Outsider

[Laowai]

Nothing had prepared him for this.
And yet, he had prepared for it. An instinct born of years of being an outsider, tempered, or more likely exaggerated by the utter madness he had undertaken to bring her back.

When the Reaper had encountered her, the warning had gone up. When she had singlehandedly taken over Corsair defence in a multi system incursion, daring to command and coordinate Corsair vessels across three systems…the danger, from a lifeform that could intuit naturally, or read deliberately had shown itself starker that it had even done so before.

“Planet Crete broadcasting network” - and something today that should impress all Corsairs, specifically those posting their never-ending complaints from the outskirts...haha! multiple Hessian vessels, including those of the larger variety were destroyed today, with special note given to an unknown pilot, we're trying to track her down but the unknown commander sat above Crete and directed fleet forces, even after central communications had gone down!.
The council of Elders has noted that they wish to congratulate this pilot on the news-net, but we seem to be dealing with a shy one! The Mystery pilot has not come forward! Oh well Hermanos, this modesty, may it last…*haha* but we all know it wont, and so mystery pilot, we'll find you and that should be very soon, and then we may all be thankful for the new pilot who stood fast for all of us!”


“Pack your things” he said. Quickly tossing random clothes and other messy items that could be considered personal. “Everything”.
“Why, what’s wrong?” Zarita exclaimed in surprise.
Laowai tossed several pads, trinkets and tools into an open shipping chest. He looked up at her. “What were you thinking?” he asked incredulously: “Coordinating a fleet action?!”

She sat down, looking crestfallen. “Oh, that… I wasn’t thinking, I… I didn’t think... It…” She paused, looking at him beggingly… He stopped packing and stared at her, his eyes asking, pleading, for an explanation that would make sense of this.

“it just happened… I, I couldn’t help it”. Her eyes turned down to the floor, she realised how much she had risked, how much danger she had just put them both in by a moments action un-thought. As much as she thought she had control, she had lost it.

Laowai shook his head and proceeded to keep packing random items into the chest… he kicked the lid shut. “You used my codes!” He dragged another chest from under the bed and tossed open its lid.

“My Codes! they will come to me now; they’ll ask me who the ‘unknown pilot’ was…”
“What am I going to say? No one else should have access to those codes! By Crete….”

Zarita lowered her gaze, he hands reaching to her mouth. “I’m…sorry Ben”, she replied meekly.

He stopped packing, again. His shoulders slumped and he looked at her. She sat slumped on the cot…he was angry, yet his temper cooled. This was more his fault than hers, he was the one who had orchestrated her situation, she had never asked for this.
He crossed the room and crouched down before her, taking her hands in his. She looked up at him, her eyes begging the question…

He kissed her hands. “its not your fault Zarita… its not….”
He paused, cradling her hands next to his lips. Taking a deep breath he looked up at her.
“But we need to leave, the risk…. “ He shook his head and looked sideways.

“The risk here is too much”.

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