And Now, A Word from Our Sponsor

[Patches]

"Are you feeling like all the other pirates have more skill? Better weapons? Do they always seem to get the best plunder while you're left with the dregs? Do you feel like you just want to give up on pirating altogether?

"Well, don't just stand there! Vero Industries has the great equalizer you need to get ahead of the competition! Introducing the 1409 Z12 Marauder Gauss Cannon!

"This coilgun throws slugs so fast, they do the damage of the competing brand without even exploding, making them more powerful at a fraction of the cost!

"The Marauder is available in both hand and ship-mounted capabilities, for capital and starfighters alike! Act now, and we'll throw in a year's supply of ammunition absolutely free!

"Vero Industries--The best weapons in the galaxy."

------

"Who the hell are Vero Industries?" Hart asked as she, Morgan, Dane, TK, Jane, Thorn, Lyra--who was holding hands with Dane, Dagger, Beau, Ulyesses, and Alex made their way down the Cove streets. All around them were billboards advertising some new weapons developer catering to the scoundrel class of society--and most people seemed to be packing Vero gear more often than not.

Ulysses, the odd man out, was out shopping looking for action figures. Hart figure he could use some time out among people.

"Never heard of 'em, Cap'n." Dane said, "But that looks like a very nice coilgun."

"Coilguns are a bit too impersonal, I always thought." Dagger interjected. "I mean, what's the point of shooting someone through several inches of armor plating if you can't see the look on their face when you do it?" She sighed. "Guess I'm just an old fashioned gal."

"Eight-fingered Willy's your type, then." Hart replied. "He's got everything."

"He's still in business?" Alex asked incredulously. "Though in my day, he was Nine-fingered Willy. He ever have that kid?"

"Oh, the kid's there, but he's a man now." Jane said with a smirk.

"Well, it should be right..." hart said as they turned a corner and saw not Willy's place, but a well-maintained, white building reading, 'Vero's Weapons Outlet' "...here. What the hell?"

"Ol' Willy's dead, ma'am." A scruffy, beared wino said. He was slumped against a wall in a filthy overcoat, his scraggly beard and unkempt clothes clashing nicely with the very fine vintage wine he was drinking. "Got taken out with a conversion bomb little over eight months ago."

That shocked pretty much everyone.

"Who would be crazy enough to set off a damn conversion bomb in the middle of the Cove?" Thorn snorted.

"Dunno myself. Not long after, Tyke started movin' into the industry. But not long after that, he got bought out by those Vero folks. Like everyone else 'round here. They pretty much own the Cove nowadays. Say...you're Thorn Scarsguard. And you're Josetta Hart." The wino eyed the crew. "Well bless me, I heard you all were dead."

"It's gonna take more than a war rocking the entire solar system to kill me." Jo replied dryly. "But..."

Jane interrupted. "What happened to Rocky?"

"Willy's boy got shoved in his safe when he knew things were going south, it looks like. Still, he took a conversion bomb ground zero. He's been in a coma ever since, on the dime of those who remember and're grateful to Willy for everything he did for this place." The bum took a long drink. "'Course, a lot of those folk also think it might be a but more humane just to let poor Rocky die. He's only alive 'cause he's hooked up to all those machines. Most of his organs aren't even workin' anymore. I think the ones who have in alive're just waiting to see if he wakes up, so he can say who did it and get revenge. Most pop'lar theory is that bastard Tyke."

"Thanks for the info." Hart tossed him a credit chip, looking slightly distressed.

She turned to her crew and mother. "I'm going to go pay my respects. The rest of you, do some shopping. And also, keep your eyes out for talented people. We're going to need to recruit more really soon. I'm starting to get the feeling there're more problems out here than we originally though."

[Cassiopeia Reyes-Hart]

Cassi eyed the poster in front of her with a confused expression, eyebrow raised, one hand caught on her hip and the other resting casually on the hilt of her rapier.

"Who the heck is Vero Industries," she murmured absently to herself. "Hey, Andi, have you--," Cassi turned, then stopped talking when she realized her older sister was far too absorbed in the array of medicine and supplies spread out in front of her. The younger of the two rolled her eyes somewhat, knowing there'd be no useful communication going on until Andromeda had finished rifling through her little treasure trove. Katy stood beside her, helpfully pointing things out every now and then, remembering just what they needed in the infirmary with a perfect accuracy.

Cassi had accompanied them out into the Market as their protection, as she was an official Boarder now. She doubted Jo would've let her do so if she thought there was any real, major threat but for now she was considered a decent enough guard.

The blond sighed, wandering a little ways away from her sister and the android, easily bored with such mundane supply shopping. Instead her thoughts drifted. Her future was still a little uncertain. Morgan hadn't made any attempts to come find her or see her after they'd teleported here. Cassi, too afraid of his reaction, had kept her distance as well. After Andromeda's initial ridiculous proclimation that she had to get married, nobody else seemed willing to mention her pregnancy or bring it up at all, either. Like they were trying to pretend it had never happened. It was starting to make Cassi feel even more like a pariah than her betrayal with the Mages had, if that even made any sense whatsoever.

Cassi glanced offhandedly through a rack of clothes, admiring a black lace skirt. She tensed a little however as she suddenly noticed a group of pirates staring strangely in their direction. Her hand tightened refexively on the hilt of her sword, though she didn't move or indicate that she'd seen them, continuing to browse through clothes and keeping watch through her peripheral.

They were leering in Katy's direction pretty obviously now. And another group that passed by them suddenly winked at the android and Andromeda--the latter of whom remained oblivious to the byplay for the moment. Cassi's brow furrowed.

What in the heck was that about?

Cassi put a thought to following the group, maybe get close enough to hear what they were muttering about amongst each other, and took a few steps in that direction before her gaze was suddenly caught by a group of people down a side alleyway. Her silver eyes narrowed as soon as she took in the group.

There was a slight, silver-haired girl being backed up into the wall, surrounded by another group of men. All of them leering and near-slavering, advancing slowly and looking as though a simple 'no' wasn't going to deter them from their intentions.

Cassi's swirling eyes narrowed an instant before she started striding down the alley, yanking her starmetal rapier out of it's sheath along the way.

[Katy]

"Dr. Reyes." Katy began as she and Andromeda walked the Cove, unaware they had lost their escort, and busily talking about the various medications they needed. "Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

"I have no idea..." Dr. Reyes began, trailing off as something caught her eye. "...but I believe that might be the culprit." She said in distaste and a small amount of horror.

In front of them was a viewscreen playing an advertisement.

"In this day and age, women are more and more accepted as equals on a pirate ship. While this is a good thing, men will be men, and they do have needs. Thus introducing the Concubine, by Vero Industries. Using top of the line robotics first developed by the now defunct Gamma Corporation, the Concubine is a fully finctional android with several dozen settings designed to please your men."

The features of the robotic whore in the ad were very much like those on Katy's face.

In a moment that did her creator proud, Katy blushed brightly against her dark skin. "Oh my. This must be what feeling mortified is like."

Andromeda scowled. "That's...come along, Katy. We need to get you back to the ship and inform the captain about this. It's just...disgusting."

"...they aren't people. Like I'm not. I guess it doesn't really matter..." Katy said dismally.

The doctor, at that, hugged the android and said, "You're just as much a person as anyone on the ship is." Her voice then got a bit more fierce. "And just because you're not flesh and bone doesn't mean you don't have the same rights as anyone else does."

Katy blinked a bit, and then sniffled, a tear actually coming down her cheek.

"Come on, Cassi," Andromeda began, letting Katy go and turning around. "We should get her back..."

The elder Reyes sister groaned aloud. "Now where has she gotten to?"

[Eve Crossbones]

"Are you honestly mistaking me for one of Vero's whores?" Eve asked sardinically, cracking her starmetal knuckles. The men had asked her how much her 'master' would ask for a few runs with her. And now that she had informed them she was not for sale or rent, of course, they wanted to force a test drive.

And while Eve would get no thrill from killing them all, she did yearn for some carnage for old time's sake.

But before she could get her chance, they were all downed, and not by Eve. A gorgeous girl with blonde hair and magi features, curvy in all the right places, had taken care of that, with a glowing starmetal sword--not harmonic, like Hart's, but still plenty deadly.

"I appreciate the gesture, honey." Eve said with a smirk. "But I had it under control."

The curvy girl gave her a consoling look, and said in a kind, but probably inadvertantly a bit patronizing, ton, "I'm sure you would've put up a fight, I don't doubt it." She glared at the downed men, her sword raising a bit. "But one unarmed girl against a bunch of low-life scum is odds nobody should have to deal with alone."

Eve was amused by the condescension, so she broke her defenseless act and punched through a nearby hard ceramic wall.

The girl's face went somewhat blank, her eye twitching upward. "...okay then. I stand corrected."

"I'm stronger than I look. But thanks. Eve Crossbones." She extended her gloved, right hand, the one that, underneath, was metal.

The pretty teen smiled winningly and took the hand with a friendly shake. "Cassiopeia Hart, but everybody calls me Cassi. Nice to meet ya, Eve."

Oh, this was fascinating luck. Eve smirked a bit despite herself. "Hart like Josetta." It should have been a question, but it was not.

"Not blood related, no," Cass explained, obvious pride in her voice, "but she adopted me. She's the closest thing I've ever had to a mom, other than my older sister, Andi that is."

"So you're a pirate too?" Her lust for violence still somewhat aroused, Eve booted one of the still-alive ruffians in the face with her starmetal-toed boots, smashing it in and killing him for good.

Cassi, however, was cheerful and unperturbed by the violence. "Yep. Or workin' on it, at least. I haven't been on many official jobs yet, but I've been living on the Plunder's Heart since I was fourteen, so I'm pretty familiar with the business."

"A lot of people'd kill for that kind of experience. To be on that ship, among legends." She glanced out of the dome of the Cove, not for the first time seeing what was unmistakeably the alien ship, already being painted Hart's colors. That engineer was probably having a field day. "Though it looks like the legend's gotten a bit larger."

Cassi chuckled, probably mistaking jealousy or longing for what was actually the desire for the hunt. "Yeah, that's Jo for you, never satisfied to stick with what she's got. But then I guess that's what makes her so good." She gave Eve a curious stare. "I'm guessing you're a pirate yourself, with a name like Crossbones?"

"What tipped you off, the name or the jolly roger on my shirt?" The android replied sardonically.

Cassi gave a laugh at that. "Both. But you never can be too sure of things, I've found its always better to ask first rather than look like a ditz later."

"Heh. I know what it's like, to never be satisfied." She looked down at her hands, and felt the power she had. And the longing for more crept into her voice. "There's always something better to aim towards, you know? Always new and better goals."

Cassi gave an understanding nod. "That's just the way Jo thinks too. Which is why she just replaced a perfectly good ship for a humongous alien one." She gave the android a friendly smile. "What crew are you flying with? We happen to be in the market for new members, what with three ships to fill and all."

"Thanks, but I'm more of a self-starter. Trying to build my own crew. Or maybe take someone else's." Eve said, not actually joking.

But Cassi laughed anyway, probably assuming she was. "Fair enough." Suddenly, she glanced around, as if just now realizing where she was, or, maybe more accurately, where someone was not. "Ah, well, I gotta get back to my sister, she's probably having a heart-attack right about now wondering where I'm at." She turned back to the monster in pirate's clothing. "Good luck, Eve. Maybe I'll see you around sometime."

"Sure. We can talk shop." And you can tell me all about the alien ship and your new crew members. She added mentally.

The pirate-in-training gave her an impish grin. "Definitely." And then turned and skipped off.

Eve was not certain that this was how comraderie was supposed to feel. But it was probably something like this.

It was really going to be a shame when she eventually had to betray that trust Cassi gave in her so readily.

Eve turned away from the direction her new friend had gone and started towards more immediate business.

Which, probably not coincidentally, was also the local headquarters of Vero Industries.

[T.K.]

T.K. ground his teeth in frustration.

So much for a 'simple' shopping trip. He missed Willy already.

He's tried shopping at one of the Vero Industry outlets, trying to get the store closed off for his personal perusement like Willy used to do. He'd been denied, and 'forwarded' to the local supply Warehouse instead.

So, he trekked across half The Cove, to try and shop. After a look through their inventory manifest, and his attempts to buy it all and enough to fill two more such warehouses, he'd been politely refused, and directed to their Main Sales department. And again denied being able to buy anything.

Finally, he was sitting at a desk with a 'Sales Rep', whose eyes were in severe danger of popping out of his head, as T.K. continued scrolling down the list of available goods, and constantly adding more and more items to the list he wanted delivered to the ship within the next 3 days.

T.K. did have to admit, a fair amount of the available items, both mechanical and armament wise, was very high caliber. A majority even up to his ridiculous standards. The visions of shiny new toys in his head started to solidify a little more, as he found just about all the components he'd need to construct them. And from what was missing, he could easily coble together from what was available.

Finally, after almost 3 hours of perusing their database, T.K. handed over a final order to the Rep.

“All done. Please charge to the attached accounts. I expect delivery to begin no later than tomorrow afternoon. There will be a ten percent bonus, if everything can be delivered within the next four days. Please pass along my compliments to your employer.”

T.K. left the stunned Rep staring at the end price, and let himself out of the building. He paged Shiyou on her private frequency, letting her know he was done, and for her and Angel to meet him Detolli's for a late lunch.

Hopefully, their shopping hadn't been as much of a pain in the ass as his had been.

[Ulysses Grante]

There were a couple of reasons why Ulysses was tagging along with the group headed for the Weapons Depot. One of them he was hopefully keeping well-hidden, and that was using the excuse of the excursion to be anywhere near the beautiful Dagger. Whom, despite Willie and Jane's best attempts otherwise, he was quickly developing the system's biggest crush on.

More importantly, however, he was hoping to find a replacement to one of his prized collection. Just thinking about it made him whimper a little in remembered agony.

Ulysses had entered his bunk shortly after arriving at the Cove to get ready, when he'd noticed it. A half-chewed plastic arm laying in the middle of the floor. His yellow eyes had widened on the macabre sight and remained for several seconds before he let out a small moan, stepping forward to pick it up. Then his wide eyes drifted further, and saw a mangled up, slobbery leg. He'd let out an even louder yelp, rushing forward to pick that up too.

Through his room he'd followed the path of plastic carnage, until he'd finally found the culprit. A small, gray and brown yorkie with a blue bandanna around his neck, cheerfully gnawing on the remains of his mint-condition Blue-Hook Bill.

"Aaaaaaaauuuuurrrgh!"

That was the only articulation he'd been capable of, expression horrified. The dog merely hesitated in it's heartless toy-slaughter to lift up and give him a look, head tilting. What was left of Blue-Hook's immaculate blue velvet vest hanging gruesomely from its teeth. Then his little tail started wagging. Obviously amused by Ulysses' horror.

The Mage just screamed again.

Moments later he heard Cassi's voice in the hall. "Roger? Jolly Roger! Where have you run off to now?" She peeked her head into his still-open doorway and gave him a curious blink. "Oh hey, Uly, have you seen my dog Roger?"

Ulysses just whimpered, pointing at the spawn of the devil with a shaking hand. She looked around him, then gasped in shock.

"Ohmygod, Roger! Bad dog! Bad!"

The curvy girl rushed in, wagging her finger at the small dog, who cowered somewhat at her stern tone of voice. When she made to pull the now-ruined toy away however, Roger held on desperately and let out a loud whine.

Ulysses had to swallow the bile in his throat. "It's alright," he managed, tone hoarse. "Its ruined anyway. He can have it." And I hope you choke on the plastic, you sadistic demon-mutt.

Cassi gave up trying to get the toy back, merely sighed and scooped the whole dog up in her arms. Who was back to wagging his tail, obviously enjoying Ulysses' torment. His owner turned to him then however, and her gorgeous face was so filled with guilty embarrassment Uly couldn't manage to hold onto his anger for long.

"I'm so sorry, Uly," she murmured sincerely. "He's never done anything like this before. I dunno how he even managed to get out of my bunk."

He forced himself to wave away her concern. "Aw, i-it's not so bad," he heaved. "Blue Hook wasn't one of my better ones. I-I'm sure I can . . . probably get a replacement while we're here."

"Well let me pay for it at least."

"Oh, naw, I couldn't--,"

"How much?" she demanded, not taking no for an answer apparently. Ulysses swallowed.

"Uh . . . last I checked, the going rate was about . . . s-seven-hundred and sixty-two credits. Uh, g-give or take."

Cassi's eyes rounded to the size of saucers. "Ohmygod. That much? Really?"

"They're collectors items," he shrugged as way of explanation.

"Well I, uh . . . I'll have to go see my sister first, for that much. Um, just give me a sec, okay?" As Cassi headed for the door she held her dog closer. "Oh my God Roger, I could skin you alive! No more eating Uly's toys, d'you hear me! I can't afford it!"

Back in the present, Ulysses fingers rubbed against the credit chip that Cassi had given him, which was now stuffed in his pocket. He glanced toward Dagger, wondering how he might manage to convince her to come with him, what he could say that might get her attention without looking entirely pathetic. But before he could work up the nerve, the tall woman suddenly turned and started off down the street by herself. Ulysses just stared after her, too chicken to call out to stop her.

After a moment, someone suddenly clapped him on the shoulder, causing him to start a little. He turned, then stared up in surprise when it turned out to be Thorn Scarsgard beside him. He shot the smaller, younger Mage a strangely sympathetic smile.

"C'mon, kid. Since my First Mate's abandoned me, and you're to be my new pilot, you can come help me pick out a new color scheme for the Ragnarok."

Ulysses smiled. "Oh, uh. Th-thanks for the offer, but I actually have to go find a replacement for--," he'd started to pull out the credit chip, but the large, intimidating Scandinavian Captain's fist tightened subtly on Uly's shoulder, cutting him off.

"I don't recall using a suggestive tone of voice."

"Right," the dark-skinned young man yelped out a little. "M-my mistake."

[Cassiopeia Reyes-Hart]

After she caught back up with her sister and Katy, Cassi managed not to roll her eyes too much during Andromeda's somewhat shrill lecture, so they all ended up back at the ship in near to a half-hour afterward. The teen sighed somewhat as they neared, absently playing with the silver tassle attached to her sword.

None of them noticing the three large men in the shadows who were tracking her movements through the Cove with decided interest.

"She seemed really nice," Cassi murmured. "I dunno, something tells me we'll be hearing more of her in the future. I think she has a good shot at becoming a known name in the Black."

Andromeda snorted as they approached the docking area. "You think the best about everyone." Cassi stuck her tongue out.

"Not everyone." Then she smirked. "Just most people. But I'm telling you. Someone who can punch through a concrete wall bare-handed has some obvious talent."

At that Andromeda paused, turning to her with a furrowed brow. "Punched through a wall? How?" Unproturbed, Cassi shrugged.

"I dunno. She had gray hair even though she's young, so I'm guessing she was a Mage. Maybe super strength is her magic or something."

"Who had super strength?"

All three women turned to the deep voice that sounded. Two far less proturbed than the third when Morgan stepped over to them. His dark face was strangely drawn, brown eyes hard and intent as they stared at Cassi. The blond felt her color drain and then flood back in a stinging blush in less than a minute.

"I . . . um . . . I-I met someone," she fumbled. Swamped with nervous uncertainty, it was as if her tongue had been replaced with cotton. "While we were out. I . . . sh-she was being ganged-up on by a bunch of guys, I helped her out." Floundering for her composure, Cassi somehow managed an offhand shrug. "She was okay, Morgan, nothing's wrong."

He didn't look convinced. "What was her name?"

"She called herself Eve. Eve Crossbones."

Cassi grew more confused when Morgan's face pulled into an even deeper scowl, Andromeda gasped in shock and Katy suddenly looked as though she might faint, even though androids probably couldn't actually do so.

"What? What's the problem?"

"I gotta tell Jo," Morgan rumbled almost to himself, nearly dismissing her completely. "All of you, get back on board. Doctor, keep Katy in the infirmary until we know more."

While Andromeda and Katy immediately moved to follow his orders, Cassi stood her ground. "Morgan, what's going on?" she demanded. He finally acknowledged her then, with a dark look.

"Yer new friend just happens to be the sociopathic killer android that we fought back on that Gamma Corperation space station." Cassi's eyes widened at that, stunned. They narrowed again, however, when he continued with, "now get back on board the ship."

"She wasn't dangerous, Morgan," she tried, and scowled more when he scoffed at her. Insinuating that she was being somehow dense.

"Not dangerous?" he parroted, his normally stoic tone becoming more than a touch condescending. "Cass, this android slaughtered countless people, which defenseless scientists and who knows how many other people, and very nearly tried to kill all of us. And now, somehow, she's managed to ressurect herself and is here on the Cove trying to make herself into a pirate. Tell me, how is that not in any way dangerous?"

"Well, I dunno Morg. She stood in an alley with me for several minutes--even after I told her what my name was and that Josetta was my adopted mother--and didn't do anything more than shake my hand," Cassi shot back, her voice dripping with just as much sarcasm as his. His dark eyes narrowed, but she had been through enough in the past six months that the sight no longer intimidated her as it might have before.

"All a means to an end, I'm sure," he growled.

"Or, here's a crazy thought, maybe she's actually changed." When he scoffed again she scowled. "Katy adapted! Why not Eve? Who's to say she hasn't changed her ways?"

"That screwed up hunk of metal will never change--,"

"No she won't, not unless you give her a chance," Cassi shot back, interrupting him. "Everybody deserves a second chance." The last was in a tone raw with a pain that was still a little too fresh in her mind.

Morgan stared down at her steadily for several minutes, then, "I'm not going to tell you again," he bit out slowly. "Get back on board the ship. You're not to leave it again while we're docked. Am I clear?"

Cassi gasped at that, eyes flaring with surprise. "What?" she seethed, incensed. "You can't do that!"

"Excuse me, Ms. Hart, the last I checked I was still First Mate in this crew," he snapped out, deep voice sharper than a whip. "And so long as ye call yerself a member of my crew, ye'll obey a direct order I give ye. Now get yer ass back on that ship, or I'll throw ye in the brig myself."

The blond teen just stared up at him in mute outrage for several heartbeats before the tears gathering in her eyes made seeing anything impossible. Finally, with nothing else that she could do, the girl finally spun on her heel and marched back toward the ship. Her hand gripped the pommel of her sword so hard it shook.

As she neared where Andromeda and Katy had hesitated, her sister turned to her, expression pained. "Cassi--,"

"Don't," she bit out, only a handsbreath away from a sob. "Just don't."

And then she'd marched past them and onto the ship, disappearing down the halls within.

[Shiyounin]

Shiyou frowned, as she waited outside the dressing room for Angel. She was of mixed feelings currently over this plan she had somehow agreed to.

Considering the amount of time she spent around Angel, she had to admit the girl was pretty darn close to her best friend. If she had been organic, she'd probably consider the girl like a younger sister.

And then, there was the problem. She wasn't organic. She was just a bunch of complicated technology that just happened to be able to 'mimic' organic feelings. Feelings that were currently eating her up inside. Figuratively, if not literally. Deep inside, she knew it would be impossible for her to have anything approaching a romantic relationship with Master Tetsuo. But Angel could.

And thus her problem. She was intensely jealous that the girl did have a chance with Master, but at the same time, she wanted her to be happy.

And so, here she was, clothes shopping with Angel, while they waited on Master Tetsuo to complete his shopping for the ship. Angel had been stunned, when Master had presented her with a credit chip, saying it was her pay since she'd joined the crew as his apprentice, and even had a couple of bonuses attached to it.

He'd told them both to go have fun, and buy whatever they felt like.

Somewhere along the way, Angel had gone slightly overboard in her shopping, selecting some outfits that Shiyounin found absolutely scandalous. Even by that Harlot Jane's standards.

After several minutes, Angel finally picked out an outfit she seemed to like, and Shiyou was grateful that it was impossible to tell if she blushed or not. Just then, T.K. called on her private line, telling them to meet him for lunch.

Oh, this was not going to end well.

[T.K.]

T.K. was a few minutes late meeting up with the girls. He'd run into his Pocky supplier while crossing through a back alley, and had stopped long enough to put in an order to be delivered later. As a result, once he got to Detolli's, the girls were already waiting for him at a back booth.

He'd caught the odd looks the staff had given him, but didn't think anything of them. Until he got to the table.

He couldn't help but stare. Really, he couldn't. He was male after all.

Angel was sitting at the back table of the 'upscale' restaurant. She was dressed, and he used the term loosely at this point, in a black pair of the shortest, tightest daisy dukes he'd ever seen. For a top, she was wearing a button up shirt that had to be a few sizes too small, based on the way the fabric was trying to pull away at the buttons. She had tied it up at the bottom, exposing a good bit of her midriff.

Some voice at the back of his head commented on her adorable navel.

He stood there for several minutes, stunned. Trying very hard NOT to stare at her nearly see through top. A pleasant, nearly translucent crimson color that went well with her pleasantly pale complexion, that tiny spoke again.

***

The longer T.K. stood there with that stunned look on his face, staring at her, the more uncomfortable she felt. After two whole minutes, she was starting to panic.

She had meant to shock him, and get him to notice her. But this? No, this wasn't what she wanted. He hadn't even said anything.

She knew this was a bad idea. She should have believed the look on Shiyounin's face, when she'd first told the solemn little A.I. her plan. She hadn't tried to talk her out of it, but the shocked expression she had gotten after emerging from the changing room should have told her she had gone too far.

Which, she had to have. Otherwise, T.K. would have said something by now. A compliment, or even a hissed dismissal, telling her to put her jacket on and cover up. Instead, he just keep staring.

***

Shiyou was worried. Angel was looking for and more uncomfortable, pulling in on herself. Meanwhile, Master continued to stare at the her, mouth slightly open in surprise. Oh dear, this was going to be worse than she thought.

She savagely beat down that tiny voice in her programing that had started gloating, saying that Angel had no chance at stealing away her Master now. Angel was her friend, and this was likely going to leave the appallingly shy girl in tears later, not to mention the damage to the fragile ego and self-esteem she had managed to gather since T.K. had made her his Apprentice.

Before she could actually do anything however, T.K. finally seemed to snap out of it slightly, and dropped into a chair, opposite from Angel.

***

He sat in the chair for another few minutes. His mouth opening and closing, as he tried to think up what to say.

As Angel withdrew even further on herself, and started reaching for her jacket, he finally found some of the words he wanted.

“Angel, stop. I'm sorry for staring so long. It was, well, rude.” He paused again, grateful that she had stopped reaching for the jacket, but he hadn't missed the flinch. “I think, that there may have been a few wires crossed somewhere.”

She flinched again, and he struggled to to find the right words, to keep from hurting her further.

“It's not that I'm not thrilled to find out you like me, far from it. It's just. Ah, Hell, a guy would have to be dead, not to have a reaction to that outfit. I think, it's more the shock of seeing you wearing such a thing that got to me. I'm not used to my shy little Apprentice acting like a girl.”

He winced as he said the words, knowing instantly how wrong they were.

***

Angel flinched again. Oh, this was going horribly.

He might be trying to be nice and try and placate her, but she could tell from what he said, that he just wasn't interested in her. Not the way she was in him.

She felt miserable inside. In fact, she wanted nothing more right now, than to find somewhere she could lock the door, and give in to the tears she was just barely keeping back.

Oh, she'd been such a little idiot, thinking T.K. could ever be interested in a pathetic little girl like her. He'd said it himself, he didn't even think of her as a girl. Just his Apprentice.

***

Quite honestly, Shiyou wished T.K. had given her laser beams. At this moment, she wanted nothing more, than to fry T.K. where he squirmed in his chair. A thought that actually surprised her.

Oh, she'd contemplated, and even popped him upside the head a few times for doing something stupidly dangerous while working, but she'd never actually had such a violent response to anything like this before.

She just... she just... wanted to hit something right now. Hard enough to leave a mark at least. Her Master was making the entire situation worse, and her best friend was on the verge of hysterics.

T.K. actually glanced up at her for a moment. A pause, she supposed, while he tried to think up something else to say.

She glared at him, wishing for those lasers, as she flashed a brief and silent message at him.

<Fix this. Now.>

***

T.K. groaned. Even Shiyou knew he had blow this. This so wasn't on his list of things that could go wrong today. All he'd wanted was a nice lunch, and a little time away from that Psychotic A.I., Patches. This really was moving just a little fast for him, not that he was ever a ladies man anyway.

He groaned again at the message Shiyou flashed him. Fix it? Hell, he wasn't even sure how he'd gotten into this mess in the first place.

He looked at Angel again, the girl refusing to look anywhere, but down at the table.

“OK, OK. I'll admit, I've never been very good dealing with girls. I know what I've said hurt you, and I'm sorry. I didn't meant it to come out that way.”

When she continued to look down at the table, not even responding to him anymore, he finally decided to stop trying to be logical about this. Much as that concession hurt, he gave into impulse.

He got up, and moved his chair next to hers. He sat down again, and reached out to lift her face up toward him. Even teary as they were, he was a little stunned at how pretty her grey eyes were. This close, the crimson colored top, which gave a rather interesting view of her cleavage from this angel, somehow made the odd color of her eyes that much more attractive.

He had to fight down some rather strong impulses at this point, just to get his thoughts back in order.

“Angel, you are a very attractive girl. Even I can admit that much. I honestly never meant what I said to hurt you, and if I could, I'd take those words back. I...” He paused, looking for the right words, again letting impulse guide him. “I really am thrilled that you like me. In fact, to be honest, I have to admit to more than a passing attraction to you myself. I can't make promises to you, that would be unfair to both of us. I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but you are a young girl. Maybe, deep down, you do know what you want, maybe you don't. Now, before you start bawling, I'm not flat out refusing you.”

***

Angel was stunned herself, when T.K. had moved closer. When he had actually reached out, and turned her face toward his, she'd nearly fainted. As he continued to stare into her eyes, she couldn't help but do the same. She was almost lost in staring into his own grey eyes, with those odd, but so alluring rings of brown. Just being so close to him, made her whole body freeze up, leaving her unable to do much but listen as he continued to talk.

When he got to the part about her being a girl, she really had almost let out all the tears, but had listened to him all the same. He wasn't going to refuse her? No, he'd said he wasn't flat out refusing her.

What did that mean?

***

Shiyou wasn't quite sure what was going on, but that fact that Angel hadn't completely broken down by now meant that Master was at least trying to fix things. She decided to refrain from beating him upside the head long enough to see where this was going.

As she settled in to wait, an emergency call came in over the com channels. She automatically jammed T.K.'s and Angels, not wanting to interrupt them, while she answered it herself.

***

He looked into her eyes for a few minutes, as she gulped back some of the tears she wanted to let out. He could get in a lot of trouble if he kept looking into those pretty eyes.

“I think, if you'll bear with me on this, that we need some time. Time to really get to know each other. Outside of work that is. Give yourself time to see if you really do like me, or if this is a passing crush. If you still feel the same way about me, once you turn eighteen, then we'll talk, and see where we go from there. Deal?”

***

Angel was silent for several minutes. She blinked away most of the tears, and turned from him to think this over. So, he was at least willing to give them a chance? She thought about how for away her eighteenth birthday was, and cringed inside.

It was awfully far away still. There was no telling when T.K. would get tired of her, and simply break things off. He might even put her on one of the other ships, just to get rid of her.

Panic flooded up at that point, driving away the remained of her heartbreak. He really could dump her on another ship. She'd already know he was dividing up the current Engineering crews, setting them up as Senior Personnel on the other two ships, as he started recruiting for additional engineers and mechanics.

***

Shiyou was stunned, as Morgan's message came through. How could that Psychotic Android possible still be alive? And at the Cove of all places? Oh, Master was not going to be pleased to hear this.

***

T.K. noticed the sudden panic in Angel, not even sure where it had come from. He really wasn't sure if he was ready for a steady relationship, but for Angel's sake, he was willing to give it a try.

He reached out again, gently cupping her face, and turning her back toward him. He tried to put on his friendliest, most charming smile, as he looked into her panic stricken eyes.

“Hey, hey now, no hysterics now. I promise to let whatever feelings there might be between us have a chance to grow or not. We've got well over a year and a half to sort this out, and see where we stand. Now smile. You're much cutter when you have a smile on that adorable face, rare as those are.”

She was stunned a moment, but eventually, the panic tapered off, and she gave him a hesitant smile.

“See, better already.” He reached down, and grabbed one of her hands, squeezing it comfortably. “Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's order lunch, and we can discuss this a little more rationally over full bellies, Hmmm?”

[Jason Thornvaald]

"Blue and white? Are you sure, Captain?"

Thorn turned from the somewhat harried-looking refurbishing tech to eye his companion with a drol stare, eyebrow lifting. "And what's wrong with that, kid?"

The dusky skinned mage at his side shrugged, absently tugging on his somewhat ratty and worn red knit scarf, which was still cheerily wrapped around his neck and trailing down his back near to his calves. "Well, I mean, nothing I guess. Except . . . well, I'm no expert, but that combo just seems a little boring."

The tech in front of him turned about three shades too pale at the sight of anyone daring to tell the Thorn Scarsgard--the Viking Pirate, one of the most feared and respected individuals that had ever graced this station--that his preferred choice of a color scheme was a boring one. The man himself grew even more bland.

"You do realize that blue and white were the colors of the Mjollnir. My father's ship. The ship I flew for near to ten years."

Oblivious, Ulysses shrugged again. "I'm just saying. Redcote used to fly blue and white colors."

Thorn's wintery eyes narrowed. "Redcote was a disgrace." Uly made a face.

"My point exactly."

Thorn took a deep breath at that, slowly counting to ten in his mind and reminding himself that he was the one who'd invited the space-damaged pirate to come along.

"Alright then genius," he snapped somewhat testily. "What colors would you choose to fly?"

"Well, red of course," he immediately spouted, excited, completely missing the telltale signs of the larger man's ire. "Captain Melrose always flew red. A-and it's a common color between the Plunder and the Breaker--I heard the Heart Breaker was being redone in primary black with red trim. If we incorperate red into our scheme also, it'll make us seem more of a cohesive unit. L-like a real fleet."

Thorn sighed somewhat, grudging. "Alright, that makes sense. What else?"

Ulysses tapped his chin in thought. "Well, lessee . . . you're known as the Viking Pirate. Vikings were known for surviving harsh, cold conditions. Your mage power is control of ice . . ." The younger Mage looked up at him. "Bluish-silver primary, with red trim?"

Thorn considered it for a moment before smirking slightly and nodding. He turned back to the tech. "Alright, you heard the kid. I want the entire hull refurbished and repainted. Blue-silver with blood red trim. Give the interior a freshening. And I want the Captain's Quarters stripped down to the studs and completely refurbushed from the ground up."

Ulysses blinked. "Wow. That's a bit . . . extreme? D-does the Admiral have some kind of contagious disease or something?"

Thorn snorted. "Not unless insufferable arrogance has suddenly become catching, no."

"Well then why--,"

"Because it suits me to do it," he snapped back, quickly growing annoyed with Uly's attention to the matter.

The tech accepted the order, assuring him the job wouldn't take more than a few days at maximum--what with their new, faster, more efficient Vero Industries-supplied tools. Thorn took note of that with a slightly wry snort before leading Ulysses back out of the hanger area.

"Alright then, what was it you were wanting to do?"

"Oh, well, I--,"

The dark-skinned pilot was once again cut off mid-sentence when a form came launching itself out of a near-by alleyway. Uly yelped and dive-rolled out of the way, and Thorn twisted himself just in time to avoid the shock-baton on a collision course with his face.

He stumbled back, then let out a slight bark of laughter. "Ah, cousin. It's been a while." Graham crouched slightly in front of him, electric green eyes narrowed into furious slits, batons held at either side. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your sudden violence?"

"You left me naked, hogtied and stranded on this godforsaken shithole, you sonofabitch," the former Mamba hissed, fangs flashing. Thorn winced.

"Ah, I did, didn't I. Almost forgot." That only seemed to piss his cousin off more. Thorn sighed. "Sorry Graham, I've been a bit preoccupied these past few months. You'll forgive me a brief lapse in memory."

It took every ounce of his training to hop back and avoid the next few furious swings of those batons.

"In my defense, you did try and clock me from behind."

Thorn side-stepped the vicious scissor kick, then his sword--drawn faster than most could follow--blocked both of the batons before they could swipe him in the face. Thorn eyed his furious kin, frosty eyes growing a shade colder.

"Careful, Graham," he purred. "We don't want this to get well-and-truely unfriendly."

"Like hell--!"

Graham's furious snarl was cut short when his two shock batons suddenly ripped right out of his hands. Stunned, both fighters followed the weapons as they shot like bullets into a skittish Ulysses' fists several feet away. He let out a somewhat stunned bark of laughter afterward.

"Oh, gee, I'm sorry. Are these yours? Sorry about that, my hands just do that sometimes, completely unintentional." He stood there clutching the batons for about another second more before the kid turned on his heel and began pelting down the street, the tails of his cheery scarf trailing in his wake. A moment later he was tossing the batons into a dumpster to his left as if they were poisoned before dive-rolling behind the same trash-bin in the next breath.

Both Thorn and Graham remained frozen for several seconds afterward.

Gotta tell Lyra to make sure that kid gets a nice cut of the next take, Thorn decided with an amused chuckle.

"What . . . in the hell?" Graham finally managed. Thorn just sighed.

"I dunno," he heaved conversationally, as if they hadn't been in the middle of a brawl only moments before, "the kid's been floating around on the fringe of the system by himself with only his parents and his toys for company for like fifteen years or something. Completely cracked, I think. But he's a clever little bastard, most of the time."

"When he isn't hiding ass-up in a trash pile," the shorter man mused, though his tone was more amused now than furious. Which Thorn could work with.

"So, what in the hell are you still doing here, anyway?" he demanded after a moment, crossing his arms over his considerable chest. "A big fancy Mamba boy like you, I figured hotwiring a shuttle would've been a piece of cake. Or at the very least you could seduce a ride outta some lonely woman or other." Graham's eyes narrowed again, cheeks flushing slightly, ever touchy about the 'speical' training he'd recieved in the snake regime due to his better than average looks and usually charismatic personality. "Universe is goin' to hell in a handbasket," Thorn continued. "Mages are going off the deep end orchestrating human genocide, UE's falling apart at the seams, the Mamba have completely defected and started their own fucking Empire, for Stars' sake. . . . And yet here you remain in Pirate Heaven, surprisingly unaffiliated. Why is that?"

"It wasn't by choice," he snapped out, then sighed somewhat heavily, running a hand back through his short-cropped dark hair. "Not at first, anyway. Then when the war broke out, I . . . well. To say I had points of conflicted interest would be a mild understatement."

Thorn raised a brow. "I'd have thought you would side with Mamba, to be honest. Or UE at the least."

Graham scowled at him. "It might amaze you to know this, but there's a reason why I was out on Callisto working a security detail that blind monkeys could do in their sleep. I quit the service for a reason, and it wasn't for great pension."

"The Vega family has always been loyal to the system," he growled out somewhat monotone, and Graham glared back at him stubbornly.

"Yes. The Vega family has always been loyal to the system. We chose to follow the law rather than snub our noses at it. But that doesn't mean we liked it anymore than you or Aunt Melanie did."

Thorn eyed him for a moment more, then, "So what now, cousin?" Graham just shook his head.

"I can't go back into service. And I have no idea what Asp and Cottonmouth are thinking, but there's no way in hell I'm joining that clusterfuck either. As for the Mages . . . I don't like the way that's playing out at all."

"You and me, both."

"You gonna do something about it?" Graham demanded, shooting him a shrewd look. Thorn shrugged.

"It's a work in progress. You could say I've recently fallen under new management. And my boss has a very vested interest in how this all goes down. It's a good bet I'll have a hand in whatever's going to happen." The two cousins stared at each other for a long, silent moment before Thorn started to grin. "So how about it, Graham? I'm in the market for a Weapon's Specialist on my new ship. And something tells me you're still in need of a new job."

Graham continued to stare at him hard for several more minutes. Until, finally, his green eyes softened just a fraction and he extended a hand. Thorn took it readily, and the two shook firmly. "Welcome to the crew, Mr. Vega."

His cousin's lip turned up into a near-identical smirk as his own. "Thanks, Captain," he sneered somewhat, tone wry.

Thorn turned slightly then toward the dumpster. "Mr. Grante!"

There was some loud rustling, a few thumps and then Ulysses' head popped out from behind the dumpster.

"Captain?"

"It would seem that Mr. Vega's weapons have misplaced themselves into that rancid dumpster there. See to it, would you?"

Ulysses winced. " . . . that wasn't the suggestive tone of voice, was it." When Thorn shook his head, the dark-skinned mage let out a pitiable groan before standing up and then leaning down into the trash bin to try and find Graham's batons.

While they waited, the dark-haired former Mamba turned to him. "I want my shuttle back, by the way."

Thorn winced. "Ah . . . yeah. About that . . . ."

[Shiyounin]

Shiyou fretted with herself on if she should break up T.K. and Angel's lunch, or wait until after they ate. However, she knew that it would only be a matter of time before Eve tracked down T.K., and he really should know what was going on. With a sigh, she hovered over to the table, and their attention, just after the waiter left to take their order tot he kitchen.

“Master, I hate to interrupt, but an emergency message came in from Morgan while you were... occupied.”

T.K. frowned, wondering why his com hadn't gone off. He pulled it out, and looked it over.

“Sorry Master,, but I overrode both your Com's, so you wouldn't be interrupted.”

T.K. frowned, but gestured for her to repeat the message.

Shiyou called up the voice recording, and played it for their benefit.

>"Everyone, especially TK, back to the ship immediately.  We have a positive Eve sighting.  She's alive and kicking." <

Shiyou was intensely glad, that Angel couldn't understand even half the words that suddenly erupted out of T.K.'s mouth.

“Let me get this straight. I'm on the Ass-end of the Cove, as far away from the ship as I can get. Somewhere between here, and there, is a Sociopathic Android who I'm pretty sure would like to rip my spine out through my nasal cavity, and I'm no where near a Starforge Plasma Cannon. OK, I have officially learned my lesson about leaving the ship. Ever.”

Ge growled in frustrated anger, while Angel went paler than normal. After a moment of deliberation, T.K. got up, and headed for the kitchen, poking his head in.

“Sorry Donni, but you better make my order to go.”

[Eve Crossbones]

"To go to Heaven, you mean?" Came a familiar voice from near the door. Eve stepped inside, a smirk on her artificial lips. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not the real Eve." Her arms converted into large machine guns, causing everyone else in the establishment to scatter under tables, reach for weapons, etc. "In fact, my job's not even to kill you. Well, not directly. If you fail the test, though..."

The android decoy's chest opened up, revealing a plum sized metal sphere, beeping ever so slightly, a red light on top flashing with each beep.

"This is a conversion bomb. If defused, it will go completely inert. But if you can't defuse it in, oh, say, ten minutes, then it blows. And it takes a hole in the Cove big enough to drain the atmosphere with it." The android said, cocking her machine gun arms. "Oh, and I'll be shooting at you the whole time. Let's start...now."

Then she opened fire.

[T.K.]

OK, Eve was really starting to piss him off.

As soon as the Android opened fire, he had dived into the kitchen, praying to any Gods and Ancestors who might be listening, that he could safely deal with this Psycho Android, before it took out the entire Cove. He didn't even want to think of the possible casualties. Not everyone in the Cove was a soulless bastard.

He ran through the kitchen, dodging stray shots, as he snagged up a decent supply of sharp knives.

He might be a touch rusty on his close-in blade work, and he certainly wouldn't count on his knife throwing under normal circumstances. These were far from normal.

He paused in a corner of the kitchen long enough to catch a quick breath, before he ducked out, utilizing scattered tables for some questionable cover. Some customers had gotten smart, and snuck out the back. Some had been taken out by all the stray ordinance. Others were crouched in corners like him, trying to get off potshots, and covering fire for friend and crew mates who were trying to get out the back door.

Well, he needed to stop those damn guns if he was going to get to the bomb, and time was literally running out. With another muttered prayer, he picked out a 'safe' path through the tables and ran, throwing his knives as accurately as he could. With luck, he could at least disable one arm. Ancestors willing, both, and the Android itself.

[Eve Crossbones]

The first knife went wide, planting into a nearby wall. The second, however, in a very lucky shot, caught its blade in one of the panels that had formed when the decoy's arms had morphed into machine guns, jamming the mechanical motion that allowed them to fire.

A few more bounced harmlessly off her or embedded into the wall. A last, as the semi-Eve sprayed the area with machine-gun fire from her working arm, caught her in the shoulder. While it did not stop the gun altogether, the joints ground against the point of the knife, slowing the arm considerably, for a moment.

A pirate who tried to capitalize on this had his neck snapped in an instant by a front kick from the decoy android--it was not as strong as Eve, but close enough to still be fairly lethal in close combat.

[Dane]

Shortly after departing company with the crew, Dane returned to the ship for a quick shower. While taking his boots off falling asleep.

Dane dried quickly from his shower, grumbling loudly at his own stupidity. Just happened to be relaxing and passed out, pulling all these extra shifts must have wore him out, and now he was late for his date with Lyra. He had just gotten fully dressed when there was a buzz on his com, he growled low and snatched it off the cradle on the wall.

"Yea?" he cleared his throat, trying to remove the strain from his voice. "I mean...this is Dane, wassup?" he rolled his eyes and bonked his head gently on the wall. Way to be professional Dane.

"Hey, we have a female, on the short side with red hair and a nasty right hook. Know her? Cause she says she knows you." he blinked and shook his head...no way...could it? He grinned for a moment.

"Ask here where the rose is." he said smugly.

"Uh, do what?" returned the confused guard.

"Just ask her." he didn't get a chance, as the females voice came over the com.

"High enough not to be seen and low enough only few have ever seen. Heya Dane, long time babe." he grinned wide, well I'll be damned. He snickered.

"She's alright boys, I'll vouch for her, show her the way to my quarters." a affirmative rang over the com, and five minutes later there was a buzz at his door. "Come on in."

The door slid open silently revealing a face from the past, he grinned as she walked in, a warm smile on her face. Rebeca Ionis stood at 5'4 barely hundred and forty pounds, curly flaming red hair to match her attitude and dark green eyes. She currently wore simple Grey coveralls and a white short sleeved shirt under it.

She smiled at him, grinning affectionately. Purposely staring him up and down.

"Times done you well." a faint hint of a British accent leaked out in her voice. Dane shrugged.

"Not so bad yourself." he smiled and leaned against his chair, resting on the arm rest. "Been awhile." she nodded, coming over and flopping into a adjacent chair.

"Yea, been awhile...hows Elsa?" a sad look crossed his face as she paled and put a hand over her mouth. "Oh no...." he held up his hand.

"Elsa, come on out girly." a moment later the Mobile unit she had been assigned rose up from the docking port next to his bed and zoomed over to him, while she moved he explained to Becca. "I was able to snatch her before the suits destruction, I couldn't leave her behind. Elsa's sprite came over, looking cheery as ever and stopping to float near his face.

"Morning!" she turned slightly to regard the person in the room, she gave a girlish squee of delight and near rammed into Rebeca. "OMG BECCA! I missed you! I missed you!" before long, the three of them were conversing like old times. Exchanging stories, Becca explained how she retired, not wanting to deal with the crap they kept spewing out, wandering from ship to ship till she arrived at the cove. Once finding a decent mechanic job till she gathered enough info on himself to find him. Hopefully to join the crew.

Dane nodded when things got silent, Becca chewed on her lip, usual sign when she wants to say something. He waited, she eventually looked over.

"Sooo...you seeing anyone?" she asked off handedly. He nodded.

"Yea, Lyra Corvic." her eyebrow rose.

"The Valkyrie? Wow." she sighed lightly and fiddled with her hair, another nervous twitch. "Dane. I'm sorry the way things ended, but...." she trailed off.

"I know Becca, I disappeared, I couldn't call, write or anything. You moved on, I'm sorry it had to end that way. But we both moved on." he smiled warmly, she returned it.

"Still friends right?" she asked after a moment. He nodded readily.

"Damn right." he grinned, she grinned back, rising from the chair, she came over and hugged him, he wrapped his arms around her back gently and hugged back, leaning into kiss her on the cheek as she did the same. Neither of them heard the door slide open, but from the doorway Lyra stepped in on the scene, from where she was standing, it looked like her lover was kissing another girl, her eyes narrowed dangerously, face twitching near her eyes in a effort to hold back the hurt and pain. She stormed out, leaving the door open.

The two parted and Dane sent Rebeca off to find the Hart. The weapons master was smiling, heading around a corner to exit the plunder when he came up short at the scene before him. Lyra was standing at the end of the hallway, glaring at him, only him, her twin scatter guns in her hands. She looked ready to kick some ass...his to be exact.

"Uh...baby?" her eyes narrowed, the twitching continued till a tear streaked down her cheek. His eyes widened in realization. "Baby, its not what you think." at that he had to move as the floor beneath him started being shot at, he flipped back in a reverse somersault before stopping a few feet back. "Sweetheart! Let me explain, its not what it seems!" Another shot nearly took his head off as he dived around a corner. He ducked behind it and screamed out. "Baby! Please!" He peaked out, her stone cold visage hadn't changed, he cursed low and put his head further out. "This seems like a bad time...I'll come back later...I love you Lyra...please let me explain late--." He cut himself off as he ducked further away as the corner he was just sitting at disappeared into a hunk of scrap metal.

Oh this day just went to shit.