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~ The cabin was fairly modest of size and decor, being quite on par with what the department would allocate for a Detective's operations aboard a pleasure cruise thrumming its way across the dark expanse. They'd at least sprung, in accordance with Detective Clip's request, for a two person bunk. Bell, her part time secretary and full time baker, grinned loudly into the room.

~ "I never thought I'd get another chance to travel.", the tall synth remarked as he gently laid out each of their bags on a bed. "You don't have any preference for bed, right?"

~ Detective Clip regarded the hulking secretary with a grin, "I'll defer to your preferences.", the jackalope's frame particularly shorter and a bit more frail than Bell's.

~ For the lack of any clothing to change into or out of, Bell's preparations were quick. Clip kept talking even as she changed into her casual wear.

~ "So, there's only the one club that they'll all be at, for the first night?"

~ "Yeah; it's kind of a tradition. Everyone gets to hang out, the buffet is stocked with synth-friendly wafers and the ferals don't have to worry about being tripping hazards on the dance floor.", explained the synth as he dithered between two colors of shoulder plates.

~ "I'll confess that I didn't realize that you two folk tended to travel together, let alone that the feral folk had started to really travel much at all", the jackalope turning to offer the back of her flexplate armor to Bell, "Little help with the last button?"

~ The synth chuckled, providing the requested assistance, "Yeah; those delicious purple leatherfruit things? Turns out you can grow it easily back wherever they're mostly from. So now a bunch of the feral folk who want to travel can afford to do so."

~ Clip nodded, quickly slipping into the remainder of her outfit. Loose fitting T-shirt and pants over her belt and flexplate, she looked up to Bell to verify, "I'm on vacation, right?", striking a bit of a pose.

~ Bell chuckled again in agreement, "Yup. You look like you don't care about a thing. Let's go see if they have ferrous wafers."

~ [Scene Change]

~ The dance club, buried deep within the recreational liner's Synth-friendly region of decks, was surprisingly quiet from what Detective Clip was used to. These folks knew how to relax, from what she could see on her latest walk-around. She'd made small talk with a small dragon and two imposing gryphons, all of whom recommended she try the burrito dispenser.

~ Returning to the company of Bell, who was now at a different table than when she'd left, Clip slipped into one of the open chairs.

~ The tall synth nodded to the gryphon at his table, "I was just telling her about when we met."

~ The jackalope grinned and waved a hand across the air above them, "That bar was full of colors, music, and a total dive."

~ The gryphon chortled, "I like it when these clubs don't proffer surprises.", before resuming her delicate task of consuming the plate of nachos.

~ Clip leaned a bit to get a moment's glance at the name badge on the lanyard about the gryphon's neck before remarking to Bell, "Even in the most chaotic gatherings, you always seem to find the folk who don't have anyone else to be with. I like that. You keep people from being alone.", reaching out to pat the Synth on his cyan shoulder plate.

~ The detective leaned in to whisper to her secretary, "Give me a call about ten minutes after she leaves; I'll meet you in the halls where I mentioned.", giving the pair a friendly wave, "Don't forget that tomorrow's got one of those laser-tag romps scheduled!", before she slipped out of the club and into the less enthusiastic hallway.

~ [Scene Change]

~ The jackalope at one end of the hall, her Synth secretary loomed at the far end. Along one side was the row of doors into the cabins, the other side only a small bit of hallway that branched off to dead-end at a maintenance terminal. She waved, glaring down the hall to Bell. "You're right on time."

~ The synth replied with a somber nod, "What'd you learn, anyway?"

~ Each began a slow walk towards the other, Clip reaching to her back to pull the small pistol concealed under her loose T-shirt, "Well, at the academy I got a satisfactory grade for my marksmanship.", pointing the weapon at Bell.

~ Bell's gaze didn't leave the jackalope, though he raised his hands to the air. "And tonight? What did you learn tonight?"

~ The jackalope's approach halted, though the Synth continued to walk closer. "I learned that your gryphon friend isn't on the passenger manifest as having boarded.", her pistol aimed square at the baker's chest.

~ The Synth seemed to frown a bit, "Haven't you learned anything more positive, at some point?"

~ The jackalope's ears pinned back as she admitted with a tone of annoyance, "I got top marks back in primary school for magic." Nodding for the Synth to stop advancing. "Seeing through illusions is more of a skill than an art. Reach out for a cloth, and pull."

~ The detective's secretary abided both commands, and pulled the invisibility cloak off of the pair of foxes. Their hands were already in the air, their shoulders burdened with the pole from which hung the unconscious and hogtied gryphon that Bell had shared nachos with.

~ Detective Clip barked to the foxes, "You are both under arrest.", Bell pulling the first pair of handcuffs from his chest compartment.