[sylvanSpider]

“They don't need to know you're part of the rebellion. Besides, what happened back at Hazoo? I don't even know that they were after you,” Mendez said, putting both his hands in his pockets and leaning back against the wall and looking back to the doors his wounded comrades had been carried through. “It seemed they wanted Ashi more, oddly enough. Which...leads me to believe that the Daoweians and Edensians are working together. But I don't think they're being up front about it. Checked the dataslate that Atrix lent me and Ashi's funeral has been all over the news. Apparently her father's painting her up like some sort of martyr.” Mendez had no id to offer. That had been left behind with most of his other worldly belongings, and he pressed his lips in a thin line wondering if he'd get in trouble for not having any. After all, his excuse was that he was kidnapped by this group rather than being a freed slave. He'd just say he left it behind in an attempt to lead a new life.

“Thought I saw her heading back to the ship, hermano. If you're gonna get alone time with her, now's probably the time. The rest of us are probably gonna clean up in the medical center,” Mendez shrugged and offered him a smile, “Never met a mechanic that didn't like coffee. Enjoy your chance with her while you can, hermano.”

Magali was perfectly still as the woman examined her arms, used to examinations from far less pleasant persons than the one looking at her now. “I'm...fine,” Magali said softly, “This blood isn't mine this time.” At the confirmation that she was going to be getting an id, the felis brightened, her ears perked with eyes glistening, “I'll look as nice as I can! And doctor...I...I really appreciate this. Thank you!” With that, Magali waved, beaming all the while and found her way to Nokra.

“Nokra, big news! Once we get cleaned up, we can get our pictures taken for ids! We get to have our own ids! Isn't that exciting?!” Magali grasped at his hands, her excitement evident through the blood soaked fur and skin and she immediately pulled her hands back, blushing, “I'm sorry about that, I uh, forgot about the blood. But, but what do you say to joining me in getting our ids together? Actual people, starting our lives over again!”

Mendez jumped when the Terskix wrapped her arms around him, but then those familiar fangs told him exactly who it was and he relaxed immediately, reveling in the small affections she gave him. His entire demeanor changed when Atrix made her appearance and he actually looked happy, content – albeit also dirty and tired. He looked up at her and offered a sleepy smile, “Thanks for the attempted compliment. But you're right. We should take this chance to get cleaned up and rested.” Here, he lowered his voice and leaned in, standing on his tip-toes to get to her hearing orifices, “Mi alma, what do you say we get cleaned up on the ship and come back to check on them once we're...rested...?”

> > >

Ashi looked about the room with wide eyes. She'd never had a reason to go to the pools, though her family could certainly afford it. The worst Ashi had ever dealt with was needing stitches after a mishap with unreached fruit and a tall tree, but that didn't merit a trip to the pools as small amounts of the verdaqua had been purchased and transported to Daowei, and the stitches only needed to stay on for a few hours. To say that Ashi was a sheltered child would be the understatement of the century, and now she found herself needing to get almost all of her appendages reset, almost completely submerged in the material. She nodded to show her understanding, but she was nervous and it showed. The pain she was in, however, was bad enough to make whatever resetting they had to do worth it.

“Out of my clothing,” Ashi repeated under her breath, nervous. None but her handmaidens had seen her naked since she was an infant, and the handmaidens only saw her long enough to do up the backs on complicated dresses. She gulped, “If...if it's not you helping me, can you send for Hyun? She ah...she's the one with pink skin...”

[BlueInTheShell]

"It all reeks too much of coincidence, Mendez. Just happens to attack us on Hazoo where we landed? Right after the whole shindig with the princess and all of that?" Riola replied, the Edensian perking a brow at the Half-breed and going quiet for a second at the headlines. Everything was beginning to seem like a red herring, and paranoia was sinking into his mind deeper than a worm in an apple. "Martyr. Pffft. I mean, she ain't exactly innocent now. Her squeeze is one of the most violent criminals I've ever known, and I'm considered a fuckin' terrorist." Even being wanted and hunted down, the Daoweian girl was still being portrayed as a hero. It felt so wrong. At least he was saving his kind from some form of genocide.

There was no need to tell Riola twice, and the Edensian offered out fake papers, waiting for either the people to stare at him in horror, or what had actually happened: The Edensian getting a nod and his false documents back; Riola looking towards the door they had come out from and pursing his lips into a sliver. "Yeah....Yeah you're right. Coffee. Bother her while everyone else is doing their thing." With that the Edensian excused himself; offering Mendez a quick wave of his hand before turning on his heels and taking a tired, exhausted stroll back to the ship.

Analoka offered a small nod and went back to her duties, amused and shaking her head slightly at the Felis. It was abig deal for Magali and the Star Woman knew it, but at the same time, did she really? She was born with a name. A purpose. Not someone dictating her purpose while she was forced to act on another's whim. Perhaps once the medical clients were taken care off and if they stuck around longer, Analoka would bother them to ask them about their lives. If only to sate her own curiosity.

Nokra was staring longingly at a vending machine, damning his empty pockets when the voice of his angel returned; Nokra jumping a little at the latching onto of his hands when he turned to face Magali, and blinking a few times while what she said had sunk in. "Whoa, hold on fucking wait? ID's? I... I don't know what those are. Is it something we're supposed to have to be free? I kinda, never asked or tried to figure it ou. Figured I was dying in something's mouth." Looking at his red-stained hands, Nokra frowned for a second, and took a couple of deep breathes, before forcing a smile. "No for real, Magali. I'm kinda excited for it. Just don't know what to do is all."

////////

Nervousness painted on her face and audible in her tone, Analoka kept the girl in place for a moment, taking the time to make sure she didn't hurt the blue-haired girl while she was placed on an examination table ; Cold steel barely heated through the thin piece of paper laid out on top to keep fluids from staining the makeshift bed. The rigid explanation was usually what made people uncomfortable at first, but Analoka usually saw people relax once they were settled in. "...I can help you of course, the choice is yours. Though I can try and send for Ms. Chu in here now. I do need to help prep your other friend for a more vigorous dip into the pools." Analoka sighed. "Full submerging. It's not fun practice. Verdaqua in the lungs is an abhorrent feeling." The Doctor excused herself however, leaving the room to send for Hyun.

Hyun of course came almost immediately, the Chuzizian on the verges of breakdown from the look on her face, though she tried to piece herself together when she saw Ashi; the woman giving her a nonchalant shrug. "Yo. Shal's doing...Okay. They're taking off his limbs. Kinda hurts to see him as a legless, armless lump. But he's gonna be okay." She said, trying to assure Ashi and herself at the same time. "Doc said you needed me in here for something?"

[sylvanSpider]

“Si, si. It does. Don't think I disagree with you there,” Mendez said blowing some red hair out of his face, “But I did some research when we were on the ship. She's a wanted criminal, but that's not known. They took all the missing notices down, and there's no longer a known reward for her return. Look.” Mendez held out the dataslate Atrix lent him and pulled up the BountyBoards, “She's not here. Before her fake funeral or whatever, she was at the top – which is how I think Hyun found her. But before she ran away and the whole thing became a hostage situation, she was a media darling. She was seen participating in charities and legal reforms all over the place. Many of which her father directly opposed.” Pulling up several news stories, he scrolled through the headlines. “Something just doesn't add up. Funny thing about that though? She was seen plenty of times with the Queen of Edensia – she apparently viewed her as some sort of pet project or something, but some of the lesser known holo-news sources covered her speaking against the Queen, albeit subtly. She never liked the treatment of males on Edensia, but I get the feeling she played nice with her because she was either a.) trying to make new political connections or b.) something else entirely. And now we're in this shitshow, Edensia and Daowei chasing the two of you down like you're actually partners and neither of them seem to like Ashi very much anymore. I just wish I knew what she was planning...”

Mendez watched the Edensian stroll back through the door back to the ship and sighed. Young love. He was in it too, and deep. Atrix wasn't the woman he thought he met when he was kidnapped, and he felt he was a better man for it. The woman had showed him that things that others would generally consider disgusting could be beautiful, that he could actually fall in love with one of the less humanoid looking species, and that that love could be real – at least for him. He wished he had a way to see what she was thinking, to see if it went both ways. Maybe now was his chance to find out, while everyone was busy cleaning and resting up. When she came over, he put his hands around one of her many and gave a loving squeeze, “So how about it, corazon? A retreat to the ship while the wounded are being taken care of?”

Magali was beaming, not even noticing the vending machine and the sweets that ordinarily she would have loved. She clasped her hands in order to keep from grasping at his again, barely able to contain hersself, “It's...it's just papers, but they're papers to prove you're a person! That you're not property! We can both get them right here. I just need to get cleaned up first, and I was thinking we could both get our pictures taken together! Wouldn't that be great?!”

Fikri, who was standing close by cleared his throat and walked over to the other two felis, smiling despite his lowered ears, “Magali, in the ids, you have to be by yourself. Your identification papers are your identification. You are your own now, just like Nokra is his own. The closest you can get to combined ids would be to get married.” He pat her back, “It's another thing you two get to consider now that you're no longer slaves. I'm gonna get cleaned up in the men's facilities. We don't have showers this fancy on the ship, so use it while you can. Oh, and Nokra, now's your chance to talk to Magali about what you two want to do. I know you don't like me, but it's a suggestion that I honestly think you can do. I understand if you don't wanna stick around and be Rosalind's apprentice, but know that I won't be your enemy if you choose to stay.”

> > >

The ship was peaceful and quiet for once and Rosalind sighed contently knowing that the two they worked to transport made it safely and were going to hopefully be returning to their old selves within the next twenty-four galactic hours. There was a trail of blood leading from the makeshift medical room through the door, reminding Rosalind of the trouble that was to come. They'd already lost two faces that had at least grown familiar to the rest of the crew, and she knew that if they continued down this road, there would be more to come. She took a deep breath, in through the nose and out through the mouth, knowing that she needed to set the camouflage, heading for the engine room immediately. The fix was an easy one, and soon she'd be able to rest, at least for a little while.

> > >

Ashi did her best to not grimace as the doctor moved her. She knew that she was being as careful as humanly possible, but busted kneecaps and an arm bent the wrong way ensured that the princess was almost perpetually in a state of discomfort and pain. The cold steel jolted through Ashi's clothes and to her skin, forcing a gasp out of her, and she nodded, “If you're needed there, please, please go to him first. I'm fine and I know I will make it. But...but I am worried about him.”

Hyun's appearance in the doorway brought a smile to the princess, despite how small and strangled it seemed to be. “If he's going to make it, that's...that's what I care about,” Ashi said quite honestly, thankful that she never had to see him without his limbs, thankful that the next time she'd see him he would be up and talking – hopefully with a set of cybernetics that didn't hurt him when he breathed. Ashi grew quiet for a moment, looking up to her girlfriend, “This is...ah, it's going to sound awkward. I told Dr. Analoka to be in there with Shaldag, so someone needs to remove my clothes...” She gulped, “I figured if I was going to have anyone do that task, it might as well be you, my...my girlfriend, do it.”

[BlueInTheShell]

Riola paused and stared at the dataslate Mendez had brought up, his own eyes scanning for anything that could be used to figure...Anything out. Everything seemed legit, and while he didn't look at the Bounty Boards himself (Save for the occasional glimpse at his own profile, out of simple vanity.) though he had no reason to doubt either Mendez or Atrix's dataslate when it came to Ashi's disappearance from the boards. Riola himself barely kept to any other sources of news either, if only to try and be spared from the propaganda that Edensia liked to vomit out for its populace. It was the sightings with her and the Queen that raised the a few red flags. Regardless if she was there to try and low-key spread his own message, it was the simple fact she played nice with her that made his blood seethe a little. Regardless of her own desires. Perhaps he could at least try and get a glimpse into her plans. If only to see if nothing was fishy for his own motivations.

One set of Atrix's eyes followed RIola as he left while the other looked down towards Mendez, the Terskix's arms continuing their patterns along his body while she let out a small yawn herself; fangs exposed to the air before she hummed and considered the possibilities. Atrix herself didn't need much of a relaxing spell, but the half-breed probably did. And of course at least from her perspective the man was attempting to court her into the bedroom again. Pinching his shoulders for a second with her main arms, the Terskix pried herself from him and nodded slowly. "I don't suppose we can. This place already barely tolerates me. I should have a doctor look at me at some point. I think I cracked chitin and need it filled." She said, pulling down a portion of her suit and showing a spot on her shoulder. "Does it look cracked? You examine me more than I look at myself."

Nokra smiled and took a breath before pulling Magali in for a small hug; the Felis resting his head on hers and rocking her gently. Something that made him a person and not property was something he could definitely look forward to. "Well, so long as we can nab something that means we're our own people, and we can just them right now? I would be down for getting a picture with you and then having all those things." Nokra said, finally just banging a hand on one of the vending machines and sending a tiny plethora of sweets and goods down into reaching distance.

Marriage. That was the word that made Nokra blink a few times, though he began to sulk when he was told by Fikri that he had to get his picture and his ID on his lonesome. Once Fikri's piece was said and the Felis departed, Nokra coughed and looked over towards Magali, itching the back of his head while his ears pinned back to his head for a second. The time was nigh it seemed. To at least explain one thing to her. "So uh...The pilot on this ship offered to take me in. Training to fly the thing as well. And I really wanna do it." Nokra began, the Felis burrowing his heel in the floor. "I want you to stay with us, though if you wanna do your own thing I understand. I just don't want you to leave, because I'd... I'd miss you and everything."

//////

"Hermana. Don't you have a cat for fixing things?" Riola's voice echoed seemingly out of nowhere as the Edensian situtated himself right next to the horned woman, offering a hand out to her while looking towards the Engine room. "Place is neutral. You can take a break and fix everything in a bit. I was wondering if you wanted to just...Relax? I mean, we haven't had much time to just hang out. Even day one drinks was interrupted a bit by a bleeding Ogrunu. Come to think of it, this is the second time him bleeding was in between us, haha." Riola said, snickering for a moment before exhaling. "Truth though, I hope he's okay."

\\\\\\

Hyun perked a bit of brow flesh and placed a hand on her hip, looking towards the open door of the Daoweian Princess' room, before chuckling and rolling her eyes. "Next thing you want is me in a nurse outfit. One of them tight ones you see in pornos, giving you the fingers while you're laying there." Hyun snorted, before rolling her shoulders and nodding a few times. "Shal's doing better already. A few injections of this healing shit, and he's already more stable than before. Minus whoever turned him into a robot killing him. That's me. Because I'm a fuckup and cut corners on him." Hyun sighed, moving over to Ashi. "...I'm not super gentle. Clothes removing is gonna hurt, unless you want me to just cut you out of everything."

[sylvanSpider]

Mendez leaned his head back, thinking that if he was a felis he might actually be purring. Then, he didn't know if that was something that felis actually did...The patterns were hypnotizing, and Mendez found himself closing his eyes, content with all that was happening at the moment. “We should ask before we get comfortable,” Mendez said, turning to get a better look at her shoulder. Mendez had to stand on the front balls of his feet to see the top of her shoulder. “I'm only too happy to examine you, mi alma,” he said softly, running his finger gently over the crack that she spoke of. “It does...How did this happen?” He didn't think it could have been his fault – it was always Atrix that was rough with him as opposed to the other way around, and his eyes showed the worry that he couldn't hide. “I'll go with you so they feel less threatened, but we really should get that fixed before we leave.”

Magali's eyes went wide and she blinked, hugging him back and breathing in his non-blood-soaked smell, “You're going to be covered in blood too now.” Her voice was sheepish, but she wasn't willing to pull away just yet, burying her face in his neck. “These are the pictures that we use until it expires in a few years, so we should get clean first, okay?” She pulled back, bringing her hands down to his. This type of physical contact was the only thing that Magali had ever known. It was how she showed someone that she cared about them, and it came naturally to her. In fact, she didn't know of other ways one could show affection. To her, these weren't only romantic reactions – they they certainly could be.

She gave his hands a squeeze, looking into his eyes, “I will stay. This ship goes all over the galaxy, right? Or the universe? I want to see it all, and I want to see it all with you.”

> > >

Rosalind jumped, spinning on her heel her face immediately brightening, “Ah, Fikri? He's more for cookin' things an' keepin' me sane on long trips.” Rosalind stepped forward placing both of her arms around Riola's shoulders, “This'll take only a minute – the ship needs t'be camouflaged.” As she spoke, she reached over flicking a switch. The ship hummed for a moment and Rosalind nodded, “Less than, it seems.” She straightened and pecked Riola softly on the lips, “Doc says 'e'll be alright, an' for that ah'm grateful. Ah'm also grateful for th' chance t' stop an' catch my breath. What about you? How ye holdin' up with all the stuff that's been goin' on?”

> > >

A small smile crept across Ashi's lips and she raised her eyebrows. “While I wouldn't mind that, I'd like it more if I wasn't in actual need of medical assistance,” she said, chuckling a moment only to grimace. “I'm glad to hear he'll be alright. I just...I wish that we could say the same for Toka. She meant everything to him. Don't...don't say that you're a fuckup. You're not. You did what you had to to keep him alive, and I for one am grateful that you saved him. Here, though, I hope that he gets better.”

Her eyes went up to the ceiling, doing her best not to move any parts of her body that she didn't need to, “I think all of my spare clothes were either left in Hazoo or were left on the old ship...but I think that's what we may need to do.” Ashi sighed. The last thing she wanted to do was get her only set of clothes cut off of her, but her arm was bent in places other than her elbow, and attempting to squeeze out of a sleeve didn't seem feasible. “Would you...ah...cut me out?” she asked, gulping.

[BlueInTheShell]

Atrix sighed when Mendez had confirmed her suspicions, the Terskix rolling a set of eyes before shifting her shoulders and lowering her limbs from their patterned marches across the Half-breed. Talking to the doctors here was going to be a pain, like it was in every single place she had gone to for medical care. A lack of seeing her species, and just reading them left doctors with the horrid act of constantly asking her questions about her health; Atrix cringing at the thought of having to be more social than she already was. "Probably happened during the whole incident with the Felis' lover. Explains why I've been sore." Atrix hummed, looking around to try and pluck a nurse or doctor over to them, casting her glance back at Mendez and yawning; the Terskix tapping a foot on the ground in annoyance at nothing in particular. "I hate the medical castes on other worlds."

Nokra laughed and looked down at himself, a little Magali-shaped bloodprint on his person soiling the scent in the air, though the male didn't seem to really care. "Mags, please. I've been in the fucking pits for most of my life. This is like a papercut's worth of blood to me at this point." Nokra twitched an ear and then scratched it, plucking something sticky from the tip and hissing when it stung. "Yeah yeah, gotta look my best for freedom pictures, right?" He teased, leaning in close and giving her a flash of her eyes.

It was her mention of staying on the ship that made him almost vibrate with delight, the Felis hiding a giant smile under a nonchalant gaze while he squeezed her hands back and gave her a small spin, twirling her with an arm like a dancer. "See it all, then find a place we like and just stay there."

>>>>>>

"Oi, I was talking about the other Felis. The one who wants to help fly the thing, and has some sorta complex when it comes to his lady-friend." Riola replied with a small chuckle at his own summary of Nokra. Once her arms were around him, it was game over for Riola and he found himself half-listening to the plans for the ship, and half-oogling the Pyra with as stealthy of an eye as he could. "Fine fine. I'm glad the big guy is doing better. Was more worried about you running yourself ragged with exhaustion than anything." Riola hummed, finally rubbing his head and pursing his lips. "...Thinking of offering...Shaldag? I am horrible with names, the chance to join up with me. I know he's gonna want some kind of payback. And having him around to help? It's like a walking tank with a chip on it's shoulders having our rears."

>>>>>>

Toka. That was the whole wildcard with Shaldag at this point, and nothing was more troubling to Hyun than the passing of Shaldag's little star child. He was probably too delirious to really comprehend it all considering his wounds, and now that he was going to be recuperating and can reflect? Hyun felt like the Daoweians and the Edensians woke up a sleeping giant, and while she had never seen Shaldag in prime as a Warlord? What he was capable of just as a grunt was terrifying enough. "Fuckin' Toka. Couldn't save her either. Should have had her stick around with us instead of whisking her away. Fuck, Ashi. Half of the shit that went down could have been prevented. I'm so fucking hung up on the 'What ifs' that it's gonna keep me awake."

The mention of clothes made Hyun shrug, and looking at the blood-soaked garments Ashi was wearing? It probably didn't matter much. "Can just borrow something from the Felis or one of the other people if it comes down to it." Hyun said, scratching her head and cocking her gaze to the side, before shrugging, and helping Ashi out of pants first. That one would hurt the most, and while Hyun was less than gentle; the scalpel she produced was sliced through cloth like it was butter; Hyun tossing the ruined clothing onto the ground.

>>>>>>>

Analoka took one look at the disassembled man in front of her and shook her head. She had seen the worst of the worst come in, but this man was both ragged from some form of brutal warfare, and was put back together haphazardly when he was still walking around. Looking at a tray of rusted part, and trying to find serial numbers, Analoka huffed and decided it was best to not get angry at the whole ordeal - The Star Woman moving over towards the Ogrunu who had been situated in the pool. His jaw had thankfully been reattached. A plastic replacement there until more permanent options were found.

"Can you understand me? You are in a hospital sir." Analoka said, waving a finger and sighing with relief when the Ogrunu followed it, and blinked a few times with his only eye.

"The nurses have you stabilized but it will be some time before you will be 100%. In the meantime, if you have any sort of documentation for your cybernetics or documents to detail your recovery, I would like to see them. May I have permission to find them?"

Shaldag grunted, and managed to produce a few words. "Jacket...Pocket.. Cybernetic plans...For rebuilding me."

Analoka nodded and moved towards his neatly stacked belongings, finding the small dataslate she had been told to find and opened it, the woman scrolling down; only for her plasma to smolder and cool down for a moment - Seeing a picture of another star-person, followed by...Schematics.

The schematics however, made her sniffle a bit and turn to face Shaldag.

"You...You couldn't possibly want this...What you're asking? Even if you could afford it...You'll be even less of your organic self..."

Shaldag grunted once more and took a deep breath,. "I just....Want revenge. My chance to return to the tides? Fuck The Tides."

[sylvanSpider]

Mendez grasped a set of Atrix's hands, giving them a gentle squeeze, “I'll be there to make sure they don't try anything on you, si, hermana?” He was looking forward to this about as much as Atrix was. He knew the stigmas that she must face here, and as her lover, he knew he must face them as well. Again, he was reminded of the doctor on Hazoo – one used to the terrors of the gang life – who adamantly suggested that he ditch Atrix while he could. Of course, as promised, Mendez denied him and stayed with Atrix regardless. The risks were already well-known. He needed no one else to remind him of that. “Do ya think that maybe you could just take a dip in one of the pools? Would that fix it, or is it different with chitin?”

That laugh was everything Magali wanted to hear. Back on Hazoo, he rarely smiled. His face was always contorted to one of pain or worry, depending on who got the worst of that day's clientele. She could remember after one particularly rough person who paid not only double for her services but also for a trip to Verdaqua. Nokra looked scared then, seeing her broken body as she was being carted away to a ship. Of course they'd asked for her information then, and when the question of slavery came up her master simply retorted by telling them that the enslavement of felis was so common they could call whoever they wanted – no help would come. If they refused to treat her, he'd make her work in this condition. The medical staff at the time had no choice but to mend her and send her right back. But then, even then, Nokra was there waiting when she returned. Nokra was more than likely most familiar with this planet; his life in the pits being no walk in the park either. But now, they were free, and Magali was looking at Nokra's laughing face with only the most joyous of joys, the sun was no longer hiding behind a mass of clouds, it was out and shining now, victorious as the two felis were in this moment. “...You're right, but still, it's something that you can get away from being used to now, right?”

Magali giggled as her feet left the ground and she was being twirled around like a kitten. “Yeah, see it all,” she breathed, her sigh content. “We finally made it. To the place we always spoke of. Who would have thought that our first days of freedom would be spent helping two of the people that allowed our slavery to go on? Still, they also gave us our freedom...”

> > > > > > > > > > > > >

Rosalind laughed, shoulders shaking, “Ah'm lettin' the lad rest. It's 'is first time on solid ground as a non-slave. 'Sides, 'e's gettin' his id today. I remember what a big deal that was for Fikri. Ah imagine et'd be the same for them.” The pyra almost couldn't believe that she was with the one she intended to take home as a lover for the first time alone, and despite her tiredness, she was beaming. “'E's learnin' quick, that one is. I let 'im take the wheel for a bit when ah knew we had t'stay under a certain speed an' 'e 'andled her beautifully. Ah've got 'opes that he'll give me the rest I need.”

The pyra stepped back to look Riola in the eyes, those golden pools that she'd already fallen in love with once again taking her in. “If ye think 'e'd join our cause, ah won't stop ye. But, ye do know that if 'e comes along, Hyun an' Ashi will likely join 'im, right? I know ye don't like the princess...”

> > > > > > > > > > > > > >

At the moment, Ashi was sure of only two things: that she would (at least) make it out of this alive and that she would remain with Hyun and Shaldag regardless of what that entailed. Guilt ate at her, and she wanted to believe that she paid penance with the beating she'd taken, but she knew why they were there. The presence of the Daoweians was enough to confirm it. The king would never go out of his way to send his best after some Edensian terrorist, and the Edensians were there with the Daoweians. She was at least partially responsible for Shaldag's condition and...Toka's death. “I wish...I wish we could have seen it coming. I wish I could have done something. I...I should have offered myself up. Then maybe she'd still be with us, maybe they all would have...”

Ashi winced, the blade of the scalpel touching her skin on the dull side, and soon one of her one pairs of pants were reduced to tattered fabric stuck under her backside. The room was cold, as medical facilities generally were, and through the pain she could feel goosebumps bubbling to the top of her skin. She wanted to bring her knees up to her chest for warmth, but moving brought the utmost pain. The shirt soon followed and she felt bare, exposed, ever conscious of how horrible she likely looked. She shivered and nodded, “I wonder if either of them escaped with any of their possessions...”

[BlueInTheShell]

Atrix's hands returned the squeeze, before breaking apart from Mendez and itching her sides while the Terskixian twisted and adjusted herself - Mandibles letting out a shrill, sharp clack while she pondered the half-breed's idea, only to shake her head and purse her lips. "I don't think it needs a full dip in the pools. I'm unable to afford anything like that." She said with a nonchalant drone, looking towards her shoulder and then letting out a small hiss when she touched it. "I could probably just see to one of the doctors filling it. That would hold it at least until have to shed my chitin pieces." Pondering about her future shedding, Atrix gave a small shake of her head and adjusted her hair, before taking a small breath and exhaling, deciding on planting a small kiss on the man's forehead; moving slowly of course. Last thing she needed was people thinking she was eating her interest in the hallway.

Nokra had considered services in the only world he knew, but had never told Magali anything of the sort. Old habits died hard and when you spent a vast majority of your life making something or someone else's life end? It seemed like the only viable solution at times. "I don't even have fancy enough clothes to look like a free Felis either. Guess I'll settle for the whole, fresh out of the collar look for now, until I can get some quantas to look a little better, right?" Nokra beamed, returned her content sigh with a warm, soft purr-turned chuckle. "Well, I mean I guess we owe them for freedom I guess. I didn't stab any of them, so it's whatever to me. Not my worry if one of them goes sour. We're free now. That's what's important."

"I don't even know where to go from here, to be honest. I wanna visit someplace warm. And with somewhere I can spend my time in the water relaxing once all the work on a ship is done. Looking at everyone else, they could probably use the same thing." Rubbing his head, Nokra also decided on finally probing the question that had been bothering him since he saw Atrix. "That Terskix isn't...Bothering you is she? I can deal with her if she is. No one is eating my friend."

>>>>>>>>>>>>

"Congrats to the kiddies. See what I did there?" Riola snirked, before nodding a few times. He never had the worry about getting anything to assert his freedom, and he couldn't imagine both the anxiety and the joy getting identification was for the Felis. All three of them, not just the recently freed duo. "Well, he didn't crash us in a disintegrating ball of death, so I assume his mentor is the best trainer around. Might have to take that girl for more coffee or something." Riola said with a small wriggle of his body, exhaling and letting the stress escape his body. "He'll probably get you an actual night's of rest, si. You need it. Can't let the ship run you, amore."

Rubbing the back of his head, those molten pupils of his faded for a moment and Riola's face grew sheepish. "I figured the other two would probably tag along. I'm willing to work with the two. I just wanna...Keep as wide of a berth as I can from the princess. Princesas just always have a habit of being bad things for wannabe rebels and such."

>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hyun shook her head and let her hair-tendrils jingle while she shaked the 'What-if's' out of her mind completely. The look on her face was stoic, and Hyun gave Ashi a small, deadpan glare. "It's not your fault. We shouldn't have even let the little Star Chick in our ranks to begin with. Should have just told Shaldag to piss it with her. She'd probably have been alive still doing whatever." Flaring her nasal slits, the Chuzizian bit her lower lip for a second, hard enough to draw a bit of blood, only for her regeneration to close the wound a few moments later. "Offer yourself up and you'd probably be dead too. It's lose-lose."

"Well, if they don't have anything, there's always some scrubs or something we can pilfer from the hospital until we get you something you like." Hyun said, looking at the strips of filthy clothing and tossing them to the side. Using a scalpel and not hurting someone was the real challenge here, and Hyun was doing her absolute best; though her mind flickered with brief visions of that knife driving into Ashi's skin and drawing red. "For someone who looks mangled, you look cute, all shuddering and cold like that."

[sylvanSpider]

For the moment, Mendez was content. No, he wasn't fond of the way his love was treated on this planet, but knowing Atrix, she was probably used to it. Racism against the Terskix wasn't unique to Verdaqua, and it was something that he now had to adjust to. Standing on his toes, he looked down at the small crack, running his finger on the outside of it. “I'll go with you,” he said at some length after getting back down to his level, “You'll be harder to harass if there's a member of a different species around backing you up. Is...is shedding hard? I can care for you when you go to shed if you'd like.” The anatomical processes that Atrix had to go through were another thing requiring adaptation. Her entire physiology was different from everything he grew up knowing about women of more humanoid races, and he wanted to learn if only to make both their lives easier. He grabbed one of her hands, “C'mon, mi alma, let's go get you fixed.”

The future hung suspended on unstable strings for Magali as well. She'd spent her entire life serving one purpose as well, and as far as actual skills went, charisma was perhaps the one thing she had going for her. There were none that hated the female felis that she could think of, earning admiration from just about everyone that she'd ever met. It made her a popular choice at the club. She thought of Fikri and how he'd been used in similar ways to her, but when he spoke, he sounded intelligent. He was well-articulated and the one chance she had to look at his journal, she saw that it wasn't written in common. He spoke at least two languages, and she wondered how he did it. If he was a sex slave, like her, where had he learned all that he had? Maybe he would be her gateway to finding out what she could do. “I...well, my clothes were fancy. But now? Not so much...I'll clean them as much as I can I guess,” she said, then added smiling, “But it doesn't matter! We'll get new clothes eventually, and we can now! We're free!” She wrapped Nokra up in another hug, breaking it only to keep her hands on Nokra's shoulders beaming at him, “I think you still can make friends with them. Fikri seems nice, I'm sure he'd be willing to talk to you.”

The mention of the Terskix made Magali look down and she shook her head, “No. No, she's not bothering me. I've ah...I've seen hungry Terskix. I've been with hungry Terskix – you saw what happened that night – and she didn't seem like she was going to eat me.” She fidgeted where she stood for a moment before plastering on another slightly less genuine smile on, “If anything, she's being nice to me. She's been treating me almost the same as she treats that red-haired man. The one with the hair on his face. But, if things ever look bad, I will let you know, alright?”

> > > > > > > > > > > > >

A full-hearted belly laugh came from Rosalind, ever the sucker for puns and she leaned in to embrace the Edensian, resting her head on his shoulder, “He's a quick learner, that lad. Ah'd love t'see what 'e can do with practice an' a good stress-free lesson. It also means ah might get a chance t'rest once in a while. Spend some time with the man I've been pinin' over since 'e boarded.” She broke the embrace to plant a kiss on his cheek. “That pilot won't say no to some good freshly brewed coffee an' a nap.”

The topic turned serious again and Rosalind found herself sighing, “There's one good thing 'bout 'er though. Everyone thinks she's a goner. No one but the king's goons and the shits from Edensia are huntin' for 'er. That...an' we got a good portion' o' the king's coffers at our disposal now, provided Hyun continues t'share.” She shook her head, breathing in deep through her nose, “There's a lot t'think of, but ah think if anyone can find out what the princess is thinkin', see if she's makin' 'er grand reveal or what have you, ye'd be the one t'do it. But, for now, let's put all that behind us an' spend some much desired time together, aye?”

> > > > > > > > > > > > > >

Ashi cringed under that glare, despite having many more things to cringe at. The room was cold as was evidenced by certain features on her body. She wanted to curl up, wrapping her arms around herself. She wanted to be behind her piano, letting her fingers dance across imported Earthen keys. She wanted to think about anything but the people chasing her, anything but the lives that had been lost because she was in their presence. She was at a loss as to how to respond to Hyun's words and she closed her eyes for a moment trying to decide how to respond. “I'm...I'm glad to have met her. I just...I wish things ended differently. I wish they could have seen how harmless she was, left her alone. I won't...I won't offer myself up. And I'm not going to reveal that I'm alive yet. That right now would do more harm than good. We need to plant seeds first, get organized. We've lost so much already; we need to be smart about where to go from here.” She stopped to look up at Hyun as she attempted to subtly cover her chest with her good arm.

“Scrubs would be fine, anything to cover up once I'm out. Do you...do you know if this place has any modest clothing stores or anything like that? If not, we'll get our chance someday,” she mustered a laugh and immediately regretted it, her face recontorting to a wince, “Well, I'm thankful you like me at my worst, here's hoping you like me at my best, right?”

[BlueInTheShell]

Atrix couldn't help but smile a bit; hand idly coming up to itch her face and cover the grin on her face while she managed bring her composure back to its normal, neutral self. Racism was rampant when you were a Terskix, and a female of the species no less due to one being the warriors and the first faces people generally got to see when it came to an unfortunate encounter with her kind. Atrix tensed a bit when his fingers traced themselves near the crack on her chitin, and the Teskix fought back an almost involuntary urge to lash out at the aggressor nearing a weak point. "I shouldn't have to rely on other humanoids to cover my own back," She said sourly, before sighing and nodding at Mendez, "But it is appreciated. Shedding? It's not hard. Only the chitinous bits fall off and regrow. They get tender, but I've learned to ignore it." Once one of her hands was taken, the Terskix squeezed tightly and let herself be led by the Edensian Half-breed. "I'm already hungry again." She murmured to herself.

Nokra groaned and looked at Magali like an impudent child for a moment, the mention of Fikri fouling up the air around them. It was an overreaction of course and he knew it. But at the same time? He felt justified in being this way. The more... "Civilized" slaves like Magali and Fikri had somewhat a bond of their own in some ways. It was something the more laborous of the slaves had always commented on, Nokra included. And it was something that Nokra couldn't have with Magali; the sheer thought of the other Felis being able to share that sent a bit of boiling blood to his veins, though the former gladiator gritted his teeth; Magali's voice and gentle touch cooling his temper and sheathing his anger. "Well, I am probably gonna have to try and be friends with him. I'm essentially working with the guy now. Whatever. Let's just be excited for freedom right now. We can worry about making nice with people later, right?"

"Good, good. I mean, she'd probably rip me in half. But I'll make sure she didn't pick on you." Nokra said, puffing his cheeks and shooting a glance towards the redhead and the arachnid-esque woman. How that ever happened was just as incredulous as his now-freedom. "Won't ever forget that night. That was...Something. Think she's keeping the redhead around to eat him later? He looks a bit pudgy in my opinion. Probably fattening him up before she does the whole...Terskix thing." Nokra quipped, snorting right after and itching his ear, only to move over to Magali and scoop her up in a bridal carry. "C'mon. Might as well start the whole cleaning up bit so we can get our ID's faster."

<<<<<<<<<

"Well, the quicker he learns everything he needs to learn, that faster I can just have him take over to I can bond with the captain more. Who knows? I sleep with her enough and keep loving her, I'll get promoted, and can tell Mendez to wash my clothes." Riola snickered, adjusting himself when the Pyra rested her head on him so her horns woudn't put any unneeded pressure on his person. "I've seen the man you're pining on. What a guy. Heard he blows things up and fights tyranny. I'd date him." Returning the kiss with one of his own on her forehead, the Edensian shrugged a shoulder, and looked up towards the ship lighting, watching rays of barely visible pink bounce from once side to the other in the florescent lighting.

"Si...Si. Enough worrying about the whole rebelling and worrying about that shit. We can think about it once everyone attaches missing limbs and whatnot." Riola muttered, wrapping his arms around Rosalind and letting out a content sigh. "I'll give you five qantas if you can also convince Atrix to try and eat Nokra too. If only as a joke."

>>>>>>>>>

"People like that don't tend to care how helpless people are. Especially when they're in the slums and such. I can attest to that for a fact. Same with Shaldag. Probably Riola too. Being an Edensian male is probably just as shitty as what goes on with your planet. But you're right," Hyun said, defeat the only tone to come out of her words. "...She was pretty great to fuckin' know. Never missed a beat being happy and chipper. Guess that's why Shaldag kept her around. Bastard has always been miserable." Hyun sunk a bit into herself when Ashi began to make plans. All this rebellion? This whole trying to make two planets entirely different? Had she not been in a fling with Ashi, Hyun would have laughed it off. A stupid, childish fever dream that would end up getting the Daoweian killed. "You know. For trying to make the world a better place, I'm not gonna be much help. They're gonna see Hyun-chu. The chick who runs a huge gang, and has a rap sheet in several systems a mile long. Just a head's up. If you want me in, I'd have to take somewhat of a back seat on things."

"Wouldn't see why they don't have anything for you to wear. Place is big enough. People gotta buy clothes somewhere. Once you're outta here, we'll throw scrubs on you and then find you something a bit less...Hospital-y to cover your tits in." Hyun snorted, blinking a few times and then moving to find a seat; the Chuzizian pulling a wheeled stool with her foot over where she could plop down on it. "Well, I mean it's either we just click well Ashi, or the whole Lima Syndrome is hitting hard."

[sylvanSpider]

That smile was everything Mendez sought and he stepped back slightly, grinning and thankful that it was him that managed to squeeze a smile out of his lover. Bringing his hand back, he glanced behind them. A few of the medical staff paused in their duties when they thought they weren't noticed to gawk at the inter-species couple and his grin immediately changed to a scowl. The looks they gave him were almost as bad as those they gave to her, but with him the fear was absent – there was only disgust. He breathed in through his nose and sighed leading the way to the desk, “Let's get that crack fixed and then I can cook you up a steak. Nice and rare, just the way you like it. We'll get you something you like a little more once we get out of this place.”

Magali sighed, recognizing the look immediately; Nokra hated Fikri. And being Magali, she still could not place why. The fellow felis was the reason they were where they were as freed peoples. Instinctively, her hands went to grasp at his, giving them a gentle squeeze. They were soft to Nokra's calloused and overworked hands, a fact that she'd never been ignorant of. It was yet another reason to love and appreciate Nokra. He worked hard in areas that would never allow him to be soft. “Yes, we're free! Do you know what I can say to people now? I can tell them no! No matter how much money they have!” She was wiggling in place excited at the prospect of choice.

She was still with the mention of the Terskix and nodded, “I've...been with Terskix before. It's best just to be respectful and keep them full... If they aren't hungry they generally stick to what they paid for...” The wording was careful, as it always was. She knew that Nokra knew what it was that she had to do, but she also knew that he didn't like it. Laughing when the subject turned a bit more lighthearted she shook her head, “I don't think so. If she was going to eat him, she would have by now, especially since I haven't seen her eat yet... She's likely hungry but keeps him around. I...I don't know if Terskix are capable of loving? But he's still alive for a reason I guess. I actually think he's a normal weight and we're just...under.” She burst into a fit of giggles once she felt her feet lifted from underneath her and wrapped her arms around Nokra's neck, almost disappointed when they got to the cleaning area and saw that it was divided by gender. The concept confused her. Why did it matter? They were just bodies, and everyone was shaped a little differently – what was the point in keeping them separated? She beamed at Nokra, “See you once we're all cleaned up?”

>>>>>>>

“Well, the cap'll be sure t'teach 'im as quickly an' efficiently as possible,” Rosalind said, smiling. Her being alone with Riola was almost too good to believe and Rosalind aided in the shifting, frustrated that her own horns got in the way in these romantic endeavors. As if it was possible, the matter was worse with other Pyra. Horns getting caught on horns and if they weren't careful the entire thing could just be a mess. “What can ah say? Ah've got a thing for bad boys,” she murmured, taking a lock of Riola's red hair and twirling it around her finger, “They 'ave an easier time keepin' up.”

Rosalind was eager to put the thought of rebellion behind them, at least, for the moment. Now was the time for rest, much needed rest, and some time to bond with the man she'd been pining over since he stepped foot on her ship. “Need the lad around t'let me get my 'ands on this redheaded terrorist ah've 'ad my eye on. 'E's protected under me. Let's compromise an' not let the spider muss up m'ship an' make our way to the pilot's quarters?”

<<<<<<<<

“It's...awful. I just...I guess I don't understand it,” Ashi murmured, her voice catching at the end. Until now, she hadn't had a chance to really dwell on Toka's death. She didn't know her well, but she knew her well enough that she didn't deserve to die. Her least of all. She wouldn't voice this out loud, but she wished it was her and not the sun-child that was killed. Toka...she was so innocent, more innocent than Ashi even. “It's worse,” Ashi said, looking up to Hyun, “In Daowei, the subjugation is subtle. In Edensia? If a male so much as speaks out, he risks execution. It isn't right. That's why as much as Riola hates me, I will always try to help him if I can.” She was resolute in her words, “And if Shaldag wakes up with vengeance in his heart, I'm guessing I'll get the chance. And as far as helping Shaldag goes? I can't promise I will be as happy and chipper as Toka was, but I will be there for him, just as you are.”

Ashi was silent for a moment and she nodded, “That's alright, so long as I have you to come home to. But...I can't just sit by and do nothing. I was born into a position that allows me some sort of power – media sway, mostly – and I would be foolish to throw that away and do nothing with it. Maybe...foolish was the wrong word. It would be evil of me to not do anything about it.” Oddly enough, her being stark naked in front of Hyun was not on the foreground of her thoughts as she assumed it was. Hyun made no big deal out of it, so it wasn't one. If there was anything that was bothering her, it was the fact that she was freezing and in pain – a matter made worse by the first. “I hope the doc gets in soon,” Ashi muttered, her teeth beginning to chatter, “My Stockholm Syndrome will be easier to handle once my kneecaps are together and I can breathe without my ribs stabbing me.”

[BlueInTheShell]

Food was somthing the Terskix was looking forward to more than anything, and Mendez was willing to feed her? It was almost as if fevered dreams were becoming true. Atrix blinked a few times and savored the thought. Who knew? Maybe the next time the Halfbreed would be dragging some fallen enemy into her clutches for her to devour next; and the Terskix's toeclaws wriggled with anticipation at such a day. Atrix was oblivious to some of the looks. If anything, the Spider-y woman was more concerned in the fact they were looking at Mendez. An arm wrapped around him and eyes narrowed on a few of the workers, the message clear as day:

Mine.

The desk was taken care of by some sort of robotic being, the oddly metallic being tapping away at a desk and making Atrix look towards it in confusion. She had traveled many places and she had never seen anyone like that. Clicking her mandibles audibly to catch the being's attention, Atrix sucked in as much air as she could and slowly exhaled, before brandishing her cracked chitin at the desk attendant. "I need this fixed."

Magali's hands were on his and his fury began to slowly fade away like a waning moon. Choice was something that he was going to have to get used to himself. He had followed a few of the people on the ship without so much as a question towards their motives. Now he had the chance to do so. But just how exactly did someone refuse a request without it leading to conflict? The last time Nokra had seen anyone from his slave pens say such a thing, he and several others ended up watching the offending Felis be fed to the beasts. Suppressing a shudder Nokra yawned and flicked a tongue across his teeth as he shifted a tired, upbeat glance at the female. "I mean, now you can even slap them when they're being rude too. I'd pay money to watch you backhand someone. Just saying."

Once her arms were wrapped around his neck, Nokra shifted her into a more comfortable carry and trotted along, ears wriggling in place as muscles tensed and the Felis carried his friend. "That's a lot of spider-woman to let them do their thing. I mean, you'd probably have to stick a whole arm up there, if you catch my drift. But I should probably not talk so much shit to her." Nokra mused outloud, stopping suddenly to let a stretcher and several aides rush by to another room - Nokra looking in that direction out of curiosity before carrying onwards. "I mean if you show me a Terskix who is capable of love, I'll show you a Felis who isn't viewed like a pricy object to parade around." The cleaning area was of course divided by gender, though Nokra didn't seem fazed by it in the slightest, the Felis rolling his eyes and looking towards Magali. "...Another fun thing about being free is breaking the rules. I won't tell anyone if you won't." Nokra said, waggling his brows and giving her the wry grin of a young adult with a rather specific itch in mind.

>>>>>

Horns locked with other horns was the thought in Riola's mind and he couldn't imagine having thing adorning his own crown. He would have spent half of his life just stuck in crevices and railings if he was a Pyra. "Just throw him a book about traveling and flying, and then step in when he almost kills us. That's how bomb-making for me went. I'm surprised I still have all my fingers." Riola spurted, the Edensian tilting into the finger as the hair wrapped around and tightened "Bad boys? I'm not bad guy. I'm doing the right thing. Y'know. Killing people and all of that, I suppose. But only the other bad ones. So I can keeping wooing you, si?" Riola blinked a few times and clicked his tongue before whispering to himself a bit in Edensian. The room felt incredibly hotter than it was a few minutes ago. "...I don't have a response to keeping up. You win there, chica."

"I mean, you can just order Fikri to take the wheel. So you know. You can take your hands off the ship and plant them all over the terrorist on board." Riola said. He was laying it on as thick as he could and while he was sure his mother was up in the heavens looking at him with her face in her palm at his attempts to be romantic, it was working. "Well, if we're heading to your bunk, I won't say no. If only because mine is mostly just a few crates of my shit. No bed there yet."

>>>>>

"Well, not to be an asshole but of course you kinda don't know. You're gonna learn soon once we manage to get you hidden, and you can run around as something less of being a fuckin' princess. Gotta find you an alias or something once we're outta here." Hyun chimed, shifting weight from one leg to another. She wished this place would let her light up a cigarette. Snort some Chellix. Literally anything to numb the whole situation. Her arm when up to her nasal slits almost out of habit, though she forced the limbs away; the Magenta colored woman closing her eyes and slowly opening them. "Fuck. The day I see men doing something other then laboring and being poles for the women to sit on? I'll fucking become a nun. Complete with the whole chastity bit and the lack of drinking. Not really. Fuck that." Hyun scoffed, rolling her eyes and then settling on a half-worried, half-tired look. "Provided he wants to stay with us. This could have been the straw to break the fuckin' Ogrunu's back, you know."

"Don't get your panties all twisted on the whole 'evil' and 'good' kinda deal. You using it or not using it isn't gonna pin a fuckin' halo or horns on your head. Just do what you think is right, and stop worrying on if the shit is black or white. World and life is too fucking gray, you know?" Hyun droned. Enough serious talk had gone on. Too much for the Chuzizian's tastes, and now she flet more or less keen on observing Ashi's naked form. Well, her mangled, naked form. Even a beat up mess the woman was nice to look at. "You know. For how fucked you look, you're still nice to look at. Would have gotten me a fortune if I threw you to the snuff crews. They'd make a decent holovid of you." It was a shitty compliment, and Hyun knew it, but it was a compliment nonetheless.

The doors to their room slid open and Analoka was there, dataslate in hand and her plasma fading and waning; the fiery green woman more like a small, cozy candle flicker rather than a gout of inferno. "Well, the good news is we're going to be able to get started on the Daoweian's treatment." She said, moving over towards the two and then doublechecking to make sure her gloves were in place. Once they were set the dataslate went to Hyun-chu, who looked at it and raised a brow.

"The fuck is this?"

Analoka sighed and shrugged a shoulder, the woman sweeping up Ashi in her arms and swiftly and deftly placing her in the empty verdaqua tub. "Excuse the sudden and rough treatment. Sooner and quicker is better than being tender when it comes to moving broken-limbed humanoids sometimes. Adjust yourself as best as you can and I'll begin the treatment." She said, turning towards Hyun to address her comment.

"Shaldag is requesting an experimental procedure. A full-body prosthesis. Currently his cybernetic to organic ratio is roughly thirty to seventy percent. With this treatment we're looking at something far more drastic. Roughly 75-80 percent mechanical." Analoka said grimly, wriggling her fingers and moving to the command console to the tub. "I can do it but it will not come at a small cost. Financially, or for the Ogrunu's spirituality. And of course, there's a chance for psychological damage to manifest as well. Cybernetics that augmented have a chance to cause a condition known as Cyberpsychosis. He'll get agitated more easily. Possibly more violent. Empathy can fade away into nothingness at the wrong trigger." Analoka explained; Hyun herself paling at the thought before she pressed pink fingers against her head.

"Fuck me, why don't you tell me something good, Doc?"

"I can't do the treatment if only because you're financially responsible. However, the Ogrunu is also requesting euthanasia if you don't say yes."

[sylvanSpider]

In an ideal world, Mendez would be feeding his beloved something much better than a steak. He envisioned his dragging back of some Edensian corpse, mostly in one piece so Atrix could pick and choose the parts she wanted for herself. After all, what were they to do with a corpse anyway? Bury it? Let it waste away in the ground? It was much better to not let anything go to waste. At least, that's what Mendez told himself. He'd only killed once or twice before, and one of those occasions was little more than a happy accident. But if this shitty trend that they were on kept up Atrix would have her fill of humanoid cheeks all she wanted. How the hell am I supposed to cook a humanoid? I saw her eat them cooked before, but it's not like I have a Terxixian cook book... The thoughts didn't even begin to cover his anxieties, knowing full well that even the thought of carving into a corpse – to say nothing of cooking it – was going to be the hardest mental block to surpass.

The possessive look Atrix exuded was comforting amidst the disapproving looks of the hospital staff. Yes, he was hers, and he had no qualms of showing it. As the pair approached the counter, his hand found one of hers and he could feel his tense shoulders start to droop, relaxed.

Atrix's drawn out sigh was hardly necessary as the robotic's head was already up and focused on them. “We can do that, yes, absolutely,” the robot said, nodding its metallic head and clicking away at some keys, “You are with The Odyssey crew, yes? So you have the funds to cover it?”

> > > > >

Magali was anything but blind to Nokra's reaction to her touch. She'd felt it many times with various customers, their current troubles melting with the purchase of an hour or two alone with her. But it was different with Nokra. He was the first and only person she'd felt her own anxieties dissipating like fog in the exposure of the morning's first rays of sun. She tightened her grip around him, burying her face in his neck and breathing in deep. An unconscious smile played on her lips and in this moment of freedom and bliss, Magali felt truly happy. A gleeful giggle echoed her feelings, “I still can't picture it, really. If I had a qanta for every customer I've wanted to backhand, you and I would be billionaires. To think that now I may actually have the chance!”

The freed felis shifted her weight accordingly, and that stupid smile stayed glued to her lips like a kitten at a birthday party. Magali bit back a fit of laughter at his comment about Atrix and she shook her head, “You could probably ask Mendez. You could definitely take him in a fight if he gets angry. But if she's like the Terskix and I had to take care of, she'd be just like everyone else, but with more arms...and fangs...and likes to lick cheeks saying 'just a taste...' I wonder if she licks him...” Magali peered past Nokra's head to see the stretcher flying past them, choosing not to comment on it. “Well, Fikri is a felis that isn't viewed as a pricy object? The pilot treats him as an employee and friend. I bet it's nice.”

After too short of a time, her feet were back on the ground and the pair of felis were standing before the gender divided cleaning facilities. Magali's ears went back and she looked to Nokra, nervous about this particular aspect of freedom. “Well, I don't know about you, but I don't know what these symbols mean. I can't read and was only ever cleaned by my owners. So...I won't say anything,” Magali said, her tail twitching as she reached for Nokra's hand and lead him into the room that obviously marked for males. [[screen fades to black, heh heh]]

> > > >

“Not a bad boy?” Rosalind asked, laughing, “No, ye ain't a bad guy but ye break the rules when et's right. So, si, you can keep wooin' me.” The pyra was wearing a look of seduction, eager to fully capitalize on their momentary chance alone. “Ye dun 'ave t'worry, love, I know ye ain't a bad person. An' I'll give the boys their books an' they can learn. Ah've high hopes for the new one. Seems quick as a whip, provided they choose ta stick around.”

Rosalind raised her eyebrows, biting her lip, “Oh, yer a temptin' one aren't ye? Well, pilot's on break now, but ah reckon' she's more than willin' t'get 'er hands dirty with a certain Edensian terrorist...” [[and again. Man, things not trying to kill them sure does light a fire doesn't it?]]

> > >

Ashi winced, once again shifting to try to get comfortable and once again regretting her decision. Sucking in a gasp, she laid back down in the original position, biting her lip to keep herself quiet. “I wonder what kind of name I should pick up? Obviously not something Daoweian...And now that I don't have...any...clothes to my name, looking less like a princess should be relatively simple. Just have to dress for comfort rather than beauty. I have to say, it's something I'm actually fairly excited for.” She mustered a smile, hoping to change the subject from Shaldag who both women were undoubtedly worried about. “Chastity is more simple than you'd think. All you have to do is have the media and paparazzi at your back every second aware of every single person you're talking to. That said, I can't imagine you as a nun in the slightest, though I'm guessing you'd pull off their little outfits quite well.” The subject got brought back to the Ogrunu however, and she breathed in deep through her nose, knowing that that possibility was all too likely. “I...I hope he wants to stay with us. I really like Shaldag...”

Involuntarily, her mind went back to when she was first picked up by the pair. She was so much more naive then, thinking that she would last even a moment on a planet that Terskix were native to. She'd been picked up, threatened, and borderline tortured by the man and her now present girlfriend. Was she a classic case of Stockholm Syndrome? Then, she remembered those tender moments when Shaldag had come to comfort her and gave her advice. In those moments, she realized she never had someone like that in her life, no one close enough to have anything close to that in the palace. All of those years in luxury, the softest blankets, the most comfortable pillows could never give her the warmth that they'd shown her since she was picked up. She'd seen so much, experienced so much in the short time she'd been with them. Even in her current situation, she wouldn't take it back.

The faint traces of a smile returned through a grimace, “Joke's on you; I'm not wearing panties.” It was a lame joke, Ashi knew, but she was glad that she still possessed some form of a sense of humor. “But, I think you're right. If I do use it, I need to plan and try to cause as few casualties as possible. There's a chance that exposing that I'm still alive would cause trading ties with neighboring planets would be called off. Possible alliances between Edensia and Daowei is another possible side effect, and that's only if they haven't already sided together.” Ashi wanted so bad to wrap her arms around herself, to curl up and feel some kind of warmth. She felt like a corpse laid out on a slab but stuck enduring the pain of life. Goosebumps speckled bare skin uncovered by dried blood, every hair standing on end from the cold by itself. She was told that it would be cold, but her nakedness only cemented that fact. She looked up at Hyun with the beginning of the compliment, her face paling toward the end, “I'll just be...ehm...thankful that you didn't do that...”

She'd been so enraptured in their conversation that when the door opened to reveal Dr. Analoka, Ashi jumped, immediately leaning her head back to fight off yet another pained expression. She watched as the doctor approach Hyun with a dataslate and wanted to lean over her shoulder to see what it was about, to see if there was news of their friend. She was never given the chance to even try before she was snatched up, the princess gasping audibly this time. “I...I-I understand,” she said through the gasps. She had to calm herself so she could hear what the doctor was saying. She gulped, listening. Even if he made it, those tender moments might have come to an end.

Tears formed in Ashi's eyes, and it wasn't from the pain, “What...what are you going to do?”

[BlueInTheShell]

Funds. Of course she had forgotten that it would come to paying for medical care on other worlds. It was a slight that happened more often than she would admit it, if only because the Terskix would go to great lengths to avoid falling under the knife of someone that wasn't of her own species. Simply out of the paranoia that they would start probing in places they shouldn't for curiosity's sake. Her kind was not a well-known study. A small click of her pincers on her face and the Terskixian moved her hand slowly enough to not draw panic, and pulled out her own little sliver of a dataslate; the screen and Atrix's face lighting up red with sharp, jagged sigils - the language of her kind. "I can pay for myself. I don't need to use the crew's money." Atrix said tartly, the Terskix pursing her lips for a second and then offering the dataslate to the robot.

The machine reached out, stoic and unmoving as it plugged Atrix's dataslate into a socket; the robot pausing and buffering as it struggled to decrypt and then perform the transaction of quantas; finally letting out a small ping and ejecting the dataslate to hand it back to the multi-limbed woman. "Your patience is appreciated. You will be tended to in room 112. Enjoy your stay, and thank you for your patronage."

Rolling her eyes and blinking them individually, the Terskix plucked the stick of data and hid it away once more, her gaaze looking down the hall - the long stretch of room seeming to grow further and further, until the EXIT light at the very end seemed to have disappeared. Atrix shook her head and homed in on Mendez, the Spider sucking her teeth and hissing in her own language; the woman thinking outloud before addressing her beloved. "I hope they give me a human doctor." Was all she could think of spitting out of her mouth.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

[PURE AND NOT FOR THE FADES. But yeah pretty much.]

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

[I feel sorry for this ship's janitor. AKA Mags probably lmao]

><><><><><><><

"I mean you can call yourself anything now. I wouldn't recommend running around as 'Fuckface' or something like that. Mostly because I already know someone by that name, and it's the rest of this crew half of the fucking time." Hyun said with a tone drier than a desert, and a snort that almost turned into a squeak from one of her nasal slits; the woman frowning and itching a spot where a nose should have been. "Whoa hey whoa. Dress casual, but still look pretty. Gotta flaunt you to every so they know what they're missing." Hyun-chu added, snickering to herself and clasping her hands together in a mockery of prayer. "Sister Hyun sounds kinda catchy though. And I mean, nothing's more fun than tempting priests and such when you know they wanna plant their heads in some titties. Chastity is easy when you have the boundries though. Hakoo? People'll go at it in an alley the moment they feel an urge, and fuck everyone in their way. Sometimes literally in that regard." There was a small pause and the Chuzizian nodded in agreement with Ashi. "He wants to go though? Can't really stop him. I mean, I could blackmail him, but I don't think he'll take that kindly and roll his eyes like he normally would right now.

Finding a chair became the prime directive, and brushing her coat so the tails fell behind her, the magenta-colored woman chose a small rollable stool, and spun herself in a circle before planting her feet on the ground in a dead stop to face Ashi. Her mind was lost in calculation and for a moment, the Chuzizian took the Daoweian's words and dwelled on them for some time. Closing her eyes Hyun peeked and eye open and shrugged her shoulder. "Civilian casualties can be small, but expect them, definitely. First rule of even being a ganger, is that you're gonna have to get used to some innocent shit in the crossfire. Take that blue girl Fikri was trying to slide into, right? Shit happens," Hyun began, clicking her tongue and wriggling her fingers; her arms moving with each syllable while she began to her spiel, "Not that I don't care or anything. Look here though, the big thing to remember is, you come out and people are gonna take sides. You're gonna get people siding with your shitstain dad. You're gonna get some people you never thought would be on your side taking up arms for you. Only thing you got left to do is to just play the game. Can't make things better until you pop out and say 'Hello' to daddy again, right?"

Once Shaldag's decisions were presented to her, Hyun knew exactly what the man was doing, and the look of anger and frustration grew more and more on her face. She was stuck between a rock and a hard place, and it was a strong-armed attempt to just get what he wanted. Scrolling down the list of augments, Hyun narrowed her eyes and puffed her cheeks, pointing at one of the precribed treatments. "Doc. Half of this shit is military. I know that. Fine with all of this garbage being stuffed in him. Some of it's Ogrunu. And from what little I know of his language, I can make out one thing. Rage Nails. You're not being fucking serious, right? I know what the fuck those things do. You can't fucking tell me he's asking for those?"

Analoka didn't miss a bit in both addressing Hyun, and preparing the woman in the tub of verdaqua; the Fiery woman producing a small syringe that she set in her lap, along with a small kit of medical tool; arms diving into the green fluid to begin tending to the broken limbs first - A sense of numbing immediately following (Finally) as the medical fluid began to take effect. Hands grasped at bone and began to set there where they should have been. "Rage Nails. As a medical professional the sheer fact such a thing exists is unthinkable. But at the same time? They'll save his life too. And military-spec seems to be the only thing able to bear Ogrunu's natural strength and size. His permits are all set, so all the weaponry can be installed as well. Whatever happend to trigger your friend, someone should speak to him and counsel him when he is done. Provided you go through with the surgery."

Tears were in Ashi's eyes and the Chuzizian struggled to fight back her own, the woman snarling and hurling the pad against the wall. She didn't have a choice in the matter anymore when it came to Ashi's question. She did say no? She'd be losing her closest friend, and probably the respect of her girlfriend. It was unfair, and there had to have been a better solution.

If only she could think of one.

"...Fuck. Fuck me. I don't know. I don't want him dead...Urgh. Just do it before I change my fucking mind."

"My dataslate will be added to expenses, Ms. Hyun."

"...Fuck you, fine."

[sylvanSpider]

Mendez kept his hand firmly gripping one of those that wasn’t busy producing the dataslate, keeping his mouth shut. Atrix was a big girl, could handle her affairs, and technically didn’t need him. It was an aspect he loved and feared about her; on one hand he was wanted and he knew for a fact that she wasn’t using him, on the other she could tire of him and leave him (or worse) in the blink of one of her eight beautiful eyes. She was the gorgeous femme fatale that the film was really about – Mendez himself relegated to the role of the love interest he was all too eager to fill. “Why are you hoping for a human? Wouldn’t they be the least likely to understand your anatomy?” Mendez asked, then with a laugh added, “Well, save for me, that is.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze seeing a dizzy expression on her face, “Won’t be long until you’re fixed up and we’re outta here. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

>>>

Everyone having gone their own distinct ways, Fikri just sort of…left. The moment he realized he was alone he made the retreat to his new room. The room was foreign to him, all of his belongings boxed up in a corner. Resting on top of his own worldly belongings sat Vail’s old bag. He hadn’t looked through it yet, and not sure if he’d ever be able to, there it still sat. Taunting him. Reminding him that its owner would never come back to claim it. He stood in the doorway for a long moment, trying to decide what to do. He could just shove the bag under his bed and try to forget about it, unpack, begin redecorating. This new ship was his new home, after all. A happy giggle from Rosalind’s room told him he wasn’t alone on the ship and that whatever he chose, music should be a part of it. He pulled out his own dataslate to sync it to his new room and after a minute his door was sealed shut, his own sounds blocking out anything that might leak through from Rosalind’s.

He slid back against the door, sighing. He wanted to be productive. He could think of several things on the ship, or even in this room, that he could do. He could unpack or start on the basics for bomb making. Maybe paint. Or Draw. Maybe. But his chest felt like a boulder was lodged in it and he couldn’t bring himself to do so much as lift a finger. In all of his life he’d never felt so alone and now that he knew what it was like, knew what love was like, he wasn’t sure he could ever recover. That warm feeling that had run its course throughout his body from the tips of his ears through his tail was gone, and the path it traveled was more cold, more desolate, than ever before. He could feel the corner of the pyramid poking his leg through his pocket and it was this that he now fished for, twisting the top to feel what he once felt so organically.

It didn’t feel any different than it had the moment he realized he loved that woman that found her way onto the Odyssey not long ago – the pyramid only focused his mind on what he loved. The warm, fuzzy feeling was gone and the boulder got heavier. He closed his eyes waiting for the pyramid to work, to bring him that feeling of warmth, just wanting to see her face once more, to feel her hand in his. The warmth didn’t return. He was cold, so cold, even as she came into his visions once more. She wasn’t smiling as she usually was when she visited him in his dreams; rather, she was sitting on the bed across from him, head bowed, a tear tracing its way from the corner of her eye, down the bridge and off the tip of her nose, falling into her lap. She was speaking of her transgressions, destroying an entire planet off the sheer willpower of her race. She had baggage. Vail was never perfect. But neither was Fikri and he wanted her. He wanted her to know that he wouldn’t think less of her, that he would do anything in his power to see her happy, that he loved her.

Love wasn’t always warm and happy. Sometimes, it seemed, it was macabre. Sometimes it was empty and cold, only further reminding him of his solitude. Sometimes he didn’t want it and wished he’d never felt it at all. He gasped as she faded from his vision, longing filling him up and he choked back a sob, glancing down at the pyramid to make sure it was on the right setting.

It was.

Is this what was meant by love? This unrelenting feeling of torment? His tongue caught in his throat as he fumbled with the top of the pyramid, desperate to turn it off. As if that would do anything. Was this what it was to love someone? He’d always associated love with fulfillment. Ecstasy. But all he could focus on, with and without the pyramid it seemed, was the emptiness.

>>>>

Ashi repressed a snort, “While I don’t think that’s what I’d choose, I’ve never really thought of what I’d make my name if I had to change it. I guess I always thought I’d just be…well, the role I was born into.” Ashi was careful about the language she used in case the doctor came in. She’d been one of the ones with no id, and thankfully she’d been accepted with no fuss, but had anyone known and cared to speak up, the consequences could be dire. “I’d start calling you Sister Hyun but I imagine that will get awkward in certain situations.” Those certain situations were only mere speculation at this juncture, as Ashi was as pure as they come and her attempt at the humor wasn’t likely fooling anyone. “I guess only the uncertainties are certain at this point, aren’t they?”

Ashi found a spot on the ceiling to look at while she waited for the treatment to begin when she gave the okay, “Doctor, I think I’m ready. I’m as comfortable as I possibly can be.”

[BlueInTheShell]

Every single second that passed seem to take ages as the hand on the clock inched and crept forward. Almost as slowly as Shaldag would have been able to move his limbs detached. The Ogrunu was glad most of his party was cybernetic for now. At least no extremity had that weird sensation that needed to be touched. Scratched. Itchiness? Was that what it was called? It had been a long time since he needed to do such a thing, and the Ogrunu let out a small, agitated sigh. It was yet another time his life and the continuation of his being was being discussed and decided by the Chuzizian who remained to have been seen since they were in the ship and managed to get to this hospital. She had the money after all. Come to think of it, Shaldag could barely remember a time he wasn't clawing at Hyun's purse and accounts, and bought something of his own accord without asking.

"That's because she owns you. She put every single bit of machinery in your body. And now you want her to say 'Yes' to putting in more."

Shaldag flinched at his own internal thoughts, that dark, hissing voice making him flare his nostrils and bite down on his tongue with plastic teeth; the Ogrunu easing up on his chomp and weighing in on his own thoughts. It was true. Against his own spiritual volition he had replaced a lot of his organic pieces with metal. Something akin to being Halal to his species. The moment the rest of his kind had seen them with even just one of his arms gone he had been ostracized. He lost his place in his own clan, and with that? Had no other choice but to continue being a thrall in Hyun's pocket. But he had done as much good with it as he had done...Shaldag couldn't say evil. Evil was murdering innocent girls made of fire. Girls who didn't even know the scale of the actions her friends had took, and let her pay the price for it.

"And watch. Hyun's not gonna care in the slightest about your best friend. Toka got geeked by Edensians. Simply because Hyun shooed her away from you all so she could get sweet with Ashi and get her slit licked by the stupid Daoweian."

The silence in the room was monumental, and Shaldag couldn't give himself a rebuttal for such an act. There was lust all over Hyun's eyes when it came to Ashi. There wasn't even a chance for anyone else to have gotten a chance to at least swoon over her. Not that he would of course. Shaldag? He couldn't remember the last time he had managed to eke out something akin to fancying another woman. Maybe it was just his own tastes. Shaldag had been picky something fierce with keeping around any sort of potential mate. But the facts had come full circle. Hyun was always fine with Toka pestering them all nonstop. Why had this been the one time she was kicked away?

"Maybe Hyun did it on purpose. Either way. You know what you gotta do. They want you to be a machine? Kill things with metallic claws and no remorse? That's what we're gonna do. We're gonna let them remember what the word 'Shaldag' means in your native tongue..."

<><><><><><>

Analoka did her best to focus on her patient, among the magenta woman's tirade of anger. The Chuzizian was clearly too much of an emotional wreck with the current situation, and maybe she could at least get her to be a bit more amicable once Ashi herself was back to at least 90%. The hostility was met with a small shrug from the doctor, who worked as diligently as she could and hummed - the sight of broken bone and haggard meat a secondhand thought. She had seen enough war wounds in her career to not blink (Not that she could of course.) And the blue-haired girl seemed more than keen on being able to walk again.

There was no sensation of pain, but the Daoweian would feel her fingers as she probed around and set everything back to where it was - Once things had been set the Verdaqua seemed to work like a modern miracle of science. Bone fused together, then proceeded to heal like normal. One could probably watch as the regenerative process took hold, though Analoka had no time to really watch in her own amazement.

"The first time I used a tub like this, I thought it was a joke. Verdaqua is a marvelous chemical, is it not?" She chattered out loud, trying to at least shift the grim notion of their other friend into something a little more manageable. Analoka could mend bones and suture wounds. She couldn't ease troubled minds. Not the kind they had.

<><><><><><>

"Humans don't live near my kind. I don't have to worry about a human doctor trying to kill me while I'm sitting in there. Vulnerable. Distracted. That's how the other Terskixian medics have worked in the past. They would take a few bites out of you if you weren't in good terms." Atrix said bitterly, clenching her fingers and releasing them before she crossed her lower set of limbs. Her look towards Mendez was one with growing anxiety, and finally the hall ended with her room in front of her; the Terskix squeezing his hand with much more force than she had wanted - Atrix pulling back like she had placed her finger on something hot. "...I didn't break your hand did I? Coming here was a mistake. We should just leave. I'll let it heal on its own."