"My first drinks as an Outcast were with your father. Comparatively, this is a rather... disappointing selection," Ayumu whispered to Tiana as the two sat down.
"My father's a Don," she replied, casually fishing a bottle of wine out of her jacket. "Of course he'll have better alcohol than a ship's bar."
"Wine is not exactly what I had in mind, but it'll do..."
"Where'd you get the idea that I was going to share?"
Ayumu started to object, but gave up when he remembered the knives he saw sticking out of a Corsair, and Tiana calmly listing them. Khukri, stiletto, misericorde, kris, rondel, gladius ("But that one's a sword..." "And it's sticking out of his chest."), tanto, dirk. In that order.
There was a reason Ayumu needed a drink. This woman scared the hell out of him. But, he told her father that he'd work with her... and you don't upset Don Santini's daughters and live happily ever after.
Plural, daughters. He was having just as much trouble with Tiana's "older" sister Mia, for different reasons. A childish bomber pilot with an unhealthy love of explosions... he had to reinforce a room in Cape Wrath Base for Mia to play with various missiles and mines he captured from his enemies. But at least she was a sweet girl with a few quirks, as opposed to... well, as opposed to being Tiana.
"Alexia, get me... something that won't kill me immediately. I don't care what exactly."
"How are those tachyon burns doing, anyway?"
"Tiana... you take pleasure in reminding me of those, don't you? I am, as you already know, in considerable pain. I'd rather not have to think about it."
Tiana took a sip of her wine from a glass she also managed to smuggle in, and smiled. "Guess that means your project is delayed considerably, huh?"
"Until I figure out why they all keep exploding..."
