She snickers at the sourpuss under sourpuss joke. "Well, everyone has their good side." She tilts her head and looks at you, "Hey, if it's alright with you, I'd like to catch a nap. Do you mind sleeping in shifts? That way we each get a bed. I've already swapped duty roster with Lee. She's got daytime, I've got nights." She takes off her jacket, sits down to pull off her boots.
Jojee stands up, her hands hovering near the button on her pants as if waiting for you to leave. "Thanks, Ladro. I'll be up in about four hours for my shift. The room's all yours again after."
You head out to "the canteen", which is the lounge I assume. You're in hyperspace, so you have to watch the episodes of shows that are stored. The holovid channels are hard to pick up in transit without very expensive sensors and antennae. But hey, you're not "religious" about your shows, I figure it's catch as catch can, right?
After a few minutes of watching the tales and the trials of the young and impetuous G'rex Sellin on The Young and the Clanless, none other than Seesk walks into the lounge. She was headed to grab something from the autochef, but she pauses when she sees the holo on the display. After a few minutes, you see her out of the corner of your eye, sitting down on the other end of the curved couch to watch. She has some noodle-type bowl of food that smells slightly metallic, which she eats slowly while watching the show. You're probably three feet away from her, since this is a huge watching couch.
"Seesk, I had no idea you watched this poodoo! Kind of a guilty pleasure for me, truthfully." I pause for a sip of water. "You fully recovered from the last trip to Secundus? You seem to be doing okay..."
Seesk takes another spoonful of those metallic noodles, swallows, and answers without looking over, "I feel well enough to work. I'd never miss a big haul like this. Even if the kriffing Zeltron made it happen."
Hrrm. Turns out I'm not alone in being suspicious of Candy. "I know I have my own reasons to dislike Red, petty and senseless as they are. What are yours?"
"Like I said before," Seesk says as she holds a spoon near her mouth, "Don't kriff who ya work with. Especially not the captain. Bad business." She takes that bite, munches on it, still watching.
After a bit, she finally looks over, "You gonna kriff any of them? Seems like some of them want it." Trandoshans don't really show facial expressions well, but you'd swear she's peering at you with curiosity.
I chuckle. So direct. "I'll do my best to keep the business and the sex separate, Seesk, but we mammals are slaves to our hormones, you know." In the holo, G'rex Sellin struggles with his emotions as his nemesis informs him that his fiancee Deenae is really an actress that she paid to ferret out the details of G'rex's secret (and illegal) second life as the street artist who paints pro-Rebellion murals on walls throughout the city.
Seesk makes a sound that passes for a chortle. Then she's quiet as G'Rex's story unfolds. She says low, not expecting an answer, "Why does he even stay with that bitch?"
When you finish the bars, Seesk punches your arm lightly, which seems like it's a good thing maybe. "I've never heard that song. I don't go to bars. Love songs are the squawks of fools." She turns back to the holo.
After a few minutes, a break in the drama comes with some subplot. "You never answered my question. Which one is your favorite?"
Seesk starts to laugh at your avoidance, but then you point out the scandalous plot twist and she's locked in. She takes up the last scoop of her noodles."I hate Irvini, Ladro. I hate cheaters. They karking..." She trails off, stuffs her mouth with the food.
I'm a cheater, for sure, but Seesk's statement isn't what makes me change the subject. "Why did you say the Scorekeeper wasn't counting your points, Seesk? I'm sorry if that's an insensitive question."
Seesk swallows her last bite, bends forward to put the bowl on the floor, then sits up, stretching an arm along the top of the viewing couch to look at you, "When I was a young hunter, I was on a Big Hunt, biggest of my life. The points were incredible, once in a lifetime. It was too tempting for my mate, so when we finished the hunt and gathered the game, he captured me. I've been zeroed out. My life is forfeit in the eyes of the Scorekeeper." Her tone is level, not tinged with emotion or woe.
I take a second to decide whether to push further. I know so little about Seesk and her culture. Curiosity wins. "Is there any way to start over, Seesk? Something you can do to, I don't know, un-forfeit your life?"
For a long moment, Seesk looks at you. It's hard to tell if she's offended, or trying to decide how to answer the question. "Yes. If I kill him, then I regain my points and his." She looks away from you then, back at the holovid. There's a stupid commercial for some new datapad subroutine.
"I thought about that for a long time. I was angry at him. Angry at myself for being weak and trusting him. I spent entire weeks plotting revenge, tracking his movements..." She glances over at you, "After he took that Hunt, he joined up with a small team of bounty hunters. I followed them for a few systems. But I never took the shot."
Without hesitation, Seesk answers flatly, "No." She looks over at you, showing teeth in a Trandoshan grin, "Answer my question about which one you desire most, and I'll tell you why."
"It's not so simple, but I'll try. Starting from scratch, if there wasn't history and none of the three was crew? I'd take Lee home from a bar first, but I suspect Jojee would be the wilder ride. As it is..." I shrug. "Leeadra and I messed each other up pretty badly, but I still ache a little when I look at her, especially with Candy. Squall is sweet, but ze's a little like a friend's kid sister. Sexy and flirty, but it would feel wrong somehow. Jojee and I would be a disaster, but it would be a very, very hot disaster." Why am I even trying? "So, executive summary, Seesk? Kriff me if I know. I guess if I suddenly got an urgent message that I had to kriff one of them right now, the fate of the galaxy was at stake? I'd go with Jojee."
Seesk leans over to listen to your answer, nodding slowly and watching you work through it. She chuckles low in her throat at your summary and then laughs at the end, reaching up to slap your shoulder, "Hah! I called it! I knew you would bed the first mate. She is a wild one. You are right it would be messy. She does not seem to take loss well. You are wise, though your mammalian tendencies tempt you. heh heh."
She sits back, putting her massive claws behind her head, lacing them together to support herself. "After trailing him for months, I ran out of credits. I had no points, no rep, nothing. I took the only job I could get, thinking I could ride with a ship and keep hunting. Guess what some fool captain hired me to do? Load crate."
After letting that hang in the air for a moment, Seesk looks over at you, giving that odd reptilian smile. "And I loved it. It was the most fun I'd ever had. Better than choking a Wookie to death, more satisfying than a bowl of hot gynth worms. I always liked puzzles, and I like feeling strong. This job, I was made for this job, Ladro. And I would have never, ever done it if I was in the "The Game". what he did, it was a gift, Ladro. A gift." She chuckles again, happy to have shared her story, a thing she doesn't seem to do often. Lee probably knows. She's a good captain like that.
Seesk's story feels a little like a gift, and I accept it with that sort of appreciation. "Thank you for telling me, Seesk. It really does seem like you're perfectly suited for the work, and I'll take you by my side in a fight any day." I lean back and focus on the holovid again, not shutting off further conversation, but not needing it.
Conversation comes in little side comments, mostly about the show. It comes to an end, and Seesk takes her bowl back to the autochef, then heads back to check on the cargo hold.
The ship's pretty quiet right now. Doing anything before now and when Jojee wakes?
I'm good here. I'll get a bowl of soup from the autochef, and some water. My eyes unfocus a little as I continue watching recorded shows about pretty people doing stupid things. I wonder if I like it so much because their lives are almost as karked up as mine.
You get through an hour of this before Cander comes in. He heads over to the autochef, grabs himself some fruits and nuts, then comes to sit down at the couch.
"Greetings, Ladro. How are you?" He offers a winning smile, looks genuinely interested in your answer.
He looks at the show you're watching and casually ignores it. "Many thanks. I am happy to prove my worth to the crew. I hope I can earn my keep, and avoid... the dreaded airlock." He tosses a couple berries in the air, catching them in his mouth. He chews on them with a smile, swallows and says, "How are things with Jojee in your shuttle? Lee's worried she would beat you up, but you look well enough."
Cander munches one a handful of nuts, then happily shares, "Amicable? That's brilliant! She seems like a sweet person wrapped in a tough exterior. I hope she enjoys your wit and charm as I do." He takes another berry, sucks it into his mouth and swallows after a couple chews. "I happened upon Leeadra Navara at Remmin's Gambling Den. She was placing some ill-advised bets on her favorite gravball team, and I tried to talk her out of it. She ignored my assistance, then promptly won on three to two odds! It was quite amusing, and I felt bad for nearly leading her astray. I had a feeling about their lead scorer, but I was wrong. So, I offered to buy her a drink, and luckily, she accepted. We hit it off, and well, one thing led to another.... then we had to leave the station in a hurry. I had no roots on Vespa, so I thought perhaps the Force was guiding me along in a new direction. And so it was." He talks gently with his hands, lots of expressions and emotes as well. He's quite an animated talker.
"I actually met her right here. Hosk and I were looking to find a way to get from place to place but still have some independence, so I was negotiating with her uncle to rent the shuttle. She was sitting in, learning the ins and outs of the business. This was a few years ago, but he was already planning to retire, and sort of grooming her to take over. We'd almost struck a deal when she just had to point out that he hadn't remembered to add duties on fuel to the bottom line." I chuckle at the memory. She'd been clearly holding her tongue, waiting for him to notice, but finally just couldn't hold back anymore. She flashed me a non-apologetic smile and a look of triumph.
"That's a great story!" Cander exclaims with a broad smile. "She is quite meticulous. Drives a hard bargain, too. I can see why you're so important to her."
He purses his lips for a moment, considering his words. "I hold no claim over her, Ladro. I enjoy her company, of course. But if you wish to spend time with her, I will not be an impediment."
"She's my 'landlord' and the Captain of the ship. And my friend, most days... I don't expect you to be an impediment to either of those. But thank you for the reassurance."
He nods, "Wondrous! I'm glad we could talk that over." After a moment, he says, "I do hope we can be friends. Honestly. I want to... to fit here. I like people. I really do. This is a good crew."
I nod in agreement. "It is. Cander, I say this with all respect, but you're a stranger to me. Two things." I hold up my index finger. "One. I'm certain that a lot of what I've heard about Zeltrons is bantha poodoo. 90 percent of everything is, after all. However, it does make me nervous having someone around who has any capacity to get inside my skull without me being aware of it. Step carefully." I add my thumb. "Two. This is a good crew, you're right. I hope you're on the level. I don't like hurting people."
Cander's easy demeanor falls away and he looks at you with complete seriousness. He watches you, looks at your counting, marking it attentively, "I know actions speak louder than words. I hope to prove to you all that I am a trustworthy crewmate. But I assure you, I cannot read minds. I am merely sensitive to emotions, and I can emit pheromones that help me express myself."
He muses, "I find words are often inadequate for communication. There are so many other ways to share thoughts and feelings, do you understand?"
There's a moment when Cander tilts his head, peering at you. He quirks a small frown, but it disappears. "Squall cares for you a great deal. She has spoken of you frequently since she came to stay in Leeadra's quarters."
Apparently this is the four hours where Ladro gets grilled about the women of the Serendipitous Libation."She's sweet, Cander. Listen, Jojee's about ready to head to the bridge for her shift, and I could use some shuteye, so I'm going to get some sleep while she's not around to pester me for sex." I chuckle at his raised eyebrow. "Joke. But I do need some sleep. I'm sure we'll see each other soon."
Cander nods, accepting things as they are. He continues eating his food as you leave, saying nothing more.
You head back to the shuttle to check on Jojee. She's kicked off the covers and is hugging the pillow rather than laying on it. She's wearing very skimpy sleepwear, not that you're gawking or anything.
As you're checking time, you hear a muffled beep. Just one. Then, maybe ten seconds later, you hear it again.
I carefully and quietly back out the door before Jojee wakes and notices I'm there, filing the image away for later consideration. Perhaps not even that much later.
When Jojee emerges from the cabin, I'm sitting on a crate, cleaning my fingernails with a knife. I've always wanted for someone to find me doing that, it looks so good on the holovids.
Jojee wakes not long after, heads out of your quarters. She's wearing a cotton robe, carrying her change of clothes and bathing stuff in her arms. She looks over at you cleaning your nails, smiles a little crooked smile, "Hey Ladro. Bed's yours." She heads on to the refresher, but she watches you and that knife until she enters the room and the door closes.
By the by, that beeping noise? Still happening, about the same rate. Wasn't her alarm or anything.
I knock on Hosk's door, then enter without waiting. I don't like new beeping noises. At all. If Hosk is awake and starts in, I hold up a hand in a "shut up" gesture. My look is serious and I hope he'll recognize it. Where. Is. The. Beeping. Coming. From?
Hosk glares when you barge in, about to say something rather unkind, but he catches the signal and keeps quiet. He was in his bunk reading a datapad while also listening to light music.
I check the outside carefully, hoping against hope that there's something attached to the crate itself. If there isn't, I turn my attention to the locking mechanism. "Hosk, do you agree that a new beeping sound coming from a crate being delivered to a criminal is a concern? If so, help me figure out what's going on. If not, as you were."
Hosk squints, listening closely. The beep happens, and he's still leaning forward, "Now? ...Lad, I didn't hear it. My hearing is better than yours. What's wrong?"
It's muffled, but quite clear to me. "I hear a kriffing beep, Hosk. Are you playing some sort of joke?" Not that this would be Hosk's kind of joke, even if he was the joking sort.
You enter the code in the keypad on top of the crate. The pressure locks release. Carefully, you lift the lid, which is rather heavy plate metal, and reveal the interior. Inside this tall crate are racks upon racks of small, round metal balls. Thermal Detonators. There are sixteen on the top rack, and you'd guess there are ten racks beneath this one. None of the detonators on this rack appear to be active.
"Holy... sith, Lad. That's some serious ordinance."
Holy sith, indeed. I knew what was in here, but Hosk didn't. Still in all, that is some serious ordinance. "Hosk, I swear I'm not this crazy. Do you still not hear that beep? Help me lift out these racks, carefully. "
Hosk nods, and for the first time in a long time, maybe ever, he seems nervous as he does so. You hear that kriffing beep, every ten seconds like clockwork, as you lift the second rack. None of those detonators are active. Then again, with the third rack. None are active, either.
You realize Jojee's going to finish with the refresher before long. Chances are that she'll at least say goodbye. She wouldn't barge in on Hosk's room, you think. But what if she heard the beeping, too?
Why don't you Give me an Act Under Fire? I'll give you a +1 for the situation.
Jojee yells a goodbye and doesn't enter. After a small forever, you have a dozen ranks out and spread on the floor. Almost two hundred thermal detonators have been checked, and none are active. The beeping has stopped, Ladro.
Hosk is chuckling low, like this was some prank. "Whoah, Lad, you really had me going there. I almost... anyways, that was not what I thought was in the crate. At all."
I'm not paying attention to Hosk. I'm checking the inside of the crate, the top and bottom of the lid, anywhere that's in a shadowed corner, the racks themselves. Everything. There was a beep.
You tear the crate apart searching. Hosk even helps out, using a driver to separate parts of the crate with you. It takes a while to do something delicately and thoroughly. All the while, maybe twenty minutes, no beeps.
Hosk says finally,. "You alright, Lad? There's nothing here. Well, other than the detonators." He stands up, dusting off his hands, looking at all the stuff strewn on his floor and bed.
I start reassembling the crate. Okay, fine, I imagined the beeping. "Sorry, Hosk. I guess it's just been a long few days." I shake my head in confusion. It was so clear! Once everything's back together and the crate is refilled and locked, I just *look* at it for a minute. Can't wait to be rid of it.
With Hosk's help, you finish reconstructing the crate and replace all the detonators. It's late now, Hosk grumbles about getting some shut-eye and basically kicks you out.
I head into my cabin and curl up in my sleeping bag after changing into my sleep pants and (unusually, because Jojee) a loose shirt. I'm going to let her have the bed while she's in with me, no need to share sheets when I'm fine on the floor.
Your door opens at some point, and the light from the hall spills in, waking you. Are you the kind that wakes up quickly, or are you groggy?
Jojee slips in, seeing you move a little, "Sorry, Ladro." There's a smell in the air, like fried meat and eggs. Jojee hesitates by the door. "I, ah, brought us some breakfast. You want to eat now? It'll keep for a bit, I'm sure." The light's still off.
The first few seconds after I wake up are always a blur, but about three breaths later I'm reasonably alert. When I smell breakfast I say the first thing that comes to mind. "Jojee, I love you." Poodoo. "For bringing breakfast." I'm presentable enough, so I get up and turn on the light.
"Want me to make some of that klava you dismiss so readily?"
The "confession" gets a snicker from her. She'd probably slap you if you were standing next to her. "Sure, I'll give your klava a shot, Ladro." She says it like "anything to shut you up", but she's probably kidding. She takes the tray of food over to your desk, sets it down, stands there waiting for you to brew the klava or whatever. When you get up, she's watching you, a bemused smile on her lips.
The food smells really good. She's thrown in some spice, it tickles your nose. The steam wafts over the table, inviting you.
I fill the kettle with water from a decanter on the little table with my klava setup, and turn on the coils. By the time it's hot, about a minute later, I've ground the klava with a whole dried baunilha pod from our last trip to Secundus, some spicy canelis bark, and the secret weapon Ahji Dar taught me, a little bit of black pepper.
The klava goes in the chamber, the water in the reservoir, and I slowly turn the valve so that they mix, waiting precisely 72 more seconds before releasing the slurry through the filter into the carafe.
I pour two cups and bring them to my desk where Jojee and the food await, hooking a stool with my foot so she can keep the chair. Handing the cup to Jojee, "Here you are."
She takes the cup, sits down in the chair. The chair and stool are close, so her knee brushes your before she adjusts. "Well, here we go." She takes a cautious sip, then holds it in her mouth. As she looks over at you, she swallows it.
Her purple tongue licks at her lips and the corners of her mouth curl into a little smile, "... alright. That's pretty good." She huffs a single laugh. "Guess you aren't all talk." She takes up a forkful of the slices meat and starts eating slowly.
I dig in to my food with a smile. "I like the process, too. Just over two minutes, but it's soothing to do the little ritual. Something that's the same, even when everything else changes. I am still experimenting with the spices, but I think I'm getting close."
Sip of klava, another bite of eggs and meat. "I like the spice in these eggs, Jojee. Helps you wake up, right?"
"That's the plan." Jojee answers, then takes a few bites, washing it down with sips of klava. After a bit, she comments, "Alright, the klava and the eggs is a nice mix. I like it." Her tone says that she expects you to rub it in, but she's not going to lie about it.
We'll eat for a few minutes quietly. Then I remember to share. "Hey, Candy gave me permission to talk to Lee. I believe his exact words were, 'If you wish to spend time with her, I will not be an impediment.'"
She snorts, holding a hand over her mouth, "Did he now? That's kriffing magnanimous of the red bastard." she swallows, finishes her cup, then asks, "Hw prolly wants a threeway. Or... since Squall's there, an audience?" She laughs at her own joke.
"Thing is... it's so hard to hate him when he's talking to you, and I don't think it's just the pheromones and the empathy thing. He's just so relentlessly..." I look for the word. "...pleasant."
Jojee nods vigorously, "Yeah. I know!" She lays down her utensil, "Thing I hate most is, when he's around, I'm just stupid. I mean, I could literally, at any moment, rip off his clothes and jump on top of him and grind myself raw on his sexy, sexy body. But I don't. So instead, I just act like I'm, you know, twelve cycles old with some dumb crush. It's embarrassing. Which.... is why I hate him."
"At least I don't feel the urge to, ah, grind myself raw." I chuckle. "Look at us, forming bonds over shared enmity." I pat her shoulder. "I can make more klava if you want."
Jojee hands you her cup, "Sure, why not? Hey, don't make fun of me, I'm sure if he decides you're interesting, he'll get you hot and heavy, too. I hear they're into all genders."
I repeat the ritual. Water on, klava and spices ground, mix, steep, filter. Since Jojee liked the first cup, I don't experiment with proportions or ingredients this time. One hundred thirty-two seconds after I begin, I'm grabbing Jojee's cup and filling it with fresh brew.
I toast her with my cup once I've made the handoff. "Here's to Cander."
She raises her cup to you, "To Cander." She sips at her cup quietly for a few moments. After glancing down at your sleeping bag, she says, "We can swap out sheets, Ladro. You don't have to sleep in your bag for three days. Or I'll wash the sheets."
"Three days is nothing. I'm not driving the ship, it's in my best interests to have you well rested. Besides, sleeping on the floor reminds me to be humble."
At her raised eyebrow, "Okay, I don't have a setting for humble, but I really don't mind letting you have some space of your own, even if it's just the bed and a drawer."
"Unless you want to share, of course." I make the joke, appearances to keep up, but after my conversation with Seesk, I regret it a little.
Your joke about your "humble setting" makes her huff a laugh. Offering her a space of her own like that, it touches her. She smiles a little smile.
But that evaporates when you offer to "share". Her smile falters and her mouth shrinks into a thin little line. She puts her cup down, "Ladro," she says in an even tone on the edge of being angry, "I'm not going to be your "get back" at Leeadra. I know the idea of her kriffing Cander is killing you. That's your deal, and that's fine. But I'm not going to be the way you work out your aggression on him. Or get back at her. I'm trying to be nice here. To be friendly. Don't drag me into your drama, alright?" She looks at you, waiting for some kind of response.
Before you can respond, there's a chirp on the shuttle's comms.
"Ladro? It's Squall. Can you come to the Engine Room on the Libation? I really need your help." Zir voice sounds a little panicked.
Jojee calls back, "Squally, I'm here, too. I can come over right now..."
"No. No, uhm, Jojee, thanks. Ladro's helped me with this sub-routine before, it'll save me hours if I don't have to start from scratch, you know?" Ze pauses, then asks again, "Ladro, can you please help?"
Poodoo. "Squall, I'll be right there." I grab clothes to change into, start out of the cabin. "Jojee, it was a joke, and a bad one, and I apologize. I'm thrown off by Lee and Cander, sure, but I'm not going to get back at anyone, and surely not through you. Sometimes my mouth moves before the filters engage, y'know?"
And I'm out. I'll change in the refresher, leave my sleepwear in there, then head to the Engine Room.
You nearly stub a toe working your way around the crates stacked up in the hold, head through the lounge to the aft of the ship. You find Squall in the Engine Room. Ze's got a couple panels open and ze's rewiring a couple circuit boards on each. It's a mess right now.
"I'm here, Squall." If this looks like the familiar situation from our first Secundus trip, I'll jump right in and start doing what needs doing. If not, I'll wait for instructions.
You both work for a bit. Ze doesn't say anything, but zir hands move across the boards hesitatingly. Ze seems unsure, plugging and unplugging wires, fiddling with a gauge. You end up picking up some of zir slack.
When you reach for the hydrospanner by zir, you end up feeling a drop of moisture on the back of your hand. That's when you look up and see ze's crying.
Ze notices you noticing, and ducks zir head away, "I karked up. I karked up bad, Ladro." Zir voice is reedy, drawn out, barely holding back sobs.
The ship's fine, cruising along in hyperspace. These are tertiary systems, just "fiddle work", as Squall's called it in the past.
Zir shoulders shake as ze tries to keep from bawling, just eyes leaking right now, but on the verge, "I..." Ze sniffs, wiping at zir nose with the back of zir hand, "I kriffed Cander.... Lee's gonna kill me. Or fire me. Or fire me, then kick me out the airlock.... I love this job, Ladro."Ze sits there on the floor of the Engine Room, looking miserable and blinking away tears.
I sit next to zir, arm around zir shoulders. "Was he asleep, Squally? Or unconscious? Because if he was awake and participating, then he also kriffed you. Cander is like, well, like candy, if candy really, really wanted you to eat it. Lee brought the candy aboard, Squally, and put it right there on the counter, and didn't even put a lid on the jar." This metaphor is stupid. "Listen, I'll speak up for you if it's needed, and I'm pretty sure Jojee will, as well. You're good at what you do, and we love you. Lee does, too."
"He asked me if it was okay, Ladro! He was giving me a little massage and I just melted. When I couldn't take it anymore, I just... I jumped him. It was. oh stars, Ladro. I died the little death four times, and... no, I really did it. I told him it was better than okay. I just... I just." Ze buries zir head into your chest.
"So, what do you want, Squally. You want me to go with you and talk to the Captain, head this off before she hears it from Cander? I've got your back, however you want to play it." Rubbing zir shoulder.
Ze sobs for a little bit longer, "I don't know if I can tell her right now." Ze takes a calming breath, looks up at you with watery eyes, "I sort of ran out after. Lee's flying the ship for the next shift. Maybe we could, I dunno, talk to Cander about it? Ask him not to say anything, and then I... I move out of their room. I could-I could stay in the Engine Room."
Squall takes a few minutes to collect zirself, wiping at zir eyes and shaking zir hands a little with nerves. Ze puts the fiddle work back behind panels. You realize ze's wasting time, stalling. A gentle prod and then you're both heading back through the lounge, up to Lee's cabin. Squall asks for entrance, the door opens and you both come in to find Cander alone in the cabin.
He's dressed in a pair of tight shorts, busy working out. You see there are a few scars on his right shoulder and left chest muscle. One looks like a sprinkle of round scars like shrapnel or some kind of buckshot hit him. The other is an obvious deep cut. Cander was in the middle of some push-ups when you came in.
After some polite conversation, Squall finally says, "Cander, when I told you Lee wouldn't have a problem if we... if we did it, that was kind of a lie." Ze's face crumples a little with worry.
Cander arches a brow, "Really? That's... that's not zeng, Squally. I really liked our bit of fun. I was hoping for more." He looks over at you, then her, like he's putting things together. He's not nervous, he doesn't seem to get nervous, but he files away that you're zir backup. "I assume you mean Leeadra is going to have a problem with it, then?"
Squall nods, starts making zirself small, drawing zir hands up, crossing them to hug zirself. Cander looks to you, taking Squall's silence to mean that it's your turn.
Maybe he can give me some workout pointers. Focus, Ladro!
"Listen, Cander. I don't know for sure that Lee will have a problem, and neither does Squall. But think about it for a second. Don't you think you should've had that conversation with her before you started sleeping with her crew? This isn't Zeltron, not everyone has the same... ideals that you do, where it comes to sex and pleasure. You have been out in the Galaxy, there's no excuse for you not to know that and behave accordingly."
I thought that was very reasonable. I didn't even raise my voice.
Cander does this sort of soft head nod, "I have been out in the galaxy. I know most beings don't share my culture. But... Squall was invited into our bed. Ze said it was more than okay. I made an error, granted. But I did ask." He sighs, disappointed in the mess, heads over to sit on the bed. Lee's bed.
"I'll speak with Lee about it. I'd hoped this would be a lovely little arrangement." He looks at you, "Do you think she will be reasonable?"
"You're still justifying your behavior instead of apologizing for it, Cander. If you take that approach with Lee, I sincerely doubt that she will be reasonable. I've got the scars to prove that." I take a deep breath, and when I continue there's a little heat in my voice. "This ship is not an all-you-can-kriff buffet of 'lovely little arrangements' for you to enjoy. You are hurting actual people, Cander, and the thing that really vapes me is that you're doing it thoughtlessly."
I take a look at Squall. How is ze holding up here?
Squall's in an odd place. When Cander says "a lovely little arrangement", ze looked somewhat hopeful, but then worry crept back on zir face. Ze's a mix of emotions right now, not very reliable.
"You're right, Ladro, You're right. I'm being defensive. I've had to deal with... differing opinions on fidelity and relationships. It's not something I've been terribly successful with. But that's neither here nor there." He rises, "I'll go talk with Lee about it."
Squall starts, "Wait! Cander, ah, you should maybe wait for her to get off shift. If Lee gets emotional while she's flying, then Jojee will need to take over, and then Jojee will be flying for over ten hours, and that's not good. Maybe... we do it later?" Ze looks over at you, hoping you'll back zir up on this.
"That's up to you and Cander, Squall. Me? I find it hurts less to rip the dressing off the wound quickly." Not sure I need to be here any longer, and I'm starting to be annoyed with Squall's way of acting like ze wants to be somebody's pet. Ze's better than that. Still, don't want to just walk away from zir.
Zir shoulders slump. "You're right. Cander, you should go to the refresher first, though." Cander looks down, like "well, if you insist", and heads out of the room to bathe and change.
Squall looks at you, "You sure the truth is the best idea, Ladro?"
Comments
She snickers at the sourpuss under sourpuss joke. "Well, everyone has their good side." She tilts her head and looks at you, "Hey, if it's alright with you, I'd like to catch a nap. Do you mind sleeping in shifts? That way we each get a bed. I've already swapped duty roster with Lee. She's got daytime, I've got nights." She takes off her jacket, sits down to pull off her boots.
"Good by me. I'll head to the canteen and catch up on my holovids." Yeah, catch up on The Young and the Clanless.
Jojee stands up, her hands hovering near the button on her pants as if waiting for you to leave. "Thanks, Ladro. I'll be up in about four hours for my shift. The room's all yours again after."
You head out to "the canteen", which is the lounge I assume. You're in hyperspace, so you have to watch the episodes of shows that are stored. The holovid channels are hard to pick up in transit without very expensive sensors and antennae. But hey, you're not "religious" about your shows, I figure it's catch as catch can, right?
After a few minutes of watching the tales and the trials of the young and impetuous G'rex Sellin on The Young and the Clanless, none other than Seesk walks into the lounge. She was headed to grab something from the autochef, but she pauses when she sees the holo on the display. After a few minutes, you see her out of the corner of your eye, sitting down on the other end of the curved couch to watch. She has some noodle-type bowl of food that smells slightly metallic, which she eats slowly while watching the show. You're probably three feet away from her, since this is a huge watching couch.
"Seesk, I had no idea you watched this poodoo! Kind of a guilty pleasure for me, truthfully." I pause for a sip of water. "You fully recovered from the last trip to Secundus? You seem to be doing okay..."
Seesk takes another spoonful of those metallic noodles, swallows, and answers without looking over, "I feel well enough to work. I'd never miss a big haul like this. Even if the kriffing Zeltron made it happen."
Hrrm. Turns out I'm not alone in being suspicious of Candy. "I know I have my own reasons to dislike Red, petty and senseless as they are. What are yours?"
"Like I said before," Seesk says as she holds a spoon near her mouth, "Don't kriff who ya work with. Especially not the captain. Bad business." She takes that bite, munches on it, still watching.
After a bit, she finally looks over, "You gonna kriff any of them? Seems like some of them want it." Trandoshans don't really show facial expressions well, but you'd swear she's peering at you with curiosity.
I chuckle. So direct. "I'll do my best to keep the business and the sex separate, Seesk, but we mammals are slaves to our hormones, you know." In the holo, G'rex Sellin struggles with his emotions as his nemesis informs him that his fiancee Deenae is really an actress that she paid to ferret out the details of G'rex's secret (and illegal) second life as the street artist who paints pro-Rebellion murals on walls throughout the city.
Seesk makes a sound that passes for a chortle. Then she's quiet as G'Rex's story unfolds. She says low, not expecting an answer, "Why does he even stay with that bitch?"
"It's like that song that they were playing in all the bars a few years ago, right?" I try to croon out a few lines.
When you finish the bars, Seesk punches your arm lightly, which seems like it's a good thing maybe. "I've never heard that song. I don't go to bars. Love songs are the squawks of fools." She turns back to the holo.
After a few minutes, a break in the drama comes with some subplot. "You never answered my question. Which one is your favorite?"
"You're right, Seesk. I didn't answer your question. Oh, look... Triana's evil twin just slipped into bed with her girlfriend!"
Seesk starts to laugh at your avoidance, but then you point out the scandalous plot twist and she's locked in. She takes up the last scoop of her noodles."I hate Irvini, Ladro. I hate cheaters. They karking..." She trails off, stuffs her mouth with the food.
I'm a cheater, for sure, but Seesk's statement isn't what makes me change the subject. "Why did you say the Scorekeeper wasn't counting your points, Seesk? I'm sorry if that's an insensitive question."
Seesk swallows her last bite, bends forward to put the bowl on the floor, then sits up, stretching an arm along the top of the viewing couch to look at you, "When I was a young hunter, I was on a Big Hunt, biggest of my life. The points were incredible, once in a lifetime. It was too tempting for my mate, so when we finished the hunt and gathered the game, he captured me. I've been zeroed out. My life is forfeit in the eyes of the Scorekeeper." Her tone is level, not tinged with emotion or woe.
I take a second to decide whether to push further. I know so little about Seesk and her culture. Curiosity wins. "Is there any way to start over, Seesk? Something you can do to, I don't know, un-forfeit your life?"
For a long moment, Seesk looks at you. It's hard to tell if she's offended, or trying to decide how to answer the question. "Yes. If I kill him, then I regain my points and his." She looks away from you then, back at the holovid. There's a stupid commercial for some new datapad subroutine.
"I thought about that for a long time. I was angry at him. Angry at myself for being weak and trusting him. I spent entire weeks plotting revenge, tracking his movements..." She glances over at you, "After he took that Hunt, he joined up with a small team of bounty hunters. I followed them for a few systems. But I never took the shot."
I think about that. "Do you think you ever will? Take the shot?"
Without hesitation, Seesk answers flatly, "No." She looks over at you, showing teeth in a Trandoshan grin, "Answer my question about which one you desire most, and I'll tell you why."
"It's not so simple, but I'll try. Starting from scratch, if there wasn't history and none of the three was crew? I'd take Lee home from a bar first, but I suspect Jojee would be the wilder ride. As it is..." I shrug. "Leeadra and I messed each other up pretty badly, but I still ache a little when I look at her, especially with Candy. Squall is sweet, but ze's a little like a friend's kid sister. Sexy and flirty, but it would feel wrong somehow. Jojee and I would be a disaster, but it would be a very, very hot disaster." Why am I even trying? "So, executive summary, Seesk? Kriff me if I know. I guess if I suddenly got an urgent message that I had to kriff one of them right now, the fate of the galaxy was at stake? I'd go with Jojee."
Seesk leans over to listen to your answer, nodding slowly and watching you work through it. She chuckles low in her throat at your summary and then laughs at the end, reaching up to slap your shoulder, "Hah! I called it! I knew you would bed the first mate. She is a wild one. You are right it would be messy. She does not seem to take loss well. You are wise, though your mammalian tendencies tempt you. heh heh."
She sits back, putting her massive claws behind her head, lacing them together to support herself. "After trailing him for months, I ran out of credits. I had no points, no rep, nothing. I took the only job I could get, thinking I could ride with a ship and keep hunting. Guess what some fool captain hired me to do? Load crate."
After letting that hang in the air for a moment, Seesk looks over at you, giving that odd reptilian smile. "And I loved it. It was the most fun I'd ever had. Better than choking a Wookie to death, more satisfying than a bowl of hot gynth worms. I always liked puzzles, and I like feeling strong. This job, I was made for this job, Ladro. And I would have never, ever done it if I was in the "The Game". what he did, it was a gift, Ladro. A gift." She chuckles again, happy to have shared her story, a thing she doesn't seem to do often. Lee probably knows. She's a good captain like that.
Seesk's story feels a little like a gift, and I accept it with that sort of appreciation. "Thank you for telling me, Seesk. It really does seem like you're perfectly suited for the work, and I'll take you by my side in a fight any day." I lean back and focus on the holovid again, not shutting off further conversation, but not needing it.
The ship's pretty quiet right now. Doing anything before now and when Jojee wakes?
I'm good here. I'll get a bowl of soup from the autochef, and some water. My eyes unfocus a little as I continue watching recorded shows about pretty people doing stupid things. I wonder if I like it so much because their lives are almost as karked up as mine.
"Greetings, Ladro. How are you?" He offers a winning smile, looks genuinely interested in your answer.
Yay. "Reasonably well, Cander. Looks like you did well with the cargo. Thanks for that." I can be reasonable.
He looks at the show you're watching and casually ignores it. "Many thanks. I am happy to prove my worth to the crew. I hope I can earn my keep, and avoid... the dreaded airlock." He tosses a couple berries in the air, catching them in his mouth. He chews on them with a smile, swallows and says, "How are things with Jojee in your shuttle? Lee's worried she would beat you up, but you look well enough."
"She hasn't kicked my space heinie yet, Cander. Actually, it was surprisingly amicable. How did you meet Lee, by the way?"
Cander munches one a handful of nuts, then happily shares, "Amicable? That's brilliant! She seems like a sweet person wrapped in a tough exterior. I hope she enjoys your wit and charm as I do." He takes another berry, sucks it into his mouth and swallows after a couple chews. "I happened upon Leeadra Navara at Remmin's Gambling Den. She was placing some ill-advised bets on her favorite gravball team, and I tried to talk her out of it. She ignored my assistance, then promptly won on three to two odds! It was quite amusing, and I felt bad for nearly leading her astray. I had a feeling about their lead scorer, but I was wrong. So, I offered to buy her a drink, and luckily, she accepted. We hit it off, and well, one thing led to another.... then we had to leave the station in a hurry. I had no roots on Vespa, so I thought perhaps the Force was guiding me along in a new direction. And so it was." He talks gently with his hands, lots of expressions and emotes as well. He's quite an animated talker.
"How did you meet her, Ladro?"
"I actually met her right here. Hosk and I were looking to find a way to get from place to place but still have some independence, so I was negotiating with her uncle to rent the shuttle. She was sitting in, learning the ins and outs of the business. This was a few years ago, but he was already planning to retire, and sort of grooming her to take over. We'd almost struck a deal when she just had to point out that he hadn't remembered to add duties on fuel to the bottom line." I chuckle at the memory. She'd been clearly holding her tongue, waiting for him to notice, but finally just couldn't hold back anymore. She flashed me a non-apologetic smile and a look of triumph.
"That's a great story!" Cander exclaims with a broad smile. "She is quite meticulous. Drives a hard bargain, too. I can see why you're so important to her."
He purses his lips for a moment, considering his words. "I hold no claim over her, Ladro. I enjoy her company, of course. But if you wish to spend time with her, I will not be an impediment."
"She's my 'landlord' and the Captain of the ship. And my friend, most days... I don't expect you to be an impediment to either of those. But thank you for the reassurance."
I know I shouldn't strangle him. I really do.
He nods, "Wondrous! I'm glad we could talk that over." After a moment, he says, "I do hope we can be friends. Honestly. I want to... to fit here. I like people. I really do. This is a good crew."
I nod in agreement. "It is. Cander, I say this with all respect, but you're a stranger to me. Two things." I hold up my index finger. "One. I'm certain that a lot of what I've heard about Zeltrons is bantha poodoo. 90 percent of everything is, after all. However, it does make me nervous having someone around who has any capacity to get inside my skull without me being aware of it. Step carefully." I add my thumb. "Two. This is a good crew, you're right. I hope you're on the level. I don't like hurting people."
Cander's easy demeanor falls away and he looks at you with complete seriousness. He watches you, looks at your counting, marking it attentively, "I know actions speak louder than words. I hope to prove to you all that I am a trustworthy crewmate. But I assure you, I cannot read minds. I am merely sensitive to emotions, and I can emit pheromones that help me express myself."
He muses, "I find words are often inadequate for communication. There are so many other ways to share thoughts and feelings, do you understand?"
"I do understand." So many other ways. Blasters, for instance. And grav hammers. Among other things.
There's a moment when Cander tilts his head, peering at you. He quirks a small frown, but it disappears. "Squall cares for you a great deal. She has spoken of you frequently since she came to stay in Leeadra's quarters."
Apparently this is the four hours where Ladro gets grilled about the women of the Serendipitous Libation. "She's sweet, Cander. Listen, Jojee's about ready to head to the bridge for her shift, and I could use some shuteye, so I'm going to get some sleep while she's not around to pester me for sex." I chuckle at his raised eyebrow. "Joke. But I do need some sleep. I'm sure we'll see each other soon."
Yeah. Great.
You head back to the shuttle to check on Jojee. She's kicked off the covers and is hugging the pillow rather than laying on it. She's wearing very skimpy sleepwear, not that you're gawking or anything.
As you're checking time, you hear a muffled beep. Just one. Then, maybe ten seconds later, you hear it again.
I carefully and quietly back out the door before Jojee wakes and notices I'm there, filing the image away for later consideration. Perhaps not even that much later.
When Jojee emerges from the cabin, I'm sitting on a crate, cleaning my fingernails with a knife. I've always wanted for someone to find me doing that, it looks so good on the holovids.
Jojee wakes not long after, heads out of your quarters. She's wearing a cotton robe, carrying her change of clothes and bathing stuff in her arms. She looks over at you cleaning your nails, smiles a little crooked smile, "Hey Ladro. Bed's yours." She heads on to the refresher, but she watches you and that knife until she enters the room and the door closes.
By the by, that beeping noise? Still happening, about the same rate. Wasn't her alarm or anything.
I head in and look for the source of the beeping. Is it in my quarters? One of the crates out here? Behind Hosk's closed door?
Jojee's turning on the sonic shower. Hosks's in his room still.
I knock on Hosk's door, then enter without waiting. I don't like new beeping noises. At all. If Hosk is awake and starts in, I hold up a hand in a "shut up" gesture. My look is serious and I hope he'll recognize it. Where. Is. The. Beeping. Coming. From?
It's the crate, Ladro. The crate is beeping.
What do you do?
I check the outside carefully, hoping against hope that there's something attached to the crate itself. If there isn't, I turn my attention to the locking mechanism. "Hosk, do you agree that a new beeping sound coming from a crate being delivered to a criminal is a concern? If so, help me figure out what's going on. If not, as you were."
Kriffing Sark.
In a voice he's forcing to be calm, Hosk asks, "What beeping, Lad? I don't hear beeping." He thinks a moment, then shakes his head, "Beeping is bad."
"You don't hear beeping? It's there... now... about every ten seconds. I thought your hearing was better than mine?" Three more seconds, then... "now"
Hosk squints, listening closely. The beep happens, and he's still leaning forward, "Now? ...Lad, I didn't hear it. My hearing is better than yours. What's wrong?"
It's muffled, but quite clear to me. "I hear a kriffing beep, Hosk. Are you playing some sort of joke?" Not that this would be Hosk's kind of joke, even if he was the joking sort.
I look at the lock panel. Anything?
"No joke, Lad." Hosk's eyes show a hint of concern, maybe for the beeping, maybe for you.
The lock panel is the same as it was when you picked it up. Nothing appears to have changed.
Hosk asks low, "You want to check the crate?" You hear the refresher still going.
"I think I *have* to." I memorized the code Sark gave me, so it's a matter of moments before the crate's open. I look in.
"Holy... sith, Lad. That's some serious ordinance."
Then you hear the beep again.
Holy sith, indeed. I knew what was in here, but Hosk didn't. Still in all, that is some serious ordinance. "Hosk, I swear I'm not this crazy. Do you still not hear that beep? Help me lift out these racks, carefully. "
You realize Jojee's going to finish with the refresher before long. Chances are that she'll at least say goodbye. She wouldn't barge in on Hosk's room, you think. But what if she heard the beeping, too?
Why don't you Give me an Act Under Fire? I'll give you a +1 for the situation.
(Rolled: 2d6+3. Rolls: 5, 4. Total: 12)
Hosk is chuckling low, like this was some prank. "Whoah, Lad, you really had me going there. I almost... anyways, that was not what I thought was in the crate. At all."
I'm not paying attention to Hosk. I'm checking the inside of the crate, the top and bottom of the lid, anywhere that's in a shadowed corner, the racks themselves. Everything. There was a beep.
Hosk says finally,. "You alright, Lad? There's nothing here. Well, other than the detonators." He stands up, dusting off his hands, looking at all the stuff strewn on his floor and bed.
I start reassembling the crate. Okay, fine, I imagined the beeping. "Sorry, Hosk. I guess it's just been a long few days." I shake my head in confusion. It was so clear! Once everything's back together and the crate is refilled and locked, I just *look* at it for a minute. Can't wait to be rid of it.
Are you sleepy? What do you do?
I head into my cabin and curl up in my sleeping bag after changing into my sleep pants and (unusually, because Jojee) a loose shirt. I'm going to let her have the bed while she's in with me, no need to share sheets when I'm fine on the floor.
Jojee slips in, seeing you move a little, "Sorry, Ladro." There's a smell in the air, like fried meat and eggs. Jojee hesitates by the door. "I, ah, brought us some breakfast. You want to eat now? It'll keep for a bit, I'm sure." The light's still off.
The first few seconds after I wake up are always a blur, but about three breaths later I'm reasonably alert. When I smell breakfast I say the first thing that comes to mind. "Jojee, I love you." Poodoo. "For bringing breakfast." I'm presentable enough, so I get up and turn on the light.
"Want me to make some of that klava you dismiss so readily?"
The "confession" gets a snicker from her. She'd probably slap you if you were standing next to her. "Sure, I'll give your klava a shot, Ladro." She says it like "anything to shut you up", but she's probably kidding. She takes the tray of food over to your desk, sets it down, stands there waiting for you to brew the klava or whatever. When you get up, she's watching you, a bemused smile on her lips.
The food smells really good. She's thrown in some spice, it tickles your nose. The steam wafts over the table, inviting you.
I fill the kettle with water from a decanter on the little table with my klava setup, and turn on the coils. By the time it's hot, about a minute later, I've ground the klava with a whole dried baunilha pod from our last trip to Secundus, some spicy canelis bark, and the secret weapon Ahji Dar taught me, a little bit of black pepper.
The klava goes in the chamber, the water in the reservoir, and I slowly turn the valve so that they mix, waiting precisely 72 more seconds before releasing the slurry through the filter into the carafe.
I pour two cups and bring them to my desk where Jojee and the food await, hooking a stool with my foot so she can keep the chair. Handing the cup to Jojee, "Here you are."
She takes the cup, sits down in the chair. The chair and stool are close, so her knee brushes your before she adjusts. "Well, here we go." She takes a cautious sip, then holds it in her mouth. As she looks over at you, she swallows it.
Her purple tongue licks at her lips and the corners of her mouth curl into a little smile, "... alright. That's pretty good." She huffs a single laugh. "Guess you aren't all talk." She takes up a forkful of the slices meat and starts eating slowly.
I dig in to my food with a smile. "I like the process, too. Just over two minutes, but it's soothing to do the little ritual. Something that's the same, even when everything else changes. I am still experimenting with the spices, but I think I'm getting close."
Sip of klava, another bite of eggs and meat. "I like the spice in these eggs, Jojee. Helps you wake up, right?"
"That's the plan." Jojee answers, then takes a few bites, washing it down with sips of klava. After a bit, she comments, "Alright, the klava and the eggs is a nice mix. I like it." Her tone says that she expects you to rub it in, but she's not going to lie about it.
"This breakfast only solidifies what the Flunge matches proved. We're a good team, when we let ourselves be, Jojee."
I continue to eat and sip, happily. Forgetting beeping crates and Imperial entanglements for a few minutes.
"Yeah, we are." She gets quiet after that, eating and reflective.
We'll eat for a few minutes quietly. Then I remember to share. "Hey, Candy gave me permission to talk to Lee. I believe his exact words were, 'If you wish to spend time with her, I will not be an impediment.'"
She snorts, holding a hand over her mouth, "Did he now? That's kriffing magnanimous of the red bastard." she swallows, finishes her cup, then asks, "Hw prolly wants a threeway. Or... since Squall's there, an audience?" She laughs at her own joke.
"Thing is... it's so hard to hate him when he's talking to you, and I don't think it's just the pheromones and the empathy thing. He's just so relentlessly..." I look for the word. "...pleasant."
Jojee nods vigorously, "Yeah. I know!" She lays down her utensil, "Thing I hate most is, when he's around, I'm just stupid. I mean, I could literally, at any moment, rip off his clothes and jump on top of him and grind myself raw on his sexy, sexy body. But I don't. So instead, I just act like I'm, you know, twelve cycles old with some dumb crush. It's embarrassing. Which.... is why I hate him."
"At least I don't feel the urge to, ah, grind myself raw." I chuckle. "Look at us, forming bonds over shared enmity." I pat her shoulder. "I can make more klava if you want."
Jojee hands you her cup, "Sure, why not? Hey, don't make fun of me, I'm sure if he decides you're interesting, he'll get you hot and heavy, too. I hear they're into all genders."
I repeat the ritual. Water on, klava and spices ground, mix, steep, filter. Since Jojee liked the first cup, I don't experiment with proportions or ingredients this time. One hundred thirty-two seconds after I begin, I'm grabbing Jojee's cup and filling it with fresh brew.
I toast her with my cup once I've made the handoff. "Here's to Cander."
She raises her cup to you, "To Cander." She sips at her cup quietly for a few moments. After glancing down at your sleeping bag, she says, "We can swap out sheets, Ladro. You don't have to sleep in your bag for three days. Or I'll wash the sheets."
"Three days is nothing. I'm not driving the ship, it's in my best interests to have you well rested. Besides, sleeping on the floor reminds me to be humble."
At her raised eyebrow, "Okay, I don't have a setting for humble, but I really don't mind letting you have some space of your own, even if it's just the bed and a drawer."
"Unless you want to share, of course." I make the joke, appearances to keep up, but after my conversation with Seesk, I regret it a little.
Your joke about your "humble setting" makes her huff a laugh. Offering her a space of her own like that, it touches her. She smiles a little smile.
But that evaporates when you offer to "share". Her smile falters and her mouth shrinks into a thin little line. She puts her cup down, "Ladro," she says in an even tone on the edge of being angry, "I'm not going to be your "get back" at Leeadra. I know the idea of her kriffing Cander is killing you. That's your deal, and that's fine. But I'm not going to be the way you work out your aggression on him. Or get back at her. I'm trying to be nice here. To be friendly. Don't drag me into your drama, alright?" She looks at you, waiting for some kind of response.
"Ladro? It's Squall. Can you come to the Engine Room on the Libation? I really need your help." Zir voice sounds a little panicked.
Jojee calls back, "Squally, I'm here, too. I can come over right now..."
"No. No, uhm, Jojee, thanks. Ladro's helped me with this sub-routine before, it'll save me hours if I don't have to start from scratch, you know?" Ze pauses, then asks again, "Ladro, can you please help?"
Poodoo. "Squall, I'll be right there." I grab clothes to change into, start out of the cabin. "Jojee, it was a joke, and a bad one, and I apologize. I'm thrown off by Lee and Cander, sure, but I'm not going to get back at anyone, and surely not through you. Sometimes my mouth moves before the filters engage, y'know?"
And I'm out. I'll change in the refresher, leave my sleepwear in there, then head to the Engine Room.
"I'm here, Squall." If this looks like the familiar situation from our first Secundus trip, I'll jump right in and start doing what needs doing. If not, I'll wait for instructions.
When you reach for the hydrospanner by zir, you end up feeling a drop of moisture on the back of your hand. That's when you look up and see ze's crying.
Ze notices you noticing, and ducks zir head away, "I karked up. I karked up bad, Ladro." Zir voice is reedy, drawn out, barely holding back sobs.
Oh. "Squally, what's wrong? What happened?" I pause in what I'm doing, unless the ship's about to explode.
Zir shoulders shake as ze tries to keep from bawling, just eyes leaking right now, but on the verge, "I..." Ze sniffs, wiping at zir nose with the back of zir hand, "I kriffed Cander.... Lee's gonna kill me. Or fire me. Or fire me, then kick me out the airlock.... I love this job, Ladro."Ze sits there on the floor of the Engine Room, looking miserable and blinking away tears.
I sit next to zir, arm around zir shoulders. "Was he asleep, Squally? Or unconscious? Because if he was awake and participating, then he also kriffed you. Cander is like, well, like candy, if candy really, really wanted you to eat it. Lee brought the candy aboard, Squally, and put it right there on the counter, and didn't even put a lid on the jar." This metaphor is stupid. "Listen, I'll speak up for you if it's needed, and I'm pretty sure Jojee will, as well. You're good at what you do, and we love you. Lee does, too."
"He asked me if it was okay, Ladro! He was giving me a little massage and I just melted. When I couldn't take it anymore, I just... I jumped him. It was. oh stars, Ladro. I died the little death four times, and... no, I really did it. I told him it was better than okay. I just... I just." Ze buries zir head into your chest.
"So, what do you want, Squally. You want me to go with you and talk to the Captain, head this off before she hears it from Cander? I've got your back, however you want to play it." Rubbing zir shoulder.
Ze sobs for a little bit longer, "I don't know if I can tell her right now." Ze takes a calming breath, looks up at you with watery eyes, "I sort of ran out after. Lee's flying the ship for the next shift. Maybe we could, I dunno, talk to Cander about it? Ask him not to say anything, and then I... I move out of their room. I could-I could stay in the Engine Room."
"If that's what you want, Squall. Let's go talk with Cander." I'm going to keep my temper with him. I really am.
He's dressed in a pair of tight shorts, busy working out. You see there are a few scars on his right shoulder and left chest muscle. One looks like a sprinkle of round scars like shrapnel or some kind of buckshot hit him. The other is an obvious deep cut. Cander was in the middle of some push-ups when you came in.
After some polite conversation, Squall finally says, "Cander, when I told you Lee wouldn't have a problem if we... if we did it, that was kind of a lie." Ze's face crumples a little with worry.
Cander arches a brow, "Really? That's... that's not zeng, Squally. I really liked our bit of fun. I was hoping for more." He looks over at you, then her, like he's putting things together. He's not nervous, he doesn't seem to get nervous, but he files away that you're zir backup. "I assume you mean Leeadra is going to have a problem with it, then?"
Squall nods, starts making zirself small, drawing zir hands up, crossing them to hug zirself. Cander looks to you, taking Squall's silence to mean that it's your turn.
Maybe he can give me some workout pointers. Focus, Ladro!
"Listen, Cander. I don't know for sure that Lee will have a problem, and neither does Squall. But think about it for a second. Don't you think you should've had that conversation with her before you started sleeping with her crew? This isn't Zeltron, not everyone has the same... ideals that you do, where it comes to sex and pleasure. You have been out in the Galaxy, there's no excuse for you not to know that and behave accordingly."
I thought that was very reasonable. I didn't even raise my voice.
Cander does this sort of soft head nod, "I have been out in the galaxy. I know most beings don't share my culture. But... Squall was invited into our bed. Ze said it was more than okay. I made an error, granted. But I did ask." He sighs, disappointed in the mess, heads over to sit on the bed. Lee's bed.
"I'll speak with Lee about it. I'd hoped this would be a lovely little arrangement." He looks at you, "Do you think she will be reasonable?"
"You're still justifying your behavior instead of apologizing for it, Cander. If you take that approach with Lee, I sincerely doubt that she will be reasonable. I've got the scars to prove that." I take a deep breath, and when I continue there's a little heat in my voice. "This ship is not an all-you-can-kriff buffet of 'lovely little arrangements' for you to enjoy. You are hurting actual people, Cander, and the thing that really vapes me is that you're doing it thoughtlessly."
I take a look at Squall. How is ze holding up here?
"You're right, Ladro, You're right. I'm being defensive. I've had to deal with... differing opinions on fidelity and relationships. It's not something I've been terribly successful with. But that's neither here nor there." He rises, "I'll go talk with Lee about it."
Squall starts, "Wait! Cander, ah, you should maybe wait for her to get off shift. If Lee gets emotional while she's flying, then Jojee will need to take over, and then Jojee will be flying for over ten hours, and that's not good. Maybe... we do it later?" Ze looks over at you, hoping you'll back zir up on this.
"That's up to you and Cander, Squall. Me? I find it hurts less to rip the dressing off the wound quickly." Not sure I need to be here any longer, and I'm starting to be annoyed with Squall's way of acting like ze wants to be somebody's pet. Ze's better than that. Still, don't want to just walk away from zir.
Zir shoulders slump. "You're right. Cander, you should go to the refresher first, though." Cander looks down, like "well, if you insist", and heads out of the room to bathe and change.
Squall looks at you, "You sure the truth is the best idea, Ladro?"