Who: Ace, Monica, Akira Where: Lorrayna Phoenix- Bridge When: May 7th, during the morning theafter meeting Why: Setting the course Rating?: PG-13 Status: Complete
ace Ace stepped onto the bridge and yawned once more, plopping himself down in his pilot's chair. He opened the book the Captain gave him and quickly punched in the coordinates. When he was done he gave the dash a loving stroke and pat and leaned back in his chair, folding his hands in his lap.
Ace didn't say it aloud often, but her really loved the Loryanna Pheonix. It wasn't just a ship or a home, she was a friend. Some folk didn't understand a ship in those terms, but Ace did. The only way the old girl would let them all down was if they betrayed her first, and odd as the crew was, they would never do such a thing. He liked the crew, odd as they were sometimes, they were all good people.
He smiled thinking that, sitting alone on the bridge.
monica Monica finished up her preparations. Which really was just checking the ship's weapons locker and insuring all the guns were cleaned and in fine condition. Then she finished cleaning her one, which none of the things really needed it, since she was always doing it. Monica washed her hands, and then headed out of her bunk with a bottle of rum in hand. Though she still smelled like the cleaning solution and gun powder. She didn't care none.
Monica roamed a bit, eventually finding herself in the doorway of the bridge. She stood quietly leaning against the frame. She stared out the windows, into the black, the one thing that had always been a constant in her life. Then her eyes drifted onto Ace, she made a face as a result of a passing thought in her head. She took a swig of her rum, and then went back to staring.
ace Ace heard someone in the doorway and a slight smile crossed his face. He knew by the smell of the gun cleaning chemicals that it was either Oddball or Monica, and considering they hadn't said anything he deduced that it had to be Monica: Oddball wasn't as big with the strong silence.
Without a word He turned, his chair revolving and stretched a long leg out to the co-pilot's chair and turned it toward the aisle between the two chairs with his foot. He nodded his head silently, gesturing with his head, offering her a seat while maintaining their silence.
He always appreciated the fact that sometimes he didn't just have to chit chat with Monica, she was okay with just being, and with his current state of tired he was just fine with comfortable silence.
monica A small smirk found Monica's lips, and she slowly crossed the room. The woman appreciated that Ace understood her desire for silence. Most everyone else, except maybe Dori, were always chatty. Monica lost that attribute a long while ago. She settled into the chair, offering over the bottle of rum to the Pilot. Unsure if he wanted any, but the gesture never hurt.
ace Ace nodded and took the bottle taking a sip and then handing it back. He still hadn't gotten himself any breakfast yet, so even the small sip warmed him nicely. He slid back and kicked his feet up, making sure not to hit anything that would cause them to go willy nilly or boom, and sighed contentedly. He folded his hands in his lap, and just rested his head back on his chair. He was glad of the company. The only thing that would make the moment completely perfect was some music, but he was too tired and lazy to search the cortex for something calm to match their mood so he contented himself with the pleasant hum of the ship.
monica Monica took another sip of the bottle before setting in between the two seats on the hard floor. Sadly enough if she kept it in hand it would most likely be sipped away before lunch.
She quietly sat, thoughts running about in her head. Her eyes became fixated on the black as she enjoyed the moment. Things always seemed to slow down a bit when in the gentle glow of the stars. It was truly her favorite place to be. Though she didn't know their names, those stars had been something of a reminder of the place she came from. And in an odd sort of way, it didn't eat at her like other reminders seemed to.
ace Ace tilted his head and watched Monica for a moment. She was actually quite beautiful despite her intimidating nature. It was obvious she was in it... lost in her thoughts, and she had a sort of look on her face that Ace admired. This thought brought another smile to his face and he chuckled softly as one thought tripped into another and the image of Gwen in her barely there underwear rambled into his mind. He grinned cheekily at Monica then, "So, you gonna start dressin' in slinky outfits for meetin's too?"
He bit his lower lip, trying to hold back the grin. "Not that you aren't a lovely sight all on your own, but I think Gwen's trying for head girl."
monica Monica had been lost in thoughts, however she heard Ace when he spoke. Now usually she had only one type of response. Which was easy for some folk to guess at, which was why most folks didn't bother, knowing it might as well be to much trouble in the first place. Was that intimidatin' manner of hers. It frightens all the boys away, except those similar, though Ace really wasn't.
And at that she perked a brow, glancing over at him in his chair. "If I start dressin' like that, would only be for personal private meetin's and the like." She chuckled. "Though I ain't sure you'd get an invite." She smirked, she could be as cheeky if she wanted. Although hardly none of the crew had seen such. "And 'far as her wanting to be head girl. Emerald could win over her easy... plus she's only doin' it cause she knows she can't beat me at anything actually worth mentionin'... drinkin', shootin', or playin' cards. So you see it leaves very little for her." Monica smirked again leaning back more in the chair. Was it right to be ragging on Gwen like that, once upon a time she had been half descent friends with her.
ace Ace laughed and then held the back of his hand to his mouth, gasping. "Why Ms. Walker I'm positively hurt." He pretended to wipe a tear away and laughed once again. "Although I suppose I'll have to get over it, seein' as how you have all the fine qualities every gal should have." His laughter boiled down to a contented smile and he leaned his head back against the seat once more. "And I suppose I see why the likes of me ain't good enough for ya." He commented nodding, picking up the bottle of rum between them and taking another sip before setting it back down. "A lovely and sometimes terrifying lady like yerself needs more 'n'a rough neck." He smiled at her then and laughed. "Plus I'm all sorts of frightenin' myself." He replied sarcastically.
He was silent a moment and then laughed. "And I'm too pretty for ya." He added, grinning and ducking knowing it might earn him a slap or at the very least a scowl of terrifying proportions.
monica "Me, have fine qualities. Yeah cause all the fine ladies on those Core worlds keep ships of piracy running smooth with their way with words and people." She stated in a very sarcastic manner. She knew she could be a cold ass bitch, she found an odd amusement in the fact. "If you're hurt you could always ask Ms. Ha..." She didn't finish the name, in fact it would be known that Monica rarely used the woman's last name, though she called most everyone else by theirs. She lost what she was going to say about Gwen, and with a chuckle she picked up that bottle and took a long gulp from it.
She placed the bottle down again; she didn't say there was anything wrong with the likes of him. In fact she thought him awfully shiny at times. A brilliant pilot at the very leased, course she wouldn't say so. Least not without another bottle or so in her system. "Aww hell Ace, I ain't all that. And I ain't any kind of fancy... defiantly ain't lovely, I'm a bitch. And you know that... And hey when do you do all that terrifyin' ... when I'm cleanin' my guns or sleepin'?" She asked jokingly. Her eyes drifted over at him, she gave him a once over, an amused smirk playing upon her lips. "And maybe you're right about that last part." She joked even more; she wasn't going to scowl at him. Though she thought of doing it just for the hell of it. She leaned in closer to his chair, "Plus wouldn't want folk talkin' ..." She whispered with sarcasm and a chuckle before settling on back in the chair again.
ace Ace gave her a wink. "Folks'll talk either way. And I'll have you know that I hold the power at any time to throw this little boat in a tizzy... that's gotta count for soemthin'." He chuckled
He quieted and began to watch her for a moment. She was real close and smiling, something she didn't do on a regular basis... well, not without some amount of drink in her first. It was a rare and beautiful occurance. "An 'sides, gwen ain't my type." He said, his grin fading, sincerity in his tone. "I like a little more subtance in my ladies... a little less 'I'd be up for doing the rest of the crew too after this.'" He chuckled at that thought, "Not that ol' gweeny's like that. I'm sure she just likes... being free or... stared at, I'm not sure which... but I'm sure it's one of them."
monica "Ahh, I suppose they do... talk." She nodded, "Aww and it counts for somethin'." She smiled a little. Then laugh at the comment concerning Gwen, though after a moment it faded and a more serious look took it's place. "She's from the Core... Don't know if you knew that, So see she's use to gettin' all the attention she wants when she wants it." Monica knew a quit a few things about her, course she wish she didn't. She wished... it didn't matter what she wished cause wasn't no way of fixing what happened.
ace Ace nodded, the look on his face not entirely happy. He didn't trust those from the core full. He liked gwen all right, but after the war... well there's nothing to turn a man against a group a people wiping out his entire planet in the name of their beliefs. He knew there were exceptions to the rule, but now and then he saw those qualities pop up in gwen and so while he liked the girl he didn't have to appreciate where she came from. "My daddy always said, don't matter if someone wants somethin' bad enough, if it ain't theirs don't let 'em have it, cause if the tables were turned they'd do the same."
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, looking back out at the stars. "I always thought flyin' would be so... heroic." Ace admitted after a few minutes. "I thought.. well.. not that I'd be piratin', but that I don't mind." He smiled self consciously and fussed with his hair once again. "Not that any of that matters."
monica Monica was quite a moment watching him. She didn't mean to stir nothing, though most people had various things buried within. She had her share which she fought everyday to keep quite. It was hard, and so she drank.
"Flyin' is heroic." Monica finally spoke after a moment. "Many folk who can't and even more so many folk who won't." She couldn't say nothing about the first comments. Cause hell that’s what she helped do now. Though what they did was different than the Alliance, or so she had gotten the idea in her head. Taken from the Alliance is mostly what they did, or from those that could afford it. But she knew what he was taking about, the war.
She made a face, "It does matter, long as you remember. And you have to remember, cause if you don't you'll loose yourself. Even in those cases were you'd rather forget." She told him, unsure if she should have said it or not.
ace Ace turned and smiled at her then. "And that, Walker, is why you'll always be head girl here to me." His smiled shifted then and ashort chortle escaped his lips, "Unless the captain asks and then I have no opinion on the matter."
He picked up his now cold cup of coffee and sipped it.
monica Monica nodded, a brief smirk slipping in there. "Of course." Was all that she said in that moment. Her eyes drifted back out into the black. She let it get quite once again, She enjoyed Ace's company. Was no doubt in that. Though she rarely let herself enjoy something. Was odd, she felt it wasn't right to enjoy something after what happened some time ago. All the time that passed, and she still wouldn't let it go, how could she? She pushed the thoughts out of her head, and leaned her head gently against the side of the chair; she curled up in a semi ball. She'd stay long as Ace wanted, and then all he need was ask her to leave.
ace Still staring forward Ace sighed. "I wonder when they're going to hire some more help?" He mused allowed. "Not that I don't mind sleeping with one ear open case there's a mishap mind ya." He said ryely. "But it always seems we could use more help. Plus I'm always feeling a little more than sleep deprived lately." He yawned as if on cue, and then stretched his arms up above his head.
After a minute he turned grinning at her. "And how about you Walker? You sleepin' all right? Alone?" He winked again, letting her know he was joking.
monica "I've been askin' the captain about that. We could use more hands around here, big ship n' all. Plus I wouldn't mind if I was just me, but could use more gun hands, for bordin' parties and the like. Cause I don't like havin' to take the other crew." She made a 'not cause I care' face. "But cause they could use some work in learn' to handle a gun." Though it really was she was trying to keep from getting people un-needaly shot, though she brushed that off. "Course could teach you bunch, would fix that there problem." She chuckled, most of them actually knew at leased the basics and some fought in the war so they had to have known. But what she was meaning was she needed the type of people with a similar attitude as herself, the type she knew would get a thing done. Was that idea thinking wrong?
Fact was even though she sleep in a bed, not a chair, she didn't get very much sleep. Half the time she had horrible nightmares, the other half she simply couldn't find sleep. So she usually wandered the ship late at night, keeping an eye on things. "Aww well sleep could be better." She was going to ignore the question, but her simple answer would do.
ace Ace laughed then. She'd steathily evaded his question, which was fine. He thought about sslipping in another suggestive comment but decided not to push his luck and risk getting hurt. He just smiled and settled back in to silence, his foot still propped on the dash wiggling to the beat in his head.
monica "So those pretty stars have names?" She asked quietly. In all her time in the black, or otherwise, nobody had ever taught her them, so she had made names up. Though she'd always wanted to know the real ones. "I mean I know the planet's n' such but ... the others?" She asked, glancing at the charts that were displayed and the star's out the windows.
ace Ace smiled, "Well," He said, standing, walking over to the big windshield. "That one right there is Midas, like the ancient king, cause of it's golden color." He smiled looking over his shoulder seeing f she would follow or just sit in her chair and continue to watch.
monica She indeed stood, slowly walking over and joining him. She stood next to him in front of the glass. She smiled, oddly the story of Midas sort of always reminder her of her own father. Not that her father brought a smile to her face, but rather Ace did. She tiled her head slightly, raising a brow, a sign for him to continue.
ace "And this..." He said turning looking at her. "Is the fast one." He said as he leaned in and kissed her.
monica She should have expected it, well perhaps she should have being the observant master mind that she was, however she didn't. And instead of pulling back and hitting him, she leaned into it softly. Her brain taking a momentary vacation from the moment. She let her arms loosely wrap around his waste, pulling him in closer as she did.
ace Ace arched his brows in surprise, not expecting her reaction, but glad he took the risk. He wound a hand up into her soft red hair, and slid the other around her waist, pulling her tighter to his, increasing the pressure of the kiss. He didn't push too hard, scared that he might frighten her off, but still let himself indulge in the moment, and the warm of her body pressed against his own.
monica She indulged herself for a bit longer in the kiss; she could still taste the small bit of rum on his lips. The gal managed a wide grin as she pulling back for air. Giving herself a moment to process what she'd just done, what he'd done. She looked at him, her arms still wrapped around him. She tugged on her lip slightly in thought, things all jumbled in her head now. Though she could make this easier than all that. She let her hands fall to her side, though she didn't step back, not yet anyhow.
Monica chuckled just slightly, "Damn rum..." She started, the hint of regret in what she was about to say. "Guess'n that be way ya not 'pose to drink it so early in ya day... messes with the head." She raised a brow, passing this off as an accident, though not actually saying that. Though she knew exactly what she was doing a moment before, and now she actually regretted her words now. Though she was keeping a stern look on her face as if she didn't.
akira Akira came barreling into the room, even greasier then before. And he was babbling about a whole lot of nothing really. He was still fairly excited he might get to go with on the job, and he felt like talking. The fact that Ace was one of the few on the crew who didn't scare, or freak Akira out, and might actually talk back, was what brought him to the bridge.
Though he regretted the choice the minuet his eyes focused on what he saw. He blinked at first, mouth hanging agape, fairly certain he must being seeing things. But the image didn't shift, and the mechanic tried to creep back out of the area unnoticed.
ace Ace's jaw dropped as he wondered what in the hell just happened. First they were kissing and having a very good time of it, and now she was saying she'd dunk too much? *When exactly did she start drinkin'* Ace wondered grumpily, thinking back on the 3 or 4 sips she'd taken since she stepped onto the bridge. He shook his head and sighed, about to point that out when he noticed something from the corner of his eye.
"Akira!" He said startled, and then cleared his throat, trying to act much more normal. "Akira." He said, letting his hands fall to his sides but not taking a step back. He'd be damned if he acted guilty. He was a grown man and he weren't in her papa's house anymore sneakin' around with the girls who lives near by. He looked at Monica and gave her a rather forced smile to imply they'd talk later and then stepped over to the pilot's cockpit, leaning on the dash. "What can I do for ya Akira?"
monica Monica had in fact had a bit more to drink than the mentioned bit here on the bridge; fact was she had started when she woke. A nasty little habit, she knew it wasn't healthy, yet it's what keeps her day moving. Though she hadn't had enough yet to impair anything, and she defiantly wasn't drunk. She was irritably semi-tolerable to the stuff, meanin' she really had to try hard at it to knock herself out.
As Ace walked away, she stared at the wall that was in front of her, glaring at it in fact Dumbass she thought to herself as she raised her palm to her face with a long sigh. Yea cause talkin' is what I wanta do... course rest of the crew might do that... for sure now... which shouldn't matter... AHHH, just shut up already stupid. Monica turned around then as she interrupted her thoughts. She took her posture back, though a glare still on her face as her eyes fell upon Akira at the doorway. Couldn't it have been like Dori or Neve instead? Akira talked the most, 'sides maybe Oddball. Though Gwen would have been the worse, simply because Monica would have to look at her which would make Monica's heart ache. Cause her head was completely beyond fucked up, already, without any of this morning's adventure to add in to it.
She slowly crossed the room, stopping halfway between Ace and the greasy mechanic. Her hand had comfortably fallen to her hip upon the handle of the pistol that rested there. She didn't mean anything by it, though could be seen otherwise. But it was a simple normal place for her hand to be. The other hand's figures found themselves looped between her belt on the left side near abouts her hip, she tiled her head some, waiting for Akira to speak.
akira Freezing, he looked between the two. Akira was tempted to just run out the door. He didn't of course, but he sure was tempted.
"Pretend ya never saw me, an' this didn't happen?" He answered toward Ace. Though his eyes kept flinting back to Monica's hand. Sure was makin' him nervous sittin' on her gun like that. He didn't think she'd hurt him too bad, but a graze wound or something was a possibility.
ace Ace turned to see what Akira was gettin' so jumpy about and saw Monica's hand resting on her gun. He rolled his eyes and looked back to Akira. "Akira, relax, yer fine." He said calmly.
He shot a look over at Monica again. "She ain't gunna shoot ya unless she wants to explain it to the cap'n." He said, reading the source of Akira's all too apparent dread. "And, 'sides, ain't nothin' worth shootin' for." He said looking at Monica. "Just a little drunkin' slip." He explained, showing his distaste for the excuse in those two words. He liked Monica, and there was obviously something between them, and it down right pissed him off that she was going to just blow it off. *Women!* He though huffily. He turned back to Akira and forced a smile. "You know the kind." He finished, forcing a joking tone into the comment.
monica She looked between the two. "Why is it ya'll always assume I'm goin' ta shoot ya?" She asked with an annoyed roll of the eyes. Not until then did she actually realized where her hand was, and why Akira would be all jumpy. Though then she made a face, "Though I don't really see why you'd be standin' there assumin' that I ain't goin' ta." She growled at Ace, though he was dead right and her annoyance in the statement was coming from the point alone, she'd have to explain it. And that was something she didn't want to do by far. Monica shook her head, turning back to Akira. "... Though it would make the Captain mad, 'specially over it bein' for no reason at all. 'Sides drunkin' slip', so I might miss ya anyhow... well just maybe!" Now she was just mocking Ace with those two words, which was bound not to settle well. She wouldn't miss, will not likely anyhow but she was playing off the drunkin' bit.
akira He supposed that was true, but between walking in on.. well what he walked in on, and Gwenny not wearin' hardly nothin' to breakfast, poor mechanic was a little frazzled.
At the mention of the Emm, he nodded, calming down a bit. Though he trusted the Cap' ta keep him safe, he didn't much feel the need to test the waters. "A'course, drunkin' slip. Happens ta the best of 'em." The only drunkin' slips Akira was interested in were to ones that had crew dancin' or singin' in real bad fashions. Those you could tease, and joke 'bout. Looking over at Monica, "ifin' it helps, I didn't think ya were gonna hurt me. Jus' a graze or so."
Looking between the two again, "ifin' ya wantin' ta talk, I can go." A little more perkily, "matter o' fact, I think I'd like ta go."
ace "You know what Walker, you're not as bad ass as you think you are." He snarled, and then turned, heading for the door. He stopped when he reached Akira and rolled his eyes nodding back towards Monica. "Good luck if you stay here. As for me, I'll be in my bunk." He barked grumpily, storming off the bridge and down into his bunk.
monica Monica stood there letting both leave. Once both were out of sight she started mumbling to herself in Spanish, mostly curses about various things relative to her current annoyance. This was all caused by her. She settled into the co-pilots chair trying to settle down. But she ended up picking up that almost filled bottle, and drinking it away until her own brain stopped yelling at her.