Werewolves are great crewmen!

[futures_of_ash]

Who: Rach and crew
When: Sometimes. IN SPACE.
What: It's an AU. IN SPACE.

She leaned her elbows on the low wall, ignoring the occasional catcall. The people behind the wall didn't matter, or the stands as long as the guards continued to not see her. Or the scalpers, because honestly, she would not handle being propositioned well right now. There'd been some rumors of Terrans that had made a splash in the ring...

Or so the fight drummers called out when she'd been walking past with the captain. "Terrans," he noted quietly to her.

"On it," she agreed, slipping away.

It seemed more accurate to say one Terran was making a splash, but viciously so none the less? Hmmm. ::They say you're contagious,:: she noted mentally when he was given a moment to rest. If he scanned the crowd he could see a red haired woman not at all concerned with leaning partially into the ring.

The usual round of security were wandering by, though one was snarling, watching a device in his hand, "Psy readings, I swear, but nothing to pinpoint, I swear if it's those damn white noise mice under the arena again..."

Rachel grinned, an expression more felt as she looked at him than anything else, ::go ahead and think at me hmmmm?:: As long as he had a mind to think with in that battle frenzy?

Comments

[homeless_pard]

A man who seemed larger than he was came sweeping in, one of four thin arms held awkwardly and both sword and pistol on hi hip. "Ah, man of the hour, hello," he nodded to Jason cheerfully as there was the telltale shiver of a ship leaving mag lick.

"Captain," Khem sighed, already peeling the man's sleeve aside, "this is a blaster wound..."

"I promised not to let them stab me!" He grinned, not flinching in the least as Khem set to cleaning. "And Rach was busy."

"Rach unlocked the other ships so anyone making a run didn't get stuck...but can'tcome after us either," Rachel hummed, leaning in the door.

[jasonpschuyler]

The room was suddenly very full and he made careful note of where everyone in it stood. Their Captain was injured, but was both armed and had extra arms. Jason stayed where he was, using the blanket to mask his body's positioning in case he quickly needed to run or fight.

He was considering returning the Captain's greeting when he felt the floor beneath him shudder. "Are we moving?" he asked anxiously.

[homeless_pard]

The uninjured set of arms was being crossed against the captain's chest harmlessly if that helped at all? "Yes, better to have this hellhole behind us. Rach?"

"Mmm?"

"Take him to observation window?"

"If you want," Rachel nodded, eying Jason.

[jasonpschuyler]

He stood slowly and set the blanket on the nearest clean surface, his muscles stiff and shaking from exhaustion. Exhausted, but still prickling with nervous energy.

We're really getting away...

He moved to follow Rachel, easing around the room to avoid turning his back on anyone.

[futures_of_ash]

"You can keep the blanket lord," Khem noted gently, not looking up from the captain's arm.

"She gives blankets to everyone," Rachel chuckled. "But we can swing back for it if you want. C'mon, the air garden and observation window is the same place..." Down the halls a bit then an open, plant filled space and a wide arc of glass!

[jasonpschuyler]

He eyed the blanket, but he wanted his hands free. "Maybe later?" he responded quietly to Khem without looking at her.

He followed Rachel closely, listening for anyone who might be following them down the hall as he waited to see what the Captain wanted her to show him. He slowed as they approached the air garden, blinking at the sight of plants and taking in the fresh scent. He reached out as they neared, fingers brushing a leaf in near wonder. He hadn't seen plants in so long...

He didn't linger too long as Rachel continued to the observation window, but tried to take everything in as he passed the greenery.

[futures_of_ash]

"Air cycling, but mainly the plants are for Khem and Cook," Rachel admitted with a small smile, pausing so he could touch things. "Everyone can spend time here, relax and such, just be aware you might be set at gardening sometimes." Thankfully weeds were hard to come by in space but there was still maintenance to do!

"Annnnnd window. There's the station," she pointed off to the far left.

[jasonpschuyler]

He stopped in front of the window, eyes widening. It was...terrifying. He'd been given a glimpse outside only once before when he'd first been taken. They had fought every moment their captors tried to handle them, and once had made it into the corridors when they'd overpowered their guards and tried to escape. It was meant to show them that there was no point in trying to escape. And then they heavily secured in the airlock and shown how that worked to really drive the point home...

Just before them loomed the station they'd just come from, rapidly beginning to shrink into the distance. Small objects, must be ships, were streaking from the station in all directions, but nothing seemed to be in pursuit of them. He drew in a breath that shook unexpectedly.

He was free from The Masters.

He just stood in shock, staring and trembling.

[futures_of_ash]

Rachel leaned against the glass, eyes on the stars beyond rather than the station honestly as she let him breathe. "It's huge and open out here, but it's beautiful too. I don't remember anything good about being on a planet at all..." The one she remembered wasn't a kind one no.

"And the hunts are amazing," she grinned, all teeth reflected in the window.

[jasonpschuyler]

He stared for some time before stepping back slowly. "It's...a lot."

He was at a loss: not knowing where he was in this vastness, or where home was. Where Nathaniel was.

And now that he was free of The Masters, he was still trapped. But now with strangers that he still wasn't completely sure of.

[futures_of_ash]

"I don't know if I can find your version of Earth," she admitted quietly, actually settling on the small ledge to lean against the glass properly. Space, she adored it more than a little. "But I can find your friend as long as you can remember them for me." That she knew?

"And we'll figure out what you want to do with yourself in time, no rush. You don't even have to stay with us honestly, Captain just has a soft spot for Terrans because of me."

[jasonpschuyler]

His brow furrowed in doubt. "...how? With all that...?" He gestured at the window.

He shook his head and instantly regretted it as his neck twinged in protest. "I...don't know where I would even go." He took a weary breath. Like it or not, he was going to have to stay with these people for now, whatever they decided to do with him.

[futures_of_ash]

"I'm weird." That was her normal answer honestly. How? She was weird. "Connections are easy if I have someone with a proper anchor for what they're looking for." Yup.

Dimensional curtains were a bit different.

"You're not trapped. We can and will equip you and give you funds, as well information, if you want to go. Captain says funds are usually important," she didn't get it but hey, see her first answer.

[jasonpschuyler]

He paused, his brow furrowing deeper. "Are you...constantly in my head?"

He was used to vampires establishing a mental bond and often using to it summon or warn (or punish) their people. But to just hear every thought at a whim?

He paled slightly.

[futures_of_ash]

"...no. I'm constantly open and can hear a whole planet unless I try not to. Aside from that is my Empathy which is stronger, so even if I'm not listening, I feel what you feel and that kinda spells things out." Just saying.

"Captain hasn't figured out an upward limit for my abilities yet." Just to be honest?

[jasonpschuyler]

That was...a little disconcerting. She would be nearly impossible to fight if she could just read his thoughts. He hadn't realized how powerful she was when he agreed to leave with her.

He blinked. "You...feel what I feel?"

[futures_of_ash]

"Yes. And what Khem feels, and Captain, and Cook, and any other crew we have, anyone nearby, anyone we pass..." she shrugged slightly, still watching the stars. "Not as bad out here, the space helps."

[jasonpschuyler]

"Even the implant?" he asked softly.

He hadn't imagined anyone outside of his home taking on pain to help him. There were a few other slaves in the pits that had good intentions, but when it came down to the wire none of them were willing to cross The Masters for another.

[futures_of_ash]

"I soaked a lot of that, else you were going to pass out, which would make you feel worse when you woke up. Khem layered in a lot of dampers as well." No reason to let someone face that kind of cruelty alone.

"Pain breaks people, that's not why we're here, so."

[jasonpschuyler]

He studied her for a long moment. It had been bad, but she was right: he hadn't passed out. He'd never managed consciousness when they triggered that implant before.

"Thank you," he said softly, really meaning it.

Either the easy conversation, the realization that they were away with no one chasing after, or just the culmination of everything that had happened suddenly swept through him, leaving him shaking again. "It's safe, now?"

[futures_of_ash]

She shifted her attention from the glass to look at him at that, flame flickering a moment, "welcome." Since it seemed important to him?

Yup.

"No one anywhere near here can get through me. And even if they did that leaves the crew between anyone and you, and finally Khem who will slam people into a coma in panic."

[jasonpschuyler]

His shoulders sagged slightly, his face suddenly dropping any pretense of strength or readiness. He was so tired and couldn't stop shaking. If even their healer had crazy incapacitating magic, it wouldn't matter if he stayed alert or let himself finally rest. He was in no position to put up any resistance even without their magic.

"I think...can I rest somewhere?"

[futures_of_ash]

"Yes, there's empty cabins, you can claim one as yours and set the door code yourself, or if you prefer to feel others nearby you can crash in my room or with Khem?" She slipped to her feet (making an effort after staring at said feet to make sure they touched the ground), then nodded, "and I can help you stay up for a shower?"

[jasonpschuyler]

He considered the options. If there were door codes, he could be potentially locked in, especially if Rachel could read a code from his mind. If he stayed with one of them, it was less likely they'd lock him in with a potential hostage, but he didn't know if he could trust them well enough to sleep beside them.
He was too tired. What did it matter anyway?

"Empty if that's ok."

He started, looking over at her in disbelief. "Did you say shower?"

[futures_of_ash]

"Empty is perfectly okay," she nodded simply. "No one here will invade your territory without good cause like hull breach....which shouldn't happen either," she admitted.

"And when you've had the emergency drill training not even then!" So hey!

"Yes, shower. This is a larger ship than we had, you have a private shower, recycler and heater unit in each. This way." Back down the hall! "Any of the doors off the air garden here that show green are unclaimed." So his choice!