Chapter 20: Partner
Beau lay in his bunk bored out of mind.
While their fortunes had improved considerably, he never thought the idea of aliens and spaceships could become mundane.
He had been scrolling through the alien tablet (after Ryo had given him the instructions on how to activate the thing), but there wasn't enough content downloaded on the thing to have kept them busy for the two weeks they had been trapped aboard.
The content itself wasnt exactly to his liking, giant lizards and other monsters tearing each other apart in some sort of blood sport. It didn't do much to endear the aliens to him, they literally grew monsters in vats so life to them was obviously on the cheaper side.
There was one short file about two bugs in long togas clicking angrily at each other, but without his own alien transplant there was no way he’d understand.
Beau asked Ryo to translate, but the kid hadn’t been in the best condition as of late.
He was worried.
Ryo had barely left his bunk in the week they had been travelling, (he had been keeping track of the hours since there wasn’t much else to do) mostly resided himself to an ‘awful headache’ and kept muttering something about ‘dreaming of math’.
The ship while in motion hummed and pulsed much like the station, underneath it’s steel and ceramic veneer was more living tissue. If he concentrated, Beau could feel the vibrations through the air, like a slow heartbeat, the kid was probably reacting to whatever it was giving off.
Ryo refused to discuss it further, only coming down to eat before climbing back up to sleep. Sleep, or just lie there in pain, occasionally he’d yell at someone to fuck off in his dreams, well, the Japanese equivalent anyway, Beau couldn’t speak the language, but he understood a ‘fuck off’ when he heard it.
Poor kid must have been more messed up than he let on, the thing in his brain causing more trouble than it was worth.
But it was worth noting the aliens had been rather amenable since, He hadn’t seen their bug leader, Mr ruby broach had kept his distance but a never-ending rotation of sentry guards kept peering in out of curiosity.
While they were not treated as prisoners, Beau had tried to make it clear an invasion of their privacy was not welcome. There was only so many times he would tolerate being woken up by the door opening and a strange face peering in, if he had anything worth throwing he would have done so, multiple times.
Usually all it took was for Ryo to rear a death glare and the alien quickly excused themselves and was on edge for the rest of their shift.
Even when in power armour, any sentry that stood after Ryo’s glare could only stand to be around a matter of hours before shift change, and they always looked exhausted. Just one of the many things Beau’s had been keeping tabs on.
How many shift changes, how many soldiers, the different kinds of aliens, how many were in their area at one time, whatever he could keep tabs on, and what might come in handy in the future.
He even attempted to walk around the ship and while he was free to leave his room, it was clear without access to an alien translator he wasn’t getting off the storage floor.
Glass elevators were creepy anyway.
Beau rolled out of his bunk and pulled on his ill fitting pants, and checked in with his friend.
“I’m stepping out for a bit, want anything?” He was expecting the usual groan of rejection from his companion, but Ryo actually sat up and faced him.
“No thank you,” came the reply, almost as surprised as he was.
“You’re speaking to me again, always a good sign,” Beau smiled.
Ryo nodded.
“Headache gone,”
Beau noticed the vibrations in the air had come to a stand still.
‘Finally’ Beau thought ‘maybe now we can make some progress,’
“‘Aight, well, wanna go for a walk?”
Ryo nodded and slipped down off the top bunk.
“Wash?” was the first question, and Beau had to laugh.
“There’s a car wash in the corner, it is not fun.”
Ryo grimaced, likely from the smell of himself.
“Walk then,”
“Walk it is!”
As they stepped out a tall lanky abominable snowman stood guard, white fur and beady black eyes stared curiously. Beau gestured they’d be doing a lap, but there was no real communication between them. He’d try sign language, gesturing, mimicking actions but it was useless.
The guards were dumb as bricks.
Ryo however, only had to look at the guard funny for him to be scared straight, the 7 foot yeti whimpering like a dog who’d seen the devil. Ryo groaned and rubbed his temples.
“He says Lieutenant is coming,”
“Mr Ruby broach?”
“Uhh yeah, him,”
“About time, tell him we’re getting bored, there’s only so much alien wrestling death matches a man can watch,” Beau commented, Ryo just stared back before telepathically passing on the message. The guard suddenly began cowering even further and ran off towards the elevators.
“Message sent,” Ryo replied with an underlying smirk.
“You cold bastard,” Beau laughed and he took the lead walking around the storage floor.
-*-
Nako was furiously getting through the docking reports and mission statements when he got an urgent message from his crew members.
Nakos shoulders slumped and he sat down defeated.
Tifera patched through the message
“Sir! The humans are saying if you don’t appease them soon there will be dire consequences!!”
That caught the lieutenant off guard and had him gripping the edge of his table in fury.
No one threatened him within his ship.
“They want appeasement fine, Tifera, contact Engineering and tell Namegiver Jasmine I have some guests for her to entertain,”
“Yes sire,”
And with that the lieutenant readied himself to head downstairs and rid himself of the rotting eggs sacks he stowed away on board.
-*-
Nako didn’t so much as see the humans as he did smell them. The entire floor reeked of a potent musk and sweat.
He found the two humans, waiting for him perched up upon cargo cases, talking amongst themselves. They didn’t formally acknowledge his arrival, forcing Nako to talk to them first, a petty power play on the sour prince’s behalf.
“Lord Ryo, Lord Beau, I’ve come to understand you’ve threatened my crew,” Nako said sharply, staying a good metre’s distance.
“(I didn’t say that exactly) Ryo projected, shrugging his shoulders, “(there must have been a misunderstanding, sarcasm can be difficult to translate.)”
“You are in no position to terrorise my crew, if you must sully your reputation with insults keep them to those who can defend themselves,” Nako scolded.
“(The power of words leaves deeper scars than any steel,)” Ryo retorted with prose, “(I’ll save the best for you then, lieutenant,)”
Nako’s antennae twitched.
“We’ve docked your honour’s, There will be fresh food and attire waiting for you, but I must insist that you wash before we leave,” Nako growled, never had he wanted to swat a being more in his life. The young prince was being provocative on purpose, for reasons beyond Nako’s understanding.
“(What are we supposed to do? You dont have any soap.)” Ryo grumbled.
“Animals and savages sleep alike young lord, and my paitence has a limit,” Nako warned, “Wash and I’ll have your garb sent down, onc you are presentable I will take you to meet Namegiver Jasmine,”
“(Alright then, don’t get your panties in a twist, we’ll go through the power wash, these new clothes better be worth it)” Ryo sighed before translating, “Wash, we get new clothes,”
Beau protested a little, but eventually they headed back, the idea of fresh, fitting clothes too tempting for either of them to turn down.
-*-
The shower was like being hosed down with a fire-main that could aim for your asshole, overall a very unpleasant experience but at least they were clean and didn’t smell like a locker room in summer.
Outside, as promised was their new attire, bland, grey seamless shirts, a long wrap around skirt and strangely enough, a cape. Clothes were clothes and anything was better than being naked in rags.
“So, what do you think,” Beau asked “shirt tucked in or out?”
Ryo shrugged, “in?”
“In it is,” Beau responded, shoving the tight fitting shirt into the waistband, “now the cape,” Beau muttered more to himself then Ryo, “ruby broach had his pressed…”
Ryo shrugged again and was content to just let the cape hang over his shoulder, Beau took the time to pleat it, he got four or five fairly neat tucks before draping it over from right to left, leaving his right arm clear. Easier to get at his weapon that way.
“If you are ready, your honour’s, this way,” LT Nako directed them, in a rush to hand them off to whomever the ‘Namegiver’ was.
-*-
The Ship’s docking bay was wide open for them to walk through, and it was an impressive sight.
Fully enclosed steel dome, bioluminescent lights turned the dim into day as hundred of suited soldiers made their way across the bridges and platforms of the complex.
It was hard not to be awed by the experience, the Lieutenant was gracious enough to let them gawk for a moment.
“There will be plenty of time to take it in once were at our destination,” Nako stated quietly, “but your blaring curiosity will only cause disruption on deck, if you can keep your emotions muted, that will draw less attention,”
Lieutenant Nako, however, despite his words of warning proceeded to strut down the runway the crowds before them parted like the red sea.
The three of them walked through the alien military halls and it felt as if they owned the place, other soldiers just moved out of their way, others bowing and cheering as though they were celebrities. Ryo could hear the clamouring of steel suits in the distance, shocked talk of the lieutenant gathering more humans, and the loud roars of ships and soldiers alike.
The aruas he felt off the other people, he could close his eyes and pinpoint every one, like small fires of heat and vigor. His own presence was very dark, cold, but stronger than anyone else he could feel, Nako was the only one who came close to his own. Ryo Supposed that’s why the guy had his own ship, the more powerful your aura the more respect you commanded.
The realisation hit him.
He had a fucking power level in this place!
And he had protagonist level power, maybe this shitstorm was a dream after all.
The station was huge, corridor after corridor of steel plates and scurrying aliens, it seemed like they had started walking forever ago and lost count of how far they had actually walked.
The permeating sense of boring, bland discipline that these aliens gave off faded into the background the closer they drew to their destination. In its place was warmth, safety, a welcoming glow drawing them in, for a brief moment, he didn't dread what was going to happen.
He stopped in his paces when he noticed he wasn't miserable, and the Lieutenant had the gall to look over his shoulder and snipe.
“Something wrong young lord? Not used to the presence of real power?”
Ryo shuddered, trying to shake it off; now that he knew the warmth wasn’t ‘real’.
“(Nothing I can’t handle,)” he snapped back, Beau none the wiser at all.
The closed corridors gave way to an open hangar, rows and rows of abandoned cars and sitting pretty in the middle was a massive super yacht.
Beau whistled again,
“Hot damn…” he muttered under his breath, "They startin’ a car yard?”
But Ryo didn’t answer, he was too busy trying to pinpoint the source of the aura.
“Ahhh, it appears she is on her way,” Nako stated absently, “She is probably eager to meet you,”
Ryo spotted a vehicle coming towards them, some kind of red 4x4, music blaring over the atrociously loud engine. It screeched to a halt a hundred meters in front of them, the right side driver door opened up and its passengers piled out.
A human, an alien and three dogs came bolting towards them and Ryo was engulfed.
The bright, blazing aura nearly blinded him, the alien world around him replaced with the hot, exciting brilliance of a summers day. The woman who exhumed this sensation was running towards them, shouting and waving, but before Ryo could even take a step forward Beau charged ahead screaming at the top of his lungs.
“SPADES YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!”
The scream startled everyone except for the solider and his partner, the full-sized German Shepard barreling into the brick shit house of a man, the pair colliding in a burst of overwhelmingly pure joy.
Ryo stared as they rolled on the floor, Spades licking Beau’s face, body spasming from excitement Beau squeezing the dog so tight he might of snapped him in two. Friendship, loyalty, hope relief, so emotions flooded out of the large dog…
It was beautiful.
“Hey…” The woman’s voice floated in his ears with that quiver they had before crying, her arms opened wide and she embraced him, sobbing in his ears.
A warm, loving embrace.
When was the last time someone, anyone, was that happy to see him?
It was nice…
He lifted his arms to return the embrace but then she cried.
“it’s okay, you’re safe now,”
Safe? Safe?!
Ryo shoved her away, the harsh, cold reality breaking the dream like glow.
“(Dont touch me)...” he snarled.
She was momentarily startled.
“I’m sorry,” she cried, wiping away her tears, smiling widely the entire time. “It's just, it's been so long since I've seen another human, got a bit carried away.” she offered him her hand, “I’m Jasmine, welcome to branch!”
Ryo warily shook it, only to be betrayed when she pulled him towards Beau and the dogs, they were all in a big pile.
“BEAU BEAU PARTNER BEAU IS BACK!!”
“NAMEGIVERS! MORE NAMEGIVERS!”
“YAY! MORE NAMEGIVERS!”
Ryo’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
“(Are the dogs talking?)”
Jasmine beamed, nodding her head violently with excitement.
“Yup! This is Kimiko, Sieglinde and Spades…” she looked over to the grown man on the floor, “And you must be Beau! Spades has told me so much about you!-”
“Told you?!” Beau snapped up, “You're the one whose been looking after Spades?”
“It has really been the other way around,” She reached down for a handshake and to help him up “Name’s Jasmine!”
Beau shook her hand but didnt need it to stand up, Spades still wriggling joyously in his arms and licking the mans face.
“Beau Mathews, good to see a human face in all this,”
“It’s good to hear another human voice,” She sighed, relieved “The dogs will be happier too… wait, Beau, do you not have a translator?” Jasmine asked, frowning curiously.
“You mean the creepy ass thing they shoved in Ryo’s brain? Nah, I aint got that in me,” Beau answered, shaking his head.
“Oh, well we can fix that-” She began.
“Nuh-uh, I aint getting no pulsating alien squid in my head, no thank you,”
Jasmine looked disappointed,
“Are you sure? It may be a little weird at first, but it doesn’t just let you communicate with aliens…” she paused for the dramatic reveal “You can talk to dogs with it too,”
There was a brief pause, as Beau stared into the golden brown, puppy-dog eyes of his partner.
“I can talk to him already,”
“(He doesn’t need it,)” Ryo snapped, folding his arms and scrutinising the woman, “(but you have some explaining to do)”
-*-
Chapter 21: A Long Talk and a Tall Drink
Jasmine stared back at the first human face she had seen in months and he was glaring at her like she was the enemy.
“There is a lot to explain, I know, but I bet you guys need a drink, how about I serve you a cold one on the boat?” Both the men seemed to brighten at the mere mention of a cold drink, “You guys hop in the Pajero and I’ll take us up after I speak with the lieutenant first.”
The humans shared a look and Jasmine could feel the distrust kick her in the gut, she did her best to hide the hurt.
“Lieutenant,” she turned to the stiff standing Nako, “where did you find them?
“They were at a Progenitor company, and they were not treated well,” Nako replied unusually formally “If you could ease their misconceptions, it would be of great benefit to our cause, if you will excuse me Namegiver,” Nako excused himself rather quickly
Xant stood by her side, observing the interactions of the newly arrived humans.
“Jasmine?” he asked, noticing her uneasiness and awaiting her orders.
“Somethings wrong, Xant, I need you to find out what happened from Nako,” Jasmine instructed as she pulled the car keys from her pocket, “Take Rynard with you,”
“But what about you?” he asked concerned.
“I don’t think they’re ready for more human-alien relations, and if anything happens, I’m sure you’ll know about it,” she smiled at her companion, the one she gave him when she was trying to assure herself more than him.
Xant was hesitant, but he trusted her.
“I will speak with the lieutenant, but please be careful.” he rested a hand on her shoulder, Xant could feel the hostility blaring from the young man with the translator. Jasmine nodded, patting her friends hand before gently pulling away. It would be the first time they had been apart since the deep space journey, she wasn't sure she liked being away from her alien companions.
Jasmine jumped into the driver seat, and her glaring counterpoint sat himself in passenger, thankfully the American in the backseat with all the dogs still clamouring over him shone enough happiness in the car to overcome whatever awful feelings he was projecting at her.
She started the engine and let the music blare her nerves away.
Old school rock blasted from the speakers as the engine turned over, bagpipes and electric guitars drowned out whatever doubts she had, filling instead with pride and hope, excitement returning as the chorus screamed:
“... I’ve got a message and it comes for free! there’s another way, that way if free but You just won’t get it till the walls fall down!-”
Tragically cut short as they reached the loading bay of the yacht.
She quickly jumped out, and began pointing and directing the newcomers to her home amongst the stars.
“The bars on the upper deck, we can make our way through and up the ladders, I’ll lead the way,” she crouched down to be eye level with the dogs, “I’ll race ya!” she egged on. Sieglinde and Kimiko were up for the challenge, but Spade wasn’t leaving Beau’s side for anything.
Beau whistled at the sight of the yacht.
“You live here? Tsk, man, we got a raw deal Ryo,” he laughed, elbowing Ryo playfully.
Ryo, who was still slowly walking up to the ship gave a grunt but no words.
“Well, I didn’t start off here,” Jasmine explained, making her way into the loading dock “I started off on a research station, in an animal enclosure,”
“That’s still a step up from us,” Beau said off handedly, following her, Ryo following a ways behind that.
Jasmine gave a short impromptu guide as they scaled the stairs.
“There’s a few free bedrooms, I’ve got the master up near the bow and Xant sleeps opposite, the dogs sleep where ever, so we can pick you guys out a room after.”
Jasmine joked, racing the last few steps up to the deck to get behind the bar, she picked out three crystal glasses and picked out a whisky for herself.
“So, Beau, Ryo, what’s your poison?” she waved a hand at the dazzling selection behind her.
Beau quickly made himself at home, picking a couch and sitting in the corner, Spades taking his seat next to him.
“Well, I’ll have what you’re having for starters and then we can examine our possibilities,”
Ryo ignored the question and the seats to stand in the doorway, seemingly suspicious of everything.
Jasmine plonked two clear ice cubes from the bar’s draw fridge into the crystal glasses, poured two whiskies on the rocks and iced water for Ryo. She offered him the glass and he took it with hesitation.
“ありがと(Thankyou,)” he replied awkwardly, the spoken word and the translator clashing. His mind’s voice was clear in her own mind, perfect English without any denoting accent, even when he was clearly speaking Japanese. She wondered if he was getting an echo if she spoke, or if his translator had even been properly calibrated-
“(It’s fine)” he answered curtly “(There’s no feedback on your end,)”
“Right, good to know,” she replied, taking a big gulp of her drink before handing Beau his.
She sat down in the armchair, looking back at them, there was so much she wanted to say, but where to even begin?
“Mmm, mmm!” Beau licked his lips after his first sip, “That’s the good stuff,”
“Right?!” Jasmine jumped at the chance to just talk. “I swear to god if it wasn’t for this shit I would have lost it ages ago, I was drinking straight iso’ before this.” she laughed nervously, and it only earned her more strange looks.
Beau put his drink down on the coffee table.
“Look, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, so let me break the Ice. I’m Beau Mathews, Former U.S army, Lousiana.” he reached over to shake her hand, and a weight lifted off her shoulders.
“Jasmine Howe, 3rd-year apprentice Chef, Western Australia.”
She looked over to Ryo, who remained in the doorway, folding his arms.
“(Ryo Sugawara, university student, Yamanashi Prefecture,)” He answered, but something wasn’t right, it was like there was a disconnect between what he was saying and the emotions surrounding his words. Jasmine didn’t even know you could feel that from someone with freq.
Beau sighed.
“You doing that mind talk thing again?”
“It’s easier, (so much easier)” he replied to Beau.
“We can calibrate it for you?” Jasmine offered again, wanting to help them get accustomed to the weirdness around them, “Whoever did it didn’t put it in right, they don’t have translators that are suited to humans on hand, we got to get ours special order…” She felt the glower from Ryo returning, and the worry and dread was all over her face, “... but I’m guessing they didn’t give you a choice in the matter.”
Ryo’s replied was an emphatic, “(No,)”
“What happened?” she asked, stomach twisting in concern.
“(We were attacked and humiliated)-” Ryo answered, but Beau, without his own translator and connection to the network began with more context.
“Well, my buddy Spades, myself and a few other guys from the not so good days were sitting out, minding our own business with some beers when we were accosted by a bright light,”
“Yep, right there with you,” Jasmine concurred.
“And when I woke up, I was butt-ass naked, in a white-tiled room with this asshole,” Beau threw a thumb over his shoulder at Ryo in the doorway “I start thinking government abduction or people traffickers then five giant crickets with taser swords come into the room and hose us down…”
Jasmine’s eyes went wide with shock, as they began recounting the details,She knew the aliens didn’t seem to understand the basics of autonomy or consent without a strong Freq presence. It was one of the more worrying aspects of the culture she’d witnessed so far, she was hoping it was isolated, but she feared her suspicions proved right.
“We jumped a bunch of guards and made our way through the vents, nasty man, it was like the station was alive, all sweaty and gooey on the inside,”
“What?” Jasmine blurted as she began pieced together her own experiences with theirs, “The the aliens- I mean, The Galactic Council do genetic engineering, but I didn’t know they used it to that extent…”
Ryo grunted dismissively and shook his head as Beau continued.
“Genetic engineering, that explains the monster vats,”
“Monster Vats?...” Jasmines face began to pale.
“An entire freezer dedicated to human on alien experimentation and judging by your reaction you didn’t know that.” Beau proposed, in her silence Ryo took the opportunity to focus his suspicions.
“(You did know, didn’t you?)” He hissed.
Jasmine felt the accusing hammer against her chest, and she wasn’t about to let him insult her like that.
“I didn’t know,” she shot back, still sickened by the revelation, “but I know why they would do it, they reproduce with clones, and any new genetic material is a godsend to them,”
Ryo shifted his stance, desperate to look anywhere but at her.
“So they were experimenting on us,” Beau nodded to himself, “They were super keen to get us back in a prison cell too, send a bunch of braindead guards to get us, Ryo and I introduced them to a couple of Molotov’s before they decided to stop messing about and send in the heavy-”
“Wait you threw fucking molotovs?!” Jasmine exclaimed, “how the hell did you get your hands on- ah shit the isosoprophol… You homebrewed molotovs on an alien spaceship?!”
“(Yeah we did,)” Ryo replied smugly, Beau chuckled through a sip of whisky.
“Wasn’t enough though, Bastard flighting cricket stabbed me through the collarbone and lung before I passed out.” he involuntarily rubbed his shoulder. Jasmine listened to Beau’s story but could feel Ryo recalling the events, the heat, the pain, the adrenaline-fueled rush of rage.
“and then, I wake up for a second time and everyone’s dead and Ryo’s got his skull open with an alien probe pulsating inside.”
“Freq bomb,” Jasmine muttered under her breath, “you would have decimated everyone when they connected the broadcaster,”
“(They cut open my head while I was still awake, I felt everything, )” Ryo relayed, folding his arms aggressively.
“God… I’m so sorry,” Jasmine empathised.
“Ain’t your fault, or is it?” Beau asked leaning forward in his chair, “how does a girl go from an animal enclosure to sitting pretty with an alien lieutenant on a superyacht?”
“It’s a long fucking story,-”
“We got time,” Beau replied, looking at her pointedly.
“Right,” Jasmine nodded sheepishly, “it’s mostly thanks to Xant, he was the one who saw my scribbling in the sand was communication,” She looked into the whisky glass, there was barely a mouthful left, “he was the one who got me clothes, gave me a room and a tablet to write with, then convinced his higher-ups to get a translator for me, he, he helped me a lot.”
“(and then?) Ryo prompted when she trailed off.
“Right, the Lieutenant was the one who found me originally, in the black stasis pod, the ones they probably transported you herein,”
The men looked at each other.
“We didn’t get in no stasis pods,” Beau answered, taking back his whiskey and waiting for her reply.
“What? but, I mean, you should be alright cause you don’t have a translator but it shouldn’t be possible to travel consciously with a translator,” Jasmine stated confused.
“(we were awake for the entire journey)” Ryo confirmed.
Jasmine sat there a little dumbfounded.
“That, shouldn’t be possible, they put me through a bunch of tests and the ship’s freq had me in a coma for nearly a week,” she explained.
“Freq?” Beau asked, “ Is that what they call the telepathic squid?”
“It’s complicated really, think if you crossed the force with telepathic and empathic powers,” Jasmine explained, “apparently we humans are supercharged with the stuff but we don’t have the organs to ‘broadcast it’, it’s super weird and hard to get used to,”
“(I can handle it fine,)” Ryo replied off the cuff.
“It’s not a competition mate,” Jasmine shot back, his attitude starting to rub her the wrong way “point is, humans, as far as I know, are Creator level intelligence and produce military-grade Frequencies, which means we cant interact with ‘citizen-grade’ aliens without Freq-frying them. Thankfully, the Lieutenant brought me to Branch where I can move freely without worrying about stiffing anyone else. Last thing we need is to have you guys set anymore bombs off and have ourselves branded as rouge,”
“Just how long have you been with aliens?” Beau sat forward, taking a slow sip of his drink, judging her answer. “Cause you’re throwing a lot of alien talk at us,”
“Nearly 4 months,” Jasmine answered quietly, had it really been so short a time? It felt like forever.
“And do you trust them?”
Jasmine blinked.
“I trust Xant and Rynard with my life,” she answered, “Nako is a little scary, but he’s helping humans become registered with the council, once were registered we’ll get a contribution credit score and can start real human-alien relations.”
“Question,(I have a question)” Ryo stood from his doorway leaning, “(Why are you so eager to please the bastards who abducted us?)”
Jasmine shook her head and waved her hand in front of her frantically.
“No no, you got it all wrong! Nako didn’t abduct us, The Rajava did,” she protested.
“The what now?” Beau asked incredulously.
“The Rajava, genocidal alien brain balls, want to recycle all life that isn’t them, they’re the reason why the council needs clones and more genetic material,” she pleaded with them, aware her words were nearly incomprehensible, “They're the reason were in this mess at all, we’d still be on there ship if we hadn't been attacked by pirates…” even as the words came out of her mouth she realised how ridiculous it all sounded.
“(tsk, and you actually believe that?)” Ryo scoffed.
“Yeah, I do believe that because I fucking remember it alright?” Jasmine snapped back, a fire in her gut, she did not work so hard to be treated with contempt by some asshole who just arrived.
Both spades and Beau stood up to keep the peace.
“Hey hey hey, we aren’t about be enemies, clearly, a lot has gone down on both sides, but we’re all just wanting to get on the same page. Now, we’ve just come off a really bad cruise and its clear its been a while since you’ve talked to another human being,” Beau lifted his glass, shifting his gaze from one then the other, “so how about we finish our drinks, take a breather and come back when emotions aren’t running so high hmm?”
Jasmine slumped back in her armchair, nodding her head.
“Yeah, okay…” she conceded, holding her glass tightly.
Ryo emerged from the doorway to put his untouched water on top of the bar before heading, wordlessly, below deck.
Beau groaned, shot the last of his whiskey before standing.
“Ryo, hes got problems, but he’s a good kid,” he apologised before chasing after his companion with Spades shadowing his every move.
Jasmine sat in her chair, disappointment souring the reunion. After all this time, she wasn’t alone, but the news of what had transpired with her fellow humans had left her even more concerned with the future. Were there others who had fallen a fate such as Beau and Ryo? Were their other humans suffering because they didn’t have the means to communicate?
Jasmine looked out at the sea of empty cars, hundreds of them.
Guilt welled inside her, if the Rajava hadn’t recycled her, Beau or Ryo, How many others were still out there?
Jasmine finished the last of her whisky, the ice cubes clinked around in the bottom.
‘Well, it would be a waste to let them melt…’ she thought to herself, reaching for the bottle of Absolut.
-*-