Black Bart Jr. is No Dirty Rat - (Day 1, Night)

"Ah'd rather not come in." Serena whispered, once the nun had settled Elle with the pillow and bear. The teen gave one last longing look to Black Bart Jr, "On account of we're not friends. Me and Elle Ah mean. Me and you are friends. Ah think. We are, aren't we? We never said out loud, but ah think you're a fine friend, you taught me how to listen to my heart even if it does say dumb things sometimes, and sometimes it don't say anything at all except ba-thump, ba-thump, ba-thump. Did you know her name's Elle, like the first lettah in Lyen? Ah figured that out all on my own. Anyway she's crew, and crew is supposed to look out for crew even when *ONE* of the crew is not especially a good crew mate and says something to make the *OTHER* crew mate feel bad."

*"You haven't... heard anything about how Elle ended up here, have you?"*Lyen asked.

Serena balked, losing her med-bay Hera accent. "I can't say, on account of I don't want stitches." She whispered quieter. "Tape isn't as fun as you think it'd be."

"We are friends, qīn'ài de (dear one)," Ly wrapped Serena in a side hug. "Well if I may be so bold," she looked down at the teenage girl, "it sounds to me like your heart might be telling you to forgive *ONE* crew mate so that the *OTHER* crew mate," she pointed to Serena's heart, "won't feel guilty for being cross with crew."

"Crew's kinda like family, mmm? You do what you can no matter what. You've got a golden heart xiǎojiě Serena (Miss)."

Then she asked if the deck had heard anything about Elle's condition.

*Serena balked, losing her med-bay Hera accent. "I can't say, on account of I don't want stitches." She whispered quieter. "Tape isn't as fun as you think it'd be."*

"As one who sometimes stitches people up, I know what you mean. Tape is scratchy, but you get to show everyone, right? In a sense, it kind of makes you a hero for having gone through what you did," Lyen added, "If you might know who hurt Elle, it would be better for all *crew* to know what happened. That way Vas... or Riley can take care of what needs caring."

Serena frowned, squinting her eyes to listen to her heart. Ba thump. Ba thump. Ba thump. Not a lick of guilt. Stupid heart.

"I don't so much get why my heart is supposed to feel guilty when I didn’t say anything ugly, but I'm sure I'm *misunderstanding.*” The teen replied to the nun. “Just like what the Captain explained me with Leo. Ah’ll apologize when she wakes up.” She DID like the confirmation that she and Lyen were friends though. At least that made her stupid heart happier.

*Guilt*. What you’re supposed to feel when someone does something awful to you and you get cross or don’t pretend you like it? *Possibly Banked.*

*"As one who sometimes stitches people up, I know what you mean. Tape is scratchy, but you get to show everyone, right?”* Serena nodded emphatically, showing the nun her tape.

*“In a sense, it kind of makes you a hero for having gone through what you did," Lyen added, "If you might know who hurt Elle, it would be better for all crew to know what happened. That way Vas... or Riley can take care of what needs caring."*

“But if you say you ain’t gonna say something, then you *do* say something, you’re a snitcher AND a liar. And you don’t lie less you want lied to. I don’t want lied to. Or stitches, on account of I had stitches. I got shot in the back when I went to go get Mistah Doctah Adluh. Gettin’ shot don’t make you a hero. It makes you bad at dodging bullets. Besides, I found the bourbon bottles and put them back so now they ain’t stoled. Please watch Black Bart Jr. for me! I gotta go on account of I'm supposed to make coffee for the new pilot."

Turning on her heels, she smiled, seeing Mistah Doctah Adluh in the lounge. They'd have to talk about the definition of guilt at some point because like photosynthesis, the most beautiful word she heard ever, she didn't think she fully got the meaning.

But first?

Coffee.