed. And she married Tarion. So that's something, right?

"Aight." Jehn? Skills? Psh-ah. "Crona, down." She chides the creature and is rewarded with reluctant obedience as the 'noob stops licking Sapphira's face. Sapphira who just... lol 'Sir'. Not even Hex is a 'sir' in Defiance - Hex /especially/ isn't a 'sir' in Defiance. The closest thing to a 'sir' or a 'm'am' they have is Kasia - and she ain't here. Jehn smirks to herself - she was so naive and respectful once, too... And then she took a blaster bolt to the knee. And the ass. And the calf. And got flattened by a chunk of building, and... Well, you get the picture - this chick best be ready.

"Know how to slice a comms relay?" Yan asked of Sapphira. He refrained from striking a hands-on-hips-groin-thrust-forward heroic pose because, although he may be a SIR, he was still dignified and respectful. Or so he said. "Because if things go to hell we need to stop them from alerting everyone. Wheels within wheels people! Y'all have skills that will make us rich!"

Sajin raises an eyebrow, "Right..." He says simply looking to the other two a moment before his attention returns to Yan. He hadn't called anyone Sir seince his pirate days. Yarrr.

Sapphira actually pauses to think about this, settling back into the awkward-angled sofa. And then, after a moment, she nods. "I know how to put one together," she says, as if thinking out loud. So making it not together should be fairly self explanatory." One hopes, anyway. "I'm not quite used to breaking things on purpose. But yes, that's something I can manage." And then she grins all over again. She can help with the heist! She's going to do crime!!! "This really sound /incredibly exciting/," she gushes.

Slapping her palms down on the tops of her thighs, Jehn pushes herself upright. "When you need me to move, just gimme a shout. You know where to find me." She gestures at the apartment that Nyla previously exited as well as in the vague, general direction of the hangar and the Hotbox that lies huddled in its hollow guts. She places two fingers to her forehead in a goodbye 'salute' to Sapphira, Sajin, and Yan, pats her hip to indicate the canine needs to follow her out, and unties the sleeves of her jumpsuit at her waist. She is pulling it back over her arms as she slips toward the door. "Back to work. Engines still shot to shit - here all night if you need me." She calls back over her shoulder, waving once before she disappears back into the hangar... Did she come up to the tower for something to begin with? Shit, she was supposed to get a snack... No, now it's too embarassing to go back. She'll go hungry. Jehn's tummy rumbles on her way back down the stairs.

"Oh trust me, it's exciting business, stealing things. Never gets old!" Yan sounded positively cheerful at the prospect of taking a whole bunch of money from people who had worked and or gambled for it. He had his hands stuck in his pockets and was bouncing from foot to foot in excitement. "The thing about pulling a heist is you need a Plan A all the way through to Plan M." He paused, and became suddenly somber. "Jehn dies in Plan M. Don't tell her." Whiplash back to cheerful Yan. "Anyway, I'll be working together with other folks who couldn't be here and we will all be on the same page. Any more questions?"

Sajin simply shakes his head, "Let me know when you need to to infiltrate their security team or something... Probably the best pre heist thing I can offer at the moment." Though of course Yan probably had some sort of plan for his services.

"None from me, no sir," The Sapling says, moving to push up to her feet. She offers her hand out to Yan for a shake. "Happy to be on board. I really am looking forward to it, and I hope to be as useful as I possibly can to the endeavor." She bites her cheek and tilts her head slightly to the side. "Within reason. Upon signing up, I was specifically asked not to lose any limbs. It seems to be catching around these parts." She looks back to Sajin with a smile, then forward to Yan again.

Zhu Yan shook the offered hand with cheer and aplomb. "Yeah, limb loss is a big thing these days. Usually because most folk around here bite off more than they can chew. I'm sane, so no limbs will be lost." He sounded like he'd thought this through. He looked over at Sajin. "Security team was what I was thinking. That gives you a good way to cover anyone else if they get into trouble."

Sajin nods slowly and turns to head out. "Sounds good... Let me know." He turns then, head moving to give a nods to Sapphira before he starts down and back into the hanger from the Control Tower to get back to his rounds like he was paid to do.