[Spidey + Sunshine] Spacepunk Odyssey [M]
 

--Moving to here from other site. If we get any readers, be warned. This is R rated.--

Rosalind had a small smile on her face, when eyes still closed she said, “Wll, ah'm not too keen on losin' those. Hyun seems fond o' thel ass. I doubt she'll let anythin' 'appen t'er...so ah'm apt t'believe that yer right. Nose is stayin' in m'own business.” She gave his hand a gentle squeeze, just enjoying being in his presence. He'd gone through his own share of shit, and she was sure her exhaustion wasn't helping him out.

Mendez shot Riola a grin, “I figured. I don't think I'm going anywhere, amigo. Not if I can help it.” Atrix was doing the blinking thing again that he found so adorable and his grin grew to a full-blown smile. “No, no, no. I'll take you in the bedroom....She is fine out here, I think. I was just...unaware that I had to pay for it with random assaults on my collarbone.” The laugh that proceeded was clipped, nervous, but he kept his smile as he scratched the back of his head head, just wanting to keep Atrix happy with him if no one else. When she pulled her hand away, Magali couldn't hide her disappointment, though she was thankful for what she did get, so her ears were perked again a steady smile on her face. Pleasant optimism. That was what she had been trained to convey and it was what was on her face now.

Rosalind's eyes opened again, “That may be, but ah wouldn't put it past Hyun t' 'unt ye down for 'er, even if she is mad at the lass right now. She strikes me as the type t' protect what she sees as 'ers.” Not bothering to lift her head from Riola's shoulder, she slightly shifted her gaze to look at the bar where the princess was sitting. Shaldag had apparently come from nowhere, but if Atrix was planning on taking her herself, she'd have a fight to have. It'd be an interesting fight to watch, albeit one that she didn't want to see. “Ah wouldn't. The girl is too...innocent. Eager t'get away from that place. All the wealth in the world couldn't make up fer the guilt ah'd feel.”

Fikri, noting Nokra's silence, sighed with relief. “No. I wouldn't. I live a content enough life. Well. Maybe under one condition, but that condition is...well? It's impossible....” His voice trailed off here and he glanced at Ashi. The girl was sweet, true, and he would never trade her for wealth. But if it were possible to make a trade for Vail back? He'd do it in a heartbeat.

"For real hermana. Get to your ship. You're passing out on all of us. Last thing we need is our pilot dying of exhaustion in the middle of like, a pirate raid. I doubt any one of could probably steer the thing either. Considering your kind and all." Riola teased, tapping her head with a finger to try and keep her awake. At the very best he could try and coerce her at least into the ship if needed because Rosa looked like death turned over.

With Atrix's focus back on Mendez, Nokra's silence was short lived and his head shot in the direction of the girl that they were all talking about; the Felis inching back towards Magali and making sure the spider-like woman didn't do anything to try and suck her brains out or poison her. Paranoia took over of course and Nokra raised a brow; his tail swishing back and forth slowly. "Your head okay? Just making sure. And making sure those drugs are clearing out of your system too." A small pause. "I say sell out the chick. Buy someplace nice on a paradise world. Live out hour life." Nokra said, putting in his two cents and receiving a small grunt from Atrix, who shrugged her shoulder.

"The fact we're having this conversation as well tells us a lot about ourselves." Atrix chimed, continuing the physical assaults on Mendez in the form of pinches and idles rubs; the Terskix resuming her blinking go keep the half-Edensian enthralled in her web. "The bedroom it'll have to be then." She added, using her fourth hand to pinch Mendez's face together and plant a little peck on his lips; Riola looking towards the two, then towards Rosalind. He was rather grateful they were...Normal? Seems like the word for this at least.

The door to Hyun's office slammed open and the Chuzizian was in sight once more, the magenta-colored woman storming down towards the bar with a small entourage of purple-inked gangers, the crew behind her snickering and causing all manners of mischief. A few of them slamming drinks from patrons onto the ground and picking fights (or at least trying to.) One of the rougher looking gangers even shot a venomous leer towards the group of Hyun's guests (Eyes locked on the three Felis of course.) It was a small trip down and when they approached the bar, a few of them circled around Ashi and Shaldag.

"Oi dipshits. Hyun wants words. From both of you."

Hyun looked less than pleased. In one hand a bottle with a quarter left of whatever alcohol was in it swished and swirled in a circle, and in the other hand was a some sort of metal pole, Hyun flicking her wrists to spur a small pike of energy from the tip, which crackled and hummed.

Shaldag looked towards Ashi for a moment with a quirked brow. "...You must have said something really stupid if she's planning on what I think she's doing."

“Oh, we're goin' t'the ship now?” Rosalind blinked up at Riola, eyes crossing for a moment to look at his finger. “D'ye think Hyun'll be upset if we 'ead out without sayin' somethin'?' She shrugged, lifting her head from Riola's reluctantly. “Mmm, no modifications yet. Ah think anyone can fly it as it 'tis. Ah need t'teach someone else so ah can rest once in a while.” She yawned and stretched, walking to the door.

Magali's chest was still warm from the drugs, but her mind was slowly returning back to normal. She wass able to focus on Nokra's face as he inched closer to her, giving him a smile. “I'm feeling...a lot less groggy. I think the water Fikri gave me helped tremendously.” She glanced at Atrix, keeping that same derpy, half-drug-induced smile, “I think her ear scratching helped too. My goodness, that felt wonderful.” The woman had excellent posture, apparently even while drugged as she stood up straight, hands clasped neatly in front of her. It was the effect of years with her former master, who had capitalized on unquestioning obedience in selling her.

Now aware of the conversation around her, her brows furrowed as she glanced over at the bar, “You'd really do that? She hasn't done anything to you...She seems nice.”

“Well, that, and, she's kinda here with Hyun. You tried anything, Hyun would kill you. Or, y'know, since you care about Magali, probably actually her,” Fikri said with a toss of his head and a sideways glare at the man. Of all of the people on this ship that deserved being stabbed in the back, Ashi was probably the last one. She generally tried to keep her head out of trouble and when she did get into trouble, she'd willingly gone to make amends with both he and Vail. The woman was alright in his book, and it didn't feel right that so many in her party were actually talking about stabbing her in the back. “I'm with Atrix. I'd say it speaks volumes about your character...”

“I-I-I...I didn't,” Ashi stammered, staring with wide eyes at the purple-inked gangers as they drew near. “I just...I just asked a question...” Her hand trembled as she held onto her drink, which she promptly tossed back into her mouth just in time to seen Hyun herself appear. The metal pole didn't go unnoticed and she gulped getting to her feet. “Oh no, oh no, oh no...”

"Don't look at me for training. Atrix let me steer her ship once and I threw us in an asteroid belt." Riola laughed, hiking himself up for a moment and draping an arm around Rosalind so he could half-carry her. The Edensian looked over towards the bar and frowned for a moment, noting the group of people. "I think we don't have a choice in the matter. Might as well just sneak out before this turns into a huge brawl, hermana..." Riola swallowed for a moment and began looking towards the closest exit. He couldn't raise a hand to defend himself or Rosa in their condition. Retreat if shit hit the fan was the best choice. Besides, it wasn't like Hyun wouldn't have known where to look for them if they were needed.

Nokra gave Magali a small nod and itched his own head at the mention of head scratches, before offering the girl his own glass of water. "Keep drinking up. Lets get that crud flushed out of you as fast as we can. No sense in keeping you drugged up anymore if freedom is calling." The Felis said, offering her a small smile, before it turned into a frown at the mention of selling Ashi out. "...What did she do for us, Mags? People like her are the kinda people that buy us and make us do all those things we hate doing." Fikri's voice made him shoot a look at the man, and soon enough Nokra was right up in the other male Felis' face. "Fuck off. You don't know shit about my character and keep being an asshole. See what happens."

Atrix looked between all three Felis and clicked her mandibles a few times before shaking her head and draping herself along Mendez, cooing and clicking to herself in annoyed-sounding Terskixian. The male bravado was growing old and if Nokra was looking for a fight, she'd be more than willing to use him as a punching bag. She felt the ping of the fear of weakness taking over. When had she last sparred? Cleaned her guns? Not soon enough. She was too busy hunched on top of Mendez...

Hyun was quick in raising up the electrical prod in her hand and jabbing it into Shaldag, the Ogrunu howling and spasming on the bar counter while she yawned and flicked the dial up to a stronger setting. "See this? This is what I do to people I feel ticked at. Not that I hate you, or anything, Shaldag. I just needed an example to use." Hyun began, a few of the more vicious members in her gang snickering and talking among each other. One last push of the prod into Shaldag's chest and she eased up; the scent of burning cloth and flesh permeating the air. "If you need another example of what I do to people I don't like, or I'm actually pissed off at, feel free to ask. Other than that, stop assuming that me scowling and storming off is mad. You ain't seem shit yet."

Shaldag wheezed and slammed a fist in anger down on the counter, putting the lump of metal through it and leering at both Hyun and Ashi.

"Speaking of those fists, Shaldag. Initiation time. Right here. Might as well beat her in. The boys were wondering if they could do it instead, but the last thing I need is for them to put her in a permanent coma..." Hyun shrugged and looked towards the now-standing Ashi. "I'd recommend one last drink to be on the safe side too. Alcohol absorbs a shitload of fuckin' pain."

“Well, Fikri knows quite a bit jes' from watchin' me. Ah wonder if ah can train the lad t' 'elp out,” Rosalind said simply. The idea of having a second pilot was tantalizing. She'd get rest and paid. Shit, they could even hire a third pilot and allow for actual days of rest. Soon, her eyes followed Riola's and she gave a low whistle. “Looks like she's gonna experience some shit. Ah think et's not our business...they know where the ship is t'find us, right?” The sleep-deprived side of her was showing through. Thoughts of sleep permeated through her body, and she was starting to get tunnel-vision.

Sleep Mode: Engaged.

Magali took the glass, color rising to her cheeks, “Thank you but...shouldn't you be getting water in your system too?” She was still attuned to slavery, memories of a beaten and bloodied Nokra returning all too fresh in her mind. She'd always worried for him then. Her job wasn't fun, but Nokra's was simply dangerous. He risked death every time he was forced to fight. “But she hasn't done anything like that to us. She never hurt me...” Her ears drooped as she saw the terrified blue-haired woman shrink against the bar. “I hope she makes it...”

Fikri took Nokra's threat and dropped it, only to roll his eyes and turning to see the shit that Ashi was in. At this point, she would have been better off in Tysix, Daowei, or literally anywhere but here. “So...we have a choice. Get to the ship and rest, I can show you to your rooms...or we sit through what will probably end up as a murder and whatever after effects that might entail. Which do you choose?”

Mendez placed his hands over one of her pairs and sighed content. This was probably the closest they'd come to a cuddle since they'd met; he was going to enjoy it. “Yeah, Atrix. Kitty boy makes a good point. Which do you wanna do, amiga?”

The second the electrical prod hit Shaldag, Ashi cried out, jumping up from her stool immediately, then thinking better of getting between the rod and him. The chances of Hyun being even more upset would heighten exponentially, and that was something Ashi was not willing to test. Instead, she gasped and winced again as it once again went into her friend. She assumed that that was the same punishment that awaited her.

Ashi gulped, slamming the rest of the drink and motioning for another. A shaking hand spilled the top of the drink on the floor, but soon, that drink was gone too. She attempted a smile but the result was little more one corner of her lips rising every so slightly.

"Explosives training and learning to pilot? Gato is gonna be one helluva force to reckon with when we et him all set up properly." Riola snickered, watching the two male Felis go at it for a moment before shaking his head, then turning towards what Riola could only imagine as an incoming baseball bat orgy heading towards Ashi. The poor Daoweian girl. Even Riola was starting to feel a bit on the sad side, but Rosalind's own confirmation of staying neutral was sounding like the best option at the moment. "Siiiiii. I'm not quite comfortable getting in that." Riola said, yawning and finally coaxing Rosalind outwards towards the door. Sleep was paramount at this rate.

"I can get some water soon enough Magali. The important one is you, not me." Nokra flashed a smile, and wished that he had kept that bit of water for himself. His throat was parched, and he could feel the dizziness of dehydration sinking in. He had been deprived a bit of water and food to make him appear a little more gaunt and agile. But even in his state of being, Mags came first. It was what kept him alive fight after fight. The sheer thought of her having to deal with the outside world alone. "A lot of people didn't hurt you in the beginning. But then they do in the long run. She'd do the same to us." Nokra replied, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself of the fact. At Fikri, Nokra just shrugged. "No preference. Was gonna assume you wanted to go back to your ship. You're not the fighting type. You have thin-ass arms and you looked like you'd shit your pants if I actually went through with a threat."

Atrix turned towards the gangers circling Ashi and Hyun like. Vultures and frowned: a set of hands squeezing Mendez's own gently. "Go to the ship Mendez. I'm gonna stay here to see if they need someone else. At least to carry injured. I owe them that much I suppose." Atrix mused with a small bit of ennui flowing out of her mouth.

With Shaldag regaining his composure, the Ogrunu watched Ashi take a drink and then grunted and leered at Hyun with a venom that put Hyun a bit on the wary side. She had never seen him this ticked at her before, and the magenta colored woman cocked her head to the side. "Got a problem, big boy? Beat her in or we do it." She said, before, the Ogrunu lashed out with a hand to rip the rod out of her hands and bend it i to a knot.

"Shut up. You. Ashi. Front and center." Shaldag boomed, one of the chemical vials pumping and injecting fluid into his neck. If he was going to do this, he knew he would have to do it properly. And combat drugs were something he couldn't fake at the very least. "Hit me again with a prod, and your next prospect for the gang gets smeared along your office walls, Hyun."

Hyun laughed and swished her head tendrils. Before clicking her tongue. "Not killing a prospect, you're killing my girlfriend if you beat Ashi to death. Then I gotta make sure I stab someone you love."

Shaldag rolled his eyes at Hyun. "At least Ashi beats your last lover."

“Eh. The lad needs t'keep busy,” Rosalind demurred. “If ah know 'im, an' trust me ah do, 'e needs to.” It occurred to Rosalind just then that she and Riola were going to be the primary caregivers to the mourning felis. He'd been her best friend and he needed her now, but he was doing exactly what he needed—to be kept busy. The other two felis were doing an excellent job at just that, at least, until they got to the ship. Then they'd probably be getting settled in their new rooms, once again leaving Fikri to his own devices. There was no telling what he'd do when alone. As they were making their retreat, Rosalind couldn't help but feel a little guilty leaving Ashi there to struggle alone. But then, the princess didn't really have much bearing on her life. She was one of the drifters, one of many customers. What happened after transport was none of her business.

“And so can I,” Magali said, handing the glass back to him without her ever having sipped from it. She'd drank plenty, and there would be more on the ship. There would be food too, and...dare she dream it?...freedom. Sweet, sweet freedom. Unless that was just a part of some drug induced fantasy, she could have sworn she heard their new felis friend, and Nokra too, say that they were now free. She felt like she was riding in a cloud. To what Nokra was saying, she could do little but look down and nod. It was true that everyone had let her down in the end. Everyone but Nokra. But, she couldn't help but wonder when the exception would come along.

Fikri glared daggers at Nokra, “No. I'm not the fighting type, but not because I'm weak. It's because I'm smart enough to get out when I see I need to get out. I'm going with them, you can come or you can stay. I don't give a shit anymore.” Fikri rolled his eyes and turned to follow Rosalind and Riola.

Magali's ears drooped and she looked at Nokra imploringly, “I think we should go with them...”

Mendez furrowed his brow, disappointed that she wouldn't be joining them on the ship, but hesitantly, he smiled, “Alright, amiga. I'll see you when uh.. they're done. Let me know what happens to the princess, si? I can't help but feel a bit bad for her.” He cringed hearing Shaldag's voice calling out for the princess. “I'll uh... see you on the ship,” he muttered scooching over to the two felis. “C'mon then, we'll figure out living situations when we get there.”

With that, the group made their way to Rosalind's brand spanking new ship.
–

Ashi cringed and half stumbled out to the center. She could feel all the eyes of the club on her and the music faded completely in the background. This was the main event, after all. The crowd had cleared for the beat in and with Shaldag's threat, Ashi shrunk back, once again confused as to the man's feelings for her. Girlfriend? So we are official then? Her eyes widened and she grinned with the realization before she remembered she was about to get beat in, and with Shaldag's anger, she wasn't sure she'd make it out alive. Someone you love? Who else does he love besides Hyun? Toka? But she couldn't really be stabbed, could she? Wait a minute...last lover?

Her mind was doing a bang up job of distracting her, the din of the crowd pulling her back. She was trembling, a visible cue indicitative of her preemptive fear. Despite all this, she mustered a smile. She was getting beat in, yes, but she was getting beat in as Hyun's girlfriend. She had a girlfriend! She almost couldn't believe it.

"I'm sure we can get other people to keep him busy as well. I mean, I am sure we can convince Aranea and Mendez to keep an eye on him as well." Riola offered, the same feeling Rosalind got about taking.p care of him sinking into his mind. Not that Riola had any objections. That bullet that stripped away the life of his lover was meant for the Edensian after all. And it still plagued him each time he brought it up in his head. Casting one last look over towards the gangers who enveloped Ashi, Riola let out a deep whistle and frowned. Poor chica.

"Listen, I'm fine. I can get more water if I need to. Just keep drinking up." Nokra retorted, pushing the glass back into Magali's hand. He narrowed his eyes at her for a moment, before sighing and dropping his ears at her. "Just drink up for me, please? You drink half, and I'll drink the other half if you're so worried." The male Felis said, trying to appease the female into drinking just a little bit more. Watching Fikri storm out like a petulant little kitten, Nokra rolled his eyes and looked down towards a clench fist, before Magali's voice caught his attention, Nokra frowning and nodding a few times. "Sure. That other Felis tries anything I'm gonna pay the Terskix to rip him apart and make soup out of him."

"You couldn't afford me, little kitten. I'd have to take your friend as payment." Atrix chimed offhandedly with a shrug of her shoulder, prompting Nokra to glower at her, and the Terskix to snicker and crack her lower hands. It was too easy to spur him into anger. What a liability if they did came along. Towards Mendez, Atrix turned to face him and gave him a small, gentle squeeze and leaning in to give him a quick goodbye kiss (Nokra: "fucking gross.") "I'll keep you updated, Mendez. I assume we're dragging her back if she's alive. Or not. Doubt Hyun keeps bodies. I could turn it in for a profit." Pragmatism was the name of the game it seemed.

Once the gang was starting to head out, Nokra looked at Mendez, and then Magali, before shadowing the half-edensian. "Not meant to sound like am asshole, man, but I didn't expect to see a Terskix groping on someone that didn't have four arms...Its kinda odd."

---

Hyun seemed to have cut the pleasantries the moment initiation came into focus. The Chuzizian's glare was emotionless and ice-cold, and it even put Shaldag into a bit of unease. Shaldag hated to admit it. But when Hyun got like this, it even worried him. On her own she had a habit of being violent and criminal. Here, in her gang of people who spurred her on? It sometimes had a habit of taking her penchant for violence into new heights. "Assuming its the normal routine? One minute, she gets to cover to vitals?" Shaldag asked, breathing a bit heavier as chemicals began to flow through his veins.

Hyun looked towards Ashi as she slugged down her last drink, and then towards her rabid cult of gangers, the looks of bloodlust on their face all too apparent to behold. The Chuzizian yawned and itched a spot on her chest and nodded. "Starts when the first punch lands. I see you or think you're holding back, and everyone else gets to get involved as well." She said, quirking a brow at the smile on Ashi's face. Crazy bitch is probably a masochist, the way she is grinning.

Shaldag returned with a grunt of his own and muscled his way up to Ashi, cracking his neck and leering at her with sunken, angry eyes. "Protect your organs. And your head. Tell me when you're good to go." A small pause.

"Don't die either. Shit is boring without another noble to talk to"

“Ye think Atrix'd be up for that? I know she and Fiks 'ave 'ad their problems...Mendez might. Ah'm not so sure on Atrix. Ah'll talk to 'er once she gets t'the ship,” Rosalind mused. Of course, this was all assuming she wasn't going to be dead to the world by the time she came back. She heard that she was going to stick around for Ashi's initiation. Under other circumstances, Rosalind herself might have considered staying, but the way she saw it, she probably wouldn't want her friends sticking around with the sole purpose of watching her get beat up. If needed, she'd help with the aftermath.

Magali scowled at Nokra's stubbornness but put down half the water anyway. It really was helping, but the influx of liquids made the poor girl have to pee. “I think...I think we should get to the ship sooner rather than later,” she said, glancing at pilot and her lover disappearing through the door. She didn't know the way, and she highly suspected that Nokra also didn't, so following them was their best bet. That, and if she could help never stepping foot in the club again, she wouldn't. “What would he try?” she asked, tilting her head, slightly confused. He seemed nice enough, and, if it wasn't for him, freedom would just be a distant dream of hers. Now, she could actually experience it. She squeaked when Atrix mentioned taking her as payment, but thought about those lovely head scratches. If having the spider lady as a master consisted of that every day, she'd take it with joy.

Mendez nodded and grinned. Nokra was a firecracker, and he wasn't entirely sure how well that would mesh with both Hyun and Atrix around. They didn't take well to snarkiness and the male felis seemed as though he were made of it. Perhaps it had something to do with his function as a slave. He hadn't been forced to beds as the other two had been. He was a fighter through and through. Technically, he probably shouldn't even be alive right now. He stood on his tiptoes to return the kiss and beamed up at her, “Most likely. Let's...just hope it doesn't come to that, si?”

He turned to acknowledge the male felis now, “Well, from what I've seen of your kind, they rarely sleep with others with cat ears. Different strokes, si? I guess you could say our relationship isn't normal...but that's alright. I enjoy her presence, and she seems to enjoy mine. It works, yeah? Let's get to the ship before they leave us.”

With that, the group did all eventually make it to the ship. The ship was significantly larger than her last one. None of them would have to share rooms if they didn't want to. Of course, Rosalind claimed the room closest to the cockpit, as would make sense for the pilot and owner of the ship. Fikri slunk into one of the rooms closest to the kitchen, shut the door, and began unpacking. Among his artifacts were a few changes of clothes, hygiene supplies, mountains of notebooks, some canvases, art supplies. He could still feel the small pyramid in his pocket, and now being alone, he took it out, twisted the top and closed his eyes.
–

Ashi's smile disipated as she looked up at her girlfriend's ice-cold glare and she gulped looking for a face among the crowd that might be the least bit sympathetic. There were none. In all of this, she was alone. But then, she always had been, hadn't she? She took a deep shaky breath, straightening her posture. If she was going to go down, she wasn't going to go down like a coward. She was going to face this head on.

She nodded in understanding with Shaldag, taking one last look at the faces that wanted to see nothing more than a bleeding, broken princess and clenched her jaw, resolute. “I'm ready.”

It wasn't the first time that Nokra had ever been on a ship before. It was the fact he wasn't locked in a crate with Magali that made him stare and glance around the ship jn wonder, the Felis looking around for a moment and frowning. There were rooms, but was he allowed to have one for the trip? Did he have to share one with anyone here? If that was the case he would take literally anybody else than Fikri, the little pot of moaning and pissing. What even was the dude's damage? Regardless the Felis shuffled his hair and looked towards Magali for a moment, and then pursing his lips. "I guess you find a room you like for yourself? I'm open to sharing one but we don't have to anymore. Seeing as how we're free and all now." Nokra said, half-hoping they weren't just being led on.

Riola was right behind Rosalind when she chose a room, the Edensian letting out a small whistle and running his hands through his hair, wincing then fingers tickled a large lump on his head from Shaldag giving him a concussion. "Shit, hermana. This is definitely a step up from the other ship, si?" He said, before letting out a yawn and slumping to the ground and shutting his eyes. At least he could rest now. Still, something pinged in his chest, and despite how tired he was, he couldn't close his eyes. "...You ever get bad feelings in your gut, Rosalind? Mine has been in knots since we arrived."

--

The crowd cheered and whooped when Ashi said she was ready, Shaldag looking towards the woman and chuckling softly to himself. She looked less like a frightened girl this time. The moment she sorted her emotions and approached him with a bit more regality made Shaldag swell up a moment with pride, before he offered Hyun one last look. "You can always have someone else do it, considering my track record." He offered clenching a fist and taking a breath, before Hyun-chu shook her head and adjusted her belt, the resting bitch face along her features resolute and unmoving. "Just fucking beat her in, Shaldag. I'm busy and I don't have all fuckin' night."

Shaldag nodded and once he felt ready himself, raised his fist and finally swung; metal fist careening towards Ashi like an anvil and aimed right for her torso. The Ogrunu seemed focused, like he was choosing points where his fists would do the least bit of damage, and he could probably get away with hitting the princess in the head if he could help it. If anything he could just press a booted foot down on it instead of just doing what he did to the Edensian. An not one of the gangers seemed to notice the other minor details he did to try and stifle his blows for the princess...

..Save for the spider looking behind and watching like the predatory being she was. Atrix smiled to herself and crossed her upper arms, the lower ones fidgeting with the various weapons strapped to her hips, and double checking for any idle hands trying to pilfer something from her person. Shaldag's footing was reversed. He wasn't stepping into his punches. The Terskix could have made a list of the minor quirks that were showing he wasn't giving his all. She could have brought it up to Hyun, who stopped to look towards the spider, and then back towards the initiation.

Atrix kept her mouth shut. A bounty that was alive was better than a corpse. If she did decide on turning Ashi in.

The Terskix didn't know anymore.

The second they were in the ship, Fikri was in his room. The others, following him, would have been able to see the tip of his tail disappearing through the crack before the door clicked shut. Mendez looked around the ship and gave a low whistle. “Oh Rosie, you really got yourself a good catch,” he muttered under his breath, not really to the pyra who was already entering her own room with Riola. He sighed, the poor pilot was probably exhausted, it was no wonder she disappeared right away, but Fikri too? The lad really wasn't acting like himself at all since Vail died. He was more himself around others, it wasn't normal for him to be secluding himself.

He turned to Nokra and grinned, “Just pick one. Atrix and I will be sharing, most likely, so there's plenty of space. You two don't have to share either. This place is a lot more spacious than the last one.” Magali beamed. She'd never had a room before. There was never a space that Magali could call her own, and now one was just handed to her without her having so much as to say 'please.'

“Thank you! You're uh... Mendez, right? I'm sorry...I'm starting to come down and uh, a lot of my memories are hazy,” Magali said, voice soft and timid.

Mendez gave her a smile, his own small attempt to let her know that it was okay, that she could speak freely here, “Yeah. Jorge Mendez, but everyone calls me Mendez. Anyway, you two can share a room if you want, but if you don't have that kind of relationship, you can always have separate too.” He sighed, turning to Nokra, “Hey amigo, I'm sorry if Fikri has been on your ass. He's...he's been having a shitty time recently. He's not himself. Just...just give him time, si? He's really likeable when he's not...this...” He shook his head. “Listen, I'm gonna make food, so why don't you two pick out rooms and come to the kitchen when you're done? I'm gonna make some traditional Edensian. Pretty good shit, but I get it if you need to rest.”

Magali looked to Nokra after Mendez departed and bit her lip as if to stave off some of her excitement, “So do you want to share a room or be neighbors?!”

Rosalind plopped down on her bed, looking up at Riola just grateful for his presence. “Ah'd say it's defint'ly a step up,” her green eyes looked at the master bedroom that she and Riola would be sharing next to the cockpit. “Ah've...ah've felt it,” she murmured, but, the gnawing in her gut came second to the clouded haziness that accompanied her exhaustion. She was simply too tired to worry, regardless of whether she thought it was a good idea or not. “Ah 'ope we're wrong. Ah can't do shit when ah'm like this. Ah jes' need...sleep. If only for a little while.”

–

The crowd's reaction was tantalizing, even if they were cheering for her blood. The corners of her lips upturned slightly, but she kept her eyes on Shaldag. She straightened herself, arms lifted only slightly as if to determine where his fist was going to land first. She moved her arms in front of herself just in time to hear the sickening crack of one of the bones in her forearm cracking or breaking. She didn't care, she didn't look. She cried out for a moment, stumbling back.

Others in the crowd could see that her arm was now completely broken, it bending it ways that it should not have been. Ashi didn't look. She couldn't, lest she passed out. She sucked in through her teeth, making sure to keep her eyes on Shaldag as he moved. His fists kept coming, and each time he made a connection. Until finally, she was on the ground, red leaking from various parts of her body. Her body flashed in and out of visibility as new waves of pain crashed over it. Despite this, she grinned. The worst was almost over and she was still alive. “Y-you...you p-punch like a...like a..b-bitch.”

It took Nokra a few moments to truly realize he had no masters, the Felis waiting for instructions or orders, only to receive none. It was a weird feeling. A lack of structure that made the Felis frown for a moment, before he itched his head and watched the others turn tail and head into their prospective rooms. The two redheads went off towards the room near the cockpit; Nokra snorting and assuming (correctly) the two were in some form of relationship. Fikri of course was moping about and locked himself away, much to Nokra’s lack of surprise, and when he started thinking on rooms, the third redhead began to speak to him – Nokra cocking his head in the man’s direction and shrugging.

“I mean, it’s a lot for me to take in. I kinda have a choice now, and it’s weird. I don’t know what room I wanna take, or which ones I can steal without offending anyone. Assumed you and the Spider would be sharing a room, you’re really close.” Nokra said with a dull tone to his voice, his eyes peeking over towards Magali, and watching both her and Mendez as they talked. Once Mendez addressed him about Fikri, Nokra snorted and rolled his eyes. “We’ve all gone through some horrible shit. I understand it sucks, but he doesn’t have to mope around over it.” Nokra bit his tongue for a second, venom overtaking and consuming it, but he managed to keep himself lidded better than before. “He’s gotta learn to persevere. That’s how I lived. That’s how we both lived.” Nokra added, pointing fingers between himself and Magalli.

“As for sleeping, uh, Mags. I don’t mind if you want your own space. I’m gonna take up a room near the back. You’re welcomed to join me, or not. I dunno.” Nokra said, ears wilting a bit, and the Felis kicking at the ground before her forced a small grin along his features. Now that the drugs were wearing off, she was starting to return to her normal…Cute? Definitely cute, self. “Just remember, Mags. We’re free now. You can tell people ‘No’ and shit.”

Riola sighed and rubbed his face, then ran hands through his already tussled and messy hair. He didn’t have the urge or the effort to really try and make himself look a bit tidier. Sleepiness was consuming him, and sure enough the Edensian was forcing himself over towards the bed, and used the last bit of reserve energy to flomp right onto the mattress; the Edensian curling up and resting heavy lids. “We’ll…Be fine. Just need a bit of sleep, hermana. Do me a favor, si? Make sure I…Just…Wake up next to you.” He muttered, before his breathing slowed and soft, gentle snores escaped his body.

--

The crowd roared with delight with Ashi’s taunts, Shaldag himself chuckling among each wave of punches he threw at her. Granted, he was being a little bit on the gentle side, but he assumed that’s what Hyun wanted. Killing her prized little girlfriend, even by accident, was probably grounds for the two having a nuclear-level falling out. Something Shaldag or Hyun could have wanted to deal with. “Well, if you want me to step my assault up, Ashi…” Shaldag replied nonchalantly – A slurry of chemicals from another tube emptying into his veins, and making what little of his flesh remained bulge and swell.

“Ten seconds left, Shaldag. You gonna sock, you might make this one your best shot.” Hyun-chu said, glancing for a brief moment towards her watch, then towards Ashi’s beatdown; a few of the other gangers crowding around her and placing bets in alien tongues with the magenta-colored woman; Hyun snorting and snarling back in Chuzizian, only to make the couple talking towards her bellow in laughter, and then point at the princess. Whatever conversation they were having? It seemed more or less like the group was just mocking the princess while she was bleeding and battered.

With the last bit of time left on the clock, Shaldag decided that his final punch was gonna be at least one she was gonna remember. A flood of adrenaline, and other chemicals flowed through his veins, and hefting and readying his fist one last time, aimed this one with the actual intent of hurting Ashi. Not that he wished to really do lasting harm, but pride had gotten in the way for his last stretch. It was all muscle and pour anger guiding his hand, though Shaldag made sure not to aim it somewhere -too- vital. A kneecap would cause just as much pain as his anvil of clenched hand colliding into her stomach.

Atrix winced as Shaldag wound up that punch, and snuck in to tap Hyun on the shoulder, the Chuzizian looking behind her and raising bit of browflesh as she noticed the Terskix. “Holy shit, Atrix. You could have told me you were still around. Figured you were off binding up your sperm donor in silk, and hanging him from the ceiling. The fuck you want?”

Atrix shrugged a shoulder. “The relationship isn’t serious enough for him to dangle from a ceiling when I need him. The debate on whether to keep him for a brood or two, or eat him is still being weighed. I wanted to watch Ashi get beaten in.” The Terskix said, clicking her mandibles a few times. The lack of infighting and bloodshed that was common for her people? It was taking its toll on Atrix. The Edensians. The Pyra. All of the Felis. They had a habit of talking things out, and it left a sour taste in Atrix’s mouth sometimes. Just once she’d like to see them settle things like this on the ship.

Humanoid customs were dull sometimes. It was something Atrix still had trouble dealing with….

Magali inhaled deep through her nose, taking it this new olfactory scent of freedom. It smelled like one of the cleaner of the ships she'd been rented off to, but in this one she would never have to spread her legs for another unless she chose to. She watched the pilot and the other nice redhead disappear into their own rooms with a small smile. They were a cute couple, really, and one she was thankful for. The way she saw it, Fikri had saved them, and Rosalind provided the means for him to do it. She, like Fikri, was a hero. The latter of which disappeared as soon as they entered the ship. Her ears drooped again as she wondered at his story.

“Honestly, amigo? Our crew isn't that big, and this is a new ship. There's enough space for everyone to have their own rooms, but a few of us are coupling up, so there's even more room. It's a new ship, so few have claimed their rooms. Far as I can tell, any of these are ripe for the taking. You won't offend anyone,” Mendez shrugged, exuding the usual air of simply rolling with the punches and leaned against the wall. He wasn't going to retreat to his own room until the guests have been taken care of and settled. “Yes, we have, but his wound is fresh. Let him mourn in peace. I'll probably check up on the gato later, but for now I assume he just wants to be alone. I know we've all seen some shit. I wake up every day just thankful for the fact that I haven't been devoured yet. Trust me, I get it. But everyone has their own story, their own experiences, si? And everyone handles those experiences differently. Nokra, lemme ask you something, you ever been in love? I mean...really, really in love? Well, Fikri has. And that love is dead.” He shuddered, remembering the sight of the woman bleeding purple. There was still some purple in the old ship that just...wouldn't come up.

“Well, uh. Anyway, that being said, I'm not leaving the two of you to flounder just yet, however, I'll be in the kitchen and I'll make enough for three. Just pop in whenever you're hungry, si?” With that, Mendez did make his way over to the kitchen, leaving the two felis to decide where they wanted to stay. To him, it wasn't that much of a big deal. Aside from the big room that Riola and Rosalind rightfully claimed, the rest of the rooms were uniform. It wouldn't matter at all which they chose. To Magali though, this decision was huge. She had the opportunity for her own room, a thought terrifying in and of itself. Of all of those terrible nights being a slave, she knew she could always come home to Nokra. He'd always been there. There wasn't a night that she had spent alone since she was kitten.

“If-if-if you don't mind...could we...could we share?” she squeaked, looking up at Nokra through the tops of sheepish eyes. “I've...I've never slept on my own before...”

Rosalind offered her partner a sleepy smile. The man looked as ragged as she felt, and she was glad that the day was now finally winding to a close. She'd spent three cycles awake, and through all of it troubles threatened, or did, come. Now, she was just going to pray nothing knew they were on Hazoo, and if they did, not knowing about her brand new ship. She clambered into bed beside the Edensian and stroked his cheek just before planting a kiss in that spot, “Ah'll be 'ere when ye wake, love.”
–

Now alone, Fikri looked at his bags on the floors and sighed. It seemed he would be carrying baggage from here on out, the baggage of the one surviving lover being the heaviest to carry around. A sour metallic taste lingered on his tongue as he bit back tears. This would be the room that he'd be able to share with Vail had she still been with them. He could imagine her sitting on his bed in meditation, silently, as he himself worked noiselessly on a painting or sketch. One of the canvases that sat propped up in the corner was done in that exact same scenario, and it was one that Fikri hoped never to forget. She was so beautiful, peaceful, wise. Far from perfect, she'd learned from her mistakes. He only hoped he could do the same.

He sat back against the door, fumbling for the pyramid. Almost dropping it once, he corrected himself and twisted the top. He leaned back letting the feeling of love wash over him. It was warm, enveloping, and all he could see as he closed his eyes was Vail's face, smiling back at him. He could almost reach out and touch those smooth cheeks. This was where he could meet her again, if only in his dreams.

The bags could wait.
–

Ashi was, at this point, a bloodied mess. Her arms no longer did any measure for protection, at least one of them mangled beyond any movement. She'd taken hits to almost every part of her body and she could see the lights of the club swirling about behind her cloudy vision. Perhaps her taunt was ill-placed, but the crowd certainly seemed to enjoy it. She couldn't find it in her to answer Shaldag's question, any words she would have tried to muster came out in a strangled choke.

The crowd turned into an amorphous mass surrounding her, alien tongues and Galactic Common coming together in a blur of unintelligible noise. If they were taking bets on her survival, she no longer cared. Tenn seconds left, Shaldag. You gonna sock, you might make this one your best shot, were the only words Ashi could make out. The end was near, but the worst was coming.

When his fist made connection with her kneecap, she instantly sat up screaming, tears running down her face. Pain coursed through her entire body as her eyes snapped open with sudden clarity. Her leg was now as useless as her arm, and any other wounds that she'd received now faded into the background. Please let it be over, please, please, please...

Nokra flinched for a moment when it came to the point Mendez had tried to make to the Felis. Fikri had lost a lover, and not some sorta random fling. Someone more akin towards a soulmate. It was something that made him instantly look over towards Magali while she looked around and came to from her daze. The thought of her being dead or dying made his blood boil and his hair on her ears stood on end while his tail twitched back and forth. "You take the risk of getting eaten though. Thats...Love I guess. But it's still no excuse for Fikri. He should be happy she's at least at rest, and not enduring shit like we've dealt with." He said, lashing a bit of his anger out. Sure, the felis he loved, Mags, was alive. But to spend almost every night standing guard...Watching...Having to smile and be pleasant to the men and women who used Magali?

He would have rather have been blind.

"Whatever though. I can't bring him out of his misery. And I'm pretty sure he wants to fucking hit me." A small pause. "I'll be easier on him, fine. I'll break his neck if he tried anything funny with Mags anywho." He said as Mendez retreated off towards the kitchen, Nokra craning his head towards Magali as she squeaked out her question. "You know I'd never say no, Mags. Bunk mates and such for life, right?" He said, trying to force an ounce of chipperness in his voice. "We can share a bed too, or if you want your own, I can bunk on the floor. It's what you want now, Mags. Promise." The girl had a chance now. Something he was left without. Her manners and her training? At the very least she could own and build something beautiful. Nokra? He was a gladiator. The only thing he was thought was to ruin everything...

"Hey, Mags. I know we're free and all. But I wanna ask. You still wanna..uh, like..Be friends and such?" He asked, the Felis rubbing his neck. "Just scared of losing the only constant now in my life considering we can. Do whatever, I guess."

----

"Holy shit, the bitch did it!"

The crowd whooped and cheered and they moved over to help Ashi and try their best to tend to any sort of cuts and wounds, only for Shaldag to shove a few away, and pull one of the intravenous lines from his own neck, and plunge it into Ashi's arm. If there was something invented to stem the flow of pain for someone as diminutive as Ashi, it was painkillers that put an Ogrunu at ease. The large, behemoth of a man soon scooped her up in arms that had brought about beating she endured, and Shaldag raised a brow. "Welcome to the gang, Ashi. Guess I'm soft in my old age. You're still alive." He teased.

Hyun and Atrix were soon looming over her; Hyun's deathglare morphed into a sign of relief and tired worry. "Holy shit, Ashi. Thought you were fuckin' gone when he did that last one. Was worried I'd have to feed you to the eight-armed cunt next to me." Atrix shot a side glare at Hyun, before tapping and rubbing Ashi's temples with her upper limbs. "Well, if you die you're already tenderized, I suppose."

Mendez smirked, shaking his head as he disappeared into the kitchen. Fikri wouldn't do a damn thing Magali, and he doubted that he'd even try to hurt Nokra. After all, he'd acted rather...out of character when freeing the two. Generally, he was one to shrink to the sidelines, acting only when prompted. But, he'd freed two slaves. He had to hand it to the guy, it took guts. Guts that Mendez wasn't sure he had until he remembered who he was courting. The thought in and of itself caused a sense of nervousness.

He let the debate rage on in his head as he opened cupboards trying to figure out just where everything was, grunting with satisfaction when he came across ingredients that Fikri no doubt had grabbed before going to the club. Amazingly, he had everything he needed to make one his favorite meals that his mother used to make him, but now he'd be making it for three rather than just himself.
–

Magali shook her head, “You're not a slave anymore, right? We both are free? Neither of us will sleep on the floor. I won't...I won't accept that. If-if we can share the bed, I think I would like that. At least, until we get used to being free.” Now she was looking up at him, a small but hopeful smile on her face. The pair could hear Mendez doing whatever he was doing in the kitchen, but save for that, there was silence. It was the stillest Magali could remember her surroundings being since her first owner. After that, it was the club life. If she wasn't stationed with her pricetag prominently displayed in front of her amidst the sweat and noise of the club, she was being led towards one of the private rooms where there was often some other music designed to mask any groans from neighboring rooms. It was...peaceful.

Now, however, the felis' brow furrowed and her ears wilted. As if not being friends had ever crossed her mind. “Nokra, if I can help it, I don't ever want to be away from you. You've been there for me from the beginning. You've been...you've been my...my everything through all of this. I'm here because of you. It was looking forward to seeing you that got me through Master's most difficult clients...” She bowed her head and sniffled, hurt by the fact that he would think she would even consider abandoning him. Her eyes were still on the ground when she said, “I don't want to do whatever unless it's with you..”
–

Ashi gasped as the liquid gushed into her veins, sending instant relief across her body. The waves of pain ceased immediately, her shattered kneecap and broken arm fading into the background and all she could see was the face of the man that had beaten her to a bloody pulp—and also ensured her survival in the gang. She managed a smile, “Thank you, Shaldag. For...for everything.” The pain was gone, but she could feel the warmth from the bit of flesh that was left on the man, and the cold of his metal arms swaddling her like an infant. She tried to stay focused on his face to keep from looking down at her own broken body. If there was anything she didn't want, it was for the members of her new gang to see her crying.

She blinked up keeping the smile on her face when she saw her girlfriend. Despite the fact that it was her, technically, that ordered this kind of beat down, the word still held its due. She was no longer single. Further, she was taken by a woman of her choosing. “I'd rather not be eaten...if...if that's okay with you,” Ashi murmured, closing her eyes for a bit longer than a standard blink and sighing, letting the Terskix rub her temples. If she was being honest, it felt nice, though she would have preferred those hands to be Hyun's. She didn't bother trying to move though, which was good as she probably wouldn't be able to much if she did.

“Do I...Do I even want to know how bad the damage is?”

"Not a slave, but there's no harm in sleeping on the floor. I'm accustomed to it." Nokra replied with a shrug of his shoulders. The sudden burst of reality hit him. They were free, but now came the burden of having to pay for things. Glancing around the silent, dead ship all he saw was the sudden financial burden. Were they gonna have to pay the redheaded pilot? Did they have to pay for food? How were they gonna get money? All those worries faded for a moment when he saw Magali's wilted demeanor and sudden brow-furrowing. She didn't look happy. " No no, I know what you mean. I just...I dunno. I worried that us hanging together was just convenience. It's weird being free. With you. I didn't think it would ever happen. I don't know what exactly to say to stay together or anything, haha. " Nokra stammered, before moving over to her and pulling her into a hug. "If you wanna stay together...I'll stay. After all, Mags. Can't have you running around with people who'd wanna snatch you up again. Especially now that you and me are free.

"Look, let's go pick ourselves a good room then. Lets nab a room with a big window, do we can look out at all the space we can explore when we want now." Nokra offered, beaming at her and wriggling an errant an ear to try and make her snicker. "Who knows, we can be neighbors with the spider who was petting you and her boyfriend or something." The thought of being neighbors with Atrix and Mendez made him sour up inside. The last thing he needed to hear was the duo going at it. Or the day he'd walk into Atrix nibbling on Fillet of Mendez.

---

With the crowd starting to disperse a little after the rounds of celebration, Hyun moved over towards Ashi and took over Atrix's rubbing, the Chuzizian making sure her little Daoweian girl was getting the attention she so deserved, and leaned in to flash Ashi. Spot of cleavage while she planted a smooch on the girl's head. "Trust me. You talked shit and Shaldag made sure to leave a lasting impression on your body. You're not gonna be walking or fuckin' yourself with your arm anytime soon." Taking hold of the broken arm, Hyun dangled it a little to show Ashi, Atrix shaking her head and fighting back a bit of snorting and snickering.

Shaldag took a deep, slow breath and hefted the girl gently in his arms. "Don't thank me. This was the easy part. Once we get you inked and people know you're a ganger? Shit is gonna be rough. You're gonna get looks now. And maybe a few rivals might jump you. Gonna have to watch your back a little better." It was blunt honestly that he wanted the girl to understand before she even took a step outside. You could hide royalty. You couldn't hide the fact you were essentially Hyun's goon anymore. I also broke your leg with that last punch. Don't call me a bitch."

Atrix offered to take the girl, Shaldag declining. "Rosa and everyone else bunkered in the ship for tonight. I am more inclined to stay here for now. A break from other humanoids is a nice change." She said, glancing over to the tiny conclave of other Terskixians in one of the darker lit tables. Hyun shrugged at the spider. "Find a room here and take it. Don't eat my boys and we're good too. I can send one of the Falsheen girls in there if you're hungry. They piss me off."

"Deal."

-----3 hours from Hazoo-----

Viora looked towards the being clad in a blackened suit as it drifted dormant in the vat of chemicals in a medtube. It had taken so long. And days of nonstop work and. Unscrupulous Edensian medical science. But another weapon was formed and ready for prototype field testing. Viora sighed and finished a dataslate of paperwork she designated for herself, before shipping it off with the Daoweians. She was alone once more, left with a sudden, splitting headache that she could only assume came from her new project.

"Calm down. The pain will subside. We have come to an arrangement. You make my problems disappear, the slaving implants get removed." Viora spoke, looking towards the tube, only for the reply to be a streak of white hot pain that nearly made the blue-haired Edensian fall out of her chair. There were no words that filled her head, as the Onovoze she had brought back was want to do for communication. Something had taken hold of whatever grasp of sanity she had left when Viora restored her.

Whatever bit of good left in the woman known as Vail, was left to rot away when Viora brought her back. The only emotions that escaped that tube were rage and a malevolent streak that made even the Edensian question just how much of a liability she would be if she decided on going through with all the anger Nu-Vail exuded.

"We're going to be arriving soon. People will expect you to let you examine them before you can finalize our deal with a bit of field testing." Came Viora's next statement, the Edensian quirking her brow with no response. "...The renegades you followed might be there."

That was the trigger that caused the entirety of the ship to quake for a few seconds, and the medtube to crack and shatter, leaving the black-clad girl on her knees and wheezing through a mask. Viora looked down towards the creeping medical fluid, and crossed a leg over the other, so only one of her boots would be soaked. "Restore the lab, Vail. We both will be punished for breaking equipment..."

Nu-Vail let out a small, high-pitched howl before the glass sizzled and reformed back on the medtube; purple eking out from two slits where eyes should have been in her mask as she did so.

"...Good girl."

Magali didn’t know what to expect with freedom. She’d lived with her master as a kitten until she was sold to the club and was almost always provided for, provided she did the work to deserve it. It was true that her first master would force her into periods of fasting if she didn’t eat, but she knew that she would never starve. Then, with everything coming together the way they did, she just sort of hoped that everything she needed for survival would just sort of fall into place. “Well, I’m not going to stand in the way of you getting to sleep in a bed.” With her line of work, sleeping in a bed was common, though it was never with someone of her choosing. Regardless, the nights that she was rented away for the entire evening, she generally did wind up in a bed with whomever had enough qanta. Other nights she was with Nokra on the floor, a preference of hers, though she would have much rather had him next to her rather than her horny renters.
“If it’s all the same to you, Nokra, I’d uh… rather not be neighbors with them on the uh…off chance—or maybe not off chance—that she does decide to eat him,” Magali said with reigned murmur. Sexual groans were nothing foreign to her, but flesh ripping screams were sounds that she did not wish to become acquainted with. She pointed at a random door somewhere between the kitchens and Fikri’s room simply under the assumption that he wouldn’t be getting any nightly visitors.
--
“Mmm,” Ashi sighed happily as Hyun moved in to pay attention to her. It seemed strangely out of character for the woman to be doting on anything, but Ashi would take it while it was there. She knew the quick peek at Hyun’s cleavage was intentional and she bit her lip, grateful. “The crowd loved it though, didn’t they?” She offered a grin, though it had everything but her usual charm. Her teeth were red and her lip was split in several places, both eyes were black. Ashi winced as her arm was dangled before her, not that it actually hurt (she was too drugged up for that), but the sight of it and knowing that it would hurt later made her want to puke.
“When will I get inked?” This was one aspect the former princess didn’t think of. “What does it look like?” She didn’t realize that being a ganger would be so…conspicuous. But when she thought about it, it made sense. Still, if she got marked up before the video, she could only imagine her father’s reaction. His obedient darling, a ganger. The thought was tantalizing, but she’d want to wait a little bit now before filming. She was nowhere near camera ready anymore.

“Well that definitely does make sense. I guess the last thing I wanna hear is bone-munching. I’ve heard enough of that when it came to fighting in the pits.” Nokra said with a bit of nervous laughter. It was true, and Nokra had seen more than he ever could of various beasts from other worlds eating other fighters he had mingled with. More so, he made sure to promise himself that Magali never had to listen to anything like that. “And I can’t move you when it comes to you wanting something, Mags. You’re like a brick wall when it comes to having your mind set I guess.” Nokra laughed, before looking in the direction that Magali had pointed, the male Felis shrugging his shoulders and heading in the direction like…The thought made him laugh.

Like a slave.

“So uh, Mags. I gotta ask you something. Think the people here who kinda rescued us, would sorta give us work? I mean, you don’t have to do what you were forced. I’m sure they can give us something better to do.” Nokra said, quirking his head for a moment and frowning. “Well, you could get something. Not sure what they’d have for a pit-fighter to really do. I could continue doing that maybe, just I get to keep the prize money this time around, instead of winning a slice of bread and getting my cuts treated with actual medicine.” Half the time he was lucky to even have all his limbs. Small blessings, the Felis guessed.

=====

Fikri felt a small ping. A small sliver of a voice that seemed to bounce around the room like a ghost… Vail. A raging scream that seemed to grow larger and more agonized before it faded away into nothing. The small pyramid that she had given him turning and twisting until another emotion began to flow out of the device. It was like lava flowing out from a raging volcano. The sight of bombs going off across entire worlds.

Anger.

The pyramid seemed to grow more and more intense with each passing second, until finally at the moment it seemed to approach a zenith, the pyramid began to wind down once more, fading and growing inert once more…

======

Tits giving Ashi a small smile on her face, Hyun blinked a few times as she saw crimson staining her girlfriend’s mouth, and repulsed a little bit. She’ll have to hit Shaldag or taze him or something for ruining the girl’s face. That’s what she liked the most about the princess. “Yeah, the fuckin’ crowd loved it, but you’re gonna be hurting once Shaldag needs his shit back so he doesn’t turn into a whiny, pain-ridden bitch too.” Setting the broken arm down in her lap, Hyun-chu frowned for a moment, and then reached into her coat to pull out a small vial, and plopped a couple of capsules in her hand, counting them out, and then sliding them back into the vial. “I got some shit for the pain, but we need to get you to a doctor. Like, a real one. Not the asshole I hired.”

“You should kill him the moment you get a chance.” Atrix snorted outloud, prompting a raised brow from Hyun, before Shaldag interjected himself in the potential conversation. “Oxxum and Atrix are rival species. The Terskix enslaved Oxxum’s kind, they fought and got their freedom back.” He explained, Hyun nodding slowly, and then turning towards Atrix, who looked less than pleased at the explanation. “…Hyun. Send that Faleeshian girl to my room now. I’m gonna eat her simply because I’m angry now.”

“Sure thing, I guess.” Hyun snorted, before looking towards the battered Ashi. “Gonna wait until you can walk and use your arm before I set you up with ink.” She said, before grabbing one of her other gangers by the neck and pulling him over to expose his arms; purple ink formed in various swirls and odd patterns that went from the wrist up towards his shoulder. “We’ll start you with a small bit on your wrist. You can earn the rest when you do good shit, and when you prove you munch carpet decently.”

Magali shuddered with the thought of bone munching and what that could possibly sound like. It would be the sound that would get to her first, she knew that. Yes, moving into a room not neighboring the Terskix was a good idea, though to anyone but Nokra she'd never disclose this information. Best they keep their reasons for choosing this room to themselves. She'd never known a Terskix who was patient. There was no telling what would upset her. “I can only imagine what that's like,” she murmured, “But you don't have to worry about that anymore; you're free from that.” She now was beaming up at him, wondering if she'd ever tire of the warmth of freedom.

Her ears perked when he said he wanted to ask her a question, not knowing how she'd be able to answer anything. Her education consisted of subjects strictly used for pleasure. Granted, her training prepped her more for a single master rather than a master pimp. She'd been trained for pleasure in all things; personality, entertainment, and of course, pleasure. She'd learned to sing, play various instruments, cook fine cruisine—everything that would make her an ideal helpmate besides just a sex toy. Again, the intent of her former master was never to be sold to a pimp. Her training sat unused in the recesses of her mind. “Mmm, I suppose we could ask them. I'd...I'd like it more if you didn't risk your life for money,” Magali said, allowing some sadness to eek into her tone. “I doubt they are going to want to uh...have their way with me for money...Most of them are already couples, and the one that isn't...well...I don't think he's looking for sex.”

She skipped along behind Nokra, opening the door for him and peering into the room, empty except the few furnishings. Still, a bed, an end table, a desk....a dresser. These were all things that she never imagined having to herself. Or, at the very least, shared with Nokra. But this didn't bother in the slightest. They had it to themselves! She was all smiles as she hopped into the room flopping back onto the bed, “Oh, it's wonderful, isn't it? We get our own room! I mean, sure, we have to pay our own way now, but we'll figure that out when it comes!”
–

Fikri could hear her, clear as day. It was the voice that helped him find love, and provide a sliver of hope that he, too, would one day be loved. But the voice was tormented; agonizing screams echoed on the walls to his new room, vibrating the couple of easles he'd managed to set up. “Vail!? I-I hear you! Tell me what to do! I'll do it! I'll do anything!” He could feel the pyramid vibrating in his hands and he tightened his grip on the trinket, watching as it turned.

Knuckles white, Fikri clenched his jaw, feeling something he hadn't felt for as long as he could remember—anger. It was the one emotion he hadn't let himself experience since Vail's death, letting sadness take its course in his veins. It was a tragedy that Vail died. It was sad. Nevermind the fact that the one who took her from him still walked, still breathed. Now, he saw her face in his minds eye. That blue haired bitch that had taken everything from him. She would pay. She had to pay. She would pay. SHE. WILL. PAY. The fist that wasn't clutching onto the pyramid went flying into the wall with a loud metallic CLANGGG.

Then all was calm.

The feelings left as suddenly as they entered and Fikri now dropped to his knees, chest heaving. His knuckles felt like they had a heartbeat of their own and a dull pain coursed from there up his forearm. It was then that, trembling, he turned the top to the pyramid, choking back a sob as the wave of emotions withdrew.

–

Ashi saw Hyun's repulsion and furrowed her brow a bit offended until she realized, God, I must look terrible right now. She was suddenly extremely self-conscious, trying to remember if she'd taken any blows to the head. She couldn't remember any, but she had a vague memory of spitting up blood. “I...I bargained on that, so I suppose I'll ride the wave until I have to give it up.” Already, it was something she wasn't looking forward to, but the hard part was over. The beat in was done and she'd lived. “I think a doctor would be...wonderful. If I can walk normally after this ever it will be a miracle..”

Ashi bit her lip, wishing she could forget that 1.) within the new few moments while she was recovering, some poor girl was going to get devoured by a Terskix and 2.) that it was her girlfriend sending that poor creature to her death. She shook her head. Something I'm going to have to get used to. Instead, she focused on what was going to be happening to her, her eyes widening when she saw the beautiful markings etched onto her fellow ganger. Already she was excited, “Well, I uh...may need help learning the uh...finer intricacies. I've...I've never done that before.”

Nokra could spend eternities just looking at Magali when she was beaming. It was a total opposite from how masters in the past had handled her being around. From a drugged-up zombie to something lusting for more of the beautiful sights and tastes of freedoms. It was a zest for life that made Nokra want to keep on going and enjoying everything as well. Though it seemed his joke about the Terskix got her in a bit of a worry. Playing it off the Felis shrugged a shoulder and waved his hand at the mention of all those thoughts, despite the hairs on the tips of his ears standing up, and his breathing picking up a little. “Good thing I guess. Can only hear so much of it, before it kinda turns into a pretty black joke all the time, right? At least I managed to avoid going full-cynical in there. Thanks to you.”

Magali’s request made Nokra stop in a pause for a moment. Stop fighting. It was something that he never thought he’d ever hear in his life. Slowly looking down towards his hands, his mind flashed for a moment; the two limbs soaked in the red of various people and beasts, and then when he blinked, found them clean once more. Drifting his attention towards Magali, Nokra itched his neck and drooped a little. “…What else do I have to do though, Mags? I didn’t really get much along the lines of training for when I was free. Can’t do much other than throw myself into a fight.” He murmured, before sucking his teeth – A small ping of jealousy hitting him. Magali could do so much, and him so little. There was always a slight tinge that made him angry over such things. He wanted to learn how to paint. How to cook something a little more refined than just hanging a hunk of meat over a fire and praying it was cooked properly. The thoughts escaped and Nokra narrowed his eyes, looking down the hall. “They better not want to. I’ll kick their hairless asses. And yeah, you’re right. The big guy seems different. Maybe he wants to bang dudes. Or other machines… Besides, got Edensians on this ship. Space-Skanks of the universe, from what everyone else says.”

Once they were in their room, it was like the newest chapter in their life had officially begun, and Nokra’s face stretched into a small smile, watching Magali throw herself onto the bed, Nokra inching himself over towards the table, and hopping up to plant his butt on it. “This…This is pretty cool, yeah Mags. I can’t think of anything else that would be a little better, other than the fact we can go get food whenever we want now. Speaking of, once you’re done flopping on the bed, I’m gonna bother that Mendez bloke and see if we can snag some of his food for us. Unless you wanna cook something, Mags.” There was a happy glint in his eyes, like he was banking on Magali saying yes, and Nokra kicked his legs and swished his tail like a Felis kitten.

==-==

Fikri’s door opened, the sight and flash of red hair, and a pale-looking man staring towards the Felis with a tired, shaken look in his eyes. Riola pursed his lips for a moment, and then inched his way into the room, before closing the door and pressing against it. “Oi, Gato…Did…I need you to answer me on something, and please please, hermano…” Riola began, frowning for a moment, and making sure Fikri wasn’t going to lunge at him the moment he opened his mouth to continue speaking. “You didn’t…Just hear Vail either, did you?” There was an gallon of concern in his tone of voice, and flashing his eyes over towards the pyramid, moved over towards the Felis, crouching down to face him with a sullen look on his face.

“…Figured it’s time to help you out, and give you a bit of what I know as well. Especially if Vail is hurting that bad when we just hear ghost pings.” Riola said with a sigh, before looking over towards the pyramid. Riola knew it let out emotions, but the thing felt hollow to him. Small pings and waves that simply faded into nothing the moment it arrived. “The girl who shot Vail. I know her. The issue is we’re not going to have an easy time getting to her. Considering, well…I learned most of what I know from her. She used to be a rebel like me.” Riola said, closing his eyes and frowning. “Guess the Edensians finally started getting to her. She went rogue…Well, rogue to us rogues, and joined the Queen’s special divisions. Counter-Terrorism and all that shit, Gato.”

Riola began to vent out everything he could. If Fikri was hell-bent on revenge, the Edensian wasn’t in good conscious going to let him storm off without any information he could give him. The burden of responsibility for everything. Vail. The people sucked into his struggle. The ship and the fact he also sucked Fikri’s best friend into this little war? Riola’s shoulders would bear as much as possible when it came down to it. “I just can’t watch all of you die, gato. I know you’re hurting. I know we’re putting all of us at risk. Tomorrow once we’re spaceborn, I wanna…I wanna hit them back. Do something as revenge. I know a few military installations where Viora could be. Or where here work is. We can hit that pendeja back. For Vail. I just…I just need to know that when the time comes, you won’t do anything brasher than needed. Just get in. Bomb it. Get out. Comprende?”

==-==

“I didn’t break your leg -that- bad. You’ll walk again. If I wanted to make sure you were crippled, the leg would be gone.” Shaldag said rather defensively at Ashi, the man’s poor attempt at a joke. Still, his own irritations from a lack of painkilling fluid coursing through him was beginning to set in. Massive amounts of augmentation were agonizing enough. Added to the fact most of his came from rather scrupulous sources and streetdocs (Thanks Hyun) only made things worse. “But ride the waves, yeah. You’ll at least be weaned back into the hurt. This stuff doesn’t cut out for people small like you hours after you give it to them.” With that, Shaldag looked over towards Hyun, and pursed his lips. “Should hire the Pyra again. Get her to a planet with better doctors. Hazoo ain’t exactly the best place for treatment, unless we wanna sell off half of your guns for one of the other gangs to let us use a hospital.” Shaldag said, Hyun’s brow furrowing.

“Ain’t fuckin’ selling half of my shit for one of the Triads or other Syndicates to throw her in a room and hold her hostage while they gut out her kidneys. Yeah, we’ll fuckin’ hire the others again. Not sure what I can pay them now. The ship was huge enough. Maybe I can bully the pyra into a free ride or something. Or…” Hyun paused for a moment, and then pressed a hand to her chin, the look on her face drifting slowly towards Atrix, who narrowed her eyes, and clenched a set of fists.

“Don’t try anything, Hyun.”

“Fuck, you act like being a fake hostage is gonna be bad!”

Atrix hissed and shook her head. “Just ask them normally, you deranged, magenta-skinned whore. It’s not like Rosalind is gonna say no. We’ve practically walked all over her. I just don’t have to eat her and I get a ship-ride with Mendez. At least until I can circumvent getting my own ship back.” Adding emphasis on her own part the Terskix moved over towards Hyun and straightened up, the already tall, spider-esque woman adding a few inches in height over Hyun-Chu, who shied away for a moment.

“Fuck’s sake, Atrix. Stop acting like a fuckin’ cunt. I’ll ask all properly. Shit, I’ll ride her fucking boyfriend too, considering I have to act like a fuckin’ proper girl according to you.” Hyun snorted, and looked towards Shaldag, and then towards Ashi. “…Let’s just get Ashi over here into my room, along with your mechanical ass. I’d invite Atrix, but she’s gonna be eating some chick, and I hate blood on my furniture. Go pick one out and drag her into a room, Atrix.”

Atrix didn’t need another invitation, and the Terskix was already heading off towards a set of Faleeshian girls, who stopped for a moment, and then began screaming when one of them was grabbed by the throat and dragged kicking and screaming towards one of the backrooms; Hyun watching for a second and snorting.

“Shows those bitches. Call my face ugly again, you little shits…”

Magali stretched out on the bed, one of those stretches that came in waves of warmth throughout the body. It extended to the tip of her tail and the fur floofed up as the stretch hit the apex, and a lazy smile stretched on her face. She didn't have to go to that horrible man this evening, and she knew that right about now he would have been just finishing with her had it not been for Fikri stepping in when he did. She was careful, though, to only take up half the bed laying longwise so Nokra could join her if he so chose. After all, the bed was his now as well, the two sharing one if only because she'd decided it was a good idea. She'd had her eyes closed as her best friend spoke, but the moment he thanked her, her cheeks colored and she turned to face him her cheeks still red. “Thanks to me?” she squeaked, “Really?” If she really did help keep him from going full cynical, then that meant that she helped him as much as he helped her, and that meant everything to her. She was useful, and useful to the one that had been her everything through it all.

Nokra's self doubt seeped through the pleasant feelings. She wished he could see himself the same way she saw him. He was her rock, her foundation, the one thing that kept her master from finding her corpse along with whoever she'd been forced to sleep with that evening. Of course, she'd never tell him that she actually had those thoughts, that it was his face in her mind's eye that prevented her from going through with the drastic measures that made up a bulk of her inner thoughts when going into particularly hard 'customers'. She sat up, the bed squeaking slightly at her shifting weight, moving her legs to dangle over the end and she reached over, cold hands grasping Nokra's own, “You're more than a fighting machine, Nokra. I've seen it. The training I got? It wasn't for freedom, it was to train me to be a better slave to my next master. Now you get the chance to try something else. Isn't that great? You don't have to fight anymore. You're going to have time to learn something else. There are options now! I mean, we could even ask Fikri what he did to adapt to life as a free man. He was a slave at one point too, if I remember correctly and that wasn't just a drug-made hallucination.” She chuckled a bit, repressing a snort when Nokra called Edensians the skanks of the universe, “I thought we were the skanks of the universe. Besides, I really think we don't have to worry about them.”

Her eyes glistened with the mention of her making food. It had been so long. True, it was something she was trained to do, but with her now former master, she'd only been used for the sexual aspect—never the partner-slave that her former master had intended. She never had access to a kitchen; customers didn't want to waste valuable time eating her food when they could be eating...her... “I can...try!” she said happily, her smile spreading just a bit further, “It's been a while, but I can see what they have in the stores on this ship, see if I can make something!”
–

Fikri was shaking when Riola entered, slowly turning his head to see the man, half fearing that he'd been hallucinating and half-fearing that he wasn't. “I...I did. I heard her clear as day. I wouldn't mistake her voice for anyone else's.” His voice was soft, unsteady, like one who couldn't believe what he'd just heard and felt. That anger that manifested and coursed through his entire body...that wasn't Fikri. His eyes, too, once settling on a spot just beside Riola didn't move, like he was speaking in a trance.

“What...is a ghost ping? Is Vail in pain? I need...I need to know. Is she...is she still alive?” Now, he tore his eyes from that spot, his brown eyes boring into Riola, a new sense of desperation awakened in him. But Vail was dead, right? He'd seen her himself, he'd felt her blood cool on his hands. But if she was still out there, if there was some semblance of her that still remained and that bit was in as much agony as he heard...he needed to find her, and fast.

He listened as Riola explained everything to him, or at least, what seemed to be everything. Viora. That was the name of the woman who had taken everything from him. The woman that would ideally die by his hands. He would kill her if it was the last thing he did. As he was explaining, his eyes moved back and forth as if trying to decide on something focus on as he intook all of this information. He was to get involved in a war, a war that a felis had no business in...until now. “I...understand,” Fikri murmured tentatively. But...if Vail was there as well, if she was being kept by something, he'd have to find her, right? Rescue her?

–

Ashi smiled at Shaldag, aware that it was his own version of a joke. She was slowly but surely acclimating herself to this type of humor. “If you need it back, you can...” Ashi said slowly, hoping that what was in her right now would tide her over for even just a couple of hours. She listened as they discussed her fate. Whether it was on planet or off, she'd be taken care of. Hyun wouldn't let her go untreated. That, at least, she could put faith in.

“You kind of overpaid her with the ship though, right? She might give us a free ride anyway,” Ashi said, thankful that her voice was no longer shaking. Aside from the knowledge that her appendages were all but shattered, she felt no pain and could communicate with relative ease now, excepting the fact that she couldn't sit up by herself. “And if she doesn't, I brought money when I ran away. I can pay,” she offered, hoping that they wouldn't treat Rosalind poorly. She'd treated them all well, and pretty much let anything run on her ship. She liked the woman quite a lot and would hate to see her stressed. Regardless, she still said, “Being a fake hostage isn't entirely too bad. I was, once, and look where I am now!” She offered a bloody toothed smile for comedy's sake.

When Atrix disappeared to go devour one of the girls, Ashi shuddered and looked up Hyun with an eyebrow cocked, “Why would they call your face ugly? Are they blind?”

The bed was starting to look more and more comfortable by the moment, and Nokra took a breath and held it in for a few moments, before exhaling slowly. Magali left a spot for him on the mattress, but he wasn't tired. More so, he just wanted Magali to have the comfort of a bed to herself for a moment before he slid onto their own mattress and laid himself to rest. "Ho shit, Mags, your face looks like a raspberry with how red it is," Nokra snickered grinning his little grin and nodding a few times at the female Felis. " but in all honesty, there were days I just wanted to shut myself down. Just block everything and just fight in the pits until I died. Then I'd be shoved into the quarters with you, and your kindness keot me going, Mags." He said nonchalantly, a brief shrug rising up and then down, before he slid himself off the desk and stretched; back arching and tongue sticking out of his mouth.

Once her frigid hands locked onto his, Nokra quirked his head to the side as Magali began to speak. More than a fighting machine. It was possible, but sometimes it just didn't feel like that. "Still. I would have liked to play instruments or cook and such. I get that they taught you that for the wrong reasons. But it is better than all I got. You can't really murder someone for people, or disembowel animals for them. Well at least normal people. Not the people from that club. " Nokra snorted and he looked towards the doorway before rolling his eyes. "He was a slave yeah, but look at him. Apparently shit isn't working out for him, post-slavery. Dude is not thriving in the slightest. I'd rather just ask someone like Mendez or the pilot myself."

The moment Magali said she would try and cook sometime, Nokra gripped her hands a little more tightly, and helped her to her feet, his stomach rumbling with anticipation. The felis had a fire in her. And it seemed to just keep him going it seemed. "We can always pay them back i some form or another. I can probably slip into the ship vents and help clean those out or something." Nokra said with a nod, before slipping an arm around her. "Bet you five qantas you can probably outcook anyone on this ship."

----

Riola let out a deep, tired sigh and made a sign with his fingers over his chest. "Never a good sign when your hear someone that angry. Usually a pretty bad omen, Gato." The Felis himself looked like the life had been drained out of him, and that anger filled his heart too; Riola looking more drained as he noticed Fikri more and more. The whole room's aura just seemed negative and painful, and mixed with those traces of Vail? It was hard to breathe as well.

A ghost ping? That was something hard to explain. It was more superstition than anything to the Edensian, and the last thing Riola ever wanted to do was give Fikri any sort of false hope. "Ghost ping is kinda just...One of those weird things. Old superstition. You can sometimes hear people who've passed on in ships and such, hitching a ride to the afterlife." A small pause. "Fikri, hermano. I. You know I can't say anything like her being a live. She seemed. Rather... Passed on." The desperation was a neon sign on Fikri's face, and brown eyes met with tired Edensian hues. "The only way I could see you seeing her again, is maybe cloning. But even then...Thats Edensian tech. And well. Clones don't get memories. It'd be her, but not her, Gato..."

The Felis however, was ready for war. And Riola could sense it. If anything, maybe a name he could rage against would give him a bit of focus instead of keeping to himself. "Also the two new Felis. Can we trust them? I haven't really met many of them, just listened to the snotty one, and the one on some sorta drugs...."

----

"Fuckin' hell if I know Ashi. Bitches are bitches. Especially the Faleeshian ones. Lets see how pretty your face is when Atrix is shitting it out." Hyun laughed, before adjusting her coat and looking towards Shaldag for a moment, waiting for his opinion on the situation. He had never mentioned anything about Hyun's appearance, and it had just dawned on her. Shaldag, however didn't take the bait and kept himself focused on Ashi.

"I can last a bit without it. Let's keep your pain to a minimum." Shaldag said with a shrug, finally beginning to move. The plan was to bother the others for another ride, right? "We should probably start getting shit together this time around, Hyun. I don't like being unarmed like we were with these people." Shaldag added, grunting and taking a deep breath; while Hyun nodded in agreement.

"Let's head to my suite then. Can just relax in there while Eight-legged terror eats someone, and then hit up Rosalind again. Poor cunt looked like she was gonna die when she was done flying. Girl needs a copilot or something."

“Mm, I don't know what services I could provide that ah...they'd be willing to pay for...” she scratched her head thinking about what options she had. She could cook, clean. But then there was the question as to what the other felis was employed to do. There was a good chance he was already both of those. She was trained musically, but it would have made little sense for them to hire her for that purpose. It was clear that this was something Nokra was also worrying about, but she would keep her worries silent so they didn't spin down the hole of hopelessness. Surely, she'd think of something.

She had to think of something, even if it wasn't on the ship. But wherever she wound up, it would have to be with Nokra. A life without him just simply wouldn't be one worth living. Magali sighed not really being able to refute that. He really didn't look to be doing well. Still, she couldn't help but be grateful for him. He was, after all, the reason they were freed. She grinned as Nokra pulled her up out of her seat, as if he was about to take her on a dance. She grinned at him, “No bet. Do you know how long it's been since I've cooked anything?” She bit her lip excited at the fact that there might be options here, and she grabbed Nokra on the wrist, gently tugging him to the door. “Let's go see Mendez and see what we're allowed to use.”

–

The feeling hadn't yet passed over Fikri. He sat motionless, save for his darting eyes, trying to understand what had just happened. “Yeah...bad omen,” he muttered. His fists were clenched tightly, knuckles turning white. This was the world helived in now. He'd heard her before, but that was just his visiting his recent memories with her...with Vail. Now, the boxes, unhung paintings...Vail's bag... they were all ghosts in and of themselves, remnants of the woman who had only been with them briefly.

“Yeah. I know she looked dead. She certainly was when I last saw her. But that was her Riola! You heard it too! I'm not crazy...I know I'm not crazy,” Fikri got to his feet, shaking his head. His tail swayed back and forth, slow and steady, as if the man was deep in thought. “So you're telling me that sound wasn't Vail and you and I are just sharing hallucinations? Because I'm not sure that's better. What if she was found by...by fucking Edensians? What if cloning isn't all they are able to do?” He ran a hand through his hair and over one of his ears.

He'd taken to pacing as Riola's words sunk in. Old superstition? That they both heard? It seemed unlikely. But he was tired. He was exhausted from cycles of grief with little to no reprieve between. Was he going crazy? He snapped out of it when he brought up the felis, “They seem harmless. The one on drugs was because she was being drugged to submission. She's coming out of it now from what I see. As far as trusting them? They're harmless. Neither of them can pilot, or at least I find it very unlikely. Those of us that were slaves? Most of us were born into it; they wouldn't have had a chance to learn to pilot. With that thought in mind, they'd have to be idiots to try to take any of us. The girl, at least, is grateful. Can't say anything about her snot-nosed friend.”
–

Ashi gulped, unable to separate herself from that poor Faleeshian girl. Being alone with Atrix was probably more terrifying than being alone with Hyun. “Well, they were wrong,” Ashi murmured, closing her eyes for a moment. “You are beautiful.” Without the pain, she actually felt warm, comfortable. In Shaldag's arms, she felt like nothing could touch her, nevermind the fact that he was the one that did this to her.

“If you think you'll be okay, Shal. You've already told me how much you hurt daily,” now, she opened her eyes again looking up to the man who she already saw as a much better father than her own. She was thankful that he was a part of her life. “Relaxing sounds nice,” Ashi offered in response to Hyun. “You may want to leave a message with them though, so they don't leave without us.”

Nokra was led by an eager Magali out of the room. Their room. And into the ships halls once more, the Felis just happy in general to have her hand around his. It was cold, but at the same time it at least it warmed his soul when she was touching him. “We’ll find something to do at least. Or we can do it better than the other Felis, and make the job ours. I mean, it’s dog-eat-dog in this world. Might as well stake our claim if we need it.” Nokra said with a small shrug. Granted, Magali probably wouldn’t be down for such acts. But it was dire. No food or money for things was the name of the game, and Nokra was intent on living.

“Mags, c’mon now. You managed to cook up scraps that our masters gave us into being edible. You can probably do wonders with real food, right?” Nokra said with a small smile, before turning the corner into the kitchen door with her and itching his head. One after another, small things relating to freedom began to start appearing. He could eat what he wanted now, when he wanted. Without the fear of reprisal from his masters. The thoughts of what he wanted swirled around his head like a vortex, until an image appeared in the eye of the storm that was his mind. “Yo, Mags. Think you can make a cake? Like, a chocolate one? I saw people eating it all the time, and I always wanted to try it.” He admitted, twitching his ears for a moment. “…Fuck, gotta ask someone what we can make first.”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Riola took a few steps back as anger began to fill the room again. Fikri seemed more volatile than ever, and quite honesty? There was worry. Worry that anger would eventually be taken out on him. The Edensian sighed. There was only so much someone could take before they pushed back, and considering he was involved in what triggered all of this? He was a target just as much as Viora at this point in time. “Bad omen, yeah…” Was all he managed to mimic as he rubbed his neck and let out a deep exhale.

“I’m not saying you’re hallucinating or anything, Gato. This kinda thing happens to a lot of people. That’s why it’s a superstition.” Riola said, trying to talk some sense into the Felis before he went off the deep end with this whole Ghost Ping business. “Fuck’s sake, Gato, you need to calm down before your mind whips itself into a frenzy. You’re gonna dwell on this, and it’s not healthy.” Riola continued, taking a breath and stopping for a moment, with a raised brow at the mention of ‘Fucking Edensians.’ And bit his tongue for a moment. The topic of cloning was something that wasn’t ever really…Talked about with Non-Edensians. “Oi, cabron. Leave the cloning out of it. That’s the way we reproduce, and we don’t do much other than that when it comes to things, Gato.” Riola hissed, perhaps a little more defensively than he should have. “…Shit, sorry, sorry.”

The mention of the other two was at least a little bit of a repieve from the topic at hand, and the Edensian looked back before snickering. “Don’t like the male one? Why? You eyeing the female who came aboard? Just kidding, gato. She’s a nice thing to look at though. Not as pretty as Rosalind, but hey. Sure beats staring at Hyun’s pink tits, and…I don’t even know what Atrix has under that suit. Well, I do, but they’re nothing special I suppose.” Now that she wasn’t on the ship, and he was sure he could get away with it? He’d rank on Atrix a tiny bit, if only to try and cheer up the Felis.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“I would hope I’m pretty or something. Otherwise you’re just fuckin’ me for my money or to stay alive, Ashi.” Hyun-chu snorted, leaning against Shaldag like he was a fence post, the larger man simply grunting and nodding towards one of the doorways. “I’m ready to leave. This music gives me headaches.” He murmured, looking down and doublechecking Ashi, before adjusting her once more, and rebracing his feet. The girl didn’t weigh much to the Ogrunu, but sitting around lugging a body was beginning to get irritating, and Hyun sighed, before patting the man on the back. “Shit, well everyone stop the fuckin’ worlds and moons. Shaldag is annoyed.”

“If I wasn’t holding your crippled girlfriend I’d put you through a wall.” Shaldag huffed, before looking down at Ashi and nodding slowly. The pain and it’s struggles were always there. Like an old, tired, best friend. “It’s a constant. I’ll live. You’re already broken because of me. I can endure the pain for you.” Nearly stumbling when Hyun-Chu pushed herself off of him, Shaldag ground his teeth for a moment; the grating noise audible through his mask as Hyun began to guide them towards her room. Shaldag was watching Ashi, if only to see her reaction when she would get to Hyun’s room.

The way to Hyun’s suite was quiet, much more quiet than the backrooms that still got the vibrations and dull bass of the club it was next to. The tunnel seemed more reminiscent of something out a military-industrial complex down here; Warning signs in Galactic Common pointing towards the storage of weapons and other surplus gear, along with various musings spraypainted over them; Hyun stopping at one of them that read something in Chuzizian before frowning. “Sons of bitches. I should have never taught them how to write that. They spray that shit everywhere like fucking dogs now.” She mused, rubbing a head tendril and then stopping at a large bunker door; the Chuzizian pulling it open.

Hyun’s suite? Was rather cozy, the small comforts of Chuzizian life all around. From a large tank of water with multi-colored eels that seemed to swirl around like a vortex, to various paintings and vases with the plain, geometric designs of her people. The room they arrived in was something akin to just a living space. A large, plain leather couch was set neatly in front of a bunch of telecom slates, and near a small lounge was a stack of comic books; a crumpled dress where a pillow should have been.

“Home sweet home. Don’t go in the bedroom, Shaldag. I think I left some shit you don’t wanna see in there.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time you left a sex toy in plain sight.”

“…Fuck off.”

=-=-=-=-=

Toka paused for a moment, and kicked at a rock, before she heard a small whistle, the girl peeking over towards two redheads, before she cocked her head to the side and trotted over there for a moment. The pair seemed to be twins, or at least really similar, right down to the clothes they were wearing. “Oi! Howdya guys do? I don’t think you can squat here though. Hyun hates people in the alleys.” Toka beamed, her brand forming into a smile before the Edensians looked at each other and then aimed their guns at the plasma-based being.

“Esta perra no está basada en carbono. Congelar y disolver.” One of them said in a hushed, frantic tone, the other one nodding for a moment, before opening fire, a wave of energy hitting Toka right in the chest, before she dropped to her knees and let out a small wail. Bullets? No. Bullets had never done something like that to her before. It felt like whatever they had used simply ripped her plasma out from her body and replaced it with something much more colder.

“H-holy shit! Please…Please don’t kill me! I didn’t mean it, you can sit here as long as you want!” Toka pleaded, trying to pull out her own pistol; the little ball of fire getting it out of her holster and half-raised before another shot from the Edensians was produced; Toka watching in horror as her hand simple dissolved and sizzled into nothingness. It was a dream. All a horrible dream. She was gonna wake up and Hyun was gonna be laughing because she drugged the poor girl. The thought rang in her head over and over, as one of the Edensians aimed one last blast at her head…

‘It’s not a dream. This is it, Toka…Shaldag…I’m scared…’ Was the last thing to flow through her head before the pull of the trigger; Toka slumping down and simply fizzling out like water on a hot pan; one of the Edensians stepping on smoking clothing, before pressing a comm against her ear and taking a breath.

“En posición. Relé a la nave cuando llegue que estamos listos para las órdenes de Viora.”

Magali pressed her lips together at the thought of double crossig their savior. It didn't feel right, and it showed by her wilted ears and furrowed brow. “I...I don't think we should take anything from him. M-maybe Rosalind would take you as a second pilot?” Her hand around Nokra's squeezed a bit tighter, seeming to say anything but that. Aside from Nokra, he was perhaps the one other person in the world to show her any kindness.

She blushed perking up a little with Nokra's compliment and she looked up at him from the tops of her eyes, “You really think so?” She did try to do what she could with them, but it wasn't as though she were working with top of the line ingredients. Mush, and sometimes if they were lucky they had stew, was mostly it. Ocassionally, they'd have stale bread. “I never got to try the cakes I made. My first master told me that I was never to partake unless my master bid me too. So, she had me make a cake and then ate it in front of me.” She sighed, inwardly reminding herself that those days were over. She could remember how the smell had hypnotized her, even as she was mixing the batter. It became tantalizing once it was in the oven and started to bake; watching her former master eat the warm cake in front of her was just a cruel exercise.

But she would take that over the other punishments any day. To think that at one point she'd tried to resist. That was pointless; she learned that quickly, at least. She peeked her head into the kitchen where Mendez had several ingredients out humming when he turned to face the pair coming in. “Ay, amiga, you guys settling in alright? Was just getting ready to start dinner, unless you don't like Edensian.”

Magali colored looking first at Nokra and then to Mendez, “Uhm, well? We were uhm...wondering if uh...I can maybe cook?”

Mendez brightened and gestured to the cupboards, “Have at it. Should I make food for just me then or are you cooking for all of us? Because I was thinking of taking some to the gato. I thought I heard him moving around in there, but I'm pretty sure Rosalind and Riola are sleeping.”
–

“I think we're way past any of those options,” Ashi said chuckling, “But, you know it's more than that too, right?” She had to crane her neck a little to see her girlfriend, but she made it a point to look at her to show that she meant what she said. Her good arm she had tucked in, the one that was obviously broken laying limply on top. She wouldn't be fidgeting with her hands for a while. She was thankful she hadn't seen her leg yet.

She turned her attention back to Shaldag smiling, the normal Ashi seeming to peek back through the thickest of clouds, “Well, thank you. I will make it up to you. I can make it in here, I promise. I can.” She wasn't sure at this point if that was more for him or herself, or maybe for Hyun who was lingering close by.

Ashi drank in the quiet that was in the halls leading to the suite. Now, even the din of the club seemed to disappear behind them, and in the silence even their footfalls could be heard. “It looks like the graffiti gives it character though,” she mused, looking at all of the different scrawlings, “What do they say?'

The suite was what Ashi was particularly excited for. So this is what a room looks like that Hyun would be comfortable in. Of course she saw the stack of comic books first hand. Hyun had disclosed that she was a private fan at their date, and it was now doubly obvious that she wasn't make it up. Then, her gun should have been proof enough. “Your room is lovely, Hyun,” Ashi said with hushed tones, “When I can get up and move around maybe we can read comics together.”

Pilot. That was a word that made Nokra beam a little, despite Magali's wilted look on her face that turned his heart into a Hindenburg. "I mean I always kinda looked at pilots and wanted to learn. I used to dream about being able to kinda wander the stars with my own ship before they turned me into a slave. Maybe this is the chance now." A small pause, and the Felis squeezed Magali's hand in response before finally addressing the mention of Fikri and walking on his toes. "It's not like he isn't living here and thriving enough as it is. He'd be fine if we cleaned. All he seems to do is mope around now from what others told us."

"They're good. I used to filch crumbs and such when I could, and I heard one of your old masters threw you in the kitchen. This time we can have more than just garbage. And I kinda just want my first free meal to well, uh. Just be something from you of course!" He compliments never seemed to end, and his intention of drowning her in them were gonna linger there for eternity. After all, she was all he had to really call his "own" so to speak out in this galaxy. His own and only friend currently. Itching his head, and then his nose, the male Felis watched Mendez before he addressed the two; keeping his mouth closed while Mendez and Magali chatted.

"Well I mean if you ask, she'd probably make food for everyone." Nokra finally added, before moving to one of the chairs near a table and flopping down into it, only to panic snd balance himself when his weight nearly sent the chair backwards. "Also we got a room, now its just a matter of settling down and such when it comes to being here. And being free. What do you do on the ship? We're looking to help and such. As for feeding Fikri? If he wants something he can come out of his hole ."

------

Hyun nodded a few times at Ashi before making a small kissy-face at the broken blue haired girl and offering her a small smile soon after. "I know. Just being an asshole because I can. Truth in the matter actually doing this whole relationship shit for real this time is gonna be tough. Now when people use you as leverage I can't just toss you away now." She said with a small huff, Shaldag silent on the matter and letting the two banter. "Thanks for not being a cunt and running off like people normally do by the way."

Shaldag lowered his head look at the now smiling Ashi and breathed a bit easier, the Ogrunu speaking up. "Promises are cheap. People can promise anything to us. Just prove it in front of our eyes instead." He said, before waiting a bit to quickly add in a quick, "Not to sound mean. Just realistic I guess." The Orgunu looked around for a moment and sighed at the graffiti himself. He hated it personally. Why someone would shit on their own house of refuge was beyond him.

"Giving it character is fine. But its not my kinda character. I'm a ganger, not some fuckin' vandal with a spraypaint can." Hyun grumbled, rubbing a finger along one of the lines, and then snorting at Ashi. "It just says 'cunt' in Chuzizian. I thought it'd be funny. They fuckin' proved me wrong."

Once they were inside of Hyun's suite, the magenta-colored alien shrugged off her coat and tossed it on the couch, a flash of pink skin swirling around the room as she got comfortable herself. Boots were tossed haphazardly to the corner ("Take off your fucking boots Shaldag.") and then pants themselves were strewn on the ground, Hyun collapsing onto her lounge in just undergarments and a tanktop. "It's fucking amazing. I love this room. Feels like home without actually having to be home." She said, pointing towards the couch. "Shaldag, just set her down on the couch for now. And yeah. We can read comics whenever, Ashi."

Shaldag took a few minutes to inch off his boots while balance holding Ashi, and then set the girl gently down onto the couch; the Orgunu taking a seat next to her and pulling his jacket and shirt off; layers of scar tissue lining his frame, and thickening where metal met flesh on Shaldag.

--Fikri--

Fikri took a breath, bracing himself against the anger that both men could feel seeping in seemingly through the vents. He lifted his hand to look at the pyramid. Were these feelings genuine? He couldn't tell anymore. Strong emotions washed over other strong emotions, wave after wretched wave—grief, agony, love, anger—all of them crashed together in the cacophony of his thoughts. He realized then that his hand was trembling, he couldn't control it. Jamming his hands into his pockets he glanced at Riola, hoping he didn't see it.

He shook his head, seeing the look after he uttered the words “Fucking Edensians” and looked up to Riola, “I didn't mean you or...or Mendez. I don't mean you. I mean the the ones that did this, the ones that broke Vail and in turn broke me. I'm not talking about the revolutionaries. I'm talking about the Edensians running the place. The fucking government that's responsible for her.” The felis' hand drifted to his face, his index and forefinger pressing into his forehead as he forced himself to think clearly.

He exhaled, then inhaled slowly, “Fine...I'm fine. Why? Because he's an asshole. He's done nothing but treat me like shit since I freed them. And no. I don't want the female.” He sighed, “She is pretty. But I guess that's all perspective. I get the feeling Ashi likes looking at Hyun's tits.” Chuckling to himself, he sat back on his haunches, thankful that Riola was there to pull him from the black hole he had dwelled horribly close to. “And Mendez sure as shit seems to like Atrix's. Wanna take bets on when she'll eat him?”

--magali&mendez--

Magali smiled with Nokra bringing a little bit of hope into the conversation. It was his chance. Hell, it was their chance. She'd silently resolved to go talk to Fikri herself to see if there was work to be done that she could aid with. If he needed a break, she would be there to provide it. But then, there was a chance he wasn't working either. He could have been a customer. The politics of a ship's crew were well beyond her and she knew little of the hierarchy save for the fact that the pilot was on top.

“They did!” Magali said perking up. Truth be told, she only had one master before their last, but she taught her to cook, clean, sing, play instruments—essentially anything that would make her pleasant to be around and easier to sell. The raising and training of felis children into adults was a profession not many took part in but one that was exceedingly profitable. She blushed at the compliments, each one bringing butterflies to her stomach. Though, as she was coming down, she didn't know if she should attribute that to the drugs or not. “Well, I'd be happy to cook for you,” she bit her lip looking down, excited at the fact that she was doing that by her own free will and not to please a master. After all he'd done for her, she wanted nothing more than to start giving back now that she was able.

She grinned, shifting her eyes from one gentlemen to the next, “I actually would love to. It's been so long since I've had access to a decent kitchen.” Her eyes roved among the cabinets, the countertops, the stove top and the oven. The thought made her giddy. Cooking had always been her favorite task alongside the music, and both of those responsibilities had proven null and void by her being sold to a pimp rather than a single master. “I think I'll bring him some regardless. I've seen how people get when they are hungry. A bit of food would be good for him.”

--ashi--

“Then don't let them use me as leverage,” Ashi said simply, melting into the spot that Shaldag set her on. She sighed contently, “Use me as leverage first. If I'm not wanted by father's allies at this point, I'm at least wanted by Daowei. We've fooled them once; we can do it again.” She gave a close-lipped smile, still conscious of the blood in her teeth.

“I will. I will, once I recover,” Ashi said with a resolute nod. Her combative training would come in handy after all. The second she was able to walk again, she was going to ask Hyun where she could prove herself useful. She may not have had a written guide to study this time around, but this time she had better—she had Hyun and possibly better guidance with Shaldag. “Mm, maybe we could paint over it. It's a good way to spend time, I think. Or, at least it was before I uh...ran.”

Ashi looked over to Hyun somewhat confused. This wasn't her home? Then where was? She still had plenty to learn about her girlfriend it seemed. When she told Shaldag to take off his shoes, she looked down at her own shoes and gulped. She wasn't sure that was an ability she had now, and she shuddered to think of what taking off her shoes would feel like. The princess was sort of melted into the sofa, trying hard not to move. She was still covered in blood, and she sincerely doubted her girlfriend would appreciate bloodstains on her furniture.

Her eyes shone at the prospect of comics in her near future. They would provide that sense of security that she'd had when she was living in the palace. They were her escape then, and they could be now. “I'd ask to look at them now, but I don't want to muck up the pages.”

Nokra's mind was lost in the thoughts of piloting a ship for a moment; the felis envisioning his hands pressing various buttons and levels as he stared out in the pitch black sea of the void between worlds. A pilot. Granted, it would be under Rosalind's supervision, and the choices of where to go would be on the captain herself, but who knew? In time he could have his own little cruiser. Then he could see all the places he had wanted. Whatever link between himself and Magali showed, when Nokra perked and looked over at Mendez for a moment. "Who is everyone on the ship? Like, do you all work together? Are you all customers?" Nokra's tail writhed about for a moment, before he took hold of it himself and kept it from flailing about.

"Look on the bright side. Now its cook whenever. Sleep whenever. Do what we want whenever!" Nokra chimed in, excited and wriggling around, before finding a stool in the kitchen and setting it down should Magali need it. Once he felt she had the necessities for meandering about the male Felis took a seat on the dining table itself and crossed his legs, picking at his nails and then biting them. He looked towards the doorway to the halls, half-hoping the Pyra would have been up, before huffing snd crossing his arms. Hopefully the pilot didn't need much sleep, so he could ask as soon as possible.

"Why even bring him food? You're just enabling him to be a little pissant." Nokra complained again, before rolling his eyes and muttering to himself. "Why save us if you're just gonna be a whiny little bitch the whole time, and leave us to fend for ourselves..." Griping aside, Nokra slid off the table and peered through the fridge, and pulled out a small bottle of something green, before pulling it open and taking a sip, his face wrinkling and the Felis putting it back. "Urrgh. Lemon juice. Why."

---

Riola's eyes were locked on the pyramid on the ground, the Edensian narrowed his eyes for a moment and then sighed. "Fikri. I know Vail kinda gave you that thing. I know what they're used for. Gotta ask you something, Gato. You're not keeping that thing cranked on, si? It's not healthy." He said, taking a more mature, even paternal tone with the Felis, before he glanced back at the Felis and inched closer, to offer him his own hand to squeeze for a second.

"They're terrible, yes. I know. They killed Vail. They've taken things from me. I'm sure if you asked Mendez he'd say the same. That's why I'm trying to work on everything. Revolucíon and all of that." Riola said with a rather tired, worn out look. It was growing harder and harder with each passing moment, dealing with every bit of the revolution going on. Cells were being caught. With Viora in command of dealing with them, his options grew more and more limited. Sure, he had other ideas to deal with them. But could he sink down to the levels his mind brought him? "It's gonna start getting better, I promise. Once we blow up our first target, the feeling of avenging Vail are gonna come."

The mention of betting on Mendez and Atrix made Riola snicker, and the Edensian shook his head. "Aranea didn't break his hip bones while she was riding him at least. So I'll give him a week before Atrix wants to start doing the whole, actual testing to see if he's mate-worthy. Poor cabron. Atrix told me a little about it. Not worth having a go at her for the long term. 50 qantas he lasts up to that point, deal?" Riola said with a smile, before shrugging his shoulders. "If I wasn't worried about being fucked with a shotgun, and Rosalind and I weren't sorta, kinda, a thing, I would be right there with Ashi on that bit. She's scummy royalty, but her taste in chests I guess is pretty bueno."

"Also you and that other male should probably get along. Last thing you need is Rosa getting involved like when Vail and Hyun went at it, si?"

---

"You make it seem like that's gonna be easy. Ain't got a list of friends thats bigger than people who wanna watch me die, go to jail, or fitted with a slave collar while they ride my own ass, Ashi." Hyun snorted, before waving her hand. "Outfooled a few Daoweians. Once they send the military it's gonna be a whole fuckin' new story. Don't hear many stories of gangers and pirates surviving that shit. Because we don't have the best track record with dealing with that." Hyun added, Shaldag cutting in himself. "Smarter to just keep in the gutters, stab someone, and then run when the big guns come out. As much as I'd love to disembowel your family, Ashi."

Shaldag looked down at the mangled girl, before looking over to Hyun. "Can take her to Andreen. The bio-pools would spit her out brand new in a few hours." Hyun opened her mouth to speak before Shaldag cut her off. "She's your girlfriend. If you loved her, you'd spend the money to do so, yes?" Hyun paused for a second and nodded s few times. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. Hundred thousand Qantas ain't shit anymore now. Just hope she enjoys being ass-naked around a bunch of fuckin' creeps."

Hyun looked over towards Ashi and read her confused look like a book. "My actual house is on Chuziz. Bought one a while back. Barely go there, but that right there? Home to me." She said, a bit of morose feeling ekeing out of her words. Shaldag helped Ashi's feet out of her shoes, before wincing himself and grinding his teeth. Standing up and letting Ashi get a little more comfortable, the Ogrunu rolled his shoulders and moved towards one of the doorways, swinging it open and leaving for a moment.

A comic book went flying through the air, and landed right in front of the couch, Hyun taking one from her own pile, and then shrugging her shoulders. "These are just copies. I buy two. One to keep all pristine and shit, and the others to read. So go wild. Bleed on them. Do whatever." Hyun said nonchalantly, slipping rather quietly over towards the couch and sitting near Ashi. "....So I guess shoving my fingers in you now would probably not be the best time to do this romance shit, huh."

---bonus---

600

That was about as high as the count got before the green woman was about several shades lighter than she normally was, emerald green turned to mint as Atrix pulled all four hands from her throat and took a few exhilarated breaths. It was a rush every time before she got hungry, and all sets of her eyes were locked in on the potential meal in front of her. The Terskix was diligent however. A lot of work needed to be down before hand, and soon enough Atrix crawled off the Faleeshian and held her up by an ankle, one of her clawed hands raking a sharp finger across the girl's throat to bloodlet her; Atrix staring at the pool of red connected by a thin stream of the same color connected to green flesh.

It was roughly twenty minutes later before she was drained, Atrix yawned and itching her carapace before moving to the next stage of her plan. The body was thrown haphazardly into a large, black bag as Hyun began to store her meal, zipping the bag halfway up, before stopping and cocking her head to the side. One small bite never hurt anyone, yes? Atrix leaned in and sank her teeth into her meal's eye socket, pulling out the morsel and letting it slide around on her tongue before she chomped down, the squirt of ocular jelly and fluid coating her mouth; Atrix letting out a small, content moan.

First proper meal since she was with Mendez on a date.

Finally, Atrix zipped up the bag and sighed, hefting it over her shoulder and deciding on moving herself towards the ship. What was Mendez doing? And more importantly, were they planni on deserting her? Paranoia gripped at her once more and the Terskix clicked and clacked her mandibles like a drum.

Time to see what was goingg on in the ship..

As the conversation was unfolding around her, Magali took to the cupboards. She opened each cupboard individually, gazing at the contents, shutting them softly and moving on to the next one. Her mind was reeling with the possibilities of even this meager collection. She was used to more options when she was given the chance to cook, having been forced to learn the wealthy cuisine and tastes, but she was sure she could make something tasty out of what they had here! She didn't even look at the few MRE's that had to be for the pilot's solo hours awake. She and Nokra had already had too much of that. Or really just what they could find cheap.

Mendez chuckled, wearing a sheepish grin, keeping his attention on the felis, “Well, that's complicated. Like. Really complicated, and I'm not sure I know all of it, amigo. As you guys know, Fikri was a former sex slave. I don't really know how Rosalind met him, but he claims she's his savior so I'm guessing he's the oldest member on the ship. Him, Rosie, Riola—the uh, full Edensian—and Atrix (the spider-lady) were already on the ship when I um....joined...I'm gathering that Atrix and Riola are customers, but he started macking on the pilot, so I'm not really sure what he is anymore. Atrix kinda kidnapped me as a snack, decided I looked tasty by means other than ingestion and here I am.” As he talked he kept his eyes mostly on Nokra, noting that Magali would join in on the conversation when she saw fit.

Magali sort of hummed as she now retrieved what she wanted to from the cupboards, “To think this could be part of my every day life~!” She pulled the chair up to look in some of the higher cupboards, thankful for Nokra's assistance, retrieving a small container holding some sort of blue powder, giving it a shake and a satisfied smile. “Gotta have the seasoning!” She was excited, obviously, her ears working like satellites swerving to pick up the conversation as she worked. “Because I think now more than ever he needs a friend. Besides, he probably just assumed we'd make our homes here. The ship's layout isn't difficult to figure out...”

She began dumping ingredients into a bowl, stopping to close one eye and crouch down next to the concoction for the slightly more intricate steps. When the apparent needed ingredients were loaded together she began to beat it making what appeared to be some kind of batter.
=-=

“No...no. I only use it sometimes. It's not permanently on or anything. I promise,” Fikri's eyes followed Riola's down to the pyramid, snatching it up and pocketing it with one hand and taking Riola's with the other. He bowed his head trying to keep himself together, his breathing ragged. Through the nose, out the mouth, through the nose, out the mouth... He could almost hear Vail's voice, her soft, meditative voice coaxing him back to sanity. It was ironic, then, that it was that same voice pulling him in the opposite direction.

Fikri looked up at his haggard friend. He wasn't the only one on the ship experiencing problems. That poor princess had the beat in, Rosalind hadn't slept in forever in order to get the crew to a safe place, Mendez was pretty much dead on the spot, Riola....he'd lost friends. A lot of friends, and he was only able to witness the bloody aftermath, unable to do a thing about it. He brought his arm up to pull Riola in for an embrace. “We'll get her back. At this point, we have to. For Vail. For your cell. Viora was one of your own from the start, yes? She'll know the codes to get into the different communication channels, where you guys meet, everything. The best we can do is alert those that are still alive to lay low for a few days. Cease all communication and abandon the bases. It'd keep more from dying, the way I see it.”

He shook his head, wanting to start now. Wanting to help the Revolucíon now. “We can't let more of us die, Riola.”

He lifted his head, a grin on his face, “You don't have very much faith in the guy do you? I give him two. I mean, he's pretty likable and he's lasted this long, yeah?” His ears perked, and he hoped that the man would make it further than that. Mendez was a good guy, nice and laid back. Maybe too laid back. He wondered if Mendez ever considered that the chances were not in his favor.

Fikri groaned, “Yeah. But I'm not gonna lay down for the guy, or seek to socialize with him. He's needlessly been a dick since I freed him. I don't know if he's posturing for Magali or what, but I don't know how much clearer I can make it to him that I'm not barking up her tree. He can have her. I'm not ready to move on yet.”
=-=

Ashi pursed her lips as Hyun prattled her long list of non-allies. With each item that others wanted Hyun for, Ashi looked a little more dejected. “My father has already published I'm dead. I'm sure of it. He's not going to announce to his entire military that I'm not to go on a goose chase for me.” She kept her eyes on Hyun though, thankful for a sight so pleasing and happily not her arm or shattered kneecap. “But, sticking to the gutters is probably the safest bet here...” She sighed, also wanting to disembowl her family, or, at the very least, her father.

She closed her eyes, reveling in the fact that the sofa was potentially one of the most comfortable she'd ever been in and grunted when she went to prop herself up using her good arm. She liked the bio-pools idea. She'd never needed to go there, having never been injured before due to a cushy palace life, but she'd heard of the medicinal wonders they provided. “I can put in the ten thousand I brought with me in my bag....but that only pays for a tenth,” Ashi murmured, looking down abashed. She wished she'd brought more.

She brightened, blue eyes fixed on her girlfriend, “We should go visit. We could lay low there for a while, avoid my home planet. We could look at it as a vacation!” She cleared her throat, “I mean, we don't have to. It might seem too obvious to hide out there. But I would like to see it sometime.” She wanted to see what Hyun considered home. What she considered comfortable. Right now, Ashi was the epitome of comfort, lounging in the seat, grunting as she leaned forward to grab the comic. “Zi Adventures: The Dead Hand...Doesn't Zi meet her girlfriend in this one?!” She bit her lip. It was one of her favorite issues. Even if this was a second copy, it felt wrong to mar it with her bloodied hands. Well. Hand. Comic in hand, Ashi didn't sink right back into the couch. Seeing Hyun move closer, she leaned on her biting back a shit-eating grin. Could it be that she was actually cuddling with her girlfriend?

Nokra made sure to keep an eye on Magali every couple of seconds, the Felis watching her like a hawk as she flipped through the cupboards and looked for ingredients, Nokra looking towards the MREs and sticking out his tongue. He had eaten a few before but everytime he chomped into them it seemed they tasted…Off. Were they possibly tainted ones? He could have never known, but just the sight of them brought back a churning in his stomach that he wished to never experience again. When the constant checking on Mags seemed to deem her safe from whatever horrors that could lurk in a kitchen, Nokra set his attentions on Mendez.

“That does seem…Really complicated. Figured as much with Fikri’s past. It’s all pretty much the same for us I guess. Fikri’s kinda the first free Felis I’ve seen personally.” Nokra said with a small huff, crossing his arms and turning his head to the side, only for the Felis to turn back with the words ‘Kidnapping’ and ‘Macking.’ Nokra couldn’t imagine what sort of attractive display or honeyed words Atrix could have summoned to put Mendez in a spell after being kidnapped by the being. He’d have to inquire about Terskixian flirtations with the spider just to try and comprehend them. “Woooow. I um. Well, it’s good to know you’re not being digested in her stomach then, I guess.” Was all Nokra could really muster up to say. “Well, what are everyone’s destinations then? Maybe one of the worlds you guys are going to’ll be a decent start to freedom or something.” That was of course his pipe dreams of helping fly didn’t turn out the way he had envisioned: The Pyra happily accepting his dreams and not just laughing in his face.

“He can have a friend in me when he stops being a twat.” Nokra said with a small, irritated hiss at the air. Optimism and smiles, despite how brilliantly they made Magali shine, had a tendency in this world to bring about some awful things on the people trying to help. Nokra could easily see a rather morose Fikri trying something, and it made his blood boil and steam to the point where the male Felis flexed a hand into a fist and pressed it down on the table as hard as he could. “At least cooking’ll keep you happy though Mags. Gotta find something for myself to do before I die of boredom I guess. Don’t think anyone here is gonna just practice fighting with me, if I can’t…Help around.”

The kitchen seemed to come alive with the scent of whatever batter Magali was preparing and Nokra’s stomach rumbled rather audibly, the Felis being reminded that he was hungry, and that the girl’s cooking was something akin to the gods coming and setting down a feast. “…How long does that stuff take to cook?”

=-=-=

Riola’s eyes scrutinized Fikri, the Edensian keeping a brow raised in suspicion before sighing and nodding his head slowly as he dropped his eyes and followed the pyramid into the Felis’ hand, before he offered a small squeeze of his hand. Listening to the man’s breathing, Riola tried to match along with the Felis. Inhale. Exhale. Calm breathes. His eyes drooped, only for the Edensian to shake his head to keep them from sealing shut again. “Don’t promise me anything unless you know for sure it’s not doing anything to keep you from acting normal, Gato. I’m old enough to have dated your grandmother. Gonna be hard to hide things from me.” Riola said with a small, playful smile.

Payback. It was something that Riola would have given just about anything for at this moment. His Cell didn’t deserve such a death from Viora. Vail deserved absolutely none of the malice that Viora had shown when she had fired off so many shots, even if he was her intended target. Putting himself in the Felis’ embrace, the Edensian sighed and rubbed his eye. “She was one of us yeah…She was…Well, she was the one who helped start this whole thing. Revolucion. She taught us everything. If payback is coming, then I need…Well. I need help. From everyone. I don’t know how many there are of us left, considering she found me, and my cell this fast. Puta madre…I don’t think I’m gonna be making it out of this war sane, or intact sometimes. Communication has been dead as of late anyway, Fikri. Eventually we’re gonna have to check on a base just to see if it’s still intact. For now? I can only assume we’re the last ones left.”

We can’t let more people die. You’re right, Fikri. But it’s going to happen. Who knows? For all we know, people are dying because of me right now. Riola frowned and then nodded, before hugging Fikri a bit tighter. “We’ll try, Gato. That’s the best we can do. I can’t…Promise no one else will get hurt. I can’t even promise Rosalind the fact she’d get out alive either…”

The topic turned towards Mendez and Atrix however, and Riola shrugged a shoulder. “I’ve been hanging around with Atrix longer than he has. Know a little more about how she operates. Minus most of the bedroom stuff. Aranea doesn’t let herself love anything real easy. Took her ages for the Terskix Hound I bought her to be able to sit next to her. And in the end, she chopped up the thing for dinner because it pissed on her ship’s floor.” A small pause. “But you’re right. He’s kept her pretty well under reins. Who knows? Mendez could woo her into something a little less terrifying. Though the thought of Atrix being more human than Terskix is kinda scary itself.”

“The dude’s probably just on edge. They seem close, and the moment you give someone freedom, they’re gonna obsess on the fear of it being taken from them. Plus, for all we know they’re trying to be a thing, and he’s just being machismo, Gato. I’d do the same thing if someone started getting romantic with Rosalind.” Riola pursed his lips and broke the embrace, taking a moment to clear his head and then shoot a glance to the door. “…Think you’ll ever move on, Gato? Just a curiosity.”

=-=-=

“The moment you wanna do your whole ‘I ain’t dead’ shit is the moment they’ll start coming though, Ashi. Gotta remember that.” Hyun responded, returning the same pursed lips that Ashi had given her, and itching a rather troublesome, bent head tendril. She’d have to teach Ashi how to cut them In the future. “The gutters. Eventually someone’s gonna realize I’m shoving my head between your thighs. Then someone’ll come and try and nab you. Probably Graiza. He has it in for us.” Hyun said with a small chuckle. Perhaps a rather nervous sounding chuckle. “Do yourself a favor if you’re captured by him. Kill yourself. People say I’m fuckin’ nuts. I’m fuckin’ saintly compared to that prick.”

“Whoa hey, you’re not paying for jack dick. You’re my…Girlfriend…Still weird to say. I can cover your meds and the time in the bio-pools.” Hyun responded, placing a hand on Ashi, only to retract it when she realized there was a bone where something fleshy should have been. “Keep the money for yourself. Be a bit greedy. Get some clothes. I’ll have Shaldag find you a piece to carry around to protect yourself as well when I’m stuck managing this shitpile.” Hyun added, giving Ashi a small, warm smile and doing her best to just…Try and be the girl she wanted to be for Ashi.

Back to Chuziz? Hyun scratched the back of her head and sucked her teeth, the pink-colored woman stammering for a moment. “Err…Well. I mean..I..Shit’s nothing special. No need to really visit the place. Besides, you’d probably hate it. Mostly water. And my kind just generally ain’t exactly the friendliest bunch. And the food isn’t good.” Every excuse she could muster up to try and avoid having to bring her there. Luckily the comic she brought managed to change the subject for her. “Hm? Oh yeah, Zi meets her girl in this one. The chick that lasted the longest in the series. Considering Zi’s last squeeze got fried by Zamboxis.” She replied, reliving the previous issues in her head. Hyun took a deep breath and leaned gently on Ashi, taking care to avoid broken and bruised bits of the princess and just…finally relaxing for a brief moment.

Shaldag looked towards the two from the doorway and just watched, the Ogrunu crossing his arms and leaning against the door. Good. They’re bonding. Didn’t think they’d act like a couple. I guess I was wrong.

Soon the kitchen was filled with the smell of the batter and a sizzling followed after. The smell heightened and Magali felt pride looming in her chest knowing that she was back in her element. The batter that she poured in the pan was thin and it appeared that she was making some sort of crepe. The smell leaking from the pan she was making them in confirmed it. She was aware of Nokra's eyes on her, but it was something she was already accustomed to. His eyes on her had become something of a comfort. When they were on her, she was safe. He'd always been her protector, almost since the beginning. To Magali, Nokra's gaze was akin to that of her dearest loved one.

Mendez, too, was aware of Nokra's special attention paid to Magali and he trained his own gaze toward the male felis careful to not linger too long on the happy culinarily inclined female. “Yeah, as I said, it's a shitshow, amigo. He's the first one I've seen in something other than the uh...trade. I mean, I've seen a few working under contracts and slaves, but he's the first I've seen like this. Now I guess you two make two and three,” he shrugged, grinning. “Ah well, better this way than a slave, right? I mean, now you get to figure out what you like and actually do it. Seems Magali here already found her calling. We'll just need to find one for you. Yeah, I would agree with that. I'd rather not be eaten, but eh, if it does eventually happen I'll be glad for the extra time I was given I guess. I met a lot of interesting characters since my kidnapping and honestly this is the greatest adventure I ever dreamed of having. As far as destinations?” Mendez snorted, “Your guess is as good as mine.”

Mendez shrugged again, “Suit yourself. He's a good man, and I think you are too. You could be denying yourself a valuable ally. As far as I can gather, the gato seems to have some talents of his own in art. But then, I've only been able to glance at some of his shit as it was being moved. He tends to keep it pretty private.” He stood and stretched picking up a couple of dishes that Magali was done with and went to clean them.

“They're ready!” Magali said happily, serving up a couple of plates, each with a few crepes now rolled with some sort of mystery sauce in the middle and putting them in front of the two men.

Mendez grinned looking at his and then up to Magali, “These look great! And you managed to whip them up rather quick too...” He took a bite and almost melting.

Magali gleamed with pride, looking to Nokra to see what he thought.

=-=-=

Fikri finally calmed down, now feeling empty. All of his energy had been expended with those bursts of emotions leaving in its wake just feelings of nothingness. He nodded, moving the pyramid to his pocket, safely off. At least, as safe as he supposed it could now. After that stint he wasn't sure if it would just turn itself on or not at random. “I...I don't mean to hide. I just don't want to be a bother,” the felis muttered looking down, “You all have your own problems to deal with.” He didn't need reminding of the video that just hours before had been exposed for Riola. And Rosalind was getting drug in too. It was a good thing she seemed to be at least willing.

The last ones left? I'm joining a dying cause... He wasn't going to let those thoughts deter him, however. He was going to cause whatever damage he could to them before they managed to take him out. For Vail. Her haunting scream still rang through his ears despite the silence that seemed to permeate the room. “Then I guess we're on our own. We'll...we'll have to start from scratch then?”

Fikri closed his eyes, grateful to have a friend like Riola. If Rosalind wasn't near giving out he was sure she'd be in there with him too, but as it was, his dearest friend needed her rest. “Then we'll just have to try our best. I think we should warn the others though, the felis I mean. They don't know how dangerous it is to be with us yet. It wouldn't make sense to free them from slavery just to have them die at the hands of the Edensians just for interacting with us.”

“So you don't think he has a chance, then?” Fikri asked, now pulling away and taking a seat on his bed. “I just wasn't sure because he lasted this long. I thought the poor man was a gonner the second he was dragged kicking and screaming on the ship. The way this ended up...I just never saw it coming. Figured there was some sort of hope for him.

“Who is trying to get romantic with Magali though? I wasn't. As I said, she's...she's beautiful...yes. I will say that. She is beautiful. She's just...not Vail. I don't know how much clearer my disinterest was,” Fikri laced his fingers, leaning forward, ears pressed slightly back as though he were thinking over what he should say to Riola. The truth? He had no idea. “I think...I think it's still too soon to say. I'm still too smitten with Vail that the next person would be slighted. I wouldn't be able to give them everything because for the large part, I'm still hers. I don't know if it will change. They say that time heals wounds, right? There's...a chance at least. Just for the time being...I don't think so.”

=-=-=

Ashi bowed her head. She'd thought about that, but she was hoping that it would start an uproar with the neighboring planets who placed egalitarian tendencies first and foremost. If Daowei was forced to give up that facade, maybe...just maybe the plan would work. She wanted to point out that neither of their heads had been between either of their thighs just yet, a fact that she was still nervous of. What if she was bad? What if Hyun didn't have the patience with her when she was unable to please her? She hoped it would come natural. After all, she was a lesbian. That knowledge would be sort of intrinsic, right? “So long as I have something I can bring about my end quickly...I'll just take your word for it.” She wanted to ask why he had it in for them but decided she'd find out soon enough.

Now, Ashi colored. Hyun had said the magic word again--girlfriend. It felt so good to be called that, she could almost forget that it was Hyun herself that ordered her beat in. “I suppose I could use some new clothes,” Ashi said sheepishly looking down at the tatters she'd left the palace in. She looked back up to Hyun her eyes seeming to say that she'd rather be nowhere else right now. “A piece would be nice, and I have learned some martial arts. I'll stand a chance, I think,” the princess said innocently. She wasn't going to be the helpless mob boss' girlfriend. She'd come bringing her own tricks up her hypothetical sleeves. “You'll see. I'll make it not just for me, but to prove to you that I can.”

Ashi watched as Hyun was running through every excuse in the book to not take her and she furrowed her brow, “If it's home, I'd best get used to it, right? Besides, I want to see you where you're most comfortable, where you don't have to be tough.” She turned the pages needing to only half read the words in the dialogue bubbles as she'd already read this particular issue several times. It was one that she never tired of. The more she thought about it, the more Hyun seemed to be a real life version of Zi. She was one to never take shit from anyone, the one in charge of the show, the one everybody wanted a piece of but instead it was her that got a piece of everyone else. Ashi nuzzled into Hyun's neck, moving her good arm so that it could wrap Hyun up. This was heaven, almost exactly how Ashi imagined when she thought of life with a girlfriend. “Yeah, Kia is still alive though, isn't she? I mean, she was in the last I've read of it, and I thought I read the series to completion.”

Nokra’s eyes after a while finally started to center a little more on Mendez than Magali, the scent of crepes cooking in a pan setting his mind at ease. She seemed more than content cooking in the kitchen, and the redhead in front of his face didn’t seem like someone who would wanna snatch her up the moment his back was turned. The dude was also apparently into women he most certainly should not have been swooning over in the slightest. “It was weird to see one of us barking orders at someone instead of vice versa. Gives me hope at least. Even though the first one I had to see was…Him.” Nokra grunted, salt taking over his tone before he was back to gawking and watching over Magali again. “Figured you would at least put up a fight before getting eaten. Unless you’re…Into that sorta thing. I’ve seen people with creepier tastes.” Magali could have probably attested to that as well, knowing her profession before becoming freed. “No real destination, huh. Guess we’re just a bunch of nomads for the moment I guess. “

Moving off as much Fikri discussion as he could, Nokra took a sigh and vented outloud towards Mendez. “…You think…. You think the Pyra would help teach me how to fly?” Nokra asked, raising a brow and trailing a finger across the table, only to wince and reach over with his other hand to pull out a sliver. “I always like ships and such, and watching them. And no one trusted one of us near the helm when we were being shipping around the galaxy. I wanna watch stars and burn comet dust. Is that a stupid thing to ask for?”

Sighing for a moment, the Felis stopped and looked down towards the plate of crepes and then back towards Magali, finally scooping one up with a hand and scarfing it down as fast as he could. Light. Fluffy. It was like munching down a cloud, and Nokra closed his eyes and shook his head slowly, savoring each second the taste lingered in his mouth before he reached for another. “Fuck, Magali. Every time you cook, it’s perfect. You could probably turn whatever crud his girlfriend eats into something delicious.” Nokra said, snickering and shrugging his shoulder at Mendez. It was a playful jab, and hopefully Mendez took note of it, instead of going on the defensive.

“My cooking is fine.”

Nokra froze for a moment and looked over towards the doorway to spot the Terskix, lugging a large plastic bag that she tossed with relative ease towards the fridge. The woman seemed a bit peeved from her narrowed eyes, but Atrix moved over towards Mendez and draped her upper arms on him, pinching down gently with her pincers on his cheek. “It would be awkward to have to have your mate cook you in a pot. Meal.” She chided, giving Nokra a look of pure daggers; the male Felis shying for a moment and resorting to nibbling on his food.

=-=-=-=

“Bother? Gato, you’re one of the few people on here that doesn’t bother anyone really. Atrix is bothered by everything because we’re food so she doesn’t count.” Riola said with a snirk, before shaking his head and humming for a second. “We all got problems, si, but we need to stick together and help each other through them if we’re gonna be on the same ship for a while. Because I don’t see the bunch of us leaving for a while. The video of course, still burned in Riola’s mind, but there was some spark in his eyes. A hint of ‘I can’t do this alone’ that finally smacked him into reality. “Besides, your problems coincide with mine unfortunately. Got a blue-haired pendeja to deal with.”

Riola nodded slowly and pursed his lips; his face souring for a moment as he spoke. “Starting over. It’s gonna suck. We lost a good couple of decades of stolen goods and intelligence. Never mind the fact Edensia is probably spewing out all sorts of propaganda out at us as we speak. We’re not gonna get a lot of people on our side.” Riola said with a dejected sigh. Rubbing his eye, the Edensian muttered to himself in Edensian before looking around. “But I mean. We can always find people. Mercs’ll fight for us. We can find a few bleeding hearts in them to work for bettering a planet, right?”

“I mean, if they want work, or something to give them a tiny bit of purpose, they can hitch on the old rebel train I guess.” Riola said with a snicker before nodding in agreement with Fikri. The better they knew they were sheltered with ‘Terrorists’ that are wanted by two planetary governments, the better they could really choose to stay, or get dropped off at the safest and nearest port they could find. And that was hoping the two didn’t try and sell them out on top of it all.

The topic reared to the Mendez and Riola sucked his teeth. He wanted to have a bit of hope for Mendez. But Atrix was too much of a wildcard when it came to relationships. When the whole of a species is bent on eating you, it was hard to put aside the prejudices towards the Terskix. Especially since she was considered the prime example of their warriors, or something like that. “Same, Gato. I was hoping she would have just offed him right then and there, so we didn’t have to hear her munch on him while he was alive or something. Then the next thing, I’m walking by their room and trying to wish I was deaf because they’re going at it. Dios Mio.”

“Well, you were denying it pretty hard. Made you sound a tiny bit on the guilty side, but that’s just me, Gato.” Riola said, before raising a brow and giving him a sly grin. “I would’ve told him all the things I’d do to her just to get him to hit me and be done with it. Then again, not sure Rosa’d be very happy in that regard too, so I’ve kept my mouth shut. Didn’t even really look at Magaloo or whatever her name is. Magali? I think that’s it.” A small pause. “Well, I won’t push you or anything, Fikri. Love hurts sometimes. And you can choose to not start looking for as long as you want. I just wanna make sure you don’t dwell on it forever. From what little I know of Vail? Doesn’t seem like brooding would be what she wanted. Correct me if I’m wrong though…”

=-=-=-=-=

If there was one thing that both Ashi and Hyun were thinking of, it was the thoughts about the heads between thighs. Not that Hyun had any worries. It was more of a bizarre worry that the moment Ashi’s pants were off, Hyun was gonna look at tentacles, or a surprise penis. She didn’t know shit about Daoweians, and whatever horrors they might have between their legs. Tugging at the bent tendril again, Hyun huffed and fumbled around the bottom and under the couch with her foot, using toes to take hold of what looked like a pair of shears. “Hey, Ashi. Take hold of this tendril, and snip where it’s bent. Shit hurts like a bitch.” She grumbled. “But yeah, I’ll make sure of that. You’re gonna pack heat and shit, Ashi. Also you look fuckin’ nervous. Stop it.”

Hyun laughed and tugged at some of Ashi’s tatters, before waggling her browflesh. “Yeah, the whole dirty little street girl is something I don’t find attractive. Feel like I’m taking advantage of a gutter whore or something. Next you’ll be wanting to trade off a kidney or something for a few qantas or a hot meal packet or something.” Hyun said with a small shrug of her shoulders, reaching over and giving a chill little touch with a free hand. “Martial arts are nice too, but I mean. Only so much. Try some fancy kung-fu or something on Shaldag and he’d probably just sit on you and punch you until your lungs stop working.”

The Chuzizian did sigh however. If it was her home though, Ashi was eventually going to be going there. And then it would have to turn into the whole ‘Opening up’ far more than she had ever intended to. The thought made Hyun frown for a moment and the pink-colored woman already began working on plans of self-sabotaging herself and this relationship if the princess kept pestering. Maybe in time, but so soon? Not a chance in whatever Daowei had for a hell. Though those thoughts immediately dissipated when Ashi’s only good arm wrapped around Hyun, and the woman snuggled into her neck. This was…nice. “Kia’s still alive, but she shouldn’t be. I can’t wait to see if X-Kill is gonna wipe her out. Then Zi can start looking again for some chick who is better. For reals.” Hyun laughed, shaking her head, “I’d rather see Zi with something worth her time, you know? Gotta look past all that tough shit and whatnot. Look at me, sounding like some sorta literature nut.”

Mendez took a bite as the conversation rolled on letting the sweetness fill his mouth. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had anything sweet, anything for more than just survival really, and the thin crepes with their sugary filling was almost Heaven. “Yeah, he's a good one to look to for that. Before all this shit went down, he was a completely different man. I just hope he's able to return to normal eventually,” the half-Edensian muttered in between mouthfuls. “Put up a fight? That would be pointless. I know how strong, how predatory she can be. As far as I'm concerned, if she wants to eat me, she's going to—whether I run and fight it or not. Besides, I like being around her. I've seen hints of feeling...I think there's some soft under that hard exterior. But only time and patience will tell that, si?” He leaned back in his seat, crossing his ankles in front of him and lacing his fingers over his belly. “Mm. At this point, amigo? I think she'd be unwise to not hire another pilot. But, I don't know her as well as Fiks does. He's been her right hand man since the beginning of all of this. If you don't ask the pilot herself, I'd as him, hermano.”

Magali was simply elated. They liked it. Mendez's plate was gone, and she could see by Nokra's expression that he loved it. He was the one she really wanted to see pleased. He'd taken care of her for so long, making him delicious food was the least she could do, and if she'd be able to see him make that face every time she cooked? She'd do it every day. Blushing, she looked over to Nokra sheepishly with his high praise, “Thank you, Nokra!” That smile returned to her face, “What does his girlfriend eat?” Another stack of crepes rose up and it was this that Magali now picked up, turning to the door, “I think I'm going to take this to Fikri. I'll be right back to eat mine in here, okay?"

“Humanoids. If ah, she can help it. That's what she eats. I doubt it's anything you've ever made—or would care to make,” Mendez said laughing, turning his gaze to the doorway. The Terskix was carrying her spoils over her shoulder and Magali paled, now forced to believe what Mendez said. He was the only one in the room that didn't look at her with pure terror when she came in and Mendez got to his feet, grinning. That corpse meant he'd live to see another day. “Welcome back! Magali was just making us crepes.”

Magali's lips were pressed tightly together as she nodded vigorously, still holding Fikri's food. “Mhmmm, I made crepes if you'd like any. You can have these and I can m-make m-more if...if you want?”
=-=-=

This actually got Fikri to flash a smile, however brief it was. “Nokra's got problems with me too.” Riola was right. There wasn't a person on the ship that didn't come with their own set of problems; maybe it was better that they did work together. He was already planning on working with Riola because where he stood, their fates were already entwined anyway. If they weren't before with Rosalind, they were now ten fold now that Vail was killed. “Heh. At least when we're done with her, that's two people's problems that will be taken care of. Speaking of blue-haired pendejas... Do you think the princess survived that beat in?” He hoped she did. She was nice.

“If she did make it, theoretically, we could work with her. She was a goddamned princess. I'm sure she had connections. If I heard her correctly, she's planning on stirring all sorts of shit. We could see what she thinks about that and maybe...just maybe...we could get her to help us, supply new recruits. If not? We may have to pick up more money to pay for mercs. Rosie's been kind of lax with charging customers, and the ones we have now I don't know that she ever will,” Fikri said, running a hand through his hair as he plopped back down onto his bed. “We need to figure out a way to pay for them.”

Fikri laughed, “Yeah, not exactly the most pleasant thing to listen to. I made sure to pick a room that was at least one away from theirs so I wouldn't have to hear it through the walls.” he shook his head, “I was only denying it because he kept bringing it up. I told him, like I told you, that I'm not in the market.” He nodded slowly, taking a deep breath, “No. No. You're right. About all of it. She wouldn't want me to dwell on it. And I'm not out of the market forever, maybe. We'll see if time really does heal all wounds. Maybe I'll take up meditating.” Meditating. Yeah. Vail would encourage that.
=-=-=

Ashi blinked looking at the tendril. It did look painful, but one of her arms was immobile and she didn't know how she could complete the task with only one available hand. “Ah, sure,” she squeaked, “Could you uh...hold the end for me so I can use the shears?” She tried to put on a brave face, but she was worried that she'd muss up and hurt Hyun, possibly the last thing she wanted to do to her. Swallowing she looked back to Hyun and smiled, “Sorry...ah...about that. I'm just not used to having a girlfriend. And one like you on top of it all! That...that and I really don't want to hurt you when I do this, Hyun.”

Ashi's cheeks colored being in such close proximity to her, and when her clothes were being tugged at, her mind couldn't help but drift back once again to the heads between thighs comment and she wanted to swoon. Instead, she said chuckling, “As soon as I am able to clean myself, you won't have to be feeling like that. I may have renounced my throne, but I will still keep up my hygiene. As it stands right now though, I don't think it's a good idea...” The chill touch sent a pleasant shiver down Ashi's spine and she wondered briefly if the ganglord was trying to tease her into madness. But then, there was a chance that little touches like this were common with having a significant other and she just wasn't used to it so every little movement was enough to set her off. “Yeah, but it's the best chance I have against larger opponents. If I can't fight them one on one, then escape is always an option. After all, that is what Daoweians are best at.”

Ashi bit her lip making a mental note to not bring up that subject again. If Hyun wanted her to see it, she would see it eventually. She'd just be grateful that she had her now. Best not to push things where they didn't need to be pushed. “I like Kia,” Ashi returned with a bit of a sigh. Of all of Zi's significant others she'd had throughout the series, Kia was her favorite. This was probably in part to the fact that of all of them, Kia was the one that she related to the most. “Yeah? Who was your favorite of her girlfriends?”

“Well, the sooner he stops being an asshole the sooner I’ll be able to see if he’s not constantly a little whiny bitch half the time. So I guess there is that.” Nokra said, eat bite bigger than the last. It was a miracle in itself that the Felis didn’t end up choking on crepes, and he paused for a moment when it came to speaking about the Terskixian. He had fought one in the past in the arena. Granted he had two other people to help him, considering the fact the being towered over him and his associates. That fight was definitely meant to be something Nokra should have died in, but here he stood. “Well, predator and stronger aside, there’s still means to fight back. Aim where there isn’t chitin. And poke her eyes out.” He said rather plainly, looking at a now empty plate with a large pout on his face. “Uuuugh. I’ll just wait until the pilot is awake to ask her. Because I doubt Fikri is gonna try and help me at all.” Nokra uttered, finally noticing the burning bridge he had lit on fire.

When Magali asked about Atrix’s choice of food, Nokra let Mendez explain it, frowning for a moment and envisioning everyone in the room in various states of being prepped for cooking. He had mostly just heard the stereotypes from various slavers at auctions, and they seemed to be coming to life in front of his very eyes. Shaking his head, he turned to Magali and sniffled for a moment before grinning like an idiot. “Well, you know me. Wouldn’t blow smoke up your ass if they weren’t good or anything.” A blatant lie, to be frank and he knew it himself. But anything to see her beaming demeanor shine over anything else was well worth it. “Well uh, don’t get lost then. And holler if something comes up and you need me, Mags.” Nokra said, rubbing the backside of his head.

“I don’t know what a… Kuh-reps is.” Atrix said rather plainly, shrugging a shoulder at the female Felis and cocking her head to the side. Fear. It was a natural response, but for some reason she was so in tune to Fikri being to shrug her off, it felt rather weird. One last little pinch of Mendez’s cheeks and the Terskix shook her head, one of her smaller arms pointed at the bag she had dragged in. “No thanks…Magali, was it? I’m quite content with what I have for dinner already. Faleeshian. They taste slightly sweet. It’s nice.” She hummed to herself, gnashing her teeth at the female Felis and invoking a small, paranoid glance from the male, Nokra coughing for a moment and looking over at the bag. “You’re joking, right? That’s just a fucking prank.”

Atrix shook her head and unzipped the bag, the view obscured by Atrix’s backside, before there was a crunch, and the tearing of organic tissue, followed by a green-tinted limb being lobbed into the table, a stream of red sailing along with it, and staining the table – Nokra going ghost-white in the face as the Terskix turned back towards the group. “It’s not a prank.”

==-=-=-=-=-=-==

“Two problems solved, and then ten more to follow, that’s usually how it goes, Gato. But you know what? So long as I got this ship, the people in it, and all that jazz by my side you know what? It’s not gonna be bad all the time.” Riola said with a thoughtful glance on his face, and then a small shrug of his shoulders. “We just need to score a tiny win for ourselves right now to boost our spirits. And considering you wanna work with me? I got something in mind when we’re out in space again…” Riola said. There was his rather true-to-heart grin on his features, and the glint of deviousness that was lost.

“Ai. The princess? If she made it, she’s probably a vegetable. You see that metal guy? She’s gonna be muy retarded from that fist hitting her in the head, Gato.” Riola said, snickering for a moment and rubbing behind his ear, flicking a bit of dirt from his fingers. “Nice and all, si. But she’s royalty. I got problems with that. Planets don’t need that kinda leadership. We have it back home, and here I am. Third-class citizen and all.” A small sigh escaped his lips, however. “Yeah you’re right though. She’s looking for a bit of anarchy as well. And we need to find a way to hire people, you’re right. At the very most, we can always try and trade services for something with mercs. Knowing Hyun or something, she can sell them the good kinda weapons you can’t get normally.”

“Not pleasant? I can’t tell if Atrix was clicking her jaws, or that was the sound of some broken toy they were using.” Riola snorted, snapping his fingers as fast as he could to mimic the sound; snorts turning into snickers and then laughter. All at the expense of poor Mendez most likely. Finally settling down, Riola waved his hand and shook his head. “Tell him you’re interested in him. Throw him off or something. He’d probably stop talking to you.” Riola said offhandedly before nodding, the conversation taking a more somber turn. “Hey, Gato. Don’t dwell too much on it or anything. Just…Grieve as much as you need, and continue being you. Best thing to do really. As for meditating, I’ll have to pick on one of those little sand gardens and a bunch of music to help you out, amigo.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Taking hold of the bent tendril, Hyun tugged it a little to keep it taut, and so Ashi could see the bend in her ‘hair’ a little better, before she braced for what was coming. “It’s gonna hurt like a fuckin’ bitch, but I’m not gonna stab you or get mad about it. Thing’ll just hurt more if I keep it as is, right?” Hyun said, rolling her eyes and clicking her teeth. “What do you mean a girlfriend like me? Alien? Ganger? Someone with a chest that could feed an orphanage? Not that I would. I hate kids. At least raising or having to a be a model to them, lemme correct myself.” Hyun said with a small chuckle, before yawning and looking over towards the doorway Shaldag was standing and watching from. “Hey asshole, if you’re gonna watch, shit’s gonna cost you. My love life is pay-per-view.”

“Not worth the qantas to watch Ashi make you squeak while she’s licking your insides out.” Shaldag grunted. “Can just watch your sex tapes for that.”

Hyun growled for a moment, and made a mental note to triple check her office. A long story to say the least, but one she wasn’t about to discuss with Ashi; the Pink-colored woman waving a hand at Shaldag to admit defeat for now; the Ogrunu snickering and hiding out of sight once more. “If you need help or something showering or bathing while you’re all crippled and shit, I can just toss you into the tub and help you. Well, not fuckin’ toss-toss but you know what I mean. And I can’t say shit too much either. Ain’t exactly clean myself.” Hyun said looking down at a grease stain on her tank top. Fucking Mack-Are-Ownee. “Plus that just gives me an excuse to peek at your naked ass and see the goods, no?”

The cold finger traveled downwards and upwards, tracing an oval pattern in the princess’ skin; Hyun feigning innocence with each time her digit turned and carried on. “Escape? Some things you just can’t run from either. And not to be that bitch, but turning invisible ain’t gonna work when your blood stains and shit are pooling all around you, yeah? Daoweian speciality or not.” A small brief pause. “You -would- like Kia. Fuck, all the girls in the fuckin’ universe and I end up with the cute one who likes her.” Hyun laughed, rolling her eyes again and pressing icy lips on Ashi’s forehead. “Hmmm. Don’t know which chick I liked the most. Certainly not Kia. Maybe Ingrid? She was interesting enough.”

“Hopefully she’s not sleeping too long. Or in a coma. That probably wouldn’t be the best thing for any of us.” Nokra said rather plainly, watching the Half-Edensian eating his share of crepes. Hunger for the Felis set in once more; and he was eager to shove as much of Magali’s cooking into his gullet as he could. Metabolism was a killer and he knew that it would only be another few hours or so before he was hungry like before she started cooking again. “Well, I’ll tell you what. If he helps me and gets me a job helping the pilot? I’ll stop being an asshole to him. Until then, he’s in for a few punches to the face if he keeps moping around.” Nokra huffed, stabbing at an empty plate with a fork and envisioning it as the other Felis’ head.

Arm on the table, the Terskix lurched over towards her meal and sat herself with a bit of force, next to Mendez, before looking over towards him with a raised brow. “That is what you are for. Cleaning things up.” She said with a rather saccharine tone to her voice, one of her mandibles wriggling in place while her lower arms took hold of her Faleeshian remains on the table. Gone was the rather polite consumption of meat that Atrix had displayed in Tysix – the woman ravenously scarfing down and tearing as much meat as she could from the bone. Nokra looked on in sheer horror, before looking towards Mendez, and then Atrix over and over. “How are you not fucking grossed out, Mendez? This is sick!” He bellowed out – Atrix looking at the Felis with one set of eyes, and then using another set to lock in on Mendez. She was eager to hear the response, if only out of curiosity.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Perhaps there was a bit too much glee when it came to Riola daydreaming about the princess meeting some sort of awful fate at the hands of the man who was pretty much a robot at this point. The dude was scary enough without the augmentation. “Doubtful. He doesn’t look like the kinda dude that likes going easy on people. Hell, he didn’t go easy on himself. Me and Rosa found him with some sorta wound on his stomach. Forced Rosa to just light her hand on fire and cauterize it without anything for the pain.” Riola said blinking a few times as he brought the memory back up. Fikri’s next question put a few wrinkles on Riola’s face; age showing up for a moment on the Edensian as he shook his head. “Gato, it ain’t the same. She’s just fighting for the girls on her world to be equal. She isn’t fighting genocide. Anyone can renounce something. Let me see her actually stand up and pull a gun against someone from Daowei and then I’ll give her a bit of leeway, si?”

His anger subsided and the Edensian let out a dejected, and aggravated sigh. “We need allies, si. I just didn’t wanna have to rely on…Well? Criminals I guess. I mean, I’m technically a terrorist and that’s just as bad. But I don’t hurt people just for fun like Hyun does.” He said offhandedly, soon biting a nail out of anxiety and then flicking the bit piece of keratin away. “Got no choice I guess so here’s hoping when we make a move, Hyun doesn’t just cause total anarchy and hurt people more than necessary.”

At least the subject turned back towards something a bit more enjoyable to gossip about; Riola’s eyes lighting up as he pondered what he would do in Mendez’s shoes as well. “You’re not wrong about that. Terskix Dinner isn’t the most fun way to go out. Though I mean so long as I got laid or something before she threw me in an oven though I wouldn’t complain either.” A small pause. “Can’t imagine the sex being that good to tempt someone into eating you though.” Riola snorted and looked around to see if there were any blank canvases around. “I’d pay you a good thousand qantas for that picture too. Can see it now. ‘Si, si. Me and the Gato who painted this stroke each other thinking about his embrace’ and all of that, no?” Riola snorted, turning his head when the second knock was heard and Fikri invited whomever it was in.

Seeing Magali, the Edensian offered a polite smile and waved at her before looking at the crepes and shrugging his shoulders. “It’s alright, Senorita. Not that hungry, and I should still be sleeping. Just got woken up by something was all. Pop a squat and join us if you want! We’re talking about your friend, and his apparent need to be turned into a portrait so we can all oogle him.” He teased, gesturing the girl to slide on in with them.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

“Suuuure, suuuure. Fuckin’ high-and-mighty princess looking down on us Pink-colored gangers. Thought we had something special.” She droned, sarcasm oozing out like no tomorrow, before she took the bit of tendril and tossed it towards a trashcan. The cut was already closing and starting to heal, and the Chuzizian didn’t seem too bothered, even when it was snipped, sans a small flinch and rather childish pout for a second. “Holy shit, you don’t wanna dream about being like me at all, Ashi. Strong and shit don’t mean a thing when you’re means of making a living is all frowned and shit by everyone else. Guarantee if you weren’t on the run and I came up macking on you, you’d have scoffed and turned a nose at me. Fuckin’ fact.”

“Well, I guess me and Shaldag over get to be the first to see your tits. That’ll be nice.” Hyun said with a rather eager tone in her voice over the whole thing. The Chuzizian herself was a shade darker in the cheeks as well from the rather flustering banter, and tugging at one of her tank sleeves, made sure it was holding everything in place before sliding off the couch and onto her feet with a padded thump, and then tilting her head as she planned on figuring out how to move the maimed girl. “Might have to dose you again with some combat stims and some painkillers. Water on broken shit probably hurts real bad.” She said with a shrug.

“Well, you’re not exercising while your leg looks like hamburger though.” Hyun said, before shooting a glance towards one of the rooms and then itching under her chin. “…So uh…Warm? Cold? I don’t know how your worship-ness likes baths. I’d throw on a nurse outfit too and whisper something lewd in Chuziz at you, but I don’t have one either.”

[indent]Mendez sighed, looking at the blood, then at Atrix, then back to the blood as if asking if she was serious while knowing the entire time that she was. His lower eyelid twitched a bit as his lover tore into her meal, a barbaric display that exhibited hunger and superiority—a move that could only be expected from her. “I'm just...glad it isn't me, amigo. As long as she keeps eating others...maybe, just maybe I can make it outta this alive.” Best to answer with certain parts of the truth hidden, certain parts exposed. In all honesty, if he didn't look at the massacre of this Faleeshian girl as his ticket to perhaps a few days of safety, he would have thought it disgusting. But, the way he looked at it, if it wasn't them, it would be him, and really what difference did it make anyway? The Faleeshian was no friend of his, and Terskix ate random humanoids daily. Whether Atrix was with him or against him, humanoids would be eaten for her survival and enjoyment was kept solely on if she was fed, and he'd rather Atrix was with him.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

When Riola mentioned the fire, Fikri gave a small smile, one of the glimpses of his past self seeping through the dead outer shell that made up the felis, “She does that often, actually. She said that all pyra have that ability. Many of them use it to power their ships. Rosie showed me her back up engine, you know if the main one failed? On the other ship. It was powered solely through a pyra's fire. I mean, I'm sure other species would have been able to figure it out if they were smart enough and had a flame thrower, but that's just a part of what they can do.”

Fikri leaned forward, clasping his hands between parted knees, “Right. She's fighting for her own world. But she's bringing it to a galactic level. And what's wrong with fighting for the problems you face yourself? Isn't that what you're doing? Fighting for a cause that directly affects you?” He shook his head, “She sees something wrong and she's fighting against it. Why not make it a two-for-one? I'm sure Rosie still has at least Hyun's contact information. Maybe we can send her a holo-vid, extend out an alliance. Extend that to Hyun and company. At this point we really can't be picky. You said you weren't aware of any other existing cells other than ours, and ours consists of how many willing? Me, you, Rosie...who else?”

Fikri was more than willing to return to the topic of Mendez and Atrix. At least for the time being, it was a rather light topic. “I'm wondering if he's hoping that if he's a good enough lay he'll get to stick around longer? That would be my guess anyway. We've just got to make sure she's plenty fed and pray Mendez is as good in bed as he thinks he is.” He laughed now, half hoping that he really was and half hoping that she hadn't eaten him yet because she actually felt something for him. That was something he wanted to ask Mendez, actually. If she could actually care for him like he cared for her. Fikri laughed, “Consider it done. I don't know how much like him it will look like though, unless I make it obvious that I'm using him as a reference.” Fikri snorted, the mental image of Nokra asking why Fikri was staring at him coming to his head. How hammy should he be? Ultimate ham. That's all he could be. It would only make it that much more humorous.

Magali waved with the hand that wasn't holding the plate of crepes, and blushing, sat down. “We weren't too loud were we? When I last left the kitchen Atrix was coming in...but any noise before that was probably me looking around for ingredients...” She offered the plate of sweet goodness to Fikri, who took it blinking. Her eyes were somewhat droopy, though Fikri took this to mean that the girl was shy. She didn't seem unhappy by any means, just not used to talking to others on an equal basis. He could relate. He'd been there.

“Thank you for the food, Magali,” he said, still surprised that she'd thought to make him something.
Magali tilted her head at the Edensian, “Oogle? Like, admire?” The felis was dumbfounded, looking to Fikri for confirmation. The latter's laughter showed that it was true and she scratched her head, confirmed.

“Just...don't worry about it, Magali,” Fikri managed. He now had to make a portrait.

“Uhm, okay,” the female felis squeaked in response. “Hey, Fikri?” she looked at him through the tops of her eyes, “Do you think...do you think Rosalind is looking for a second pilot?”

Fikri was taken aback by the question, looking to Riola to see if he knew anything about why she was asking. “Well, in my opinion, she needs one. But she's proud and used to being the sole pilot. She's used to putting on autopilot and sailing through peaceful skies, though. With everything that's been happening though, she's been able to do that less and I think she's wearing herself thin. Why, are you looking for a job?”

Magali shook her head, “N-no...erm, well, yes. But not piloting. I was thinking maybe...maybe Nokra?”

Fikri's face obviously fell when they were talking about him in not leering ways and he sighed, “Again, she needs one. If he's smart and can learn quickly, I don't see why not. I'll talk to Rosie for you. In the meantime though, what do you want to do?” He looked down at his delicious smelling crepes and took a bite.

“I...I don't know. I know how to provide pleasure and..and...cook,” Magali muttered, looking down shamefaced, ears wilting.

“Magali, I'm not going to judge you. I came from that same position, remember? These...these crepes are wonderful, by the way. Say, I'm in the middle of learning a new trade. Why don't you take over my position as cook and general first mate while Riola imparts his knowledge on me?” He looked to Riola to see what he thought of that prospect.

Magali's eyes lit up, and her ears perked with them, “Really? You really mean it?”

“I do. We'll talk pay later, but in the meantime, Nokra probably doesn't want you in here too long right?”

Magali nodded and got to her feet, a lift in her step, “Right! Thank you Fikri, good seeing you Riola! Do you want me to make you a plate too?”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Ashi colored thankful that it was sarcasm that she was detecting but having no idea how to respond. So, she kept her sheepish grin, “Well I don't frown upon it, obviously. There are some things that I find questionable morally, but this is the life I'm choosing. Morals have to change.” She would have shrugged a shoulder here, but as Hyun was cuddling against her good one she stayed still and gave her a squeeze with the good arm that was around her. “If I wasn't on the run we wouldn't have ever met. So I'm glad that I was on the run, but on the off chance that we did meet and I wasn't on the run, I probably would have then decided to. There's something that's alluring about you, Hyun, even if I can't put my finger on it.” The last part was half a muse to herself as it was to the woman helping her to release more endorphins than she thought her little body capable of. It was true though. Since they met, Ashi had been drawn to Hyun, even when she was threatening to electrocute her. The humans had a word for this: Stockholm Syndrome. But, Ashi justified this with the fact that neither of them were humans. Negative connotations didn't apply here, did they?

“Sh-Shaldag too? He's going to help bathe me?” Ashi squeaked. She felt ready for Hyun, not quite (or probably ever) ready for Shaldag. He'd taken on sort of the fatherly role to the princess, the father that Ashi never really had. Her eyes followed Hyun as she stood. “I think the drugs will be much appreciated,” she said remembering that she hadn't yet looked to see if any of her bones were poking out.

“Warm but not scalding maybe?” Ashi said, trying to sound just picky enough, “Frankly, I'll just be glad to be clean...”

Atrix tore into another chunk of the poor girl. Now all of her eyes were locked in onto Mendez after hearing his response, and swallowing another portion of meat, bared her fangs into a rather malicious looking smile. Truth was she had never thought about eating Mendez since they had been a little more intimate. But if there was a show that seemed to be getting put on for the Felis, or if it was Terskixian pride, Atrix was going all in. An armored limb stretched out and grabbed Mendez by the hair to pull him in; bringing him right up towards her teeth as she cooed at the man. “I’m just saving you. Gonna feed you everything that’ll make you sweeter.” She teased, prompting a quick look of fear from Nokra who nearly stumbled backwards out of his chair, and then out of the kitchen as well – Tail between his legs. Once the male Felis was gone the Terskix pressed lips against Mendez for a few seconds and then broke away; winking a set of eyes, and then the other set. “Kidding, of course. I have no intention of eating you. You’re for giving me a brood.”

-=-=-=-=--=-=--=-

"Sure beats just living old, and having looks that murder people, that's for sure. IT's all I got. Red hair, being old, and being able to get someone to buy me a drink with a smile and a bit of Edensian speech to make myself sound sexy." Riola laughed, waggling his eyebrows for a second and then muttering a bunch of nonsense in his accent. It was how he ended up in bedrooms with other people before. Luckily he only had to worry about one girl now, and he was content with that for all of eternity. Or for when Viora might get an upperhand and put a gun to his head. "Kinda cool she can be a battery for her own ship. Wouldn't that burn her out though? No pun intended, Gato."

Riola paled to try imagining asking Hyun for anything, and pursed his lips. The last thing he needed was the Chuzizian hounding him and harassing him about needing help, and then stringing him and everyone else up because she got offended that she was a last resort on top of it all. Worse off? What would she even want in return? The thoughts flooded Riola's mind and he coughed politely for a second while he searched for a response for Fikri on the topic. Along with an answer to the Ashi questions. "Well, we're kinda desperate, si, for allies. I don't suppose we can try and bribe Hyun into working with us and not being...Well, herself while we work together. Last thing we'd want is for people to know our cell was torturing people or anything because she's one sick little perita." A small pause. "Fine, fine...I'll make it a two-for-one. But if she shows signs of not being helpful at all, I ain't gonna work with her. Last thing I want is to be ditched when we get her out of a jam, Gato. Dios mios. Friends like these..."

"You sound like a Terskix romantic adviser, Fikri. Shit, you should school him on that shit. Part One: How to Feed your eight-armed cannibal girlfriend in three easy steps!" Riola teased, leaning over to Fikri and nudging his shoulder with an elbow. "The boy better be good in bed. From what I know, Atrix is a widower. Probably ate her last husband or something because he was garbage in bed. Fingers crossed for the hermano, but worst comes to worse, we might have to try and subdue a Terskix. That ain't gonna be fun." Striking a pose the Edensian stopped to form his hair into a bare resemblance of Felis ears and then immediately pouted as hard as he could at Fikri. "I mean, I could always be your muse. I can look pissy enough as it is, Gato."

Riola shook his head at Magali, and snickered for a moment. "You guys rummaging for ingredients isn't gonna wake my ass up, Senorita. It takes a lot more than that to do it. Kinda got a tin-ear, if I'm saying that right. Enough bombs and some of your hearing'll go and all of that." He raised a brow for a moment and nodded. "Aranea...Sorry, Atrix is back? Well, someone should go call Mendez if he didn't find her yet. They'll probably wanna pretend to tolerate each other, and then hump in a broom closet or something." He looked over to the crepes for a second. They did look good. He just didn't have any desire to shovel food in his mouth. That and from the thuds he heard coming from the dining room and knowing Atrix was back? He doubted the kitchen was a place to not lose a lunch at the moment.

"Oh yeah. It's nothing. Me and Fikri over here just wanna give Nokra a bit of our loving is all. He's got dos holes, si? Nothing like a little Edensian Love Train to welcome to the new guy, right Fikri?" Riola snorted, bursting into snickers before muttering to himself and then listening to the others as they bantered back and forth with another. Another pilot, even Nokra would be a welcome addition in his book. That meant he'd have a bit more time to bother Rosalind and woo and make her swoon some. "Well, if Fiks isn't gonna ask, I can do it as well. She's out like a light because she doesn't stop working." He peppered in, "And you can cook. That's all we could ask for. I certainly ain't the kinda guy that goes around looking for pleasure. Well, that's a lie, but not anymore I guess. Ho, shit I'm making this awkward, dios. I'll shut up now."

RIola opened his mouth again, not letting a potential prank slip by. "I guess I can have a plate and eat something....Can you send Nokra with the plate though? El gato está muy caliente y quiero que me vea desnudo" He said, waving a hand in front of his face and feigning obvious attraction to the poor Felis about to have the most awkward run-in of the ages.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=

"Well, you could have chosen worse. I know a few of the gangs around here, and I like to say I'm not -too- fucking terrible with my moral choices. Like I said, I ain't Gaizan. I don't drill into peoples' heads and force them to do what I want. I have credit and loansharking for that." Hyun said with a snort, wriggling her toes for a second and then checking her snipped head tendril, which was growing back to length. "You can still be a goody-two shoes. Just gonna have to remember that everyone down here? They're nice because they want something. Sift through the bullshit." The topic turned inwards and Hyun's face grew a bit darker around her cheeks, before she waved it off and tried to deflect the compliments. "I'm alluring because it takes two hands to hold up one tit. Let's be real here, Ashi." Whether it was Stockholm or Lima syndrome, at least they weren't at each others' throats and bickering. Hyun would have probably just fed her to something by then.

"Well, I can carry you and such, but I'm gonna end up bumping you into something. Plus, he's got that whole 'bodyguard' shtick going on. He's not gonna let one of us be alone if he can help it. Assume someone'll lob a grenade in a vent and kill us both. He just likes looking out for people." Hyun said, hollering out in Chuziz towards the halls for Shaldag and then arching her back, arms stretched out to the ceiling as she yawned, and then twisted so her spine would pop a few times. "Warm water. Gotcha. Fuckin' heathens, all of you. Cold water is the best."

"That's because you're cold-hearted and hate everything." Shaldag boomed back, shuffling over towards the Daoweian with a vial of pills in one hand, and a canteen in the other, eyes homed in on Hyun-chu as he let out a shrill little cough, he mask expanding and then deflating as the excess air flowed out. "Stop worrying. I'm not going to stare at your naked....Parts. I'm just there to make sure Hyun doesn't drown you in the bathtub. She's got a horrendous track record of caring for people."

"I do not!"

Shaldag rolled his eyes and wriggled mechanical hands. "My two organic limbs left rotting somewhere not attached to me say otherwise."