[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.
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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?”
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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...”