Another loooong trip from Omega-15 to Fairbanks Prison in Alaska with a hold full of rowdy Corsairs. Well, at least Ren's gotten more personable. When her sleep isn't interrupted, that is. He looked up, across the GBH-1's sole, tiny cabin. Only about eight feet across, just wide enough for a bunk on one side, and two chairs on the other with a table that folded out of the wall. And a teeny microwave and fridge built into the bulkhead, and a shower that barely had enough space to stand up in. It didn't even include the head; that was next to the bridge, and equally tiny.
She looks so nice and peaceful when she's sleeping...too bad she won't share the bunk, heheh. Well, she's been warming up a bit lately. Still don't know squat about her, though. Hell, I don't even know where she was born... Katashi's thoughts were interrupted by the sight of a bruised but very angry Corsair rushing towards him up the short corridor that led to the hold. "No! BAD Corsair! No taking over the ship!" Kat hurriedly picked up his chair and threw it down the narrow corridor at the attacking pirate...both landed in a heap, and hadn't yet managed to get up when the freelancer grabbed the Corsair's head and rammed it against the floor. Again, again, and again, until the body stopped moving. "There. Much better."
"Agamemnon, this is Bounty Hunter patrol Bronze 3. What's your status, over?"
Crap! The comm was on?!
Ren was stirring; ironically, in spite of her often fiery disposition, she was typically slow to wake. "Be quiet, will you? Need to sleep..."
"Uh...yeah, you got it." He rushed forward to the bridge, and picked up the mic. "Fine, just had a little problem with a Corsair breaking out of the cargo hold. They're kinda reluctant to go to Liberty's prisons."
"Roger that. Can't say that I blame them." Katashi took some time to respond, because he was busy dragging the unconscious Corsair back into the hold. By the time he got back, Ren was up and had to be told what'd happened. Predictably, she was not pleased.
"We need a ship with a more secure hold."
"And more space for us, too. Don't worry, I've got a little something in the works. Y'see, I've made some friends in my travels. Some of those friends look out for me, lemme know if they happen to notice something. And one of these friends has noticed that the GMG is retiring most of its fleet of exploration ships. They aren't very agile, but they've got good long-term accomodations, secure holds, a kickin' sensor suite, and they're armed and armored like gunboats."
Ren narrowed her eyes. "I thought you were a hunter."
"No, I'm a freelancer. I'm through with hunting for awhile; I wanna explore some, relax a bit. Maybe I'll get an Orca sometime and get back to hunting, but if it's alright with you, this is what I want to do."
She put a hand on one hip. "If it's alright with me?" she mimicked.
"Yeah, you. You're more than crew, I consider you my partner. So if it's not cool with you, I won't buy the Explorer. 'Kay?"
"You're not joking?"
"C'mon. After what happened the last time? Don't think so."
"I want you to be true to yourself, Kat. Is this really what you want?"
There was something else behind her words, though he couldn't quite figure out what. So, after a bit of wondering just how what he was about to say would get him screwed - and not in the good way - he went ahead and said it. "Yep. It's what I've always wanted to do."
"Good. I can't wait to have a decent cabin!" And, in the most surprising move since she first laughed, she gave him a hug. It was as short and violent as most of what she did was, but it was a hug nonetheless. "So, when do we get to pick it up?"
Kat grinned. "How about...now?"
"Seriously?"
"Seriously. I'll change course and we'll head to Honshu."
