The Nightmare Smiths (Closed)

Psylene

I detected a sense of urgency from Arruna. What the hell was that!? I strolled over to the outer view window and took a glance at an object shifting speedily away from us. That wasn't a rock, I knew that much. "Vinn, do not engage" I told him, telepathically. We didn't have tkime to mess around, if we kept with the speed we were moving at we would be at our destination by dinner...hopefully. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad when we had our payday and we could visit a clubworld or something, the universe was a bizzare place nowadays. "Hmhmhm. The chica's will be begging for me" I laughed, as I returned to my throne.

Aramanda

I actually shouted in alarm as the engines whined, the ship picking up incredible speeds. I slid on my back about a foot before I reached out and wrapped a hands around a metal pipe. I screeched and let go at once, horribly steep pain erupting across the palm of my hand which had turned the colour of raw salmon. I cursed, my eyes tearing up and held onto my wrist. That blasted pilot was going to have a sharp word once I found my voice again.

I pushed myself out from underneath the workings of Engine 3 and grabbed the intercom controller, my voice broken and still trembling with the pain. “What in the bloody blazes do you think you're doing Sir!? Keep her steady!”

Panting heavily I realise that moderate control over the engines wasn't going to be enough. Time to bring out the big guns. Swinging around, I almost collided with Ray. “Get me a bucket of cold water,” I hissed, blinking rapidly. Stepping around him, I start to open up the control panel, exposing the guts of the machine.

Time to play doctor.

Ray

I raced to obey Aramanda's command as quickly as possible. Soon I retuned with a container of icy water, although I did not know what she needed it for. She was already engrossed in her work again.

"Here," I said.

"Good, give me a hand with this."

I wasn't really helpful though. First aid is not something I encounter often. I was fascinated though, watching closely as she bound her wound. Pain was not something I could expierience in my true form, and I had not had to deal with it much since I started trying to be physical.

A memory did surface though. I had once seen a human woman kiss the scrape on her child's knee. So I did something similar now, placing my lips on Aramanda's hand before returning to my place at the screen.

"Do you still want me to watch this?"

Aramanda

I froze, my burned hand submerged in the icy water and going numb. I was looking at Ray, frowning, still panting. For some reason, all the panic and frantic pounding in my heart had steadied. The alarms were still going off in the engine room, the warnings still flashing on the screen, but I didn't see them really. I swallowed, suddenly smiling like an idiot.

It was the little things. Always the little things. Life was usually falling apart around you, there was always a demand on your time and an order in your ear and most of the time it was all for nothing. You worked and you slaved and for years of my life I had done just that. It was only a few short years since I have regained my freedom and began working under my own rules, but still, a woman has to eat and I needed the money this job offered and thus I was back against the grindstone, my stress levels at an all time high and stuff hitting the fan left right and centre. But here, looking at this confused, uncertain humanoid clumsily kiss my hand to make it better.

I giggled, finding the whole thing very funny, if not sweetly endearing. Calmly I continued to wrap up my hand and returned to the control panel, knowing what to do. In a few simple moves, I realigned the engines, cooled down the overheated valves and got the engines running as smoothly as I could. I turned to Ray.

“You see this mess? I'm going to go up to the captain and ask for an upgrade. We need new engines, these... well these are just...” I sighed. “They're older than I am. They need to be replaced. Will you come and support me when I go to the captain?”

Ray

I hesitated. I didn't think I would be much help. But Aramanda wanted my assistance, and that was good. And if the engines really needed replacing, it was my duty to see that they were. So I nodded and waited while she finished fixing the current problem.

Psylene

I heard a beep at my chamber door, I looked up from my computer to the entrance. "Come in". Aramanda appeared at the door, along with the shapeshifter, Ray. "Ah, you two, what? You want the engines replaced".

Aramanda stood to attention. "Sir, they're too old, they probably won't last the journey". I chuckled.

"Hmhmhm. The Philateroid mark 6 engines are a little outdated... by five decades or so. We'll be passing Blisseleria soon, the Huragok a remarkable engineers. Tell Vinn to set the target to co-ordinates VH67-KL45"

"Why can't you tell him telepathically?"

"Firstly put a sir on the end of that. And secondly, because you're not busy". Aramanda sped away. "Why are you still here!" I shouted at Ray. He jumped, to the point his arm changed purple, then ran after the Twi'lek. "It's good being the boss", I said, laying back into my chair.
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Spoiler

Huragok.jpg (35.1 KiB) Viewed 174 times

A picture of a Huragok.

Cytana

Jiralhanae, I hate them. They are the scum of the galaxy. I had learnt about them. It was at the time of the great schism, 2000 years ago, that we split from the covenant. It was thanks to the Arbiter and a human, the demon or spartan-117, that we fought off the brutes and the rest of the covenant. If there is killing to be done I am determined to be the first in there.

Vinn

Armanda exited the elevator onto the bridge. I was aware of her blue form winding its way through through the room towards me, but it was only when she arrived by my arm that I paid her any heed.
"Change of coordinates," her voice was informative, unlike that which I had come to expect of her. I stiffened, suspicion putting my senses on a keener edge.
"Where to?" I asked, my voice stiffer than I had intended. I let my gaze fall onto her for the first time. Armanda lounged casually against the conn, in no way unusually. I bit my lip, holding back further observations.
"VH67-KL45," she chanted, smiling. Perhaps I was becoming overly cynical as the years progressed.
I tapped the coordinates into the navigator. It was a system I was familiar with: Blisseleria. Not somewhere I had been, but spacers tales often move faster than the ships they fly.
"Is there something else?" I asked, aware that Armanda was still standing next to me. The hairs in my neck began to pick up- perhaps cyniccism would be the best approach on this ship.
"No," she giggled as she pranced out of the room. This encounter was becoming stranger every second, and I didn't like the implications of her strange behaviour.
As Armanda slipped into the elevator, I turned to regard her one final time. Armanda was not there; in her place was Ray.