Backstage - OOC Forums
EVE-Online RP Discussion and Resources => EVE Fiction + Fiction discussion => Topic started by: Halcyon on 17 Nov 2014, 11:23
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Maybe this will drive me to start writing again....
He was coming.
She turned and ran, she didn't even think about it. Not really. She knew what would happen, what always happens. The door pulled her up short, she
scrabbled at it, fear making her clumsy. She'd broken it yes, but was that a reason? Of course it was, it was always the reason, or something similar. She pulled the door open but it had taken too long, he'd caught her.
She was pulled away from the door, the portal slammed closed as she lost her balance. She cried out, his hand already striking her even as her she fell to the floor, curling up instinctively.
Words filled her ears, their sounds meaningless.
"Why did you...how many times have I told you?" On and on, justifications for her punishment shouted In her direction, each statement punctuated by the meaty slap of hand on flesh, again and again.
He loved her, she was sure of this, but why did it then feel wrong. Obviously she'd upset him but did she really deserve this?
She flinched away from each blow, her small frame rocking under the slaps, bruises beginning to crowd her pale skin.
She knew it would be different later, that she'd be welcome in his arms again. Hugged and told how precious she was but for now there was just the pain and her attempts to blank it out, to endure it.
A last slap struck her side, tears in her eyes as he turned to walk away. No comfort offered, tears unshed in case she angered him more, she raised her head, forcing herself to unfold from her ball as she watched her father walk away.
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I love reading about Characters pasts. What motivates them, what makes them who they are. +1 :) Good read!
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She dropped out of warp, her sensors sweeping the void. Nothing registered, no life, no signatures. She approached the beacon, alert for threats, wallowing through space. She couldn't get used to the battleship, the enormous construction clumsy to inhabit.
Drones appeared around her, the threat too immediate to wonder how they'd remained concealed until now. The rogues targeted her, threat signatures flashing across her overview. She locked down the smallest, her turrets tracking them, lasers stabbing through the void. The drones vanished, obliterated by pulses of scintillant energy.
Return fire overloaded her shields, dropping them one by one. A constant stream of shots stitched across her armour, scoring holes in the plate. As she activated her repair mechanisms, her instructors voice filled her mind. "When engaging in combat, especially when unsupported, you have two options. You can take the punishment or you can deal it out."
A small smile quirked across her lips deep within the womb of the ship.
She'd take the punishment. She was good at that.
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She sat in the bar, seemingly careless of her surroundings, her gaze switching between the glass in her hand and a faraway spot behind the bar. Her Crimson dress clung to her figure, accentuating her voluptuous curves. They'd all been watching her for a good thirty minutes when he approached, trying to look casual, sidling up to her and mouthing something pleasant. She didn't turn her head, didn't acknowledge him, simply continued to search the bottom of her glass. He spoke again, his brow furrowing as she ignored him, swirling her glass idly.
Finally he reached out, placing his hand on hers.
She resisted the urge to flinch, buried it with a force of will and slowly moved her hand away, turning to look up at him with her pale grey eyes.
"No. I don't think so" she said simply with a shake of her head.
He reached out again and she frowned, causing him to pause a moment. More words spilled from his lips, accusing and wheedling, uncomplimentary
compliments.
With a quiet sigh she reached up, dragging the great mass of her red hair to one side, revealing the plugs. The marks of her demi-godhood.
He recoiled, a look of fear slowly giving way to anger, he moved forwards and then paused. She could see him calculating, doing the maths in his head. A capsuleer. Alone and vulnerable.
Or was she. His head flicked around, searching the bar as he slowly backed away, not breaking his gaze until he turned and ran for the door.
She let her hair fall with a sigh.
That was cruel...she thought to herself.
But her smile was a little wider and her drink tasted a little sweeter.
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Her cloak shrouded her, distorting vision, blanking her signal.
Her prey floated beneath her, a barrage of missiles lifting from the battlecruiser to slam into a nearby sleeper drone. Superlative shielding absorbed the return fire, the armour beneath untouched.
Her mouth twisted in distaste as she observed the Caldari hulls angular brutality, the sacrifice of form for function offending her sensibilities. It was the second time she'd located him, her probes spooking the pilot and his companion, forcing her to wait for his caution to dull and hunting him down the old fashioned way. It hadn't taken long.
She concentrated, thoughts becoming words as she signalled to the fleet commander.
Found him
Is he aware of you? The reply was brusque but not unfriendly, she knew he appreciated her work. She'd gotten him home safely after all.
Hasn't a clue...he's fighting the locals
Confirmed, approach to fifteen. We'll jump and drop on your mark
She transmitted her assent, her engines flaring under their blanket of concealment as she stalked towards the enemy ship.
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She'd been out too long and she fumbled it.
Her ship floated at the edge of the bubble, her cloak torn away. For long
moment she hung there, watching the frigates on her overview before turning
to flee. They gave chase, locking her down even as her afterburner flared to
life, propelling her from the bubble. As she emerged she locked her warp drive
on a nearby planet, precious seconds slipping by as it cycled up.
Her warp cancelled, scramblers locking down the drive, slowing her for far too long as she forced her afterburner to fire again. Lasers ripped at her ship, stripping away shield and armour in moments, eating into to the hull. She braced herself, focusing on the planet once more, slamming herself into warp as her pod ripped free of the wreckage.
As she dropped out of warp she considered her options, bad and worse beforekicking her warp drive into action again, heading deeper into null.
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The pod was wrenched out of warp. A silent snarl crossed her face as she found herself on the edge of another bubble. Her sensors swept the void. Nothing. She floated, exposed and vulnerable, thinking fast.
Aligning with the furthest most planet she cycled up her warp drive, catapulting herself through space, landing and scanning, sweeping with her sensors before returning to the gate.
Once again, wrenched from the warp, once again desperately scanning for enemies. Nothing, no one. She forced herself to think. She couldn't go back. Her pursuers had abandoned the chase but there was no safety in null sec.
Low sec lay ahead, a hundred painstaking kilometres away.
Determined, desperate she slammed her will against the warp drive, spinning it up without coordinates.
The pod shuddered, lurching out of the plane of the system, the short jump throwing her off grid before dropping out of warp.
Silent words slipped through her mind, prayers she hadn't uttered in years as she focused on the gate, forcing herself into warp once more.
She landed on the gate.
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Wine hazed her thoughts, a pleasant numbness to all sensation. The weight of confessions hung upon the air, the burden lifted temporarily from her shoulders. A small smile crept across her face, slightly rueful. For once, she didn't feel vulnerable, afraid, hunted.
She felt safe.
She pressed in closer to the embrace, head rested on shoulder. Her arm slipped around the slender waist of her companion, snuggling into her tighter.
"Thank you "
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She stood in the centre of her new room, looking around. The walls were almost bare, a single hanging covering one wall, scripture embroidered upon it. She tugged at her ill fitting shift, her eyes still moving as if searching for something familiar. The bare floor, the simple pallet with a bleached blanket, a small closet, nothing personal, nothing familiar. She lasted a few more moments, her bewilderment at her new situation cushioning her before the reality finally broke through.
She crumpled, her face screwing up, her arms wrapping around her as she sank to the floor, folding in upon herself. Sobs wracked her body, the tears flowing easily down her cheeks, soaking the cloth over her knees as each lack filtered through her bewildered mind.
Her mother, her sister, even him, her father, no longer a part of her life. No more waking in her own bed, spending time with her pets.
Just day after day surrounded by strangers. Day after day of discipline.
Day after day at her new school.
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As she walked the buildings became run down, dilapidated. The neighbourhood became more menacing, people scowling at her, a mix of
races standing on corners and loitering in doorways. She glanced again at the note, pulling her coat around her tighter, eyes flicking back and forth constantly.
Her mind focussed on her destination, trying to ignore the catcalls, tugging her hood up to obscure her heritage. A lock of blonde hair escaped the confinement, flying loose as she hurried along.
Her father hated people like the man she was trying to find. The death of honest business, he called them, her face flushed with anger. She was far beyond concern for her fathers approval, however, and a forger was the next step in her plan.
She arrived at the address, a hulking male of mixed material heritage blocking her path. He sneered down at her, patting her for weapons, cupping her in predictable places before stepping out of the way.
She went inside
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Exalted.
It was the only way to describe the space. Easily the largest room within the school, golden statues adorned the walls, martyrs and saints gazing sternly down on the congregation. Golden light suffused the room, reflecting in glittering highlights from the decorations. She knelt before the altar, her eyes red. Tears streaked her face and the dull throb of the cane still stung the backs of her thighs.
She bowed her head in abasement, muttering prayers by rote, a desperate edge to her voice that begged for to believed.
Finally, her voice a cracked whisper, they allowed her to stand.
"Let the glory of God fill you child. Let him guide your actions henceforth."
She looked at the floor, not daring to raise her gaze. Only emptiness filled her in this place of worship. She kept her head bowed in obeisance as she followed them out, her actions guided by her desire to escape.
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Her sister's cries echoed through the house.
"How could she do this?" He raged, pacing back and forth.
His grey hair was dishevelled, lined face set in an angry grimace with which she was far too familiar.
She sat quietly, listening to a rant that had become quite familiar in the last few months.
He paced back and forth, back and forth, his fists clenched and his face red.
"She's ruined herself," he complained. "Ruined my plans..."
She shook her head, perhaps unwisely but he seemed distracted still.
The cries ended, replaced by a babies wail. He turned to face her, an intent look in his eyes, lined face set, determined.
"You.."
She shook her head, she couldn't help herself.
"One daughter is as good as another, it can as easily be you. We'll have to
wait another two years but he'll accept you..."
He seemed confident now, almost smiling until he actually saw what she was doing, noticed her pressing back into the sofa, shaking her head.
His rage returned and he advanced on her again, eyes wild.
"You will, you will do as I say, I am your Father!" He shouted, his hand raising.
She tried to run.
Too late.
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He leaned back in his chair, long slender fingers against his cheek. He seemed to be Ni-Kunni. Mostly. He watched her in silence, her discomfort growing.
"Well.." He said, voice a lazy drawl, "I can do as you need but, can ya pay my costs?"
" I have money, I can get you money..." She said her voice sounding childish and small by comparison.
"I know that, I know who y'are girly. Y'try an' find me I find ya first, but a life focussed on money just ain't fun."
He watched her and she squirmed under his gaze.
"Take off ya coat, girlie, show us what ya got."
She froze up, considered refusing, discarded the idea. She'd come too far.
She shed the coat, struggling out of it, hair tangling over her face. She was allowed real dresses now, no longer a child's shift. Untailored of course, the material stretched over her burgeoning bosom, tight over her hips.
She stood facing down, the sound of his slow inhale loud enough to fill the silence.
"Very nice girly, very nice" he got up, slowly approaching her, tilting her head up to look at him.
"I won't force ya, not my thing, but I'll show ya my work and y'can decide if it's worth the price..."
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Hope you don't mind me dropping into your thread, but I just want to say how much I'm enjoying these shorts.
I have a chronically bad attention span when it comes to reading, so these tidbits are ideal for me :)
Please keep them coming!
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A knock on the door, the lightest of taps. She crawled out of bed, nightgown rubbing against the welts on her thighs. She winced, fresh tears in her red-rimmed eyes as she padded to the door pulling it open.
The girl stood on the other side, little more than impression in the darkness.
Tousled short hair, spare long limbs. They stood, watching each other for a moment, the girl seeming ready to take flight.
She stepped back, to one side, leaving the way clear.
The girl followed, slipping into the room, the door closing behind her.
There were no words, voices meant discovery, but the girls arms closed around her, pulling her in, head resting on shoulder. She drew a shuddering breath, tears flowing once more as they clung to one another in the darkness.
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Her sister knelt beside her. She knew by the gentle touch on her shoulder. She rolled over without thinking, pain lancing through her body.
"Why do you vex him so?"
She opened her eyes, peering through swollen lids, teeth grinding at the injustice of the question.
"I wish you could see her, she's sleeping now. She's so beautiful..."
Her sister gently eased the hair back from her face, pushing away the blonde strands, smiling at her warmly.
"Sending....away" she ground out, wincing at the pain in her chest.
Her sister frowned, that perfect serene countenance dimming.
"It won't be for long, you'll be back soon and we can be happy again"
She shook her head, unable to find breath or words to answer.
A small cry, faint from another room.
"I'll be back soon, love you Ammy..."
She closed her eyes, screwing them shut, trying to hide from the resentment that filled her.
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She made her way through the bar, a place that could only be called a dive.
Her clothing was immaculate, dress clinging to her form and drawing stares in abundance. She looked briefly at the bar tender who nodded to the back of the room.
Making her way past the the curious patrons, she approached the table in the corner and the woman seated there. As her destination became clear, the small watching crowd suddenly found other things to be interested in, drifting away almost hastily.
She stood by the table for several moments, watching the woman.
Tall, lean, muscular, one cybernetic arm braced in the table surface, the other raising a glass to her lips. Long dark hair pulled back behind her head, a slightly unfocused look as her gaze finally settled in the woman before her.
They stared at each other for long moments.
"Ulaya" she said with a nod to the seated woman.
"S'You..." She mumbled, setting down her glass.
Without asking, she pulled out a seat, settling into it gracefully.
"How have you been?"
Ulaya grunted in response, eyes narrowing as she looked at her.
"He comin' back"
She shook her head.
"I believe he's still busy, however, would you be amenable to hire?"
"You takin' th'corp?"
She shook her head again.
"I believe you may retain CEO status for now but I will require you to follow my orders."
Ulaya stared at her for long moments before holding out her free hand.
"Done"
She shook it, nodding.
"Excellent"
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She stood in front of the congregation and sang. Her voice cut through the choir, filling the church. A plain white robe shrouded her burgeoning figure adding innocent modesty to her frame. Candle light cast highlights in her blonde hair, lending her a golden halo.
When she first sang, they caned her, saying her voice was sinful.
The superior said to let her sing. Let her sing and they will come.
So she sang and they came, flooding into the church as she attempted to prove her devotion.
The weight of her need and desire lent passion to the empty words spilling from her lips.
They listened and mouthed the hymns with her, tears falling from eyes as her voice touched each in turn.
Her eyes closed briefly, her face serene.
She would succeed.
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She hadn't seen her once yesterday and a dull unease filled her. A sleepless night spent huddled under sheets waiting For a knock that never came. She fretted her way through the morning, chewing her nails to the quick. Finally after an unpleasant lunch of apparently tasteless food that she couldn't force down, she approached one of the sisters, mustering her courage.
She asked them about her friend.
"She's gone child, her father collected her. She's to be married within the month."
She didn't remember walking away, the sister calling her name. She walked through corridors suddenly devoid of colour, sinking into a quiet corner. Away from prying eyes she curled up around the emptiness inside her and let the tears fall.
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She slid naked from her bed, padding through to the living room. The faint glow of the nightlight lent a golden hue to her pale skin as she sank onto the sofa. The staff had carefully arranged the gifts in the coffee table and a smile crept over her face in the darkness. she made a mental note to have the roses preserved before they wilted even as her gaze settled on the bracelet.
She reached out, picking it up, running her fingers over the smooth surface.
There was something about the wood but her knowledge of flora was too scant. She dismissed the thought, her touch sliding over the inner band. This time, as her finger outlined the 'A' inscribed within she did not cry. Rather her smile grew broader and she held it to her breast for a long moment before putting it on. It slid easily over her hand, the smoothness of the wood caressing her skin before falling around her wrist.
She looked around for her data pad.
There were thankyous to write.
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Great stuff Halcy, keep it up !
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Behind the school, a field, an acre of grass with trees scattered towards the bottom, none too close to the wall.
She sat beneath one such tree, braiding grass blades, content in the sunshine, her friend beside her.
"So what will you do?" Her friend asked her.
"I'm not getting married..." She murmured, intent on the work of her fingers.
"You said that already, but what will you do about it?"
She sat quietly for long moments, folding grass blades one over the other.
"I heard a rumour....of a thing..."
"What thing?"
"Capsuleer pilots." she muttered quietly.
Her friend turned to look at her, grass blades forgotten in her hands.
"You...want to be a capsuleer? You think you could be one?"
She shrugs, a helpless gesture.
"It's worth a try..."
"Won't you need his permission though?"
The grass blades tore in her hands, a frown settling over her face.
"I'll find a way..."
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He was a short slender man, well dressed and fussy. He seemed to fidget back and forth rather than walking, his manner perpetually nervous. He'd hardly glanced her way so she assumed it was Ulaya's presence, looming over them both like an unspoken threat. He keyed them in through the doors, leading them around the complex of rooms.
"Of course," he said, "it is only your eminent standing that makes this space available...unfurnished of course....the original purpose, never realised..."
His voice was barely more than a drone and it was only the references that allowed her to understand he was talking to her.
She noted the high ceilings, the floor space, nodding to herself as they toured.
"What do you think?" She asked her companion.
The tall civire just shrugged, a bored look on her face.
"Your money," the woman grunted quietly.
She smiled to herself, nodding. It would take work but it was perfect.
She just needed a name for it.
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She approached the body slowly, almost hesitantly.
It lay naked upon a steel slab, exposed.
It must have been dead when ejected to the void, signs of damage covering the corpse. She walked a slow circuit around it, an odd look on her face before pausing by the head.
A little nod to herself as if firming her courage and she leaned in, eyes searching almost curiously.
Aside from the void burns it was like looking into a mirror. She placed her fingertips lightly on the lips, closing her eyes for a moment before pulling back and walking away.
One of the attendants spoke up then.
"Should we process it ma'am?"
She shook her head once.
"Nono, put it in storage, I'm certain I'll find a use for it."
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She cast her probes across the void, scattering them with her mind, each sailing to a specific point. Triangulation and scan, nudge and push, narrowing
the net on her search. The signature grew clearer and clearer, leaving her
confounded when she confirmed it. She'd never encountered such a thing,
Curious but cautious she locked her warp drive onto the location, dropping
herself a hundred kilometres from the signature.
Her senses panned across it and then again, gleaning what information they
could.
Hyperfluct generator.
She frowned, turning the words over in her head, trying to make sense of
them.
Her sensors indicated a security vulnerability. She locked on her analysers,
cycling them up to exploit it. With careful patience she infiltrated the system,
breaking down safeguards, guiding herself through.
Light blossomed near her craft, scintillant colours washing over her hull.
Again, the probing of her sensors, seeking confirmation.
A small controlled wormhole.
A deep breath, a moments pause.
She headed in.
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She reached out, towel awkwardly wrapped around her hand as she tugged the door open, her eyes blinking rapidly.
She ignored the words. She wouldn't cry.
The open oven blasted heat across her face, evaporating tears waiting to fall. It snatched her breath even as she reached for the tin, gripping it swiftly, tugging.
The towel slipped from her hand as she reached, her bare flesh touching the hot metal.
Pain flooded her arm as her skin burned, gasping sharply, clamping down on her instinctive cry.
She fell back, pushing the tin in to the oven even as she recoiled, sinking to the floor. A shaky breath, trying to master herself, hand throbbing in agony.
More words, as she folded in on herself, hiding her face, hiding her pain.
Hands, touching. A gentle embrace.
Too much, tears spilling free, running down her cheeks.
A soft whimper.
"I shouldn't have said anything..."
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She sat amidst the crowd, tables full, conversation a dull hum in the air. A stray lock of hair, red now, escaped her hood, falling over her chest.
"Why won't you come home, Amelin?" Her sister asked, blonde hair tied in a bun, her attention flicking fretfully to her daughter.
She sighs wearily, idly swirling a glass of water.
"You know why..."
"Oh?...oh.... But he hardly mentions that now...I'm sure he's forgotten."
She shakes her head, pale grey eyes meeting her sisters.
"You know he hasn't, he just has a better option...possibly..."
Her sisters brow wrinkles in thought.
"You heard him say I 'ruined myself' as well as I did..."
Her gaze drops from her sisters, looking at her niece pointedly.
They sit in silence for a long moment, one shaking her head, the other nodding slightly.
"Come with me Tess. Both of you."
"Where would we go...we can't abandon our lives."
She sighs again, deeper, louder.
"We'll make new ones, the ones we want to have, not the ones he tells us to have."
Her sister sits there in silence, her gaze drifting to her daughter once more.
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A nudge in her ribs, sending her stumbling, heels betraying her. Falling into his arms, bosom pressing against his stomach, clutching at him to right herself.
Strong arms enfold her, guiding to her feet. She blushes , looking up at him, catching the soft smile on his handsome face.
She freezes for a long moment, resisting the urge to flee, trying to relax as people watch them both.
"Shall we?" He asks smoothly.
Her blush deepens but she forces herself to nod, letting him take her hands and lead her across the floor.
Slowly, she relaxes.
They dance.
-
The mirror was streaked and barely reflective. A smell of must filled the air and
every tap issued cold murky water.
She turned from the basin with a small sigh, moving to slump on the sofa,
burying her head in her hands.
It had been such a brilliant idea. Her father would never be able to follow her
here. His bloodline prevented it.
Somehow she'd avoided following that thought all the way through to its logical
conclusion. His bloodline...
She sighed softly. At least they'd let her dock, although she suspected
someone had died in the bed. She looked over at the crumpled bedding and fought down the urge to retch. The rest of the quarters were in a similar state.
She made her way to the door and then paused, her hand inches from the control panel. The face of the docking manager filled her mind, midnight skin and hard eyes.
She pulled her hand back, returned to the sofa.
Curled into a ball.
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The bathroom light shined from behind her, illuminating her in the mirror. She adjusted her dress for at least the seventh time before applying her make up. As she applied her mascara she paused, the brush hovering a bare inch from her eye as she considered cancelling yet again. Reasons tumbled through her mind as she took a slow deep breath, bosom straining her bodice as she did so. She banished the thoughts firmly, taking a grip of herself as she returned to the task at hand, drawing the brush carefully through her lashes.
She was tired of hiding. She’d have her party and damn the consequences.
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The petite woman gazed up at her, affection and determination on her face.
She returned the gaze, grey-green eyes meeting green as the other woman took her hand before sinking slowly to one knee.
She watched her curiously, puzzlement spreading across her face until the petite red head spoke.
"Halcy, would you marry me?" A smile flitting across her face.
She took a deep breath, a thousand thoughts flooding her mind, unsure what to do, but when she spoke it was two simple words.
"Yes Eva," she said, surprising herself, yet nodding at how right it felt.
How happy she suddenly felt.
-
The trigger moved back slowly, prosthetic fingers pulling on it, urging it past the point of no return. The hammer fell, slamming into the back of the gun.
A dry click filled the room.
"What are you doing?" She asked, walking up to Ulaya, a frown on her face.
"Practisin'" the woman replied, a surly look on her face.
"If you shoot holes in my walls again I shall be upset."
"'Smy room," Ulaya grumbled, taking the gun apart piece by piece, arranging the parts in a neat contrast to her cluttered quarters.
"In my venue!"
"Yer renting the space..."
"That is entirely beside the point..." She replied, moving to stand in front of the head of her security. "Also, can you stop getting the maids drunk?"
Ulaya scowled up at her.
"Din't hear 'em complainin' none..."
"You're hearing me complaining. One was so hungover she threw up in a guests' bathroom."
With a little sigh she looked for a clear space to sit, perching on the edge of a chair.
"You're bored, aren't you."
Ulaya shook her head, glaring at the disassembled weapon.
"I'm fine...
"No you're not, you need to get out. Go and use what I've shown you..."
"But, security..." The woman interjected, an odd look on her face.
"I think they're trained enough by now. Go. Tell me what's out there."
"Sure?"
She rolled her eyes in answer.
The pistol seemed almost to reassemble itself, snapping together, a delighted grin on Ulaya's face as the tall Caldari grabs a bag, running for the door.
"I expect you to come back!" She shouts after her.
-
I was pretty sure I hadn't drunk that much. Actually something of a relief.
Seriously, though. These just keep getting better.
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^^ yes I agree
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The door to the shop creaked as she pushed it open, edging her way into a space lined with overfilled shelves. Careful not to snag her dress she made her way to the far end, clearing her throat to try and get the attention of the waif-like sebiestor behind the counter.
Eyes wide, the girl looked up, bouncing to her feet.
"Oh, hi, hey, welcome, can I help you?" The girl blurted out.
She took a slow look around the cramped shelves, noting the various drone parts.
"You work a lot with drones?" She asked, deciding to start with the obvious.
"ah huh, yeah, I tinker, work with some stuff, improve 'em if I can."
"Surprising. You have qualifications?"
"Surprising? Oh yeah, cos we're here and I do drones and I'm not Gallente
right?" Words seemed to spill from the girls lips in a stream each time she spoke.
"Mh, yes, right." She blinked a little. "I'm looking for someone to work for me. So far all of your contemporaries have declined."
"Contemporaries? Oh, other drones people right? They declined, why would they do that? You're offering pay right?"
Again she blinked, pausing as if to let the flow of words register.
"Of course, over the odds in fact. I'm a capsuleer."
The girl flinches back at the words, looking around nervously.
"Uh...c-capsuleer?"
She sighs, a long suffering sound.
"We're not all monsters...well, some of us aren't anyway..."
The girl seems uncertain, glancing nervously around her shop and she steps back, giving a little more space.
"Will you tell me your name?" She asks, her tone soothing and patient.
"S-Sascha Karanik'" the girl stammers out.
"All I'm offering is an opportunity, you'll have to accompany me in space but I'll do whatever I can to ensure your safety and fund any projects you wish."
She watches the girls face as it changes, fear and desire warring, dreams awakening in her eyes.
"Anything?"
"Anything," she says, a little smile spreading across her lips.
"So..why would you need me?"
"I try to automate my craft as much as possible...I need someone able to tend that automation. Would you be willing."
The girl seems hesitant, nervous but nods regardless.
She offers her hand.