First Impressions [2430-1-1-Sun-9pm]

[Solomon Taylor]

Sol nodded to the stranger that had joined them. Maybe he shouldn't be spilling in front of him. He might be government too. He seemed too interested, and Sol wasn't sure what the motive was. But, he also seemed an interesting fellow and Grace seemed to have a flicker of recognition when she saw him.

"Yeah," he said to them both now. "Nox was my very first military mission. And my last." His eyes grew dark and distant as he glanced off elsewhere. "Apparently it's treason to question orders you don't agree with."

[Jared Castle]

Castle watched the whole thing unfold before his eyes. The boy lunged and Grace stopped him, then ordered him inside the ship. Jared stood still as Klove angrily charged past him. The faun left too. There were three remaining. Grace and two other men he'd never seen.

They were having a conversation that he couldn't hear. He tried never to get involved with things he didn't fully understand or even care about.

[Grace Forjacks]

"That's the military for you." She thought about it for a moment, then mentioned, "Too bad you didn't stick around. There's been a lot of promotions out of that group of soldiers." When they both looked at her, she added, "Klove's got a photographic memory when it comes to that day. This is the first time he's been face to face when he reconized someone."

She looked at Enan's brother. "I'd apprecate if you didn't repeat any of this. Most people jump to the wrong conclusion when they find out about Klove's 'condition'." That, and while most planets didn't know Klove's name, they did know there was a werecougar involved in poaching some of their most forbidden species.

[Caden Breese]

"That's not a problem, trust me. I'm good with secrets," Caden had his own secrets he'd rather not have anyone know either. He completely understood what she meant. But he was curious as to how she got a were person to tag along. They usually weren't seen often this far from Nox due to the fact that most people didn't trust them all too well.

Caden had never really come into contact with a were person before, or at least if he did he had no idea. They were pretty good at hiding in plain view from the humans as the humans didn't have the nose to pick them out of a crowd like a were person could pick out a human amongst them in an instant.

[Grace Forjacks]

"Thank you. We both appreciate it." She glanced toward the ship. For a second, she saw Klove looking at the out of the porthole, then his face quickly disapeared. She'd fill him in later, but not until he'd had an hour or two to cool down.

Grace offered him a hand, tired of thinking of him only as Enan's brother in her mind. If she was going to trust him with Klove's secret, she might as well know his name. "Grace Forjacks."

[Caden Breese]

He took her hand with a solid shake, "Caden Breese. Sorry I didn't really stick around before at the bar. And I suppose I should apologize for butting in here." He was just making sure things didn't get out of hand. Plus he had a knack of getting into fights he probably shouldn't have been in in the first place.

But hey, Miss Grace here wasn't so bad looking once he took the time to actually look at her. Well no wonder Enan had been talking to her.

[Grace Forjacks]

His hand was rough and calloused, and his grip was firm. Grace felt some mild amusement, comparing Caden's rough hands to Enan's soft hands. Brothers were all the same, no matter which class you were born in. Well, maybe not those born in the Top. But people born in the Top had so few problems that they had to invent some.

"That's alright. I think things turned out fine the way they did." And they had. No one had shed any blood, and the authorities hadn't been called. All in all, Grace would call this one a win. "Normally I'd invite both you gentlemen aboard for a drink and see if we could smooth things out, but..." She looked at Solomon. There was really to reason to elaborate why he wouldn't be coming inside the Queen of Spades anytime soon.

[Solomon Taylor]

Sol held out his hand to Caden as well. "Solomon Taylor. Thank you for not spreading this around. I'm not on any most wanted lists or anything, but still... my record stands and I'd rather not have people pick up on that."

He nodded at Grace. "Understandable circumstances. Anyway, I have to go check on Olive and explain the ship." He held his hand out for a goodbye shake. "Nice meeting you, Grace."

[Grace Forjacks]

Grace found herself liking Solomon, even though she rarely had sympathy or patience for men like him. She supposed it was the part where he didn't make excuses for his actions, simply acknowledge that they had happened and that he had been involved. Klove wouldn't understand, but he was young and the wounds were barely starting to scab over. In another ten years, he would get it. The rage would give way, just as it had when Grace had grown up.

"Nice meeting you too." She shook Solomon's hand, "Hopefully the next time we cross one another's paths, things won't get so weird." Though, with Grace's line of work, the next time they met, there was an equal chance of something bizarre happening. Smuggling was many things, but boring sure wasn't one of them.

[Solomon Taylor]

"Agreed," he nodded and then sighed and turned. "Alright, I've got a faun to talk to. Bye." He headed back towards Adeala, wondering where in the ship Olive had already run off to explore.

Needless to say, all of the sudden he wasn't sure whether this whole idea had been good, considering how quickly someone had attached him to that day on Nox. Maybe it was just coincidence that he had run into one of the were-creatures from that event. Truth be told, it's not like there were many were-creatures off Nox in general. But still the thought bothered him... one day back and he'd already been accused of being a murderer. It didn't sit well.