Told You So

Posted on Thu Oct 7th, 2021 @ 4:59pm by Alden Loxley & Alison Bliss
Edited on on Thu Oct 7th, 2021 @ 5:04pm

Mission: I Ain't Fraid of No Ghost...
Location: In Transit from Ghost to Li Shen's Bazaar
Timeline: November 2nd - Ghost minus 1 hour

What with Tristan's mysterious expedition and Whit's lost sheep, Alden knew there was a reckoning coming between him and his pilot. There was also the matter of catching each other up on the events from the surface, and that needed a private chat.

As he closed the door to the bridge and locked it, he appreciated that the only person who could circumvent said sealed and secured hatch was seated in the pilot's chair. Alden didn't waste any time in taking a seat on the console alongside Alison and addressing the elephants in the room.

"Before you tell me you told me so," he said, gaze seeking hers to hold it while he spoke. "You were right."

"I usually am." Alison said a bit colder than she wanted. She leaned back in her chair and put her long legs on the console. She was dressed in a long-sleeved sweater, daisy dukes and laced up sandals. "So what's next for us?" She asked deciding not to dwell too long on the subject he brought up. She was not deluding herself that anything would change just because Alden admitted she was right. Again.

"Wow," said Alden, placing his boots up alongside hers on the console. He shoved his hands into the leg pockets of his cargo trousers and wiped some chocolate off his sleeveless shirt and allowed his gaze to run the length of Ali's legs.

"Pitstop at Li Shen's, as previously discussed," Alden noted. "Drop off Karen, figure out what the two Shepherds want to do, speak to the folks at St Lucy's about Daiyu... Then Three Hills. I need to have this situation out with Drake."

"Are we going to pick someone up along the way?" Alison asked curiously. Her tone softened but she was not sure, if that was because of his appreciation of her legs or because he seemed to have a plan involving Daiyu for a change. She turned her face to Alden and watched him intently.

"Ummm, no?" he half-asked, half-answered the question. Mainly in this case, because Alden had zero idea how they were going to pick up anyone en route during a mere ten hour journey - but - then he'd realised the whole Daiyu Situation had started while they were in flight and that made him shift his response partway through speaking it.

"I was asking in general term, my dear. If we are losing a doctor, do you plan on replacing Karen?" Alison clarified. "Also there is a puppy. What do you want to do with it?"

"Oh," Alden flashed a grin. Then raised an eyebrow in thoughtful amusement. "'My dear'?" He asked, rhetorically, then pushed on to address Ali's very valid point. "Having someone with doc skills would be good, yeah," Alden answered, his demeanour utterly serious now. "Seems we get ourselves in more trouble than we can generally handle with band-aids and painkillers... Any contacts you wanna share? Or do we - I - just put out the word?" That brought another pressing matter into the mix too.

"Am I advertising for a medic and a First Mate?" the Echo's captain asked, no humour in his voice now. "And what do you wanna happen with the puppy? Y'all found him, and Kindra seems kinda attached..." Alden was genuinely curious to hear his friend's opinion on this subject and hopeful Ali would be invested again at some point.

Alison giggled. "Well, then the puppy problem seems to solve itself. We just give the puppy to Kindra." She said. "I don't mind dogs and playing with them for a bit, but owning one?" She shook her head. "Not my style. Maybe if I settle down one day planet side." She winked at Alden and inhaling deeply she became more serious. "I'll say this, if you want me back as the first mate, do something with Daiyu and then promise me next time you'll be... tougher on accepting new crewmembers. And I am afraid I don't known any medics I could invite to join us, at least not just off the top of my head."

That impish laugh shifted a tense frown into a restful look of mild frustration. Alden took an overt breath and exhaled. Ali was toying with him, and much as he loved that, they were both carrying a multitude of issues and it had been a really long day.

"You're settling down?" Alden teased. "When you find the four or five lovers who are right for you?" The delaying tactic allowed him a few precious seconds during which he internally sucked up the Daiyu-dig and the 'tougher' comment. He didn't want to fight. Not right now. There had been enough death and carnage on Ghost.

"I said I'd speak to St Lucy's about Daiyu," he reminded Ali. "And I will. I'm worried about her too." He wasn't looking forward to saying goodbye to Karen either, but he understood her need to be useful. There were plenty of worthy causes out there in need of a good doctor. Then the console pinged with a warning message and he frowned.

"We're clear of Ghost's interference," Alden noted. "You think we should report what we found, or trust Whit to do it?"

Alison stretched out like a string, slowly reaching behind herself and purring like a kitten. She put legs down on the floor and sat straight. "Do you trust Whit?" She replied with a question facing Alden again.

There was a long pause as Alden watched that pussycat of a partner show off her physical finery, his gaze lingering longer than it ought to as that primal voice momentarily trapped him. Off limits through his own decision, but looking and not touching was fun too. "Don't know him well enough to trust him," Alden answered his partner with a shrug. "Paying client not a friend, right?" He pushed, lopsided smile suggesting they'd played this game a few times over the last year or two.

"Suǒyǒu de dōu shìdāng. Then report in. The least we can do for those poor folks." Alison said in response with soft smile in return.

"Shiny," said Alden, his tone utterly serious. Dark blue eyes locked with her sky blue pair and he nodded. "They deserve a decent burial," he agreed, sadness coating his tone. "Or a big fancy funeral pyre."

Something. But not until their families had been notified. That thought brought back freshly mangled imagery of humanity, a close and claustrophobic sense of death and menace, the proximity of Reavers and a quietly raw fear. Which brought his thoughts right back around to the other subject under discussion.

"And Daiyu needs help," Alden added, "Not abandonment."

"We'll see what will happen with Daiyu. As long as she is on board, I am not going to be your first mate." She said concluding the other subject. Alison liked... even loved Alden, and this was part of the tough love treatment.

There followed a long exhale and Alden internally admitted that Alison had a fair point with regards Daiyu. He allowed his brain to conduct the same argument with itself that it had entertained ever since he'd refused to give the young woman up the first time, and came to the same, inevitable conclusion.

"I'll speak to St Lucy's," he repeated, calmly. "And I want her to have the right kinda help. But," Alden looked deep into Alison's eyes before he finished that sentence. "I'm not gonna leave her someplace where she's not safe. Li Shen's is hardly Ariel... I don't wanna make things worse for her. Or us." A pause. "But I hear ya, Piow Liang De Shao Ji. I do hear ya."

"Shiny." She nodded. There was no need to dwell on the subject more. She was fine with Alden's decision in this matter. Whether she liked it or not, she shared Alden's position at least on principle. Daiyu was now their responsibility and part of it meant making sure she was safe and wherever they leave her behind she will be cared for.

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