Homecoming - Does it always involve so much meat?

Riley looked at the meat, then back to the mule, and shook her head. “We can take a few things, but I don’t know that we have that much freezer space.”

“We cut the heat in the second Shuttle … we could use it as temporary cold storage.” Vas suggested. “Hell might be able to offload some of it in New Kasmir for a tidy profit.” The punk added. Good meat was good meat and out the rim and the edges of the border most won’t care much where it came from.

“See that!” Keller boasted, near falling into the back of the Mule. “Boy is a Gorram genius!. We can make a few trips with the mule, get what we need, store and sell the rest. I like how you think, son!”

“Well … figure we drive the truck to the cargo bay. Do it all in one shot.” Vas reasoned. Though he was in a hell of a state, Serena had only one good hand, gill and Haddie were too small to be lifting the frozen hunks of meat. “Whole crew will need to pitch in to unload all quick-like.”

“Gorram genius!” He boasted again. “It’s good to have you back son. Wait, you did say yes, yes?”

“Got interrupted when a Reaver harpooned me but just clear things up … Yes.” Vas answered rolling on the edges of his feet and his stomach making a little groan of its own. “We should get a move on just in case more come along … or people start coming back … or purple bellies marching in like the conquering heroes they are.” Vas tried not to swell being called a genius.

“Agreed.” The lieutenant said, lest the Captain keep swelling the boy’s head. One by one the bay doors started to open. “Can you drive?” She asked the punk, nodding towards the truck. “And by that I mean both are you well enough to and do you possess the skill?”

“I am on both counts but I don’t I got it in me to haul quite yet.” He said honestly. Vas han’t much left in him to begin then Reavers and running … much more and he would get concussed from falling over!

“Sooner we get back to the ship the better.” He climbing up into the truck, the punk didn’t for a second think they were in the clear. Reaver likes to sneak in the nooks and crannies and jump out at you like those haunted houses. Just this one ate you then raped you … etc.

Serena kept quiet, her eyes downcast or darting back to the Skyhook bay. Her toes still ached, the tip of her nose was still cold, and thankfully her hands were still numb from the cold. She consoled herself with the thought that this was only temporary, Richelle would figure some sort of deal to get her back.

The mule followed the truck back to the bay, where all hands were called on to help unload everything, except for Jat and Adler who had to tend to the boy and his injuries.

“Sky looks mighty purple.” She told the captain after the meat was put into the spare shuttle, all heat and support systems turned off.

“That gonna be an issue?” The captain asked.

“No sir. You just go… have another, whatever the rut you’re drinking. I’ve got this.” Slipping into her headset, she cued the onboard mic.

“Looks like the Alliance is clearing the skies.” She told the ship, specifically avoiding the “r” word lest they didn’t know what had attacked. “We’re going to be leaving the Skyplex a little earlier than anticipated, heading for New Kasmir, I advise you all to find somewhere and buckle up in case this gets dicey. We should break atmo in fifteen minutes.”

The Captain would have groused about getting to do his captain thing, had he not been three sheets to the wind, going in for fourths.

Serena cringed into a small chair set outside the infirmary so the doc could have a look at her hand when he was free up like he’d threatened. Inside the bay he tended to the monster that had been aboard her own ship - the Skyhook. This ship, the Lunar Veil smelled funny. It was the first thing she noticed when she trepidatiously stepped on board. There was the tell tale sickly sweet fumes indicating fuel lines were recently flushed, the stench of dog and stale dog breath, and on top of that there was a spice she couldn’t quite put her finger on, like something was recently cooked. The Skyhook had its own unique potpourri which she likened to wet gym sock, disgusting but it still familiar and comforting but this -- hopefully she wouldn’t be around long enough to get used to it. Her hope grew smaller and smaller as the ships engine’s kicked in and like the Lieutenant said over the speaker, they headed off into the black.