Where is Jade, Scene 3

Tex and Mark's Spacecraft Servicing Yard
Texas, a big state. And even a little repair company has a large spaceport, albeit mostly open rangeland with a cluster of buildings in the middle.

Bard approaches the Spaceport in a rented Jeep. TB in there as well as Okami. Talk about the presence this jeep has. Bard has his fedora and some rose collored sunglasses on. Vroom vrrom! as he pulls up looking for clues.

By one of those happenstances, all the heroes arrive at the spaceport at near enough the same time. It's mid-day, as planned, and the place looks quite. There's a sub-orbital out of the runway, with a couple of cars parked beside it. No other signs of activity.

Total Babe looks about through her own sunglasses. "Looks quiet - too quiet." Who can resist the corny line?

Bard hmmms, "Give me a moment." He begins to listen through the entire facility for people. It might take a bit but he would rather be safe than sorry.

Nobody comes to greet the arrivals. The hatch of the sub-orbital is open and power lines run from the closest building into the craft.

Okami was hanging around at the gym going over the recent fight on the maglev. He was apparently quite unhappy with how hard he hit one of the guys, complaining in monosyllabic grunts that he was 'sloppy'. From there he's off with TB and Bard. As the jeep approaches the quiet hangar he scowls at the silence, scenting the air and straining his ears for hints of what might be going on.

Bard's hearing picks up the sounds from three people. Two in the sub-orbital, chatting about football while working on machinery, and a third in the closest building typing on a keyboard and listening to a radio.

Total Babe waits for Bard, as indicated.

Bard looks to his fellow Heroes. "Three present from what I can tell. one in there." He points at the building. "two over there. I'd like to go ask those who are on a keyboard first, feel free to talk to the others if you want." He keeps his clairsentience listening in on the others for anything he desires to hear as he goes ask the entity on the keyboard

When Bard enters the building he easily spots a secretary typing on a office computer. She's middle aged and a bit blousey. Looking up she smiles at Bard and says, "Hi. Welcome to Tex and Mark's Repair Shop. How can I help you?"

Bard smiles back sweetly. "Hey there." He says with his virginian accent. "Me and my friends come from out of town. And we were wondering about ship repairs and what all one could get installed. I hope that's not too much to ask, miss?" He tries to be charming and polites, removing his hat and glasses as he enters.

The secretary nods, "That's what we do, honey. You want to talk to Tex. He runs the company and can tell you what Mark and him can do. You'll find him out in the sub-orbital."

Total Babe heads over to the suborbital, at least to keep an eye on the people there while Bard does the talking. Bard after all is the talker. She's not in costume, since that might be a problem for any undercover stuff Bard may be doing. Typically, she's not wearing much, in fact - short shorts, a low-cut tank top, sunglasses, sandals - not that that's too far out of place im the southern heat.

Bard smiles and nods to the Secretary. "Oh, by the way, you wouldn't happen to have a list of what all they can work on now do you?"

Awkwardly Okami is in costume (since TB and Bard would recognize him as Lazarus). He has, however, thrown a jacket, ball cap and sunglasses on over his costume (the standard superhero disguise) despite the Texas heat while he hangs back for the moment.

The secretary smiles, "Hey, honey, I just type and try to keep the accounts. I ain't technical. You need to speak to Tex or Mark."

Bard nods. "Well certainly you must have some intresting stories? Also is it just you, Tex and Mark all the way out here? Ain't that lonely? NO pilots holding their ships here or nothing? I don't know much about space flight but this is a big building for just this."

The secretary laughs, "Honey, this is Texas. Everything here is big! Sure does get lonely here sometimes though, you're right about that."

While Bard talks with the secretary and TB heads over to the suborbital Okami takes the opportunity to do a slow reconnoiter of the facilities, looking for security as well as things that seem out of place.

Bard chuckles. "Well, if everything was bigger in texas I bet I'd make more money singing for tips then, huh?" He chuckles, noting with his hearing Okami is else where but he is listening on the two in the suborbital with TB. "Anyways, mind if I ask for a little tour? It seems like this would be a good time for me to look at all the space craft you're boys can work on while having a little talk, sound good?" He smiles.

Star Girl tags along, hanging with Bard and Total Babe for now.

The secretary frowns, "You ain't quite real fast are you? The only craft we have right now is sitting out on the runway. You couldn't have missed it."

Bard frowns. "So nothing else? I ain't big on how big the ships are... well then maybe you can tell me about a ship you worked on. I got this address from a friend turned a ship for..." He finds the paper he wrote the name of the fake company down on. "These guys?"

The secretary sighs, "Let's see." She types in the company name, and looks up a little more respectful. "You're connected to them? Biggest job we've ever had in the place. Nearly a year it took for get that one fixed up just how they wanted it."

Bard nods. "Yeah they said they got military wiring or something in that thing. I'm sure that's gotta be hard to come by. Oh and did they mention anything about a short, female... cat girl thing. Hard to say really I got a vague description. they said she knew her way around a ship, and I am trying to find a crew you see."

The secretary, "Oh, yeah, her. I hardly saw any of them. But they were here quite often, working on the craft alongside Tex and Mark."

Total Babe comments to Star Girl "I'm impressed an operation this small could fix up a spaceship!"

Okami finishes up his perusal of the grounds, making his way back to SG and Babe. "Nothing," he reports. "Just a fence, fuel, animals. All the stuff you'd expect to find in a place like this."

Total Babe says, "There may be nothing suspicious about it. If you need to fix up a scrapped ship, well, picking a quiet isolated place with few employees to work on it over an extended time may make sense."

Bard nods. "Okay, good... good. Well," Marcus smiles. "Oh I completely forgot to introduce myself, where are my manners especially infront of a lovely helpful lady like yourself. I'm Marcus." He bows. "Well as I was saying, I need to know if you all have a way to find them, because you see, they swiped that ship and took off and my friend sent me here to ask about it because of something and another that she didn't want to get media involved in. I hope you can understand here, I'd go to the cops but they're trying to keep such a faux pas as trusting an investment like that to a crew like that. Would scare investors off, you know."

Star Girl nods to Total Babe. "This is the part of the show where the lab techs come up with some techie way to track down the bad guys. Set to techno music."

Total Babe laughs. "That'd be good..."

The secretary clams up, "I don't know nothing about that. Go talk to Tex and Mark." She adds quietly to herself, "I can't believe a nice guy like Richard could be involved in any such thing." in a low voice that only Bard's exceptional hearing could have overheard.

Okami nods to TB. "That's what I was thinking as well," he says. "Looks like just about the right size for this kind of thing. Job's big enough to impress them so they make concessions but not so big it causes them to panic. Place is far enough out of the way that it's low key but still able to do the job."

Bard nods. "You wouldn't happen to have their names would you?" He asks. "you seem like a sweet lady, and if you help, I can promise you that if things get ugly we can get help out here right away make sure everything is safe. we have reason to believe that they brought on a confidence man by the name of richard... oh where did I put that?" He begins to feel around for something. "Oh goodness, don't tell me I left that..." He seems annoyed with himself.

The secretary stares hostilely at Bard, "I only work here. It's nothing to do with me. Now leave. And shut the door on your way out."

Star Girl says, "Do you think that they have repair records or something?"

Nobody says, "I guess that's what Marcus is checking npw!"

Bard nods to the Lady. "I appologize about all this, I know it's a bit to swallow. I just don't want anyone getting hurt. I just need to find the ship and if we can buy it back off them. no one really wants this to turn ugly but with how this was set up we just need some cooperation." He states putting his hat and glasses back on. "I'm just trying to make sure you fine folks don't find yourself in a stickier situation than this one. Oh and ma'am." He stats. "If I could get the repair logs of what they put on the ship so we can make sure it was just what the company had ordered that'd be wonderful."

Bard walks out of the Office heading over towards the orbital. Sun glasses and Hat on.

Total Babe looks at Bard over her glasses "Any luck?"

Behind him, the secretary quickly calls Tex on his mobile to warn him of the trouble heading his way.

Bard nods. "I just got a few more questions for Tex and Mark." He moves towards the gentlemen. "I would likley guess your secretary might have sent you some warning of the questions or sitation I stated to her, yes?"

Total Babe heads in with Bard this time.

Tex and Mark have moved to the hatch. Tex, as likely he's the one with 'Tex' on his overalls, nods, "Could be. You a lawyer?"

Bard whispers. "Follow my lead" to TB as they head over.

Okami elects to remain outside and listen in since his clever disguise of a jacket and hat isn't likely to stand up under the close scrutiny of conversation.

Star Girl asks Bard: "Should I...?"

Bard shakes his head. "No I am not a lawyer sir, I am a leg man for the  and we have some questions about that craft you repaired, and the crew who worked along side you for the entirety of the ship's repair. We can get lawyers in here and officers to seize most all of this we can deem relating to he lifting of our property, namely the ship, if you want me to involve lawyers, however I'd not like to cause such devastation to such a small company of nice folks. Please understand I am sorry for the distress I caused that nice lady back there, but I need answers before they get halfway across the galaxy. I hope you can understand." Bard says giving them a look that could send shivers up their spins.

Tex and Mark are certainly cowed by Bard's forceful presentation of his story. But they are smart enough to know that when words like 'stolen' get thrown around the only sensible thing is to say nothing and call their own lawyers. Which is what they do, "Listen, you want to talk about this, you do it to our lawyers. I've got nothing to say to you except get off my property."

Total Babe thinks. o O (Oh, great.)

Bard nods. "I'll likely be seeing you around. Oh and one more thing." He states. "Please know I do like your facility and what we did get from the ship was excellent work. If our investors do not pull out we likely will be able to put another ship in your facilities. A more expansive project mind you. We had plans for that cargo maker, and I'm certain if had events not unfolded as such we'd have a most profitable arrangement. Have a good day." Bard emphasizes how profitable this arrangement might be before getting in the jeep. "After all you all." He states.

Okami follows along with the Bard as he heads towards the jeep.

Total Babe follows Bard too. "So, did you find out what you wanted to?" she asks quietly.

Star Girl is there when Bard gets back outside. "How did it go?"

Tex yells after Bard, "You can take your expansive project and you can shove it up your ***. We run an honest company and sure as hell don't want any dealings with anyone involved in this kind of affair. Two hundred years ago I'd have have called you out. Stay on my property a minute longer than you have to and I'm within my rights to shoot you down like a mangy dingo."

Total Babe. o O (I'm thinking that didn't go so well....)

Star Girl's eyelets blink. "Wait... what do you think is going on here?"

Bard nods. "They worked here, Ghost did work on the ship, the only name I got was Richard, which I'm going to guess, means that the secretary was involved with him. We'll ask around town see if we can get a name. I didn't get logs and I believe I left enough of an impression that they will remember. more than likely she might contact him which means that Ghost will know someone is looking for her. As well as..." He looks back at the man who is shouting. "Well, that's also a plus." He chuckles. "As well as I know that they recognize the shell company." Bard looks to Star girl. "They think I'm a member of the which is not true, yes but the company name got me well in way." We need to find this 'tex' man.