Private Hoist the Colors

[Persephone Dashiell]

CANTONICA

Ruby Ironclad
​

Sometimes business trips proved useful. This trip to Cantonica was one of them. It was an odd planet, run by corporations and for the most part, very wealthy. For a fashion obsessed teenager, it was a dream come true. Persephone had spent a good portion of the day hitting boutiques and adding key pieces to her wardrobe. Her keen eye was looking to add to her closet on Gallinore, where she was spending the most time. Yet her goals weren't simply fashion motivated today. She also had a personal goal.

After going to Taris and finding all the documents her Mama ever owned, it was apparent her Daddy was a Pirate, roamin' the 'verse. It explained why she had never seen her no-good Daddy a day in her natural life. With the documents, all Persephone knew now was her her father was 'E.Dashiell', which didn't mean much in a family of such size. Elliott. Elias. Emmett. Earl. Edward. The possibilities were endless.

So when she heard they were headed to Cantonica, Persephone begged to go for one simple reason : Iankien Deliveries. Headed up by Aldron Ironclad, pirates who apparently went legal. She had heard about them through social circles, abuzz that such a family had entered corporate society. Yet it was perfect for her, her guardians had clamped down recently on 'acceptable' families to interact with. Corporate families were almost always allowed.

Which meant she entered the offices of Iankien Deliveries, looking for assistance.

"Excuse me?"

 

[Ruby Ironclad]

Objective: Avoid Responsibility
Location: Iankien Deliveries offices, Canto Bight, Cantonica
Outfit: Green work jumpsuit
Equipment: See Bio
Tags: Persephone Dashiell

Ruby lounged at the front desk of Iankien Deliveries’ main offices as she decided to skip school today and hang out at her family’s business. School was boring and she already knew everything she was going to need to know. Her father would buy her grades and she’d enter adulthood as if she had received a proper education. What was the point in actually attending? Going to work wasn’t exactly a bunch more exciting, but occasionally an interesting person would walk through the doors and every once and a while her dad would let her take a small job herself…with a chaperone of course.

Cantonica had some similarities with some of the planets that had been stops while the “Ironclads” had been pirating in Hutt Space, but it was a long way from life in a pirate fleet. The fact that all the fun stuff was frequented by the richie-riches and Ruby was still a bit rough around the color for a wealthy young lady, stood in the way of some of the fun that could be had in Canto Blight. Ruby knew eventually she would find her way in her new home. Or out in the bigger galaxy, but for now the best place for her was here.

It had been a slow day, Ruby almost left the office and went to school at midday, that’s how bad things were. But all that seemed to change when she heard the exterior doors open and a new customer stepped in. At least that’s what Ruby thought til she saw who it was. It was a girl around her age. Ruby tilted her head a bit confused until words brought her back to reality. ”Oh. Hey. Er. I mean. Welcome to Iankien Deliveries. I’m Ruby. What can I do for you?”

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

Entering, Persephone looked around, surprised to find someone roughly her age behind the desk. To be fair, she was expecting an elderly lady - all these business offices were always staffed by nosy old grayhairs who had held onto the job to the point of them almost dying at the desk itself. Schooling the surprised look on her face into something more neutral, she approached the desk.

Manicured hand reached out in greeting. Her nails were painted a signature bright pink.

"Persephone Dashiell." A small pause. "I'm lookin' for some information ona pirate. Willin' to pay a decent amount of credits. Someone told me yous used to be a pirate. Or who owned this was a pirate."

Ruby Ironclad​

 

[Ruby Ironclad]

Objective: Avoid Responsibility
Location: Iankien Deliveries offices, Canto Bight, Cantonica
Outfit: Green work jumpsuit
Equipment: See Bio
Tags: Persephone Dashiell

As the potential client approached, Ruby jumped up from the desk and moved to greet her. She assumed that she had the same moment of surprise on her face when she saw who the customer was, so she ignored the look that she got. It wasn’t like many young teens were working at offices this time of day when school was in session. When the girl extended her hand to Ruby, there was a moment’s pause before Ruby did the same. Ruby was quite observant so the clean, pretty hands of the visitor were not missed. And the fact that Ruby had been working on her ship earlier meant that her own hands had a bit of dirt on them.

”Nice color,” Ruby said as she looked at the girl’s nails. ”I’ve always wondered if those stood up to being knocked around a bit. Though I guess I could let someone else handle the maintenance on my ship for a while.” She gave her best awkward smile before hearing pirate several times in the reason that Persephone had come to visit.

”My Dad owns the place,” Ruby said proudly with a big grin. ”He was definitely a pirate. I guess if you really think about it I am…or was a pirate too. Been flying since I was six and shooting a blaster since I was eight,” Ruby sounded just as proud of her own accomplishment as her father’s. ”We just came here to Cantonica in the last six months. Before that we were out hampering Hutt shipments and such. Dad was a pirate before I was born. I’m sure he’ll know the one you're looking for…unless the pirate you’re looking for wasn’t good at it. Dad’s crew was the best in all of Hutt Space.”

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

Persephone tried not to grimace at the dirt on the hand she was shaking. It wasn't that Persie didn't admire the hard work or was in awe that someone close to her age knew the ins and outs of a ship. Its just the former lower-level dweller liked to stay clean now that she had access to such things as a washing machine. Getting dirty? She didn't like it then and now she went out of her way to avoid it best she could.

No matter though, it seemed Ruby Ironclad had experience being a pirate in her young age and her father had just entered the straight and narrow. None too recently either - which meant the meager information Persephone had may still be fresh in the memory banks of the family. Persie didn't expect her daddy to be famous or well known, so she was trying to keep her excitement down.

"Yous was a pirate? I can believe it. Born on the pirate fleet? Seems like an interestin' life and now you're stuck here at a desk?"

Persie ended it in a question. For all she knew other teenager could be filling in for a bathroom break or while her family went out to meet a client.

"All I have is the first initial and a last name. Maybe it would trigger your memory too since you was a pirate an' all."

 

[Ruby Ironclad]

Objective: Avoid Responsibility
Location: Iankien Deliveries offices, Canto Bight, Cantonica
Outfit: Green work jumpsuit
Equipment: See Bio
Tags: Persephone Dashiell

Ruby wasn't observant enough to see Persephone shy momentarily from her dirty hand. And if she had noticed she wouldn't have held any desire to stay clean against Persephone. Getting her hands dirty was all that Ruby knew. She secretly wondered what it would be like if she was just like some of the other girls that she had met in school and even when she was out pirating. Ruby loved flying and the excitement of things. But sometimes she felt like there was more to life than what she knew.

Ruby puffed out her chest a bit when told that she was a believable pirate. She wanted to be more now, but her whole life she had spent trying to be the best pirate she could. "Oh, I'm not stuck at the desk. Just trying to avoid classes today. I mostly do what I want."

Ruby's face scrunched up in thought about what she would be able to do with just a name. She knew a lot of their targets from the last couple years as she got more involved, but she wasn't involved in talks with other pirates. "I assume your Dad is a Dashiell? I haven't heard of a pirate with that name. When my Dad is available we can ask him. In the meantime we can sneak on his old ship and slice into records.

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

"So you do what you want? Very pirate of you."

Persephone grinned, lightly teasing the other teenage girl. She wasn't sure who just got to skip going to their studies but if this Ruby girl had pirate running through her blood, then who was she to follow the rules? Seemed like it was ingrained at this point. Ruby appeared to be a rule breaker, especially since the teenager had just mentioned breaking into a ship and searching through records.

"All I know is a record has his name as 'E.Dashiell'. I don't know anything else at all. Well, Mama said he was a pirate....so that is actually all I know. Not much to go on...."

Eager to start searching, her brows furrowed.

"Pirates got records on other pirates?"

Ruby Ironclad

 

[Ruby Ironclad]

Objective: Avoid Responsibility
Location: Iankien Deliveries offices, Canto Bight, Cantonica
Outfit: Green work jumpsuit
Equipment: See Bio
Tags: Persephone Dashiell

Ruby’s response to being called “very pirate” was three fold. First she was proud and puffed out her chest a bit, then she blushed and gave a nervous giggle. ”Dad says I should want to be more than a pirate. He moved us into the legit corporate world for me to be more than an outlaw. Can’t say I mind the idea, but sure ain’t gonna learn that in school like he wants. I’m smart enough already. Just need to learn to talk to people right and dress all fancy and the like…you know?”

Ruby looked over Persephone and gave a bit of a nod. The pirate’s daughter wondered what sort of life the new “client” had. She looked fancy, took care of herself pretty good, but there was something that suggested to Ruby that Persephone had a bit of a rebel side hiding under the surface. She wasn’t quite sure why, but it made Ruby think that maybe they could end up being friends. Which would go a long way to moving Ruby away from the pirate life.

”Well…part of a name and an occupation is a good place to start. I mean ain’t like there are tons of first names starting with E…” Ruby paused and frowned there were more E’s than she thought out there for sure. ”Er…it’ll be fun to put data hunting skills to the test.” Ruby gave a wide smile and started to collect her slicing tools.

”Dad was an odd type of pirate…” Ruby admitted with a grin. ”Don’t really think he ever liked the life, just the one he was good at that gave him a leg up on the galaxy. I don’t think I would assume all his methods were shared by the greater pirate community. I know he kept much more detailed crew manifests than most of the other pirates. And he documented most of his scores. I don’t think he kept intel on other pirates…” Ruby gave a shrug as she looked around the office. ”If our dads’ paths crossed I bet you fifty credits there’s a record of it on the Pabol Condor. She’s parked in our private dock. You up for a little walk?”

Not waiting for an affirmative, Ruby yelled out seemingly to no one. ”Lansara. I’m heading home. Office is all yours again!” With that Ruby wiped off her hand on her jumpsuit and grabbed hold of Persephone’s leading the way back out into the market.

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

Persephone listened, not knowing much of pirates and manifests and record keeping. It sounded like to her that Ruby Ironclad 's father wasn't quite all about the pirate life the holodramas protrayed. In fact, as Ruby spoke, it seemed her father was more businessman than pirate. Maybe only the good ones kept meticulous records? Yet Persie was thankful either way, it meant she was one step closer to learning the truth.

"A walk? Sure."

It seemed that the fact they would be taking a walk was pretty much decided already, Ruby already yelling to some unknown woman to watch the front of the shipping business. Idly, Persephone even wondered if another person was in the building. Certainly there had to be? No one was leaving a teenager in charge of taking client orders and concerns.

"So, we are going to your home? Where this ship is located? Your Dad doesn't use it anymore? Cause he's retired and its like a museum piece now? Or is it too attached to pirate dealings to be legitimate?"

Persephone was mildly aware from her training to fit in high society that these were inappropriate questions, especially for a first meeting. Yet, it was more curiosity than anything else. She wasn't trying to pry into the finer depths of pirate life.

"Sorry, I don't mean to ask so many questions. Never met my Daddy, so I think I'm tryin' to figure out a little about him. Might as well start with the pirate side."

 

[Ruby Ironclad]

Objective: Avoid Responsibility
Location: Streets of Canto Bight, Cantonica
Outfit: Green work jumpsuit
Equipment: See Bio
Tags: Persephone Dashiell

Though Persephone wasn’t given much choice it was good that she agreed to the walk. Ruby was quite confident they would find some bit of information that could start a more detailed investigation into the identity of Persephone’s father in the databanks of the Condor, so if she really wanted to find out who her father was Persephone would be better served going with Ruby’s suggestions. But Ruby had noted that Persephone was a bit more high society than most customers that came into the shop. So maybe being grabbed and tugged along would elicit a struggle or Persephone calling out to security. That wouldn’t be good for Ruby’s hopes of avoiding school…

But, those consequences were null as they exited the shipping offices and into the market of Canto Bight. There were some shops they would pass that Ruby had tons of interest in. The dark-haired teen wondered what all the fancy clothes were for. What would look good on her, but not get in the way of her having fun? Ruby knew her normal jumpsuit and even her light armored flight suit were not high fashion. But she grew up in a pirate fleet. And her mother had not done much more. They were rogues, not fancy dressers. Ruby would need a guide in that. Maybe Persephone…Once they found her father that is.

”Pretty close to home,” Ruby responded to the first question. ”The Condor is a good ship. Old? Yeah. Possibly remembered by former victims? I would imagine so. The transponder code won’t be linked to any illegal deeds. Dad covers his tracks. Real reason it doesn’t get used anymore is because he don’t trust no one to fly it without him. And his friend acquired a huge fancy ship to do business in. The Steel Aurora. When Dad wants to go for a joyride he still takes out the Condor”

If Ruby were Persephone that would answer would have led to more questions. But as they continued through the marketplace, Ruby’s attention was grabbed by a pretty green dress. She had no idea where she would wear such a thing, but to her it was pretty. ”Never a bad thing to ask questions. Just learn boring stuff if you limit yourself to what you can read, or what people will volunteer to tell you. I’ll tell you what I know about the life. I have a few fun stories of my own and tons that my Dad and Mom told me. Do remember though that each pirate is different. Dad is a two-sided cred chip. He wasn’t afraid to get his hands dirty when it came to securing some booty, but he was clean and meticulous when it came to planning. Probably why he seems to be doing so good on going legit. Some pirates just love the excitement and are like Dad is boarding a vessel all the time. Reckless. I’m that way. Dad says it’s cause I’m young though. Some are business like all the time. Hire out the nasty work. And others still just have cold hearts. Don’t much care about action or booty, just about the violence that comes along with the job. Hope your Dad isn’t the last type…”

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

"So your father killed folks but was also organized? I admire that. Sounds opposite but when you think about it, not really."

Persephone was raised in the Lower City on Taris. Murder and killings were a fact of life growing up and speaking with such frankness didn't bother her. Granted those responsible were always gangsters or kingpins, but pirates it seemed could be in the same vein no matter who the person was. Listening to Ruby Ironclad , it seemed as if pirates were not a monolith. Not like some gangster groups were.

"My Daddy? I don't know. My luck probably the killin' type. I mean he left my Mama when I wasn't even born. Course lots of men do and they ain't killers but I....I am not sure. I mean who would wanna leave me behind? I'm....I'm me! You think I could have been a pirate too? They got kid pirates right? I mean...they gotta. You see all those holofilms with boys aboard starships doin' all the menial labor."

 

[Ruby Ironclad]

Objective: Help new friend
Location: Streets of Canto Bight, Cantonica
Outfit: Green work jumpsuit
Equipment: See Bio
Tags: Persephone Dashiell

Ruby wasn’t sure that killing people was all that admirable. She wasn’t sure if her father would think so. But it was part of being a pirate. Ruby was pretty sure she’d done it, but she never hung around long enough to confirm a kill. When you shoot a blaster into a target ship’s security team, you have to expect that someone didn’t come out of the encounter alive. ”He definitely is good at both. Not sure how much he enjoys killing though. Pirates don’t need to be orderly. Some groups thrive on chaos. But you look at the people really good at getting things done. They have good plans.”

Forgetting about the dress in the window, Ruby continued on towards the family’s private garage where she knew she would find the Condor. She listened as they walked. The young tomboy couldn’t help a frown that she hoped was hidden well enough from Persephone. Ruby couldn’t imagine not knowing her Dad or her Mom. Sure she whined, and complained when they asked her to do something. But if they weren’t there she guessed she would be pretty lost. ”In the pirating world you don’t always have a say when and where you are going to be. Even a ship’s captain sometimes answers to someone else. And scores don’t follow a pirate’s schedule. Maybe your Dad disappearing was just bad timing. Maybe he doesn’t even know you exist. I’m not sure if that is a better thing or not…”

Ruby gave a sigh. She didn’t think she was very good at the feelings thing. But for some reason she felt like she should give Persephone hope that good will come from finding her father. ”I’m a kid pirate,” Ruby said with a smile. ”And no not the only one. But my parents called a lot of the shots, and they were both in the pirating life. I don’t know what would have happened if my Mom wasn’t. I don’t know you very well, but I think if your Dad did know you would be like this, he’d have made an effort to be around.”

They made it to the garage and paused looking at Persephone with a bit of guilt. ”Dad would kill me if I let someone know the code. Mind looking away for a sec?” Guessing that the chance to find information on her father would have Persephone turn her head, Ruby started to put in the security override code. It was her real name. Something no one except her family would know here on Cantonica. With the code input Ruby pressed the button to open the door.

”Come on in. The ship is always left open so no more security to hide from you.” Ruby waved to the ship. It wasn’t big, but it got the job done when the job was interception, boarding and taking what you could before reinforcements arrived. ”Whatcha think? By the way, I think there’s a place for you in a pirate crew. And if your dad won’t take you on. He’s crazy.”

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

"Oh yeah, you gotta keep your secrets."

Persephone turned her back, not taking offense. She had just joined her parents but was already learning the importance of trade secrets and keeping business moves to ones self. Really, she would be more worried if Ruby Ironclad didn't have her turn around and try to keep some secrets.

"Your parents sound like they really knew their pirating business. Crazy to think they went 'clean', you know? I guess I get it. Seems like there would be a lot of worrying if someone wanted tom stab you in the back. A lotta rivals. People can get real petty."

Persephone was able to turn back and look at the ship. They were getting closer, taking in the rather impressive vessel. She didn't know much about them but it just seemed fast. Of course, she could be wrong but Ruby seemed very proud so Persie was going to assume it was a good sign.

"Oh. I don't want to be a pirate. I just want to ask him why he never came back for me, you know? I appreciate the offer of joining the crew. Doesn't seem the life for me..."

Life had been hard enough on Taris. Pirates didn't seem to have it any easier. Not that she did as a young Heiress either. There were a lot of rules and education and society stuff to follow but so far it was rewarding. As if she was finally finding her stride after years of stumbling around.

"Yeah, I would say the ship is impressive. Are you interested in being a pirate? Like taking up that life? I know your Pops left to give you a better life and all..."