Just Business (Snow)

[MightyDuck]

There were still a few pristine spots left in North America despite the ravages of both nuclear war and lawlessness that had scarred the continent and the lake in what had once been West Virginia was one of them. The grass around the lake was a vibrant green and swayed gently as a cool breeze swept out across the water like a hushed whisper. The lake itself was calm and a perfect shade of crystalline blue that nearly turned transparent beneath the sun, revealing the faint shadows of fish and other wildlife swimming beneath its surface. Large hills rose up around three sides of the perfect little sanctuary as if the Earth itself had sought to shield it from the ravages of mankind and they had nearly succeeded. One monument ruined the scene and it turned the entire area into a sort of shrine. The broken bow of a rusted ship jutted out of the lake, rust and corrosion covering every inch of exposed armor plating. Time and weather had erased any emblems or colors that might have aided in the identification of the downed vessel and birds had turned the exposed surface of the vessel into a nesting ground. The ship's position just a few feet away from the center of the lake perverted the landscape and made it seem like its idyllic surroundings had been crafted to enshrine the broken war machine in a place of honor or had simply grown defiantly around it. Whatever the area's story was, man had found it once again and brought their machines with it. The forty meter tall bulk of a land battleship, its dark green paint weathered and in desperate need of a new coat, rested five miles away from the lake. The long, narrow vessel sat on inactive ground effect thrusters while the small forms of its crew swarmed around an open ramp at the rear of the craft. Closer to the lake, barely five hundred meters away from the shoreline, a pair of large cargo trucks sat beside the towering form of a white mobile suit. Only two figures were visible near the trio of vehicles, one man and one dog.

Garret had taken a seat against his mobile suit's left foot and looked as relaxed as a man could, his right leg stretched out in front of him and his left planted flat so it formed an arm rest for his left arm. The man's small smile was content as he watched the pit bull terrier streak across the grass in pursuit of a small rubber ball and the thick fingers on one hand drummed against his thigh to a beat he could only hear in his head. The dog streaked back to his master with its prize firmly clamped in a broad muzzle and nearly bowled the larger man over when it piled into his lap. The merchant's deep laugh boomed out over the lake as he rewarded the animal with a rub down that matched it's own enthusiasm before prying the ball away from his pet. Garret lifted his arm to throw the ball once again when a voice in his ear made him pause and his thick eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he listened to a report from his crew on the ship behind him. The crewmember's voice was rough, a product of far too many cigarettes for a man in his late twenties. "Boss, we've got a ship on radar. They're here."


His response was a sigh as he pushed himself up to his feet and threw the ball back towards the lake. Garret took a moment to dust off his dark jeans and straighten his equally plain t-shirt. The man looked more like a trade worker on his day off instead of one of the most prominent merchants in the west and that was just the way he liked it. He idly scratched one cheek through the thick beard that hid most of his broad facial features and turned to watch the horizon as his dog returned to his side and dropped the ball at his feet. He chuckled at the inquisitive brown eyes that looked up at him with an obvious request and responded with an apologetic shake of his head. "Not now, boy," he said as he reached down to scratch the loyal dog between the ears, "We've got work to do."

[Snow]

The location seemed almost too idyllic for the meeting their superiors had seen fit to send the quintuplets on. Indeed, the only girls who seemed pleased about their first visit to the blue planet were Susan and Caroline, whose eyes flashed eagerly at the mere mention of ‘Earth’. Their other sisters seemed far more practical and well-thought of the entire situation, and that carefully spun thread of logistic disdain demanded to be stated.

“Earth sucks.” Said Philippa tersely, smoothing her hands over her skirts in trite formality. The CEU had made it clear that this was to be both an official meeting and a clandestine one. The quintuplets dressed the same, all pretty white chiffon dresses which displayed a prim aristocracy, not a military career.

“Don’t be like that, Pippa,” Caroline murmured sweetly as the quintet collected themselves for what was sure to be an afternoon of rather cumbersome negotiation, “We’ve never been to Earth before—look how green and fresh everything looks.”

“Enriched uranium is green too.” Elizabeth responded a little glumly as they descended the ship to meet the representative from Marketdome. Susan rolled her eyes at the comment, she wanted to get this meeting finished with as little complication as possible. She wanted to play in the warm Appalachian sun. The sisters walked a good distance along the verdant grass before they stopped before a giant of a man, each looking at him with a mask of careful indifference together—though Caroline’s eyes once drifted fondly in the direction of his dog, while Philippa’s gaze hearkened more sour distaste than apathy or impress.

“Good afternoon, Sir.” They said in unison, giving this man the dip of a carefully practiced and formal curtsy, the suggestion of their superiors in lieu of any kind of military greeting.

“Thank you,” said Josephine.

“For taking the time,” said Elizabeth.

“To see us today.” Philippa finished.

“It’s very nice to meet you.” Susan said politely.

“Can I play with your dog, Mister?” Caroline piped up, and her four sisters looked at her sharply, her eyes found the ground bashfully.

[MightyDuck]

Garret tensed as the approaching ship came into view. The heavily armed frigate was not what he had been expecting to see and its presence was either a show of respect or intimidation. The merchant captain wasn't the only one who noticed and the voice in his ear confirmed it. "I don't like it, boss," Richter echoed with panic in his scratchy voice, "They might as well have sent an assault carrier out here with all of those guns."
His dog whined beside him as he keyed up his own mic and Garret idly rubbed the animal behind one ear as he spoke, his focus never leaving the Union vessel. "Scramble the pilots but keep them in the ship for now. Lets keep it as peaceful as we can. Deploy if you see anything larger than a truck come out of that ship after I start meeting them."
He was nervous despite his calm tone but age and experience had given Garret a mastery over those emotions. These situations were common and they added a bit of spice to his usual routine of trade, travel, and repeat. He still allowed himself a glance at the Gundam looming above him and a quick command issued through a control panel in it's foot opened the cockpit and dropped a rappel line down beside him. Just in case.

He studied them as they made the long trek to his position and he looked down at the animal next to him as if to confirm that he wasn't the only one seeing the five figures approaching him. Garret had expected the usual Union procession; Some officer decked out in a dress uniform laden with enough metals to make a large pot and an entourage fit to put a 'lowlife' like him in his place. He had not expected a group of girls who looked like they were on a field trip and his bushy eyebrows raised incredulously as they approached him alone. It took him a moment to respond when they stopped in front of him and made their greeting and a small flicker of irritation showed in his cold blue eyes. Was this supposed to be a joke? He'd dealt with the Union before and he hadn't pegged his contact as a woman who would offer this much disrespect. His dog, of course, felt differently. The word 'play' might as well have been a universal trigger for most domesticated canines and Garret's pet was no different. A broad tongue lolled out of its mouth and its whiplike tail began to wag enthusiastically. It took a terse, "Stay," from its master to keep the animal in place and it still bounced on its front paws eagerly.

"I suppose its nice to meet all of you," Garret replied. It took all of his effort not to add 'Outside a horror movie.' He allowed himself a smile that would hopefully hide most of his discontent and offered the women a shrug of his broad shoulders as he added, "Normally I would offer to shake your hand but I'm not sure which of you I should be talking to."

[Snow]

The sisters shared a look of knowing disquiet between them as Garret spoke. Indeed, they were used to interactions of this nature, and while uncomfortable were determined not to disappoint their superior officers by failing to procure the parts they had requested from Marketdome. Susan stepped forward then, brushing her short fringe out of her eyes almost lazily before she extended a dainty hand for Garret to shake. She wanted to be as cordial as possible, set up the deal and swim in the lake. Why did everything have to be such a drag all the time?

"That would be me," Susan said, it was appropriate. She captained their ship, and was the eldest by twenty minutes, "Captain Susan Eberhart." the introduction was... it was to the point, if not a little afterthought in its simplicity. Susan was competent, but a slacker. She just wanted to get everything over with, "I'm sure the Union notified you about its interest in old mobile suit parts," she tacked all of this off as if the CEU had given the girl a checklist of things to mention, and she was reciting it dutifully. She brought her other hand up to fiddle with the strap of her dress, a slender finger teasing back and forth along the thin strip of fabric, "We are willing to compensate you handsomely for the trouble." Her hand lingered for an instant over the womanly swell of her breasts before drifting once more to her side, and she looked up at the huge man expectantly with wide eyes the colour of the lake beyond them.

Caroline wasn't paying attention to the conversation anymore. She wanted to play with the totally adorable pupper.

[MightyDuck]

Garret stepped forward to take the Captain's offered hand with a minimal amount of hesitation. His hand engulfed Susan's as he took it in a callused grip and squeezed lightly as they shook. The woman's height, all of their heights really, only served to further irritate the man. They had obviously been young but their youth and inexperience was much more noticeable now that he was closer and towering over their 'captain.' He had to remind himself that he had endured worse insults in the past and still come out with a profit and when he released Susan's hand and took a single step back, he managed to listen to the woman as she introduced herself and...
"Boss did she just-"
The merchant ignored the voice in his ear as his right eyebrow lifted incredulously at the woman's offer. He met her eyes once, his own a much paler shade of blue and harboring the first faint signs of visible irritation. He'd thought this trade would be simple, the price already agreed on, and he could offload his cargo and be on his way. Was this girl trying to make some play to save the Union some credits with her offer? He would have to be blind to miss the innuendo, intended or not, and it only proved that the Union hadn't bothered to tell these girls who they were meeting.

"Old isn't exactly the correct word even if its technically correct," Garret began. He hooked each of his thumbs in a belt loop and nodded at the pair of cargo trucks behind him as he explained. "These things attacked Marketdome and the Union itself if the news I've heard is correct. They're carrying tech no one has seen and I have a pair of them for the Union assuming the terms I worked out before hand still apply." There was a hint of rumbling irritation in his voice too, like a bear just waking up from hibernation. It was a way to decline the woman's offer of 'compensation' that was about as subtle as a rock thrown through a window. The Marketdome resident knew how these things should go, a time honored process of payment for services rendered before each party went on their way but now here he was dealing with the Union's high school outreach program. It was either that or it was some sort of Economics 101 class. "I do require payment on delivery so once I have my credits, we can begin loading these things onto your ship."

And I can get out of the classroom.

Unable to resist some small reprisal, Garret looked down at his dog and nodded towards one of the identical women who hadn't so much as looked at Garret since she'd arrived. "Go on, boy," he said, releasing the dog from its cruel imprisonment. The beast became a streak of tan fur as it bolted across the short distance and turned into a wiggling monstrosity in desperate need of Caroline's attention, leaping up and twisting in the air as it battered her legs in search of a fix. Garret allowed himself a smirk as he returned his focus to Susan while Richter spoke in his ear again.

"You know, Boss, I can take this one if you want someone to cover for you."

[Snow]

Susan frowned a little when she realized just how large Garret was when he stepped closer. His hand, it was so big she couldn't see her own when he took his grip, and his light squeeze bordered on painful for the girl. He was angry, probably at having to deal with the Union in general, even the lack of formality didn't do much to assuage that. She should have known. Still, she needed to complete this deal, this mission-- they would have time to relax later.

"Of course," said Susan, taking hold of the man's arm in an attempt to engage some level of familiarity to show at least these representatives from the CEU weren't so stuffy. Her generous bosom pushed softly against the powerful limb, and she looked across the man's broad chest to one of her sisters. Josephine took the hint, taking hold of the man's other arm. The friendlier they were, perhaps the more comfortable and less painful this deal would be.

"Philippa," Josephine asked, "Do you have it?"

"Yes," said Philippa, drawing the concealed plastic from the soft globes of her cleavage. She cursed the fact these damned dresses didn't have any pockets, "We can transfer more funds digitally from the ship, if this is not sufficient."

She was interrupted by Caroline's delighted squeal as the girl began to ruffle the dog's ears, seated upon the ground, skirts hiked up well past her thighs as she played with the animal. Philippa almost tsked at her sister's lack of decorum.

"Your mobile armour is also very interesting," Elizabeth said then, circling Garret so she could get a good view of his suit, hips swaying invitingly with each step, "Maybe you could tell me a little about it, later?"

Oh! Nice job, Lizzie! Susan thought. This would be a good talking point to make the man more comfortable. Susan looked up to Garret again, hugging his arm a little tighter as she spoke. This may turn out well for the CEU after all.

"Maybe we could find use for... some other things, while we're here?" she asked softly, a hand trailing up the powerful bicep of his arm. Maybe she could get even more parts out of these negotiations than she first thought.

[MightyDuck]

If Garret had an arm free then he would have pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation as he was, for lack of a better word, swarmed. Susan, the 'captain,' latched herself onto his arm like it was the only thing that could save her from drowning. It was hard not to notice just where she positioned his arm and the only thing that kept him from dislodging her was when another of the girls mirrored her on his other side. He had been a part of countless trades in his life and even more negotiations and while this wasn't the first time he'd run into someone trying to leverage physical beauty for something, it was by far the strangest. He forced himself to ignore the barely muffled laughter that came from his earpiece, noting that the noise sounded like more than one person, and nodded to the woman offering him his payment. "As long as its the amount that was agreed on," he said as he lifted the arm with Susan attached to it to take the plastic chit with no concern to whether or not the woman let go or was lifted along with it. Getting that piece of tempered plastic into his pocket was no easy task with a woman clinging to each arm but Garret did his best to tuck the hard earned credits into his worn jeans before he finally turned his attention to the barrage of questions the five identical women has assailed him with. At least his dog seemed to be enjoying himself.

Garret turned to follow Elizabeth's advance towards his mobile suit, once again heedless on whether or not he drug the Susan and Josephine with him or if they were forced to disentangle themselves from his arm. "It's served me well enough," the mercenary captain agreed easily, "The Kestrel has been with me for about five years now. It is mostly unremarkable save for a few small quirks but a Gundam is a Gundam and people still respect the appearance, if nothing else."
He'd undersold the suit intentionally. Whoever these women were, he wasn't going to tell them anything they didn't need to know so soon after this strange introduction. Even he hadn't figured out everything about the machine but its propulsion alone was enough to make it notable. No less than three generators powered the suit, two hidden in the slightly larger portions of the legs and connected directly to the unit's thrusters. But they didn't need to know that and he attempted to deflect their interest with the next logical step of the transaction. "Give me a moment and I'll get my men to load the units onto your ship and you can be about your business."

"Don't worry about it, Boss," a voice that was definitely not coming from the comlink in his ear called and Garret whipped his head around towards his own ship with a muttered curse. Another cargo truck, this one much smaller and designed as much for transporting people as parts, was already almost on top of the besieged captain. The canvas canopy that covered the bed had been removed and revealed six of his crew and several large boxes piled in the center. I was those boxes and the grinning faces around them that confirmed what Garret had suspected earlier; Richter had broadcast his open mic across the entire ship. It wasn't the truck that made him swear but the rapidly approaching grey mobile suit tailing the truck. The Type C GM hit the ground near Garret and the quintuplets in as showy a touchdown as he had ever seen the pilot manage. The mobile suit hit the water and slid to a stop as if it were there to turn the tide of a war and the roar of its thrusters mixed with the sound of surging water as it settled. The hatch opened a moment later and a man built like a razor leaped out onto the bottom hatch. He was only two inches shorter than Garret but obviously younger by at least two decades and his brilliantly green eyes gleamed eagerly as he scanned the mess his boss had found himself in. Raking one hand through his raven black hair, the sides of which had been shaved down while the top had been groomed and swept back along the top of his head, Richter called down playfully, "We thought you could use some early backup, Garret. You looked like you might need it."

Garret only scowled in response as he sighed and introduced the women on his arm to the man. "Susan, I have the distinct displeasure of letting you meet Daniel Richter, one of my pilots and someone who should know better than to disobey my orders."

Richter, in response, only grinned wider as he rode the cable down from his cockpit to the shore of the lake.

[Snow]

Susan clung to Garret's arm with a clear smirk on her face and barely contained laughter when she found herself lifted off her feat as the huge man lifted his arm to receive his payment from Philippa. Actually, she was both surprised and impressed by the man's strength for someone as old as he was, and she could feel the way the hard muscle against her body flexed and hardened when he moved his arm. She didn't know what encouraged her to nestle further into his arm, but she pushed against him a little harder, soft hands exploring the well maintained limb absently.

"You'll find everything to be in order," Philippa said-- no. She scoffed. As if he were a fool for daring to suggest she had not appropriately taken care of her duties. She pushed a stray lock of hair haughtily behind her ear, it was clear she was barely containing a sense of disgust-- but with what it couldn't be determined. The deal perhaps, or Garret himself. Or even the Earth? Her sisters' behavior? Either way she looked just about ready to go home.

"Mmm..." Elizabeth answered Garret, she heard what he said, but was clearly absorbed with the Gundam. Her eyes almost seemed to glitter with admiration as she gazed upon the armor. She knew as a businessman he must have been either modestly understating or boastfully overstating the machine's capabilities. Either way, there was a pang of disappointment in Elizabeth when she remembered what they came for. A Gundam wasn't one of them, "A fine mech, indeed..."

All of the girls turned when they heard Richter speak then, noticing the cargo trucks as they approached with their order, full of happy looking men ready to serve their Captain of course. Susan thought that kind of enthusiasm was nice. She took a look at Philippa's frown and sighed a little, wriggling ever so slightly against Garret's arm. The quintuplets watched as Richter executed his show flawlessly, impressively, and the pilot himself descending upon them all as though he were God's gift to the assembled company.

Susan laughed softly at the introduction, inclining her head politely to Richter as he was introduced, "Mr. Richter," She said, "A pilot, hm? My sister is, too." she looked at Josephine, who quickly released Garret's other arm to cross her own tritely over her chest.

"I hope you're not comparing me to him." she said, cool eyes regarding Richter with almost jealous confrontation, "He looks like all flash and no skill. I'm sure I could show him a thing or two..."

"I don't know," Elizabeth said, approaching slowly so she could take a good look at Richter's robot, "He made that landing alright," She looked to Richter curiously, pulling a curtain of fuchsia locks over her shoulder elegantly, "Do you mind if I take a look at your equipment?"

"Okay, ew." Philippa sneered, looking between her sisters and Richter in disgust, "Are we quite finished here? I'm sure these... people... have things to do."

Nobody seemed to have heard her. Elizabeth and Josephine were eyeing each other down between Richter hostilely, while Susan watched clearly amused and practically glued to Garret's arm. Caroline had taken to playing fetch with her new best friend by the lake shore, and Philippa let lose a defeated sigh.

[MightyDuck]

Garret's reply to Philippa was stalled for a moment as movement against his arm drew his attention. He glanced at Susan out of the corner of his eye and barely contained an exasperated sigh. "I'm sure it is," he replied in a tone as intentionally neutral as the woman's was haughty, "Which was why I didn't check it. I would have already left if I'd had any more reservations about this deal." The implication was obvious and both his tone and words were meant to drive home how a professional was supposed to act in these situations. His crew's arrival and Richter's descent cut him off before he could say any more and his blunt features drew into a scowl that was only accentuated by his thick beard. He unconciously moved to fold his arms across his chest and found the motion halted in a way he should have expected. His left arm completed the movement without issue but with Susan still attached and nuzzling the other, all Garret managed to do was haul the smaller woman in front of him. Her prize was still held in her grip but now she was scant inches away from the taller man's chest, close enough that his snort of embarrassment could ruffle the hair on top of her head if she opted not to move. Richter, as usual, pounced on the opening as he strode towards the group.

"You don't need to protect her from me, Boss," the athletic pilot called casually, "She seems pretty smitten with you already." He grinned at the ferocious glare Garret threw his way and tugged at the sleeves of his charcoal grey flight suit as if adjusting the cuffs on a tailored suit. The single piece garment was tailored to him, of course, and it perfectly emphasized how broad shoulders trailed down sharply to a narrow waist. White teeth flashed brightly in that smile and tanned skin made them seem that much brighter as he stopped a few feet away from the gathering of women. "Daniel Richter, at your service. I am, in fact, one of the boss' best pilots and I've got the record to prove it."
The cocky ace shifted so his right arm was clearly visible and he could display nine black rectangular boxes sewn onto the material there. "Each one is a confirmed kill, either in defense of Marketdome or while I've been with Garret here," Richter explained as he aimed a confident smirk at Josephine, "The west is wild and it will eat you up if you can't take the heat."
The rest of Garret's crew had been more productive while Daniel strutted about and had piled into the two cargo trucks holding the Union's purchased goods, two men in each cab while one walked ahead of the trucks to guide them on their way towards the Quint's waiting ship. There may have been a few glances thrown towards Caroline as she played with the captain's dog, some admiring while others simply checked to make sure the woman wasn't trying to kidnap the animal.
"You don't really want to look at my machine," Richter added slyly, "The boss' suit is much more interesting until he approves the upgrades I want. Did you know it has-"

"DANIEL," Garret's voice boomed across the lakefront, the angry shout only heralded by a sharp intake of breath. The ace showed the first signs of contrition when he winced in reply and nodded, sheepishly rubbing his hands together. The captain's face had clouded over like a storm front ready to unleash a flood and his eyes had turned to ice. "If you're so eager to help, show them the parts and manifests the others brought with them."
Garret nodded towards the third truck, now abandoned save for the driver, as another breeze off the lake caught his hair and whipped it back across his head. "These ladies," he finished with a pointed stare at the assembled women that ended on Susan, "Have asked to see anything else we can sell. I'm sure they'd appreciate it if you got one of those boxes over here alone."

[Snow]

She hadn't been expecting the movement. In truth, Susan had intended to let go quite some time ago, but had found the position comfortable enough to forget about. That of course, was no longer the case when she found herself faced with the broad muscularity of Garret's sturdy chest. Susan swallowed audibly, Richter's comment only serving to invite an embarrassed blush to her cheeks, colouring the pale flesh a fetching shade of pink. She felt her hair move with the puff of breath that escaped Garret, and she looked up at him uncertainly under her lashes. Her grip tightened a little, as if both uncertain and seeking comfort, and she became keenly aware of Philippa's disapproving glare as the foremost quintuplet tried desperately to regain her tattered dignity.

"The Union only gave us so much to spend..." Susan said to Garret softly, raising her head to look into his eyes then. Her gaze almost seemed... glazed. She felt a little strange too. Maybe it was negotiating in such close proximity that made her feel so odd. The succulent crescents of her lush lips glistened ever so slightly in the sun and when they parted, the words left her mouth in an airy voice that threatened bewitchment, "We would be willing to pay out of our own pockets, though..." she brought her hand up Garret's sturdy chest absently, resting there. Philippa watched the exchange with cool distaste.

Elizabeth seemed enthralled by what Richter was going to say, and eagerly wanted him to finish before his Boss' harsh berating cut him off. Josephine, however, seemed to bristle.

"I doubt you could show me very much," Josephine hissed, her attention flashing between Richter and Elizabeth quickly, as if she was unsure where to focus her full irate displeasure. Elizabeth let out a little laugh at this.

"I still disagree," She said a little caustically, "During your last sparring session you lost pretty quickly."

So that was it. Elizabeth was still angry all her work on the ZAKU had been trashed thanks to Josephine's loss on the moon. Josephine tossed her hair regally at the retort, unwilling to let her sister play up her faults in front of another pilot.

"So you think if you hand out enough compliments they'll let you fiddle around with their machines?" She sneered, and her sister's eyes flashed. Elizabeth seized Richter's arm, bringing herself close to him.

"Why wouldn't he?" she asked, nestling herself against his side, "He already seemed forthcoming about the mobile weapons already."

Josephine's ears almost went scarlet before she took hold of Richter's other arm, giving a tug.

"What do you think you're doing!?" she said, "If anything he's a pilot not a mechanic, I doubt he'd waste his time talking about schematics with you!"

"You don't know that!" Elizabeth huffed, tugging the arm in her grasp against her again, "Maybe he has a lot of opinions on how to make them better!"

"Let go, Elizabeth!" Josephine pulled Richter to her again.

"No! You let go!" Another tug.

"No, you!"

Even Caroline stopped playing with her new friend now to look to her sisters with a concerned frown.

[MightyDuck]

Richter had been on his way to do as ordered when he was acosted first by one of the women, the mechanic pulling him close, and then by the pilot as the strange but decidedly enjoyable tug of war began. The pilot was sure he could have pulled away from either of them but, then again, why would he? The first pull brought him close enough to the mechanic and he grinned in response to the pleasant proximity. "Well, the boss' machine is off limits but he did promise the crew liberty before we start the trip back to Marketdome. If you're going to be around, then-" He was cut off as Josephine latched onto his other arm and pulled him against her. He had always been able to roll with the punches though and he turned his grin on the pilot. "If you have a better use of my time, I'm eager to hear it. I can offer you some lessons, free of charge. That is a rare thing where I'm fro-" Then he was yanked back against Elizabeth, only to be pulled away before he could add another comment to the escalating scene. Ever one to seek personal gain, Richter curled the hand of each arm in question so each tug brought an open palm against one woman's chest when they pulled him close. It made it look like he was trying to keep the two separated even as they squabbled over him and only the glint in his green eyes gave the act away.

Garret missed the start of the argument. He'd looked down at Susan the moment he felt her hands tighten against his chest to find the woman staring up at him as if she were half asleep. He tried to focus on what she was saying and he directed the entirety of his iron will to the task. However... strange she was, the shorter woman was still a client and a representative of the Union. If there was money to be made, a profit he could take back to the 'Dome, then he couldn't very well walk away now. He lowered his voice to a more conversational volume and answered the woman as he placed one hand on either side of her waist and began to gently shift her farther away. Which was of course when raised voices drew his attention and his scowl returned at the scene presented before him. Leave it to Daniel to cause a scene like this, he thought darkly. "Daniel," he shouted at the man he thought responsible for the squabble, "What the hell did I tell you do do!?"
"I tried boss, but the clients-"

"They are not the clients!" Garret roared and rounded on the trio. Some reflex made him move to throw his hands into the air in a universal sign of frustration and only the weight of the woman he'd been holding made him check the motion. Unfortunately Garret, acting in the moment as the whole infuriating afternoon finally demolished some of the cool patience he'd tried to maintain. The end result was that Susan would be sent flying unless she escaped his grip, those powerful arms she had been admiring tossing her through the air towards the same lake she had admired during her approach. The captain for his part froze as soon as he realized what had happened and looked for where he thought the woman would land as a string of curses creative enough to make a sailor blush ran through his head. If this got back to the Union, his contract with them was done despite how infuriating the five women had been.

"Well... holy shit, Boss," Was all Richter could manage as he stared at his commander. He hadn't seen a reaction like that out of the man since an arms deal in Egypt had gone south. He still had the scar from that one.

[Snow]

The sisters were so busy arguing Richter's points of interest that they did not notice the strategic palming they received under the pilot's sneaky hands. They continued to bicker and tug, only to jump at the sound of Garret's booming voice. They turned, only fast enough to see Susan tossed like an unwanted rag doll into the lake she had so eagerly wanted to swim in previously. For her part, it had been a little nice, at first, she was almost surprised to admit to herself. When Garret's large hands found her hips she had taken a sharp little intake of breath, feeling the strength and heat of him against her. She didn't know what she was expecting, but it certainly wasn't to be thrown into a body of water.

Susan had yelped, feeling herself lifted and thrown before she could find a way to escape his grasp, and soon after, the cold kiss of water upon her skin told her she had indeed been thrown soundly into the lake. She flailed a little upon surfacing, gasping once with a little sputter as she struggled to recuse herself from the glistening pool. Philippa was quick to action, she saw her sister dart even past Garret as she noticed him approach, pushing the large man rudely-- though her quint could never have budged him, and deliver an angry his of, "You big, stupid ox!" before she found Philippa beside her, tugging on her arms to guide her from the cold water. Susan hadn't been expecting the motion, nor Caroline's good intentions from the other side-- having left her new friend to aid her as well. The result was Susan's falling backward, dragging her sisters down into the lake with her, and they emerged soaking and squealing. The thin fabric of their white dresses clung tight to their bodies, embarrassingly transparent as they struggled to bring themselves to shore, and Josephine and Elizabeth frowned from the lakeside, both having released Richter at the sight.

"Are you guys alright?" Josephine asked, a mixture of amusement and worry in her eyes. Elizabeth simply stared. Josephine's sharp gaze slid to Richter immediately, the accusatory glance practically screaming all of this was his fault.

[MightyDuck]

Garret remained paralyzed by both shock and embarrassment as Susan began flailing in the water. Philippa's shove didn't move him as much as simply make him sway an inch in the direction she pushed him but it did enough to break him out of the trance. The captain cursed under his breath as he talked towards his mobile suit yet again, his posture slightly hunched and radiating his irritation and chagrin clearly to the world. For a moment it looked like the man intended to leave the three distressed women to their own devices and just abandon the entire meeting with his credits in hand. He almost did it and he hesitated beside the line that would take him up to the Kestrel's cockpit and away from the fantastically irritating women. It would be a simple matter to order his crew back to the ship once they were done loading the wrecked mobile armors and fly back to Marketdome, never to deal with the Union again. His hand reached out for the handhold in the line and brushed against the sturdy cable before the big man sighed and dropped his hand.

It would be easy... but wrong.

Instead the trader continued his walk over to his mobile suit's left foot and opened a storage compartment. It took Garret a few seconds of rummaging around in the hollow space but he eventually rose back to his full height with a pair of towels draped over one shoulder and a large survival blanket in the other. He walked back towards where Susan, Caroline, and Philippa were making their way back to shore. Richter's smile had grown as he watched the man and, ignoring Josephine's glare, wrapped an arm around her shoulders and his other around Elizabeth's. He pulled them close and spoke quietly, as if he were watching the world's most interesting movie, "This is the best part. Watch."

Garret didn't stop at the water's edge and wait for the three women. He left the blanket on the shore and plowed into the lake water without hesitation. He strode forward until he met the trio, two towels held together in one hand while the other held a third, and offered one large hand to the three women. "I owe you all an apology," he said, his deep voice contrite, but his light blue eyes were focused on Susan while he supposedly addressed all three of the women. Even when he extended a towel as a peace offering, he made the offer to Susan.

She was the captain after all.

[Snow]

For the live of her Josephine thought Garret was going to leave her sisters wallowing in the lake to fend for themselves. Her temper was already beginning to flare when she saw Garret return instead with towels. That did not, however, stop her from turning to Richter with a scowl as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Her eyes caught Elizabeth and narrowed. Her too? This man was awful. Elizabeth seemed contrite, and didn't look at Richter either way. Josephine was beside herself, did her sister really...

"Do you mind," Josephine said sharply, trying to shake his arm from her shoulder, though it only appeared she was nuzzling further into him when she couldn't accomplish her goal, and Elizabeth was looking then, face cast in a hard frown.

Susan was surprised when she saw Garret wading in the water with those towels after them. They were for her and her sisters. She had been a bit mad when he threw her, but some part of her did realize it was an accident. She actually thought that he had the care to see after them was a little endearing in its own way too, and when Garret was close enough Susan flashed him a lovely smile.

"Well," She said with a laugh, "I did want to go for a swim in the lake." She shifted a bit to prove her point, unfortunately not realizing she was giving Garret a fantastic view as her body moved and her chest pushed almost criminally against the now sheer fabric of her dress, "Well, since I'm here... do you want to join us for a bit of fun?" she wanted to show him this was no big deal, and her eyes danced playfully. Caroline let out a little squeal of delight.

"Oh yes, please!" she cooed, "Come play with us!"

Philippa, however, gave an angry huff and snatched the towel Garret was holding, trudging her way out of the lake. She knew this planet would be God-awful.

[MightyDuck]

Garret kept his eyes focused on Susan's when she walked up to him, keenly aware of her current wardrobe malfunction. The large man shifted in the water as he tried to find a spot that would prevent his waterlogged boots from sinking too far into the ground as he tried to figure out the best way to escape the strange situation without damaging his reputation with the Union. First and foremost he had to make sure that Susan left satisfied. The other women weren't a concern to him but their captain would likely be the one being debriefed when she returned and a too harsh review of his behavior could easily ruin years of work. He also needed to get away from them before Richter got himself in trouble again or the women found more ways to drive him to distraction. Actually, he mused as he allowed a small smile onto his face, A distraction might be perfect. Garret reached out with one of the towels and lightly wrapped it around Susan's shoulders, making sure each end fell over her chest, and then acquiesced to the Union woman's playful question. "I did promise my crew some down time before we started back West," he admitted as he turned back towards the shore and began slogging his way towards dry land, "I'll let them know they're getting it early. It will also give you time to change."
His tone was obviously amused as he finished speaking and he glanced over at Richter. Best to ruin his fun and keep him away from the women for a short amount of time. "Daniel, let the crew know liberty is starting early. They can take the shuttle to a nearby town if there is one but I want them in regular contact if they do. Anyone else is welcome to join our... clients at their request." Garret continued back to the Kestrel as he spoke and busied himself with stowing the blanket and unused towel back in the cargo compartment. He intended the task to take a long while, hopefully long enough for more of his crew to get out and distract the infuriating women.

Richter, for his part, didn't look surprised or disappointed that he had been tasked with bailing his captain out. The lithe pilot disentangled himself from the two women he had temporarily accosted and offered Josephine an unrepentant grin as he did. "I don't mind but duty calls. Maybe we can talk more when I get back," he said easily. Any hopes she might have held about him leaving would be dashed as he pulled a small handheld radio from one of his flightsuit's pockets and began speaking quietly into it. Even with Elizabeth and Josephine so close only a few phrases were audible. "...gotta see this... Garret... No, seriously. All five of them."
A moment later and the radio was gone and Daniel's grin had become more mischievous, if that was at all possible for the man. "Crew's on the way," he called as nimble fingers began to undo the buttons covering his suit's body length zipper, "Though not as many of them as I thought. Looks like it'll just be us for awhile longer, Boss!"

Garret's only response was to drop his forehead against the Kestrel with a heavy thunk.

[Snow]

Suddenly skittish when Garret drew even closer, Susan actually flinched when she felt the fabric of the towel fall across her shoulders. She looked up at him, surprised, with his gentlemanliness, perhaps? She glanced in the direction of Caroline, who simply shook her head and shrugged, though her eyes danced when Garret mentioned time in the lake. With an excited cry she bound to the ship, grabbing a protesting Philippa's arm as she left Garret and Susan within the waters. She nodded her agreement to Garret, a coy smile playing on her lovely lips, "Thank you for your generosity..." She raised an eyebrow at him, hips swaying as she too sauntered from the lake. Halfway to her ship, she looked over her shoulder to call to Garret.

"You know," She said across the green, "You still haven't told us your name. I'm sure the Union wouldn't like to know you were so rude." She had the audacity to give Garret a playful wink before she ran to the ship.

Josephine and Elizabeth, however, exchanged a nasty glower at each other before they too separated from Richter to join the others at the ship. They were happy Susan had suggested swimming, it was hot even if it was lazy and unprofessional, and they could do with the swim.

"I can't believe you," Josephine said once they were safely back in their quarters, "'Can I see your equipment', he could have kidnapped you and flown away!"

"Please," Elizabeth said, "Susan said to be nice to them, and really I liked the Gundam a lot more."

"I think you're missing an important point here." Josephine hissed, and Philippa, wriggling into her bathing suit, was quick to agree.

"Is the point this planet is terrible? Because I concur..." She looked at Susan scathingly, "Do I really need to do this? I don't even want to swim."

"Yes you do." Susan said confidently, "The more they like us the better it will be dealing with them in the future."

"Awful." Philippa finished, before the quintet once more found themselves leaving the ship toward the lake. The swimwear Susan had picked for them was very... Susan. She had insisted. Elizabeth and Philippa attempted to cover more racy views of exposed flesh with an embarrassed pink flush on their cheeks, but certainly Garret's crew would appreciate the gesture.

"We're ready!" Caroline announced, waving at Garret and Richter, a call to attention both Elizabeth and Philippa looked ready to kick her for. Susan strode out before her sisters, stretching her arms in a deliberate and sensual pose, "I hope you'll be joining us to." She said, looking only to Garret.

[MightyDuck]

Richter displayed an admirable amount of restraint as the five women retreated to their ship to change. They'd made it halfway to the vessel when the younger man practically sprinted to his captain with a wide grin on his face. He clapped the taller man on the shoulder with a laugh and swung around to lean against the Kestrel's foot. "I knew they were going to bother you, Boss, but holy hell. Did you really need to throw the cute one?"
Garret's sigh was half resignation and half irritation and he closed his eyes, shaking his head while he spoke. "You think they're all 'cute,' Daniel. Hell, they're identical. It was an accident. She was practically trying to climb me and you were busy being fought over like some sort of prize, the poor girls." He slammed the cargo space closed and stomped his way over to the zipline leading to the Kestrel's cockpit, nearly getting his hand on the loop before Richter caught up to him.

"Wait, they're identical!? No, nevermind. She was trying to climb you because she wants the rogue trader." Daniel was exasperrated with his captain and didn't ease up on the man as he dropped his foot onto the bottom of the line to keep Garret from escaping. "Look boss, I respect your business first attitude and all of that but you really, really need to let loose once in awhile. I haven't seen you have fun since that time in Florida and that was years ago! I'm still making up my mind on which one of them I want, if not both, but their captain had bigger eyes for you than your dog. How bad could it be?"

Garret stared at his crewmember and arguably terrible friend dispassionately for several seconds, weighing the man's words in his mind. Then he shook his head and nodded back towards the ship where more trucks had spilled out of the ship and were making their way towards the lake. "I got stabbed in the thigh in Florida, Daniel, remember? Anyway, the crew will distract them. Augustus is a bodybuilder and Daniella might try to take one of them back to her room. That will give me time to finish updating our manifest and verifying the credits they paid with. I think that will take a very long time. Enjoy yourself."
With that, Garret triggered the zipline and rode it up to his mobile suit's cockpit, sending Richter falling to the grass with a startled yell. The merchant retreated into the comfortingly quiet confines of the Kestrel and plucked a tablet from its storage bin. He hadn't lied to Daniel when he told the other man what he would be doing but they both knew it was a matter of minutes to complete. Garret figured it would take him a little longer today.

When the five women returned to the lake, the scene had become decidedly more festive. Fifteen of Garret's small crew had made their way out to enjoy the water and an impromptu game of soccer had been taken up beside the water, Garret's dog a prime member of one team. Or both, it was hard to tell. A few more had simply dived into the lake for a swim while a few others, most prominently Richter, had opted to just lay out on the ground. Daniel Richter had stripped his flightsuit off of his upper body and discarded the undershirt beneath it and his spot on his GM's bent leg gave him the first view of the Eberharts and Susan's choice of swimwear. He sat up and hung his legs over the side of his perch as they drew closer to offer them a welcoming grin that may have lingered on Josephine and Elizabeth for a moment longer than the others. "Welcome back," he called, "Feel free to mingle. Garret is sulking in the Kestrel but you've got the rest of us to keep you company if you'd like."
Indeed, more and more crewmembers had noticed the quintuplets arrival and there were more than one shouted offer for them to come join the festivities. Garret's dog abandoned the soccerball he had been chasing into the water and bolted for Caroline, once again assuming the form of a tan torpedo as he barreled into her.

In the Kestrel's still open cockpit, Garret ignored the feminine voices that reached him and continued tapping away at the tablet in relative safety.

[Snow]

The quintuplets returned, all quite identical indeed, to the lake in short order. Susan frowned when her call to Garret went ignored, and how dare he! She knew he had heard her-- the cockpit to his gundam was wide open, and he was tinkering with some tablet at his lap. She wasn't sure why it offended her so much... the deal was over and there was no need to be so nice to him anymore. Even so, Susan flashed Richter a beautiful smile at his invitation and inclined her head in declination.

"Thank you," She said, "But it wouldn't do to leave your boss all alone on such a nice day, would it."

With this, she started to the Gundam as Caroline, with an excited cry, joined the others for soccer. Her swimsuit made her sprint... immodest, though she didn't seem to notice as she bounded for Garret's dog, apparently also a member of both teams now. Philippa waded with an irate scowl into the water, her expression indicative of 'my sister is making me do this' as she splashed around as if to say 'I'm having ever so much fun' despite all the contrary evidence plastered on her face. Elizabeth and Josephine both smiled at Richter when he spoke, and as if noticing this looked to each other severely.

"Will you go swim or something?" Elizabeth hissed quietly, "I want to ask him about his Mobile Suit."

"Please, he's a pilot," Josephine rebuffed her sister with a flick of her wrist, "I'm sure he'd have a lot more to talk about."

The angry flush that pinkened Elizabeth's ears threatened to spill into her cheeks, and she arched her back as if to deliver an attack.

"You sure are fickle," Elizabeth spat, "So soon after Florus?"

Josephine recoiled as though her sister had slapped her, and Elizabeth almost felt bad. Almost. Until Josephine pushed past her sister with an aggressive knock of her shoulder as she started toward Richter. Elizabeth followed fast on her heels until the pair were again bookending the young man on either side, and Elizabeth looked to him shyly.

"So... how long have you had this machine?" She asked, fidgeting in her seat in timid attention. Josephine frowned. She knew this game. She slid close to Richter, her soft and considerable chest pushing against his arm.

"Have you been in combat much?" Josephine's question came shortly after, and she shot her sister a victorious smirk at Elizabeth's scandalized expression.

Meanwhile Susan had taken the cord up to Garret's cockpit and perched herself at the edge of the opening, watching Garret tap at his tablet. After a while she let out a little sigh to get his attention, and spoke softly as if not to disturb his work.

"You know, I would really... enjoy it," Susan said, brushing her ankle against the powerful muscle of the man's thigh as she spoke. A slow, careful motion. Back and forth, "if you would join me for a swim..." she flashed a smile, "After all, it's only right after you threw me into the lake once already."

[MightyDuck]

Garret did his best to ignore Susan as the sisters rejoined the party. He had almost managed it and was reading a fascinating article on... he glanced up at the title of the article and nodded, European seagull migration, when Susan arrived on the open hatch of the cockpit. A quick tap brought up a decidedly boring expense spread sheet and Garret's brow furrowed as he focused entirely on the tightly grouped lines and numbers and not the swimsuit clad woman staring at him. Is that thing even a swimsuit? It looks like it would fall off at- huh. I didn't think we spent that much on parts.
Her sigh didn't draw his attention and he almost maintained his vigil until the accursed woman brushed her ankle against his thigh. His eyes lifted up to her slowly as a faint scowl formed on his face. He had expected to escape unscathed with the deal done and his... mishap handled by way of the rowdy crew on the beach but here she was. His cerulean eyes flashed with irritation as the same reasons he felt slightly less guilty for pitching her into the water also freed his tongue. "Why," he asked in a rumbling growl, "There are plenty of other people in the water who I'm sure will be much friendlier. Your crew seems to favor Daniel and there are more like him down there who are likely more your speed."

The frost in his tone made the implication clear but it thawed and was replaced by... was that guilt, as he continued and crossed his legs in front of him to escape the constant contact with the smaller woman. It was a little uncomfortable in the molded seat of the cockpit but it was a small price to pay. "You wont flinch when they walk up to you either, I assume."

Richter, meanwhile, was having an unashamedly good time as Josephine and Elizabeth returned to their previous place at his side. He'd seen the brief squabble, if not heard it, and had simply shaked his head in amusement. It wasn't the first time he'd seen something like this and it only meant good times for him. Always a fair and impartial man, the pilot answered the questions as they came.
"I don't own this, sadly," he said as he patted the armor plating beneath the blanket he had laid across it. The motion also let him rest that hand behind Elizabeth, center with her spine and close enough to be noticable but not making direct contact. "Garret owns most of our equipment. Its his crew, after all. I'm saving up to buy it from him so I can finally get around to tinkering with it. I'm not much of an engineer but I figure I can slap some more thrusters on it and play with the beam rifle."

Josephine made it too easy as she slid up to him and made her query. With his arm trapped between her generous cleavage, he simply pointed to his chest, shifting to lean further into the 'embrace'. The man's torso was toned but far from smooth. Three large scars marred what would otherwise have been a perfect sight. The first was a wide stretch of pale skin that stretched down at an angle from his shoulder to right pectoral. " I didn't fasten my harness correctly the first time I got in a fight," the man explained with a far too casual tone, "One of the straps broke free and the buckle took a piece of me with it." The next was a smaller scar on his left side, obviously an incision by the shape of the pale line. "That one," he explained as he lifted the hand behind Elizabeth to point at it, the side of his hand grazing along the curve of her hip far too precisely to be accidental, "Was after my first crash. I broke three ribs and they had to drain my chest cavity to re-inflate my lung."

The third scar was a large and jagged line of pale skin and jagged scar tissue that started above his left hip and expanded to nearly six inches across as it curled down into his flightsuit on a path that would take it across his inner thigh. Daniel didn't mention that scar and instead grinned his beaming grin at the two women. "What about you two? Anything interesting?"

Caroline, meanwhile, seemed to be a welcome addition to the game no matter how chaotic she made it. The crew rallied around her, only to split apart when she changed direction while the other team surged forward to support. No goals were scored but few seemed to mind as it continued. Philippa, meanwhile, was joined by a dour man floating in an inner tube. The man was short, slightly overweight, and cradled an open beer. "Disgusting, isn't it," he asked in a voice a note or two higher than his stature would suggest.

[Snow]

It would have been far too brave for Susan to pretend Garret's comment hadn't hurt her feelings, though with the way things were she couldn't blame him for the assumption. A wave of anger still flew through her and she decided to tease him a bit in retaliation, play with him until she could see his brain turn to mush. Almost. She knew he felt guilty, too, about what had happened earlier. She could see it in his eyes in the flash of an instant, and it was this that made the young woman shimmy down into the cockpit, sliding forward that her smooth thighs might straddle the enormous presence of his lap. Susan took hold of his tablet gently, discarding it softly to the side as she allowed a hand to slide carefully up his chest, exploring the broad muscle of his chest.

"You don't know my type..." She breathed, the beautiful teal of her eyes finding his with a gaze of great intensity, and she leaned forward, her lips almost touching his as she continued, almost a murmur against his mouth... she still didn't make contact, "Maybe I prefer grumpy old men."

Meanwhile, when Richter spoke of his machine to Elizabeth, the girl's cheeks flushed at the innuendo laced in his explanation of his Mobile Suit. Surely, he hadn't meant it that way... and Elizabeth felt a little dirty for even thinking that way. She frowned more than a little when she saw Josephine latch onto Richter's arm, and her body shifted uncomfortably, suddenly feeling like a third wheel. Josephine, for her part, tried her best not to stare too openly at the handsome form of Richter's exposed chest... it was true, it had been a long time since she had seen Florus, but whenever she interacted with men this sort of thing seemed to be...

She couldn't help the flicker of her line of sight as she scanned him with interest, before tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, suddenly quieter, "I... was trained by the Union," She said, "But I haven't really... been in a real battle." she felt incredibly lame, somehow, to admit that out loud, and she heard Elizabeth make a sound-- was it a scoff? She didn't know, but she did notice Elizabeth jump a little. Josephine hadn't noticed the reaction was to the way Richter's hand brushed against the supple flesh of the womanly swell of her hip.

"I'm just an engineer," Elizabeth said, her voice anxious now, "I don't really know how to pilot..." Josephine gave her sister a look then, one that screamed 'that's right, so go away' and Elizabeth looked to the lake with embarrassment.

In that lake, Philippa looked down to the man in the inner tube, crossing her arms over her chest as he spoke to her. She knew what was happening here, of course, but still had to make nice because Susan said so. She raised a brow at the man before her eyes settled on the beer in his hand. Instead of answering his question, she responded with one of her own.

"Let me have a sip of that," She said, the soft, full shape of her lips parting almost sensually at the expectation of alcohol, anything to dull her senses to the awful setting that was Earth.