Do you Hear What I Hear? (Day 2 MidMorning/Afternoon)

Serena didn’t have to catch every to get the jist of what was being said as she stood, ear pressed to the door while Mistah Doctah Adaluh and Captain Keller talked, cringing as it got louder.

*“This is exactly the sort of reason this ship ain’t fit for kids and vice versa. So if you think you’ve had enough of this nonsense? Think again. Hen-Leo pays good money - cold hard credits - to be on this ship. I know you all seem to think it flies on sunshine, rainbows and happy thoughts, but that’s bullshit. It runs because credits pay for fuel cells, and to feed crew members, to pay crew members. So I suggest you sit down an’ stop talking, because my patience for this is just about up.”*

Serena pulled away from the door for a moment, letting out a deep sigh as her shoulders slumped. Everyone was getting so heated, and the Captain was right, it’s not like Leo did anything. More than anything she wanted to make this right, or at least go away. She leaned her ear back to the hatch.

*“This ain’t about punishing you, or Pigtails. I don’t know how much clearer I can make this. His word. Her word. She said she misunderstood, he said he was sorry. If we can’t move on from it, then stands to reason one of them should go. And this ain’t a ruttin’ democracy. So unless you want to piss me off further, I suggest you drop the subject.”

“Happily,” Dorian chuckled. “If yah do yah gorram job. Get tha answers. Hell, just learn what tha questions are...that’s a start.”

“Uh-huh. I spoke to both parties. How else do you propose I get the answers? It’s clear that you’re biased in who you believe. It’s clear the crew chief is biased in his belief. So for the last time,”* Keller hollered again, Serena didn’t even need to e close up to hear what he was saying. *“Nothing happened. The kid wasn’t touched, she got an eyeful of something she didn’t bargain for. She’s better off than she was where we found her - and now that I’m aware of a potential situation, we can make sure it won’t happen again, IF anything happened. So shy of lie detector tests and torture --”*

“Planning on a new career as a spy.” Vas teased from the entrance fo the cargo bay.
Serena made a shhhh gesture. “No, crew chief, I’m just listenin’ in to the Doc an’ the Captain fightin’. I think the fancy word is eavesdropping.”!
“Captain seems to be doing that a lot lately.” Vas snorted. “Anything interesting?”
“He just said about torturing Leo. Though he mighta been talking about me, it wasn’t clear. I’m hopin’ it was Leo.”

“Buddha I hope to get to torture Leo …” Vas said under his breath. “...Don’t you get caught listening in. Or I’ll have to pretend to be upset or something.”

The teen stepped away from the door, burying her hands in her pockets. “I’ll stop, I don’t wanna get you in more trouble. He said if it came down to me or Leo, one of us has to go” she shrugged. “So I’m gonna make sure that don’t happen.”

“Leo will get spaced that’s what.” Vas said dryly. “Doubt the Captain will be sober enough to walk if did come down to it.”

Serena smiled and gave a quick nod, realizing she’d miss the crew chief. “New Kasmir’s not so bad. They got hot cocoa, and them pretty lights we saw. I’m gonna make myself scarce ‘fore he comes out. Doc got ‘em plenty mad.”

“You can hang in the cargo bay … I notice Captain avoids it on account cuz it looks like work.” Vas said in an all to a serious tone.

Serena hid a smile by rubbing the back of her hand across her chin. “ ‘Preciate it crew chief. That’s… I know it’s your space. You coming too?”

“Our space.” Vas corrected. “Crew space.” He added. “Where to? I heard apparently there is a fundamental difference between hot chocolate and hot cocoa … I am keen to find out what the difference is.”

Serena gave the door a scowl before turning her eyes to the crew chief. “I bet we can find out in town!” she offered, not hiding the excitement in her voice.

“I think we should, you know … for science and all that.” Vas said with a goofy grin. Serena smiled despite herself, meeting the Crew Chief’s blue eyes with her own.

“For science and all that.” She agreed.