Day 1 Evening - I'll Tell You Mine if You Tell Me Yours

“So where *ARE* we going, Vas?” Jacy re-positioned the straps to her dress and smiled at the young man. “Relax, sugarbear, you’ve already broken the ice with the ladies. Just act natural and I think you’ll find they can be great company.” She pointed at the sink, “Would you pour me a glass of water while we’re waiting for Dillon? I need to take to take my pills.”

Vas shot the girl an oblique look. “Well …” Vas said rummaging for a cup. “… plan on getting new lighter, buy new cig’s …” He said filling the cup with water. “ … haunt my old stomping grounds, find out where my mom is buried, if she even got one … “ Vas turn and held out the cup for her to take. “… maybe even get her some flowers. Roses if I can find them.”

“I’m sorry, Vas. I didn’t realize your mother was passed. You’re so young, I guess I just assumed …..” She took the water and sat it down. “Do you need a hug? When’s the last time you were even hugged? I mean, a proper hug, not the business with the me and crate and the nightie.” Jacy held her arms out in the universal gesture. “Come on little sugarbear. Bring it in.”

“Died in the war.” Vas elaborated. “Hug? I’m good.” He chuckled nervously. People here were sure as hell physical. With handshakes, hugs, kisses and … there was lots of touching! It just wasn’t something he was really used to yet. “What’s a sugarbear?” He asked unfamiliar with the term and why was he one? Did he do something? Oh was she doing that thing? Hitting on him?

“A sugarbear?”Jacy shrugged and scooped up the cup of water, popped two more of her prescribed pills and swallowed them down. “It’s just a friendly term from a woman to a man or a motherly sort to her little cub. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell with you, whether you’re the man or the cub. But alright, I can take a hint. You don’t like the ladies. That’s not a problem. I myself find love and pleasure in the arms of both genders equally, so I’d never judge you.” She gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder and hung the cup up above the sink. “Do you want to talk about your mother? I’m actually properly trained for the listening of one’s grievances so if you ever need a supple ear…..”

Vas scrunched his face not quite understanding where she jumping to those conclusions or what she was even implying. What did him liking or not liking ladies have to do with anything? “Um … I …. What? Judge me on … what?” Vas asked innocently. He was definitely missing something and the fact was the things Jacy was implying flew clear over the cloistered Vas.

“Never the mind, Vas. Say, I saw a place selling flowers while I was out in town earlier today. We can stop by there if you want and see if they’ve any roses for sell.” Jacy felt like she may have crossed some line with the kid. Determining his age was hard enough, but his innocent nature made it all the more difficult. She decided to take a different approach. “Do you have any questions for me? Or do you feel you know all you’d care to know on that front?” She was quite serious in her questioning, but no one had really seen her serious as yet so it may not be readily appreciated.

Vas could feel the tip of his ear pink a little. Mostly because Real Jacy damn neared echoed what dream Jacy said and at that part of the dream was sort of embarrassing at the moment. “Sure … I mean I know next to nothing about you Jacy. Not even you last name or … what Planet you’re from? Or why you running with such rough and tumble folk!” Vas asked curiously. Jacy was such a stark contrast to the rest of the crew. Different. Not a bad thing just for him it was an easy thing to spot, if anything from her choice of nightwear.

“I’d rather not tell you my last name just now. Not because I do not want you to know, but because I do not want others to know. To the Captain and Riley my last name is Lloyd, though they enjoy poking fun at the redundant “L”. I think it’s great fun that they can amuse themselves so freely and as it’s not my actual name, I don’t make efforts to set them on a different path. I was raised on Londinium to be a prima ballerina, but my mother pushed me too hard. Perhaps you would know the name, Sophie Ellis? She was herself a prima, but her career was ended by the time I was born. I did not succeed in securing that position for myself before my young body failed me.” Jacy swung a straight leg up and pressed her calf in close to her face, perfectly poised on the other foot. She was in a dress, but had the short shorts on underneath from the previous day. “Some of the training will stick with me for the remainder of my days, but much of it is gone for good. Ballet is an unforgiving stress on the body. By comparison dealing with the rough and tumble crew of the Lunar Veil is quite easy. All I have to do is slip and fall from time to time and their expectations are immediately lowered. I think we can both agree that no one expects much from me at this point.” She lowered her leg and straightened her dress. “So what of you, Vas? Are you a man of mysteries or simple history?”

Well that certainly explained a lot. That girl was as glamorous to Vas as she seemed but a ballerina from Londinium added a refinement that intimidated the poor boy. “Me? Well don’t think of myself as much of a mystery. Born right on Santo, mostly grew up just outside this very port.” Vas said giving a vague wave. “I ain’t had a particularly charmed life. Unification war came round, burn it all down. I got …” Vas a paused a moment not exactly sure how to word the next part or how much truth he wanted add. “… tossed to wind. Shuffled planet to planet. Ended up in a temple for war orphans somewhere out on the border planets … now here I am.” Vas said keeping it simple. Sure he left a lot out but she didn’t need to know all the particular details right? Everyone on the ship had something to hide or was running from something. Vas sure as hell wasn’t ready to tell anyone the dark particulars of his life.

“Then perhaps we aren’t quite the strangers to one another that we once were. We can still play the part for the others if you wish. I certainly don’t mind. I imagine it’s a short life left on the charade before my self imposed furlough must come to an end. I’ll still be the same me, but the opinions of the crew may change. So let’s make the most of tonight even if it’s a rather gloomy outing. Do you have any ideas where to begin your search for your mother’s grave?’

Vas shrugged looking down. “Let’s try getting to tomorrow first. See what happens next.” He admitted with a crooked smile, Vas wasn’t exactly planning for the future. Never had to before so for now it was just a day by day scenario. He leaned back on the counter. “No. Not a clue. I’m hoping her small fame here means someone might know. When this places a playground for the rich and powerful my Ma sang opera on stage and Crooned in those fancy lounges in the casinos. Everybody knew by name back then, I’m hoping someone might remember. Here’s hoping ya know?”

“The Opera?! I’d have worn a nice dress if I’d know we were going to the Opera! But I guess we aren’t really. We’ll ask around, the famous are usually listed in obituaries with a location for the services. Perhaps we could jump on the Cortex from here and check it out?”

Vas hadn’t thought of that. Well giving she died and he hadn’t exactly planned on being on Santo before he had been flying by the seat of his pants. “To be honest I didn’t think of that.” Vas laughed. “I … can’t use the Cortex.” Vas said slowly. “Not that I don’t know how, I ain’t that bone brained. I just can’t log in is all.“ He said feeling like a total backwater hillbilly. He didn’t have an IdentCard to be able to log in.

“That does pose a problem. I won’t ask you why if you do me the same courtesy. Where’s that Dillon? He may have an IdentCard for use.” Jacy wasn’t about to swipe her credentials, especially from the vessel she was currently holed up on. Not until it absolutely couldn’t be avoided. Like when it came due to pay the good dentist for his services. Then again, he may be willing to work out other arrangements.