Getting the Ducks all in a Row

The winged reptiliode is unreadable except for a slight shimmer/flutter of the wings and a toothy 'smile' perhaps made in imitation of human behavior.

"Greetings! I am Decherrek. Number One best passenger and also student of Imperium Economics and Sophont Behaviours. Very interesting. Former skip-tracer and repossession-agent. Still on contract with First Bank of Fornice, so doing some work for them, too!

"I will help you as I can. Make suggestions. Give advice. Or stay in stateroom if you get sick of me! Much to learn either way.

"So, some unsolicited advice. Merchant Ship usually organized with two main 'sections', Flight and Commerce. Crew have duties in both.

"Flight have Captain, Pilot, Navigator, Engineer, Medic, Purser/head-steward. You not have ship weapons, so no Gunnery Chief.

"Sometimes crew have multiple roles. Captain-Navigator. Medic-Steward. Engineer-bottlewasher.

"Department heads have others, helpers. Chief Engineer have Assistant Engineer, and Engineer Technician (mechanic/electronics/gravitics) maybe.

"Perhaps same sort of arrangement for Commerce. Captain. Purser(passengers). Broker(speculative trade). Etcetera.

"Your ship, your organizations. How you want. But no organization? Chaos! Not good for business. In my experience..."

After listening to Decherrek and Bronz, LC says;
"I think Decherrek suggestion has merit Bronz, may we have the crew broken into two sections for the two functions of our ship. I think it is a good idea of the Flight and Commerce Divisions. I think the engineering sections falls into the Flight Division as its function supports flight ops. The Commerce Division has responsibility for cargo and passengers. Right?"

LC looks around for a moment and then adds;
"It might be best if we select a Captain first...." he grins at Bronz.....

Bronz glances around at the others. He’s not entirely sure it’s the best call—but looking at the faces around him, he doesn’t see anyone else stepping up.

"Yeah," he says with a nod. "I’ll second LC for captain."

LC's reaction to being nominated (or elected) as captain of the Athelstone. It's written in LC’s signature voice—wry, diplomatic, just a little dramatic, and full of reluctant charm.

LC Rains leans back slowly in his chair, a datapad still in one hand—paused mid-scroll as the weight of the crew’s words sinks in. He glances around the common room of the Athelstone, eyes flicking from Said Ma’s calm gaze to Bronz’s quiet nod, from Tamm’s stoic posture to Tharrok’s attentive ears.

"So... Captain, is it?" he says, his voice somewhere between amusement and disbelief.

"Now, don’t get me wrong—flattered, truly. Deeply. Moved, even." He taps the datapad against his palm thoughtfully. "But I just want to make sure we all understand what’s happening here. You’re asking me—former law clerk, starport customs liaison, short term prisoner of the Driantia Zhdantia (Zhodani Consulate), Navigator and one-time insurance fraud investigator—to sit in the big chair and wear the big title."

He sets the pad down gently, eyes sweeping across the table.

"Let me be clear: I’m not the best pilot on this ship. I don’t know how to recalibrate a fusion manifold or reroute life support through a gravitic bypass. If the hull breaches, I’m as likely to quote subsector liability clauses as I am to grab a patch kit."

A beat. Then a grin.

"But I do know how to keep the banks off our backs, how to make smugglers smile and inspectors look the other way. I can sell ice to a belt miner, turn a paper trail into a profit margin, and talk our way out of a hostile boarding party with nothing but a commlink and a contract."

He stands now, smoothing the front of his jacket—a subtle, deliberate motion.

"If that’s the sort of Captain this crew wants… if you’re all quite sure you want to hand me the metaphorical keys to the bridge—then I’ll accept."

"But I don’t lead alone. This ship flies because each of you is bloody brilliant at what you do. You want me to steer the paperwork and handle the heat—fine. But the Athelstone is ours. Equal shares. Equal stakes. We rise, we burn, or we coast—together."

He reaches for his tea, gives a mock salute with the mug.

"Now, someone remind me—does this mean I have to start wearing a hat?"

Prison time, huh. Bronz had figured as much about LC—not that he had much room to judge. His own record was clean, but only because he’d never been caught. He’d told himself he was done with that life… though lately, he was starting to wonder if it ever really lets go.

Still, everything they were doing now was above-board. He hoped it stayed that way.

At LC’s comment about the captain’s hat, Bronz let a faint smirk slip through. "Not unless you want to start sweeping Lu-Yam’s broadsword."

He noticed the new crew keeping quiet. He remembered that feeling—not long ago, he’d been the new one too. He wasn’t big on small talk, but maybe a little direction wouldn’t hurt.

He turned to Rin. "Looks like you’re with me in engineering. Tamm’s not too bad to work under."

To Leilani: "You’re flight crew, right?"

Then to Alice and Lu-Yam: "Guess that puts you two in commercial?"

He paused, giving them space. "I’m just a deckhand. Maybe you’ve got better ideas on where you fit."

"Yes, Bronz", Alice responds glancing at Lu-Yam and smiling, "I guess it does, and I for one am happy in that role"

BIC
When Bronz expression changes when LC mentions his time as a non-paying resident Guest of the Consolidate, he grimaces just for a second for a sec...

LC looks at Decherrek and says "You (pointing at Decherrek) Mister high passage paying customer! You gets dibs on your stateroom, but be quick!"
LC hesitates and then quickly adds
"But out of the airlock with you if we catch you running any unauthorize programs through any ship's terminal."

Looking at everyone else,
"So is it official?, last chance?"

"Okay then, I will get the paperwork to the bank with Decherrek and get this official!"

"Pilot, Engineer, Computer Engineer, Deck Sweeper and list maker, got it!" she bit her tongue rather than use the Solomani term dog's body; some Vagr were a little touchy about such things!

"I know this sector pretty well as well, grew up on Mora and served in the 73rd. Oh, and I guess the whole noble title might be of some use sometimes!"

LC Looks at T-Jive;
"Of course, I was speaking metaphorically during my acceptance speech."

Looking at the T-Jive square on "Make no mistake, YOU are the pilot. I am not."

LC looks like he is thinking and quickly adds;
"We have Leilani that can second as the pilot and be your back-up during in system piloting. That makes the T-Jive the Flight Division Chief with as Bronz outlined, Leilani and computer systems tech and myself as the Captain-Navigator"

LC turns to Tamm, Rin and of course Bronz

"Tamm it looks like you have engineering section under control with Bronz and Rin."

Looking at Said Ma, Alice and Lu-Yam
"And of course Ma-Ma is in charge of the Commerce Division with Alice and Lu-Yam."

LC look at the displayed tasks for the crew and goes through them checking them off the Trivid display for the crew;

"So we have elected the Captain..., assigned rooms, the crew positions, and everyone has an equal shares. Did I forget anything?"

Looking at Alice, Said-Ma and Bronz...then to Decherrek who provided the most input.

tbh, that critique doesn’t apply to you, Muns!

♥