A Favor Over Tea (Day 2 NIGHT)

Serena knocked twice on the door. “Crew chief?” She said tentatively.

“Yes?” Vas called back. He boots were off and he was lounging on his bead catching up on some reading. Not much else he could do at the moment. He had to just … trust Riley would straighten this mess out. He didn’t have to like it but he DID have to obey.

“I wanted to bring you some tea. It’s good. I made it, just the right temperature.” She offered.

There was a long pause. She might as well put out catnip. Serena could hear bare feet on metal as Vas looked up from the ladder up. “Thanks. Need me to come up and get it.” He asked.

“No…” Serena said quickly, not wanting him to get in trouble. That’s all she’d need as the crazy cat teapot lady seeing his mohawk, she was sure to have a whistle or something on her. Likely in the shape of an owl. Then of course she wouldn’t use it - just like the tea pot. “Can I come down?”

“You sure you want to?” Vas said clearly joking. “Might be taking your life in your hands!” He chortled.

Serena balanced the teapot in one hand, the two tea cups in the other, and used an elbow to help climb down the ladder with ease. She’d had to make two trip when she was shimmying up with the six bottles. “I’m sure.” She replied. “Maybe we get a bucket on a rope, that might work too.”

“I would like to think that won’t be necessary but … didn’t think I would be CTQ-ed either.” Vas tsked putting together a rickety makeshift low to the floor table to set the tea on. His room was not decorated or even personalized. Spartan would be a generous word. The only way you could tell someone was sleeping here was that Vas was actually in the room. One might argue with all the shuffling around he hadn’t put anything back in place but Serena already knew his last room looked very much the same.
Serena sat cross-legged on the floor next to the table the Crew Chief made out of a few books and an empty box. “I’m sorry Crew Chief.”

“ ‘Bout what?” He said passing Serena a cushion to her. It has seen better days and has been patch and stitched up more than a couple times.

“Because I shouldn’t have even BEEN in your room by the cargo bay, ‘cept that I was worried Daisy got locked in, she wasn’t begging under the table in the loft… not… that… I give… her … table food, I mean, and if I didn’t do that, I wouldn’t have gone and seen the bottles, and if I didn’t do that then the Captain wouldn’t have gotten mad and if he didn’t get mad… we’d be sittin’ at the crew table rather than next to an old box.”

“Relax.” Vas chuckled pouring out the tea. “It was a setup. If you didn’t find them someone else would have and if not I would have taken it straight to Riley so i may have been in the same hot pan no matter what. Also, you‘re going to spoil that dog rotten passing her tid-bits under the table.”

“I want her to like me.” The teen admitted. “So… how long do you gotta stay in your room?”

“Till Riley or the Captian says otherwise.” Vas said taking a long grateful sip. “Want who to like you, the Lieutenant?”

“No, Daisy. I *know* how to make the lieutenant like me. Stay off the bridge, don’t be where she is and give really short answers that end in the word Lieutenant. Yes, Lieutenant! No, Lieutenant! I’ll do that right now, Lieutenant! See?” Serena blew on the hot liquid before taking a sip herself. “I want Daisy to like me.”

“What makes you think she doesn’t like you? You sneak her food you scratch her ears …” Vas said perplexed.

“She likes you better is all. And Lyen, on account of she walks her. Can I ask you something?” She asked switching gears suddenly.

“Maybe start walking her more and you’ll get what you looking for.” Vas suggested. “Sure.” He said merrily slurping his tea.

“Esteban said somethin’ to me, an… I wanted to ask you I guess… a favor, maybe.” She hinted.

Vas narrowed his eyes as he bristled. “Oh? What he go on and say.” He asked warily.

“I was washing Leo outta my mouth, not really Leo, he had a thick jacket on, and Esteban said that if you cared bout me enough - which - I know you do - you don’t gotta say it - that you’d have taught me to fight or defend myself, on account of you can’t be everywhere at all times.”

“Why was LEO in your mouth?” Because of everything she said THAT’s the thing he latched onto first!

“On account of he was talkin’ bad about you to a lotta people, and I started to tell them that it were him that were bad, and then he hugged me into his arm so I couldn’t finish what I was sayin’ and I bit him, only I don’t think I near even broke skin and I didn’t on acccount of I didn’t even taste no blood. Just jacket.” She said matter of fact

“Well … that cuz you gotta commit and really set your mind to it, jacket or not you could torn a chunk outta his arm if you wanted.” Vas tsked. “I ain’t taught you anything you ain’t interested in. I mean if you wanted to learn I’m sure you might have up and asked. You don’t have to listen to none of them … just blowing hot hair and clucking like chickens.” He grumbled.

“That’s what he said, just like that! And I am interested in it, so then I guess I’m up and asking.” She said, taking another sip of tea.

“You sure this is something you want? Doc can teach you to shoot and it would be a hell of a lot easier than what I would put you through.” Vas warned.

“When we were on New Kasmir you said that Guns didn’t do nothin’ ‘cept invite trouble in. You said you didn’t use guns, that you used knives. You said that a gun wouldn’t do me no good far as protecting myself and you said that I was more like to get killed.” She reminded him.

“I did.” Vas agreed. “That’s my opinion at least. Walks in with a girl walk in the room with a gun mean she intends to use. Girl walks in with nothing … no one thinks much of it. That’s my opinion. Is that yours as well?”

“Yes, that’s how we got crew for the Skyhook,” she nodded, twirling a pigtail.

“I don’t know a nice way to teach.” Vas warned. “I won’t go easy on you either.” Though that was in his was more of a compliment than a warning.

“I’m a spacer Crew Chief. I’ve been a spacer since I was six, that’s over half my life. Learnin’ ain’t easy, if it weren’t everyone would know everything,” she replied.

Vas seemed to hem and haw a bit. “If you say so. But I won’t take no complaining. You asked for it. So if you really mean it … after your done for the night come back here and we’ll start.”

“I don’t think I ever gave you guff ‘bout nothing, Crew Chief. I’ll be back after all me and Elle’s chores is done, and after I make sure Gil and Roose done theirs,” she promised.

“Night is young kid. Let’s see how you feel about it in the morning.” Vas said looking like a cat with a mouse.
“Well, the good part ‘bout you being CTQ is you won’t hear me complain’ none when I’m not around,” she said with a nod, draining the rest of her cup.

“Okay … just … let keep it quiet for now. There’s enough gossip flying around, no need to stock that fire.” Vas advised. “Oh! And when you see Gill ask him if he’s still interested. I know I promised I would show him a thing or two … but it’s been kind of crazy. The more the merrier.”

“Will do!” Serena said with enthusiasm. “I’ll be back right after chores. Honest and swear!”