Other Trails Chapter 4

[random_xtras]

"They're Narudian mammoths. Resistant to plasma fire, and they can use those four tusks to really wreck things." Starfighter watched one of the giant furry things run past on its way to grab a convertor man who'd just stopped in the door of the cantina, then turned his attention back to the tank of fuel that he was eagerly sucking down.

"They're huge." Shade gripped the edge of the table she was laying on, her eyes widening as a smaller mammoth came over and touched the end of its trunk to her face. "Meep..."

[Kiss!] Mist grinned from where she was hunkered down a little further back from the edge. [Pet kiss!]

"Thrrpt." Shade blew at the mammoth, who was so young that it had to reach up to the top of the table. "Ffft! Please go kiss someone else."

The calf made small sounds in reply, but then perked its little furry ears at a call from one of the men at the bar. Trumpeting softly, it turned obediently and trundled off.

"Maybe we need a pet. I hear they help make life more interesting." Starfighter paused his drinking to spoon oil mush into his mouth and sigh with satisfaction.

Shade thought of the epic mock battles that happened nearly daily between the Carondian beaver and the navcat on the Nothing Yet, and of the mayhem that the two pets left in their wake. "Ffft!"

"No?" Starfighter stopped eating to give her a childishly perplexed look, his eyes blinking.

"No. Not right now." She shook her head, then tilted it as she looked toward the bar to see if she could see what they were laughing about over there now. Seeing two of the giants playing a hand and finger game that looked similar to one that her people played, she sat up on her haunches to watch with interest, calling Mist's attention to the game as she did so. It was only a few moments later that Starfighter's voice pulled her attention away from watching.

"Uh. I don't remember doing something that would earn a look like that."

"Where did you get that fuel?" demanded Angelina, sounding angry.

"My captain gave it to me. Your ship doesn't even use this kind, so there's no way I could have taken it from you." Starfighter's heretofore easy going voice held quiet indignation and warning.

"Who's your captain?" Angelina still sounded suspicious, but like she might relent.

"Her. Shade." A shadow passed over Shade as he pointed to her.

"Alright now..." Angelina's voice went to defcon one.

"He's telling the truth!" Shade looked down at her friend. "He said he'd take us anywhere if we fed him, and he's wearing the planet and the fish."

Angelina blinked up at the dark-furred girl, then turned her head to give Starfighter a hard look. "If I ever hear about you pulling a fast one on these two you'll have an angry forbidden up in your face."

Starfighter's only reply was an affronted and angry scowl as he folded his arms over his chest.

[Stop! You and you, stop!] Mist slapped her hands together angrily. [Friends!]

"She's right. Angelina, I'm sorry, but you're being silly," said Shade. "The waitress says that people who wear the fish don't steal around here, or the Warlady would burn their badge off."

"Do you know how fast a guy that size will eat through your savings?" demanded the human woman.

"It's alright. We've been selling our wire things already. And one of the people who bought some of them asked us if we'd ever played pilot ship to a freighter. I can afford to feed him." Shade smiled slightly, hoping to make the angry and worried expression leave Angelina's face.

"Does he even have enough weapons to be a pilot ship?" Angelina frowned at Starfighter.

"I'm right here, if you want to ask." His scowl was unabated.

"Do you even have enough weapons to be a pilot ship?" She scowled right back.

"I haven't lived this long out here on the rim by being a wuss. My guns may not be anything to write home about, but once I ram something they know they've been rammed." His wings gave an irritable twitch.

"And what about your organic crew while you're ramming into things?"

"I've already designed padded safety stanchions for them to use when I have to do wild stuff." He glanced toward Mist and Shade, his scowl fading into a soft, pleased grin. "I'm going to take good care of my crew."

Angelina blinked with surprise at that frank expression, her own softening in response. "How old are you?"

"Don't know. Got fried eight hundred years ago and lost my starting files." He shrugged. "Old enough."

"Hey, lady." The waitress stopped her main body to look down at Angelina. "Don't worry. He's a vagabond flyboy space jock, but he's honest. Your kids will be safe with him."

Angelina glanced up at the convertor woman with surprise, then turned back to Starfighter and snerked at the expression of pleased mortification that he was trying to hide behind his mush bowl. "Do you know how old he is?"

"No. But he's been kicking around the local space ways on and off for the past three and a half thousand years." The waitress set two big mugs of citrus flavoured water on the table, and then used her finger to push one closer to Mist. "Do you want to order anything?"

"Sure. A jug of currant-orange cordial. In the plastic jug." Angelina looked thoughtful, but then glanced over to where a figure was clearing away the next table, her forehead furrowing as she saw how the tall convertor was wrapped in a massive dark cloak and wore a mask that covered his face but for two watchful blue eyes, one of which was scarred and faint.

"Don't mind my husband," said the waitress quietly. "He's just busing the tables."

"He's limping." Angelina frowned with concern.

The waitress nodded, her expression holding traces of sadness mixed with much pride. "He'd be over with the rest of the duty roster, but a run-in during his last hunt got him so much damage that he'll never convert again."

"He's not as big as the others," said Shade, her head turning as she compared the cloaked man to the ones at the bar.

"He's Archivist, like me. But we were both born out here, and we both wear the Warlady's brand. I've done my share of light hunts myself." The waitress folded a massive crossbow out of one arm.

Shade didn't notice, instead going over to the side of the table nearest the busboy and lifting one hand toward him as she called softly.

He stopped and looked down at her quizzically, a deep frown apparent despite his mask. "Yes?" His voice was a quiet, gravel-filled rasp.

"Your wife was telling us that you got hurt while hunting the monsters." Shade studied those serious eyes and winced, biting her lip. "It still hurts, doesn't it? Can't anyone help?"

His frown softened, and he slowly shook his head. "They caught me. The infected parts had to be removed, and replacements have never taken." One gloved hand gestured to the cloak. "I have to wear this, or I'd put the customers off their fuel."

"The infected parts?" she asked, her chin trembling with sympathy.

"My outer plating. Parts of my wiring and skeletal struts that were near the surface. I look like I've been through something big's digestive tract." He shrugged one shoulder, his motions still slow and deliberate.

Shade gave a little cry and rubbed at her cheeks to make her fur lay down, then reached into her pocket and pulled out a big medallion of carefully woven green wire. "Please take this? I think it would look pretty on your mask."

"Guys don't usually go for 'pretty'." His mouth quirked at one corner behind its black fabric covering as his big hand came down to gently take the ornament. "But thanks. I'll get my wife to pin it on for me."

"You're welcome." Shade's hand went out, wanting to touch him on the chest, but understanding from his way of moving that even if she could reach to do so that it would probably hurt him. "And thank you."

"For what?" He looked up from examining the ornament.

"For helping to make things better for other people, even after you got hurt," said the dark-furred girl simply. "It helps me feel braver."

He made a soft snerk and turned away, but the ornament was carefully handed to his wife as she stopped next to him, and then Shade saw him point to a spot on his mask where he wanted it to go.

She was smiling as she went back to Mist, pausing only to look at the gauge on the side of Starfighter's fuel tank. "You're a slow eater."

"If I drink too fast I'll wind up drunk." He hastily swallowed mush so that he could reply. "And then I wouldn't be worth anything for a couple shifts. Our freighter leaves tonight, right?"

Shade nodded, though she was puzzled by one word that he used. "What does 'drunk' mean? The translators didn't make that into a word I know."

Starfighter blinked, then set down his bowl and spoon and tried a sign.

"No. I don't know what that means, either." She wrinkled her nose apologetically.

"Well. Hmm. Stupid. I'll get stupid and sleepy if I drink the fuel too fast," said Starfighter. "Besides, if I mix it with this stuff it'll last longer and save money."

"And make you pass gas pockets," said Angelina from where she was now sitting on the table by Mist as she waited for the jug of cordial.

"Yeah, that too. But it isn't like I can hurt anybody by doing it when I'm out in space, and I use so little energy in this form that the reaction won't start when I'm in here."

The human woman chuckled, then turned back to the girls, signing as she spoke. "Tonight, huh? Thought we'd have a little more time to say goodbye to you two."

"We already said goodbye," said Shade, signing as well so that Mist could know what they were saying. "And you're going to be here for awhile. We might be back before you leave, or we might see you sometime out of port."

"Yeah, maybe." Angelina grinned, then looked up and took the jug from the waitress. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." The blue woman smiled at the human, and then checked the nearby tables before going after her husband.

Angelina turned back to Shade and Mist. "You two be careful. Don't trust anybody, if you can help it. And don't stop by any damaged vessels that are putting out SOS beacons."

"Don't worry, I can sense that trap." Starfighter didn't look up. "And most people know better than to try it on a convertor."

"Right." She frowned at him thoughtfully for a moment, then turned back to the girls. "I forgot how fancy a set of boosters you'd hired."

Shade smiled slightly, but then looked around as the room suddenly went quiet. "What's happening? Is there danger?"

"Maybe." Angelina stood and nodded toward the stage in the corner of the room, where the Warlady and a tall man whose black paint was set off by a golden chest and wrists and some smaller red markings were slowly circling each other in wary crouches. "But I don't think they'll come over here."

"What are they doing?" Shade tapped her sister to draw Mist's attention to the action.

"Flirting." Starfighter snorted and resumed drinking fuel.

"Flirting?" Shade's eyes went wide as the two convertors on the stage suddenly went into a rapid-fire series of feints, avoids, and parries with two massive dark bowie knifes. "That's fighting!"

"Same difference, for those two. That's the Warlady's husband, and it looks like he just challenged her for right of leadership again. When an Armourclad guy picks a fight with his wife it's a compliment. He's saying that he's confident that she can hold her own against him and that he doesn't need to pull his punches."

Angelina looked over her shoulder to stare at Starfighter. "You're pulling that out of your tailpipe."

"I am not. You can ask any Armourclad here." He gestured with his spoon, causing a few drops to spatter on the table. "Ack!"

"Hey, don't lick the table... never mind." Angelina face palmed and turned back to watching the fight. "Are those knives made from chitin they took from the Infection? They aren't made of metal, but I can see metal glinting in them."

"Yeah. The Warlady's oldest daughter makes those things and ships them all over the galaxies to people who like fancy weapons." Starfigher rubbed his thumb on the place on the table that he'd just licked, and then looked over at Shade and Mist as he registered just how high their heart rates were getting. "Hey."

Shade shied and stamped as big hands came down to gently corral she and her sister. "What? No, let us go!"

"If I let you go you'll watch those guys and get even more scared," said Starfighter, frowning with concern. "Just hide here till they're done, okay? And don't worry. You're safe." A cheeky grin. "I've got you in the palm of my hand. Ouch!" He laughed. "Don't kick me! Ow OW! Hahahahah!"

"What are you saying 'ow' for, you goon?" Angelina shook her head. "It's not like she can hurt you."

"Because I wanna! Ow!" Starfighter laughed as he moved one hand to form a shelter for Mist and then used the other to poke at Shade as she reared and punched at him with her hands and front feet.

"I'll give you a real reason to say 'ow'!" said the black-furred girl fiercely, though she was grinning as she whirled to kick at his finger with her hind feet.

"Noooo! Have mercy, Cap! I've got to be in shape to fly!" Starfighter laughed so hard that his voice held faint static.

"Die, doofus!" Shade pounced.

"Ahhhhhh! I'm dead! Blarg! Gak! Errrrrrg." The hand obediently "perished" in dramatic and appropriate death throes.

"Kids." Angelina face palmed again, snickering. Then she startled slightly and lowered her hand as Starfighter gasped.

The young convertor was staring down at his hand with an expression of uncertainty and something else as Shade stood on the back of it and struck a victory pose before stooping to pat him and jump down.

[Mist alright?] she asked as she trotted over to her sister.

[Alright. Liked funny. Play with him like with brothers.] Mist grinned, her posture relaxed and easy again though she kept her eyes away from the stage.

[You're using him for a house.]

[Is our house now. House on the star trails.]

"Protective programming just kicked in?" asked Angelina softly.

Starfighter blinked and then looked at her, that bright light still showing in his eyes. "Yeah. I think so. Do all organics feel that delicate and breakable?"

"A lot of us, but there are some races that can give you guys a run for your credits." She gave him a little half smile.

"You're even smaller than these guys." He bit his lip and looked back to the two sisters, who were now tussling playfully with their arms around each others' heads and their nearer front legs crossed. "How do you survive out there with nobody to protect you?"

"How do you?" she countered, lifting a brow.

Starfighter frowned. "I was born for space. You guys are little and soft and need pressurization and oxygen. One crack in a hull and you're a memory."

"Yeah, so we try to be memorable." She shrugged. "We are what we are, just like you're what you are. We may not have titanium skin and unlimited life expectancy, but we still get things done."

"Huh..." He looked back down at the sisters, and then quickly caught Shade as she stumbled over Mist's foot and nearly toppled.

"Eep!" She looked around with startled eyes, but then looked up at him. "Thanks."

"You're welcome, Cap." He grinned and then turned his head to look at the waitress as she came over.

"Where is the child feeding apparatus on you guys?" asked the blue woman, her eyes going from something in her hand to the two sisters.

"Here." Shade pointed to her upper chest. "Why?"

"Alright." The waitress smiled and offered two crochet vests with wide, comfortable straps. "These will work, then."

"You want us to buy these?" Shade reached out to finger the tan one, which bore delicately carved chitin buttons and an openwork, lacy bottom edge.

"No," said the waitress quietly. "They're a gift."

"Why are you giving us a gift?" Shade studied the sparkling glass buttons on the turquoise blue vest, then tugged gently on the two inch fringe that adorned its hem.

"Because you made my husband smile, and that is worth anything I have," came the soft response.

Shade's eyes widened, and she looked up. "You don't have to pay us for that."

"I'm not. This is a gift. And besides, it's something you can use. Wearing those blankets all the time probably rubs your fur the wrong way. These are loose enough not to do that." The waitress handed the blue vest to Mist, and then offered the tan one to Shade. "You'll be able to move freely again."

Shade hesitantly took the vest and looked down at it, then darted into the shelter of Starfighter's hand to unwrap her blanket and pull the new garment on. The buttons gave a little trouble to fingers unaccustomed to their use, but she soon had them fastened and then came back out to let the blue woman see how it looked.

"Short in the waist, like I thought it would be. But that's good. And that colour looks good against your fur." The waitress smiled, then nodded to Mist as she followed her sister's example and came out to be seen. [Pretty. I like that.]

Shade shrugged her lower shoulders and ducked her head, feeling pleased and a little embarrassed, then looked at Angelina for her verdict.

"Man, there are days I wish I could get away with wearing that little." The blonde woman tugged ruefully on the frayed and darned round collar of her drab ship suit, then shrugged and put her hands into the kangaroo pockets. "But what can you do?"

"Go over to Meena and let her embroider a few flowers, suns, or pretty bugs on the flap of one of your chest pockets," said the waitress. "Every girl needs a little bling."

"I don't have credit for bling." Angelina shrugged again.

"Did I say she wanted credit? Meena just likes doing those things. So humour an old lady." The waitress shook her head at her.

"Fine. Where is she?" Angelina looked around, absently hefting the jug of cordial as she did.

"Over there on the table in the far corner. I'll carry you over if you want."

"A unicorn!" Angelina boggled.

The surprise in the human woman's voice caused Shade to follow her gaze and then point so that Mist could see the tiny purple woman who sat at a smaller table atop the larger one, a ball of turquoise yarn in the bowl beside her as her slender hands rapidly worked a crochet hook. "Unicorn?"

"Yeah," said Angelina softly as she stepped into the waitress's hands and sat down. "There aren't a lot of them left anymore."

"Meena and her daughter live here. But Jenny's out patrolling in her star fighter right now," said the waitress.

"Are they part of the Army?" Angelina looked up at her quickly.

"Yup. They belong to the Warlady, and she doesn't let anyone mess with Meena."

"And she doesn't want anyone to think she's good? Ffft!" Shade shook her head, and then trilled and signed as Mist echoed the head gesture.

"There's our freighter, Cap." Starfighter finished the last of his mush, then downed the remaining few gallons in his tank.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" Shade frowned at him as she let him gather herself and Mist into his hands, then turned her head to look toward the big organic man who stood in the doorway, his changeable skin shifting from pale purple to blue as he waited for them to respond to his summons.

"Because you're the captain of our crew." Starfighter held the girls close to his chest as he pushed his chair back and rose to his feet.

"What? I'm captain?" Shade looked around with surprise.

"Well you're the one that hired me, and you're the one giving all the orders. That sounds like captain to me." He looked down at her with that grin of his.

Angelina snerked. "He's right, Shade. Make a few successful runs and you'll be able to apply for the license."

"Ffft!"

"I'm serious. Then you'd be able to charge even more for your work."

"Come on, Cap. Don't want to make Edgy Reggie wait." Starfighter laughed. "Tell scary lady goodbye already."

"Hey, you punk." Angelina didn't know whether to laugh or make a rude gesture at him.

"Ffft! She's not scary." Shade gave him a Look, then turned and joined Mist in waving to her human friend. "See you again soon, Angelina. We'll talk to the Forest Weaver about you."

"Thanks, kids." Angelina signed along with her words, and then waved.

"Be safe," said the waitress softly, smiling. "And thank you."

Shade smiled at the two older women, and then took a deep breath and tried to smooth the fur on her cheeks as Starfighter carried her out of the cantina and away from everything she'd known till then.