Recruiting a new crew - Meeting Okaanen

As the sun rose over the island port, Kit and Killian made their way into the small market, still slightly hungover from the night before. This was, of course, a normal way for a pirate to rise in the morning, and especially normal for the twins, who spent most of their evenings on land drinking.
 
Fresh baked bread and the smell of various meats beginning to smoke drifted through the streets.
 
The twins were there on a particular mission today, seeking more crew members to pursue a job they had been brought on board on – a hunt following a treasure map after a long-lost, mythical prize. Though the Kit & Killian could be manned without a full crew, it would be foolishness to pursue a treasure such as this without additional hands to man canons and keep the ship in working order. They would not be the only ones pursuing this bounty.
 
Kit stopped across the street from a beaten and battered down looking tavern and leaned against the building behind them, crossing her arm.
 
“D’you think they’ve forgotten about our last appearance here?” she asked her brother.
 
"A devil can hope, dear sister," Killian began to say, immediately noticing that they had not, in fact, forgotten, an observation driven home by the large "WANTED" poster nailed to a message board nearby.
 
Killian casually wandered toward the job board, and as he got close enough, he browsed the postings while carefully removing the poster bearing their likenesses with his long, thick tail. "Could be bad for business… or good for it, depending on who we're trying to attract.
 
The two walked the narrow streets of the city's wharf district, trying both to keep eyes open for any potential help to hire as well as keeping clear of the main streets and any town guards. A particular sketchy individual approached the pair, but only offered up a "nice tail, sweetheart," which was responded to with a swift elbow to the chest by Killian. "Keep me sister's name out of your mouth, and maybe I'll keep your mother's bosoms out of mine," Killian replied to the groaning Orc, now writhing on the ground.
 
As the pair approached a rickety building with a sign on it that read "Carol's Chum Bucket," Killian opened the door and gestured for Kit to enter. "Ladies first, Kit. Wouldn't want anyone getting the idea I was less than a gentleman, after all…"
 
Kit grinned. “Brother, I think that ship sailed long ago.” She did, however, follow his lead and step first into the building, keeping her eyes focused around the dark interior as she watched around for trouble.
 
Unlike the crumbling tavern where they had previously caused trouble, this establishment was higher-end – at least, as proper and high-end as a pirate and criminal establishment could be considered. The room was lit by dimmed lanterns and candlelight, taller, small tables scattered throughout as multiple individuals talked quietly while sipping on their drinks. This was not the kind of place to start a brawl, as captains and leaders did their business here.
 
Carol’s Chum Bucket sounded like a friendly place, but one had to prove their worth before being admitted. Kit and Killian danced the line of admission into the headquarters. Their chaotic and erratic behaviour, particularly when it came to leaving a trail of destruction behind them, left them on the edge of being ejected from the location more than once by Carol. But despite their penchant for violence, the twins were good at what they did, and it kept them considered both a threat and respected amongst their criminal peers.
 
Kit nodded towards Carol who raised an unamused eyebrow when she saw the twins enter. Carol sighed, and pointed them towards a small, tall booth in the back of the room, given partial coverage by a half-pulled curtain. Kit flipped Carol a marked coin – the price of admission to do business, and slid into the booth, waiting for her brother to sit beside her.
 
Killian took the seat next to her, and after several minutes, a large man entered… or rather, a large cat entered… or was it a… “What do we have here?” Killian eyed up the stranger, who stood almost a man and a half tall, and nearly as broad. “Too big for a Tabaxi, too small for a Leonin… but clearly no ordinary man. What brings you to our table, friend?”
 
Killian’s tone and words were polite and cordial, but this moment was as tense as if the three had blades drawn over a game of cards gone sour.
 
“Leonines are lions, mate. I’m a tiger,” the large feline grunted.
 
Killian nodded. This job required muscle, and Killian, though unable to provide much on his own account, was more than knowledgeable in how to gauge a candidate at this point. He and Kit often traveled alone, preferred it honestly, and anyone that would board their ship of their own free will needed to understand that they were there for a job, they were only as important as they were useful, and that EVERYONE save for the McKenzies themselves was expendable.
 
“I’m hungry,” the man said, not seeming interested in explaining more, but a gentle nudge from Kit coaxed a bit more out of him. “Folks don’t really like having a large tiger man as a companion. I gotta eat, though. Feed me, and I’ll do whatever you need.”
 
Killian looked back to the man with a growing grin. “You seem very, and don’t take this the wrong way, but the word that comes to mind is ‘simple.’ Quite uncomplicated and all that.” He looked back at his sister, curious as to her thoughts on the man-beast that sat before them, stomach growling.
 
A wave of Kit’s hand brought over a small gnome server, and she fought a grin as she saw the tiger look at the person hungrily. She leaned down and whispered into the gnome’s ear, and the gnome nodded and ran off to the kitchen.
 
“Folks don’t really like Tiefling pirates as companions either,” Kit said casually, leaning back in the booth and resting her arm casually on the top of the velvet seat. “Keep your jaws off the crew and your paws to yourself on the ship, and we’ll have no trouble.”
 
The tiger-man grunted. “I can’t promise I won’t dispose of any that attack or disrespect me.”
 
Kit shrugged. “Fair enough. I don’t take too kindly to being provoked or attacked either.”
 
The gnome returned with a platter full of meats, breads, and cheeses, and cautiously slid it in front of the large creature, disappearing quickly afterwards.
 
“Fill your belly, then we’ll talk business.”
 
Killian took the moment to think, something he was better at than he liked to let on, and as the large beast-man filled his gaping maw with meats, he continued on.
 
“We’ve got a bit of a situation on our hands, and it involves liberating a few stone tablets from a monastery offshore. Getting in is the difficult part, and it’s why someone with your…” Killian glances at the man’s musculature, almost ogling him, “..stature would be highly useful to our cause. I’d love to see you on our decks, mate. You’ve got the job, provided my sister has no reservations.”
 
Killian normally did this, and it was part of the act. He acted the part of the welcoming captain, though he and Kit shared that title and any authority tied to it. His sister was far more intuitive when it came to measuring up a man’s character, as evidenced by the growing collection of wedding bands taken as gifts from potential suitors turned marks. The McKenzies had been through enough interviews with enough aspiring miscreants to dance this dance beautifully together, but this feline fortress before them was both literally and figuratively a cut above the rest so far.
 
“Name’s Okaanen. Friends call me Oak, food calls me ‘no.. please…’ You can call me Okaanen, since you’re neither.” He extended a large paw directly between the twins, undecided as to whether he was to shake Kit or Killian’s first.
 
Killian grabbed Oak’s hand, ending his intellectual stalemate. “Take your time tonight, Okaanen. We’ll keep a tab open for you, fill that belly… with prepared foods, not patrons. I would prefer you on decks WITHOUT an appetite.”
 
Kit sat straight again, and eyed Okaanen up and down as he continued to eat. “We expect professionalism out of our crew. Show up on time, do the work, and you’ll get paid well. See you on board at dawn.” She slid out of the booth and stood up, stalking towards the door without another word.
 
When the twins reached the streets, Kit sighed. “One down. We’re not doing interviews for the rest. Just grab whoever we can from the tavern.”