STORY: The drinks finally arrive. Wen takes a big gulp of his and shudders. It’s stronger than he expected. “Look, I want to do this right. She doesn’t, I mean. Really talk about you. But I know things got complicated between you, and I know it’s been… this has been quick. So I wanted the chance to, well. Look you in the eye and.”
STORY: He looks flustered.
STORY: “You know, ask for your blessing.”
Continue reading “Chapter 13”
Chapter 10
TUELLER: “The way I see it we’ve got an alien race to help in indefinable ways for indefinable ends. We have a widow who wants us to track down her attacked ship and rescue my ex-girlfriend’s embryos. To do that we need to figure out where the ship is, by either asking the right person, or hacking the right system.”
TUELLER: “And we also need to figure out if we’re going to help out that widow or shoot her in the face, as requested by my beloved sister at odds with the desires of my dead ex-girlfriend.”
TUELLER: “That about cover it?”
ALEJO: “More or less.” Alejo says this more seriously than he’s been since telling Tueller that he made a dumbass deal.
TUELLER: “You got feelings about the shooting-in-the-face part?”
ALEJO: “I’ve got feelings about getting pulled back into Family stuff that I thought was probably well behind me.”
TUELLER: “You travel with me, there’s always Family stuff.”
ALEJO: “You travel with me and that’s the stuff that I intended to move beyond.”
Continue reading “Chapter 10”
Chapter 9
TUELLER: “Alejo, I’m not sure you’ve ever meet Ruma, Nandini’s widow.”
TUELLER: “So sorry again for your loss. For all our loss.” To Ruma.
TUELLER: Tueller is genuinely sorry, btw. Not antagonistic.
STORY: Alejo, she shakes your hand warmly, wincing at Tueller’s last comment but not responding. “Alejo Soto? I hadn’t had the pleasure. Nice to meet you.”
ALEJO: Alejo bows his head deeply. “Madame.”
STORY: “Tueller, I had some trouble securing the armaments you had requested, but was able to pull some strings to get it done. The boarding armor will be delivered to the Peregrine when we arrive tomorrow to begin the refits. Now, if I may be so bold, I have done you a favor, and I’d like to ask one of you.”
TUELLER: “I am in your debt.”
TUELLER: He says that in a formal sort of way.
STORY: “Glad you understand. I’d like, Mr. Ya’Makasi, for you to help me become pregnant.”
Continue reading “Chapter 9”
Chapter 8
STORY: “Captain, Dr. Breedlove wants to give me a robot arm.”
Continue reading “Chapter 8”
Chapter 7
MILLICENT: “If you don’t help us contain the fuel cell we stole from you we’re going to become target practice for every bit of iron-ish ore meteorite in the Sol system in a matter of hours.”
STORY: She closes her eyes. “You stole the trirubidium.”
STORY: “Did you not read the signs?”
ALEJO: Alejo lays a comforting hand on her shoulder. “We did. But that’s not the leading story right now, T’chololl. We need your help.”
STORY: She sighs. “Humans.”
STORY: “What is on my chest?”
ALEJO: “We had to do some things to save your life.”
MILLICENT: “Oh. I built that!”
MILLICENT: “It keeps your body from expelling the jet fuel I turned your blood into.”
MILLICENT: “It’s been a long day all around, but I won’t begrudge you a particular feeling of disorientation about that news.”
STORY: “Jet fuel.”
MILLICENT: “Inert jet fuel.”
Continue reading “Chapter 7”
Chapter 6
MILLICENT: “They thrive on adventure, Emma! Their meat is combat and their drink is…other kinds of combat!”
STORY: She looks down at your hands. “Obviously.”
TUELLER: “Whiskey, actually.”
MILLICENT: “And whiskey!”
MILLICENT: “The tall one drank the Scotch we were saving!”
TUELLER: “It was alright.”
STORY: Her jaw drops, an unusual show of emotion. “You’re kidding me.”
TUELLER: “You’d be better off with a scotch from Enceladus, if we’re being honest. I’ll see if I can get you some next time we’re in port.”
TUELLER: “It was overcasked.”
STORY: “The Balvenie Nikka… my father rescued that from his commission when they broke apart in the Nier asteroid belt.”
TUELLER: Shrugging. “Overcasked. You’re better off without it.”
Continue reading “Chapter 6”