The Meeting

Posted on Mon Aug 30th, 2021 @ 7:29am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Tristi Richardson & Commander Arrianna Salannis an Vantar & Lieutenant Commander Malakai Starr [Taylor] & Sasha Stone [Whavi] & Captain Mattias Richardson [Reece]

Mission: Darkness Rising - A Phoenix Lalor Sub Plot
Location: Rigel X
Timeline: MD25
5433 words - 10.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Sasha had set up the meeting with Jules Mornington. Unfortunately, it was to be held on Rigel X, but fortunately it was many clicks away from Cragen's old Palace.

Lily led the small group through the dark alleys to the meeting spot. They were all disguised and this time, Lily had insisted they all have the genetic scramblers so their real identities were covered.

Lily had again dyed her hair platinum blond and wore the lavender contacts as well as the bajoran nose. She wore no earing though, she was not about cultural appropriation. If anyone scanned her, she would show as bajoran female. Dressed in black from head to toe, she had her hood up over her hair, keeping the colour from being spotted.

Sasha decided to stay human, humans were often over looked and underestimated, especially ones as small as her. She changed key features, dying her hair a raven black that now flowed down the front of her right side in a thick braid. She wore contacts changing her green eyes to a dark dull brown that matched the worn leather of her clock and hood.

Malakai was disguised as an Cardassian and he took up position on Lilly's six so no one could outflank them. He wore a duster that was lined with weapons of all sorts. One thing was for sure, they wouldn't be caught short handed for weapons His hand was in his duster pocket, curled around a phaser.

Kate walked with her black cloak and hood. She was a human, but this human's hair was blonde, and the face was different. She kept quiet though, and let Lily do the talking. Or Lily Kass as she called her Bajoran alter-ego. Kate then leaned against a wall and began to keep her senses sharp in case she felt deception from anyone. One neat thing about her cloak, she could keep her hand on her phaser if there was trouble.

Mattias pulled up the rear of the group. This time, his costume was male. A Breen male. One plus, while he did have the biotag showing him as a Breen, he merely wore the uniform of a a Breen bounty hunter.

The group paused at a corner and Lily waited. A low whistle came through the alley and she turned and followed it.

Kate turned towards the source of the whistle. Keeping quiet. Her eyes studied the source of the whistle.

A figure stood by a broken door. It held out their hand in the stop signal.

Lily paused with the others behind her. Then the figure pointed at the door and waved them in.

Lily didn't hesitate, and moved in the direction indicated. Entering the door, and into the gloom, she was glad it was dimly lit so she could see. It was a dusty corridor with cobwebs from the ceiling. But the floor had seen recent use. With the others behind her, she moved down the hall.

By mistake Sasha's hand went through a spider web, clinging instantly to her glove. She had to bite down to keep her composure as they continued to move down the hall, wiping the cobweb on the outside of her cloak.

Kate was keeping her telepathy well honed. Searching for any sign of treachery, or the presence of Bishop or Cragen. Nonetheless, she kept ther hands under her cloak. So far no sign of Cragen's people.

Once the last one of them passed the figure, it pulled the door closed behind them.

Kate move close to Lily and spoke in a whisper 'I sense no treachery, nor do I sense Cragen or Bishop's presence.'

"That's a good sign" muttered Lily as they reached the end of the corridor. The door there slid open silently.

The room inside was lit the same but there was a table with a man standing behind it. His bearing was military, and it showed that he was federation trained by the way he moved and turned. He was dark skinned and his black eyes swept the group. "You are Kass." He said looking at them.

Lily gave a shrug. "I am."

"Your group destroyed Cragen's palace." it was a statement.

"Did we?" She asked curiously. "Well I guess that explains why he has put a bounty on our heads. All we did was buy some slaves off of him."

The man laughed. "Oh you did that then you went and blew his operation to bits."

Again she shrugged. "Did we? Guess if you are going to gain a reputation, its always best to have it blown out of proportion."

A man from the shadows brought out a chair and placed it before the table. The man behind the table waved to it "Sit." He paused "Please."

Lily considered it. "And if I do not?" she asked lightly.

The man's teeth flashed in a smile. "I would have to insist. One cannot talk business if one is not comfortable."

Giving a careless shrug, Lily moved to the chair and sat.

"I am Jules Mornington. My employer informed me of your... activities and he is impressed with your aptitude. And... guile. It takes courage to waltz into Cragen's palace buy his slaves and then blow it up."

"Our money was good." She said coldly "We did what we were hired to do."

"Hired?"

"One of his slaves had a reward on his head. We bought him and the others and returned him to his family before selling the rest on." She pretended to examine her nails, though she wore gloves. "Nothing Personal against Mr Cragen. His Slaves did net us a nice profit though."

Mornington filed that information away. "Resourceful of you"

"And for what we paid for those slaves, Cragen should be happy with. He got paid enough to build himself a new palace.." Lily kept her gaze on Mornington.

"Well my employer wishes to hire you and your team." He swept his gaze over the 4 others behind her. "Though I had thought your group would be bigger."

"Eggs, baskets.." Lily said "Isn't that what humans say?"

Jules Mornington paused. "And the Alindari?" he asked curiously. "You brought an Alindari from him."

"Yes, that was a surprise. Quite the.. slut that one. Tried to jump a number of my male crew. Whatever he does to train his slaves, he did very well on that one. But as you know, having an Alindari slave is a death warrant. We sold her to a Whorehouse on Ferengina. Nice profit."

"So you set up the Ferengi." He mused. "Smart."

"They were very happy with the sale. According to their thank you note, she is very talented with her hands." Lily kept her gaze on him. "Your employer wants to hire us?"

"yes, he has some cargo runs and such through Federation space."

"That will cost a lot" She stated firmly. "Fed entanglements are not on our to-do list."

"One hundred Thousand credits a run" he stated.

Malakai moved with fluid grace to stand beside Lily and whispered, "A hundred thousand credits isn't a standard cargo run Lily. He's running contraband."

She got that. But all she did was keep her gaze fixed on Mornington. She was not fully convinced that this was not some backdoor game for Cragen to trap them. "And you will keep Cragen off our tails?'

Mornington studied the blond bajoran female. She was shrewd. He let his lips curve slightly. "My Employer holds Cragen's leash. For now. Undertake these cargo runs and we shall keep Cragen busy for you."

"What's to stop your Employer from unleashing Cragen upon us anyway once all is said and done?" Kate mentioned calmly.

"my Employer sees things differently to Cragen. And with your organization Kass, he sees possibilities." Jules replied. "Ad he also sees that your organization could become very lucrative if you play your cards right."

"Well i do like the sound of credits." Lily replied coolly. "If you can promise no Cragen Entanglements or retribution, we have a deal."

Sasha kept quiet, it all seemed a bit to easy in her opinion. But she trusted Lily to make the right call.

"Cragen will do as he is told or he will no longer be available. " Mornington stated firmly.

Lily stood. "Very well. We will give it a trial run. Send us the details of the first Cargo Run. And we will see it done. If Cragen remains an issue after that...." she left it open to interpretation.

"You dont want to take him down yourself?" Mornington asked.

"Not yet." Her tone was icy as Andoria. "But if he continues then I will take great pleasure in gutting him like a fish." Lily inclined her head. "Feel free to pass that on."

Mornington grinned. "I will. And i will send you the details in 4 hours."

Dismissed Lily inclinded her head and turned for the door. "Good day for Mr Mornington. "

"Good Day Ms Kass"

Lily led the way out of the room and back to the corridor.

Kate walked with Lily until she was sure they were out of earshot from Mornington and his group, she then spoke. "You sold an Alindari to a Ferengi Whorehouse.......if I didn't know any better Lily, I'd say you were trying to antagonize me. Tirielle.... Pearls before swine."

Lily rolled her eyes and muttered "Kate, walls have ears." And led the group back out into the Alleyways.

The figure who had sent them in was still there, silent. But it inclined its head to each of them as they walked past.

Tag Anyone

==back out in the streets==

“Look kid, rent is due in 2 days, you either have it or you don’t.” The burly man who ran the boarding house where Tristi stayed said to her. That had been 24 hours before. Pickings were slim. And had gotten slimmer in the past few days since Cragen’s palace had been destroyed and all the pickpockets who normally hung around that area had moved into her area.  But she had been eyeing this group for some time. They had vanished into an alley where she was not about to follow them, but now they were back. 


Three females, and two males. All different races but they moved together and Tristi had her eye on them. Their clothing showed they had cash, and were armed. Maybe, just maybe, she could slip between the Cardassian and the Bajoran and wasn’t that a unique combination, and steal something from the Blond bajoran’s belt... that phaser would cover her rent for sure.  But that said, they were all so armed. 

Sighing, she noted another two pickpockets heading in, only to get cold feet when they saw the Breen’s weaponry. She needed the money, needed a place to stay and she could not be put off by a Breen and a Cardassian. The brunette was closest, pulling her jacket, threadbare that it was close around herself, she stepped into the flow of traffic, aiming for the group ahead of her actual targets.  She dodged people and pilfered small items as she went, stashing them in her jacket or pants pockets. Even if she didn’t score big, she may make enough to get a day’s extension. 

Head down she made it to the flow of people beside the cardassian but ahead of the Breen. Stepping to avoid a puddle she ducked under a swinging arm of a drunk who was stumbling about. Badly. And not at all as drunk as he acted. Amateur. She sneered to herself and kept walking, not looking at the group now beside her, her gaze on a tall dark haired human male ahead who was looking around like he was lost. 

“opps Sorry” she muttered as she cut the cardassian off and stepped around behind the Bajoran and then with nimble fingers, lifted the phaser from her belt. Only to feel the cool steal of a gun pressed up against her neck.

Mattias had clocked the young scamp as soon as she started towards them. Though her approach was a bit messy, he had to admire her technique. She must really be hurting, to target a group that looked as lethal as theirs did. As soon as she moved through them, he knew that Phoenix was her target. Quietly, he moved in behind her, like a shark preparing to strike.

As soon as the lift happened, he had his disrupter drawn and the muzzle pressed into the back of her neck. "You don't want to do that, kid." His words first went through the back translator, into audible Breen, before hus suit translated it back into common.

The teenager cursed under her breath and raised her hands up.

Lily turned as she stopped in the street. She looked back and frowned.

Tristi kept her hands in clear view but didn't speak. She watched as the Bajoran raised an eyebrow at the Breen behind her.

"Little Miss Featherfingers just helped herself to your phaser. Gotta say that I'm impressed. Not sure whether to kill her or hire her."

Kate spoke. "No, we are not going to kill her. Think of this carefully, and examine why she stole this phaser. She certainly wasn't going to risk stealing from a group like ours unless it was for a reason." She noted. "What is your name? And how long have you lived out on the streets?"

The Thief gaged the distance between each of them. Her eyes darted here and there. Her legs shifted as if to move but the weapon pressed to the back of her neck made her not move.

"Lower the disruptor" Lily said calmly to Mattias and then she looked at the teenager "Lets take her into that Alley." She pointed to the side by holding her hand low.

The thief's eyes flared in alarm and she dropped her hands to her side, fists clenching.

Lily wagged a finger in her face gently. "No funny business and you walk away from this." she waved the Cardassian to lead, with the Brunette Human right behind him. Then she waved the blond human and then the thief with The breen and Bajoran bringing up the rear.

Having no choice, Tristi fell into step.

Before they moved, Mattias took the phaser back. Then, after handing it back to Phoenix, lowered and re-holstered his disrupter. "Let's go, girl."

Malakai turned and watched as Mattias had a disruptor pressed into the neck of a teenage girl. *Crap, a pickpocket* He thought as the girl handed Lily back her disruptor, *Just what we don't need.* He thought sourly but remained silent as Lily waved him to lead the group into the alley.

Following Malakai into the alley Sasha kicked a piece of trash out of her path and took up a spot with the wall at her back, she watched as the others joined them. The girl looked too young to be out on the streets alone, where was her family? Sasha doubted the girl worked alone so she kept her eyes peeled for anyone that might come to the girls rescue.

Once they were all in the alley, Mattias spoke through his disguised voice. "What's your name, girl?" There was something about her that was giving Mattias the desire to protect her.

"And how long have you been living out on the streets?" Kate added.

Tristi had been considering ways out of this. "I don't live on the streets." She retorted. "And you don't need to know my name. It doesn't matter. Look You got your weapon back. Now let me go"

"Lying does not help your case" Came Lily's quiet response.

"I am not lying. I live in a hotel room. Its not on the streets." Came the irate reply from the the teenager.

Which, Lily surmised is why she was pickpocketing.

"Watch the attitude kid." Malakai replied, "We're not here to hurt you." He finished as he fished into his pant pocket and brought out a MRE packet and handed it to the teenager. "Here. Have something to eat."

"So this is your life, huh?" Kate noted. "Just striking it out on your own here. You really want to live like this. Street rat till your last day." Kate then got in her face. "Do you want something better?"

Tristi reacted and reacted badly to the woman getting in her face. She didn't scream or shout she just lashed out. Her fist flew up and connected with Kate's cheek, hard.

Lily ducked the swinging arm and pulled Kate back.

Tristi took that moment to drop the MRE the Cardassian had given her and dive for the gap in the group.

Kate didn't wince in any pain.. In fact, she had felt more pain in the last few days than she had in her entire life. Physically and Mentally. She got up. "Alright, Missy... You want it that way.. You'll have it." She then spoke. "She's heading this way." Kate began to track her.

Tristi didn't slow down. She headed deep into the crowds. She dodged between people and around corners and then down into the undercity, via a sewer hatch. She did not look back.

Kate pulled out a tricorder and continued to track her. Mattias... Cut off the exit to the sewer's storm drains.

Mattias had already started moving. He looped around the crowds and was already heading back in, when Kate spoke to him. After having studied the plans of this entire city, he knew of one place that the kid would try to get to. He knew it, because its where he would've gone, in her position. Changing direction, he added more speed as he vaulted down the steps to the subway. He calculated that, if she didn't slow down, he'd be stepping in front of her in three...two...one...BAM!"

Tristi hit the wall of armor and fell backwards into the water that lay on the tunnel base. Curses spewed from her lips, her hood falling back revealing long brown hair and a slender face. Livid brown eyes spat fire as she struggled to her feet.

"Hey!!!!! Language!!!!" Kate suddenly stated. "Mattias... Would you kindly restrain her so we can return to our base? I think she needs to be timed out for a while."

A very sharp knife appeared in Tristi's hand. "DO NOT FUCKING TOUCH ME!" She yelled. "I AM NOT GOING ANYWHERE WITH YOU! I AM NOT GOING TO LET YOU MAKE ME A SLAVE!"

Malakai came up from behind her and slapped the knife out of her hand. "Easy short stuff. You have the wrong idea."

"Please, calm down." Mattias said in his distorted voice. "We are not going to turn you into a slave."

"yeah right, that's what they all say then you end up sold to Cragen!" She hissed backing away from the group as best she could. She wanted to go for her knife. She had to get out of here, to the fence and then pay her landlord or her belongings were gone.

Realizing there would be only one way to earn her trust, Nattias made an audible. He quickly checked that no one else was around, and then knelt down in front of the scared girl. He then removed his helmet. "Hi, My name is Mattias. I'm one of the people who leveled Cragen's compound."

Sasha came up behind Mattias, she pulled her hood off to fully expose her face and proceeded to step closer to the girl with her hands up. “We’re not going to hurt you, or sell you, I promise.”

Kate walked up to Tris... "These people freed me from Cragen," She let that set in.

Tristi frowned at the woman who had gotten in her face before

Kate looked around to find no one listening remotely in earshot. Then she took off her holodisguise.. "I was freed from pleasure slavery. These people could not abide him.. So they 'purchased me' and freed me. If it weren't for these people... I'd still be a willing whore somewhere out there. I guarantee you, my rage against Kyle Cragen knows no bounds, and I would not be here if they intended to sell you." Kate noted. "Come with us, You have nothing here... Stealing shit just for another day. That's no life for anyone, not even a former slave nor a girl just surviving on the streets."

Tristi crossed her arms and hunched in on herself. "Tristi" she suddenly stated.

"Arrianna Salannis an Vantar... But right now I'm going by the name of Kate Daniels to help these people... They're all good people... and they're trying to stop Cragen. I don't want to see another person taken by Cragen, In fact; I'd die before he took you Tristi because he took someone very special to me." Kate noted.

Mattias extended his right hand to Tristi. "You have my word, no harm will come to you while you are with us. If you want, we could go back to your apartment and get your things? I could go as either myself or as Captain Icepick." He held up the helmet, like a puppet, trying to get a smile.

Malakai looked on in silence as both Kate and Mattias dropped their disguises. A mistake he thought but kept silent. He thought it unwise to reveal themselves to a teenage girl they had just encountered. So he continued to watch impassively.

Lily touched Mattias's shoulder to signal him to get up.

Tristi noted the different interactions. "You could just let me go" she suggested. "I am sorry I tried to take your friends weapon. Could you just let me go please?"

"Not a good idea." Malakai said to Lily, "She's seen faces and knows at least one name."

"And do you really want to go back to that? Tris?" Kate noted to the girl. "There's nothing for you back there, and you know it." Kate put on her disguise.

Lily studied the teenager. "Look, we will make a deal with you. You come with us, we get your things, and you give it a week. If you want after that week we will get you a passage to wherever you want to go."

Tristi considered it. "A week." She stated firmly and let Mattias and Kate haul her to her feet.

Kate hid a smirk. "Oh by the way, Tris... When was the last time you had real food?" She knew Tris was starving. Kate was going to earn trust with her through filling a very empty stomach.

Mattias stood and smiled. "I'll even teach you every way to use that blade of yours." He pulled the helmet back on and reactivated the suits translator. "Maybe teach you a few other things along the way." Then, as a show of faith, he picked up the small blade, wiped it clean, and habded it back, handle first, while he held the blade with his fingertips.

She took the knife gingerly and placed it back in her hip sheath. "I.. had an Aldarn Apple this morning at about 04h00" she admitted.

Mattias pulled an energy bar from a pouch on his belt. He also pulled a small canteen of water from the pack he was carrying. "Here. These will help." Even through the mask altered his words, there was obvious concern in them.

She took them and her gaze slid to the other male, the one who had given her an MRE before. "Sorry I dropped the one you gave me" she said.

Malakai nodded, "It's okay kid. Lets get you and us out of here and somewhere where you can have a real meal."

Lily stepped over to Sasha. "Lets start heading out. Tristi, give us directions to where you are staying ok?"

"Ok.. its in the Market Quarter" Tristi said and pointed to a tunnel. "That way,"

Mattias took point. If he remembered correctly, Market Quarter could reached by.....he turned a corner and found tge stairwell that he was looking for. "Once we get topside, where do we go?"

"behind the main market square" Tristi said softly. "Ah.. they do not allow weapons in the hotel."

"They'll make an exception this time, Mattias said, as he led the way up to street. A few minutes later, he pushed the hotel's main door open and strode in like owned the place. He made his way directly to the front desk. "Tristi's room number. Now." He left no room for interpretation. He meant business.

The man sneered and then looked at Tristi who was still dripping a bit from landing in the water in the sewer. "You got your rent?"

"I am paid up until tomorrow" She replied. "I am going to get my things Erik."

"Good and do not drip whatever it is over you all over my floor. Room 234." He sneered again.

Tristi rolled her eyes and pulled her hood up over her head and headed for the stairs. No Turbolifts in this place.

"You guys go ahead," Mattias said, never taking his visored eyes off of the poor excuse of a human, sitting behind the desk.

Once everyone went upstairs, the Breen leaned closer to the hotel manager. Mattias raised his right hand, motioning for the dirty man to lean in for a secret.

The man leaned forward with a roll of his eyes. "What?"

Meanwhile Tristi led the others up the stairs to the second floor.

In a flash, Mattias snapped his right hand out, grabbed the back of the man's greasy head, and slammed it to the desk, holding him there. "Leaning down, he said, "Now, you and I are going to have a little chat. And before you get any bright ideas, you should know, I'm one of the people who levelled Cragen's complex, and beat his guards and wiped the floor with what passes as local enforcement. Do not think I am above squashing a dirty little bug like you. Do you understand me so far?"

Kate also stayed with Mattias. "You miserable slime. I know what you're doing here... Oh yes, I know..." Kate mentioned. "You're like Fagin in Oliver Twist." She mentioned. "Exploiting kids like her to do your dirty work. While offering them a bed in this shit hole. Making them say 'please sir, I'd like some more.'" Kate mentioned. "So I'm going to tell you what you're going to do. Any kids like Tristi, that you've exploited, you're going to give them a share of everything you have... Then you're going to clear on out of here. Or I and my friend here will be back."

The man glared at them. "You, blondie, are wrong." he sneered at the blond Human. "I run a business. If they want to stay here, they pay rent. Nothing more nothing less. And if they don't stay here, there are other places, places where they are not treated kindly." He looked at Mattias. "I am not scared of either of you."

"Oh you're such an angel of mercy." Kate noted to the manager. "Ease off Mattias, the shit is not worth it." She noted.

"But, I didn't collect my souvenir yet," The Breen grumbled as he pulled out a vicious knife out of a scabbard on his hip, then drove the blade into the desk, less than an inch in front of the manager's eyes."

The man stepped back slowly away from the Breen and the crazy woman.

"C'mon, Let him up. Lily is not going to like coming down here to find this slime in a pool of his own blood. And then we'll both getting that look from her for a week." Kate noted. "C'mon... ease down."

Growling angrily, Mattias pulled both the knife and the manager back up from the desk. Moving the blade to under the other man's throat. "Hear me, and remember my words well. Start treating your residents better, or I'll be back. And next time, you won't see me coming." He then dropped then man back into his chair, a thin red line on his throat where the laser-sharpened edge of the blade had started to bite into his dirty flesh.

Mattias then re-sheathed his blade and moved away from the desk, passing Kate as he moved outside, leaving her with the pitiful man.

==

Upstairs, Tristi opened a door and entered it, It was basic. A bed, a dresser beside the bed and a sliver of a window. And a small bath area off to the side. The dresser was covered with small plants in long black tubs. A duffle sat half packed on the bed, it contained some clothes, all massive in size and a pair of shoes which had holes in the soles of them.

Tristi moved to the bed and shoved the clothes hanging out of the ratty duffle into it a bit more and then she began to empty the remaining drawer into it. Not much went in. A PADD that showed signs of wear and tear, another jacket and several cotton pouches. She then lowered clear plastic covers over the two long black tubs of plants and slid them into the duffle carefully.

Lily stood by the door and watched, her face emotionless as she did so. Her heart hurt but she didn't show it.

"Want me to carry it for you kid?" Malakai asked in an attempt to be friendly. "I won't let anything happen to it."

Tristi considered it and then shook her head. "No.. I have it." she said softly. "Thank you though." She knelt and reached under the bed and pulled out a over the shoulder bag, which she slung over her head so the strap hung down across her chest. then she put the duffle on her shoulder.

"is that it?" Lily asked softly.

Tristi nodded, "Yeah."

"Then let us be on our way before we over stay our welcome." Malakai suggested to the group. "Lily you lead, kid your in the middle and I'll bring up the rear."

Lily led the way down the stairs.

Tristi silently fell into step where she was told. She kept her gaze away from the manager as they went outside to meet up with the other two

Sasha, following directly behind Tristi was quiet, but observed the state of the male behind the desk as they saw their way back out into the street. She felt little pity at what she saw.

As Malakai followed Sasha, he looked at the man behind the desk. Turning his head to look at the man, he made a shooting motion with his hand as they headed out the door.

When the door opened and the team started coming out, Mattias fell into step with Phoenix. "We should stay here next time we're on vacation. I hear the spa services are so intense, they'll bring the house down."

Kate spoke. "Mattias, you want to come back here on vacation? What will we do? Get a bunch of phasers and power cells and serve up vengeance?"

"Sounds like a damn good time to me." Sasha said with a shrug.

"You're all nuts." Malakai deadpanned and kept walking.

Kate spoke. "Now that I think about it. Making that creep back at the hotel sweat was oddly satisfying. I want to find some actual creeps to shoot at now."

Mattias called back over his shoulder. "Says the one who enjoys playing with explosives."

"I'm fairly certain it wouldn't be hard to find some deserving participants!" Sasha said with a smirk.

"But I know what I'm doing." Malakai replied with a grin.

Mattias whispered to Phoenix jokingly. "What he means is he hasn't been unlucky enough to blow off any fingers yet."

Rolling her eyes Lily sighed. "Come on, Lets head back to the Shuttle. Lets get Tristi back to base."

"Yes, Dearest," Mattias said, a playful smirk on his face. Only then, he realized that she couldn't see his face. He suddenly hoped that she heard it in his voice.

Lily led the team to where they had docked their shuttle, keeping an eye out as she did so. She was not sure this was the best idea but she was keeping her options open.

They reached the shuttle with no interruption. As everyone began to enter, Mattias turned and provided overwatch. Once the rest of the team, and their new member Tristi, were aboard, he stepped inside and sealed the hatch. "Alright, Tinkerbell," he called out to Jaxon. "All aboard. Get us home!"

Jaxon rolled his eyes and they set off.