“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.”