In the black

Serena sat at the galley table spinning one of the hex nuts she’d won from Patch while Vas made a post -lift off cup of tea. “Do you think Jago’s gonna give us leave time when we get to the Skyplex, Nii-San?”

“It’s a skyplex. Even if he doesn't … like you said, you seen one you seen ‘em all.” Vas nodded sagely sipping his tea and sliding a cup to Serena. “I wouldn’t mind some fresh noodles though … maybe a frozen planet.” He said thoughtfully.

“You think with your stomach,” she giggled. “I want to get a hat for when my ears get cold in the cargo bay. And maybe a mug for Tim to replace the one that mostly accidentally got broke.”

“Can never have enough mugs … maybe one that keeps warm, Tim is always complaining about how cold his drinks get when he forgets to drink them.” Vas suggested.

“I betcha he’d like that!” Serena agreed. “How do you think the new people are settlin’ in?”

Vas shrugged. “Most of ‘em are getting off on the next stop so there isn’t much settling to do. Less you talking about the new guy. Do we call him greenhorn? New guy?” Vas asked with a thoughtful sip.

“I’m gonna stick with Doc,” Serena decided. “Sometimes Jago calls me Deck, and I don’t so much mind it. I don’t hear him calling Patch Mech or Tim Pi though. Maybe it’s on account of he doesn’t like kids.”

“This list of things Captain likes is much shorter and easier to remember. I think it's just safer to assume the answer to everything is Jago probably won’t like it but kids are pretty high on that list. You must be an exception clearly.” Vas teased.

“I’m Seventeen,” Serena said, trying it out. “That’s legal age on a lotta planets.”

“You’re sixteen and don’t say that in front of Jago or he’s liable to raise the age of adulthood on his ship.” Vas figured he just barely crested that line.

Serena was going to argue, but sat back in the chair and let her shoulders slump. Sixteen was a rough age. “I haven’t seen ‘em around -- the Doc,” she said, changing the subject. “You think maybe he gets motion sick with the take off? Who’d take care of the doc if a doc got sick on a ship?”

“Is that a riddle?” Vas asked with a tilt of his head

“A lot of people find me clever,” she answered. “I hope he’s not sick. One on account of we don’t have a back up doc, and two on account of I don’t wanna have to clean up if he is sick, like I did after that woman who brought the yappy dog on.”

“That dog was awful, Jago was ready to shoot that stupid furry monstrosity.” Vas said flatly. He normally liked animals but the ball of overfly brush hair had been a mean little ball of teeth!

“Weren’t her fault no one had the good sense to teach her manners!” Serena defended. “Lucky you got me for that. We should make more tea in case anyone else decides they want a cup.”

“But then it might get cold and who will drink cold tea? No one.” Vas pointed out.

“Tim.” Serena replied. “Which is why we need leave to get him that mug that’ll keep it hot. I’ll put the kettle on!”

After a tiring day searching for a ship and employment, Jackson had fallen asleep in his bunk and slept through the take off. He'd learned to sleep through most anything over the years in fact, though he had been able to tell this particular lift off was rather smooth.

The doctor made his way to the galley, where he found the two young people who'd been playing cards earlier. Serena was putting the kettle on.

"If you're making tea," Jackson said, pulling out a chair, "I'd be mighty grateful for a cup. 'S a tad cold in my room and a warm drink would be welcome." He smiled at her, then turned to Vas. "You two up to much at the moment?"

“Right now? No - we made sure the cargo was good and secured, and then re-checked it once we broke atmo on account of sometimes things shift in zero g. We’re gonna check the water purification tanks and then we got some mop-up work to do make sure the ship stays clean.” She explained, setting a cup in front of him. “You know, deck stuff. You get your doctor stuff all set up, Doc?” Mostly the teen wanted to try the nickname out and gage the doc’s reaction to it.

Serena picked up Vas’s cup, washing it and her mug carefully - silently apologizing to Tim for a previous mishap which led to him now solely drinking from unbreakable tin cups. It was only fair, her brother did make the tea, whoever doesn’t cook - cleans up. And as per her ask, he even brewed a second pot for any of the newcomers to the ship.

“Can you wipe the table down for me?” She asked, without looking tossing a soapy wet dish towel his way.

Lawrence had hoped to stay in his room for the duration of the flight, both to avoid the others aboard and to guard his precious funds. Even if this "ship" offered meals, he would prefer not to see what passed for edible amongst these people.

What eventually drew him from his quarters was the sound of a woman's voice. There was an elegance to it that spoke to his higher standards. He thought back to seeing the regal figure that had boarded before him and his curiosity got the better of him.

What did she have to run from?

Closing his door quietly, he began the arduous task of meandering through the ship's halls. He had been given an extensive tour by the pigtailed loudmouth and had thankfully remembered some parts of it despite her mind-numbing talking. Coming up to the galley, he hoped that the woman would be within.

Pruning himself, he stepped through the doorway....... and was met with something soaked slapping across his face.

“What the-”

“Whoooops, sorry,” Serena apologized, stifling a giggle. “Oh, hey it’s you - buncha people were lookin’ for you ‘fore we took off.”

Removing the filthy rag, Lawrence saw pigtails looking apologetically at him. The brat that he had dealt with on Persephone sat nearby and the other male passenger had joined them. Of course there would be an audience for this debacle of an introduction.

“It is quite alright, I did enter unannounced.”

Turning towards his fellow stranger, he gave a respectful nod before addressing the group.

“I was hoping to properly introduce myself, seeing as I had left such information absent.”

Walking towards the girl who had apologized, he gave his best smile.

“Lawrence. I believe it was you that gave me the tour?”

“Serena,” the girl said pointing to herself. “I’m a deck. That’s my Onii - my brother, Vas. He’s a deck too, and that’s Jackson, he’s the ship doctor. I’m glad you’re not sick,” She said, setting a cup of tea on the table for the doctor. “And not just because I don’t want to clean up after someone who got sick. Tea?” She asked Lawrence, holding up the kettle.

Vas gave an absent wave to the passenger. Unlike Serena, he hadn’t bothered with remembering names, not with passengers at least.

The offer of tea was very welcoming. Lawrence had been on many ships that only offered booze for their passengers. It seemed this crew could have some class after all.

"Yes, tea would be very appreciated, Serena."

To the ever brooding brat he gave an equally blank wave, while he gave a much warmer greeting to the resident doctor. A very fine ally to have.

“A pleasure to meet you, I must say I admire the work of any medical professional.”

“What is it you do, Lawrence?” Serena asked the new passenger, sliding a tea cup and fresh bowl of sugar in front of the two men. “I mean, I’m a deck, and he’s a deck and Patch is a mechanic and Tim is a pilot and Jago is a captain, and the doc is a doctor, and you are?”

Having Serena interrupt having a conversation with Jackson irked Lawrence. Her rapid fire speech was getting to be rather annoying, but he gratefully took note of her particular lack of attention, having already forgotten about the mob asking about him.

Who had been after me? Surely those oafs hadn’t been wise to my plan so soon…

The girl's newest question got a rise out of the corner of his mouth, giving him a shy smirk. He wondered about making a new identity before remembering his attire. Having forgotten to change out of the paster-esque clothes left him with little choice.

“I guess you could call me a preacher. I travel the Verse looking for those that seek peace and salvation with the hope that I can give them the answers they desire.”

“The people askin’ on you didn’t seem to be seeking peace, but it’s understandable. Sometimes when I don’t get the answer I desire, I get uppity too.” Serena replied with a shrug as she moved the sugar bowl to finish cleaning around the mugs on the table.

"Whaddya gettin' uppity about now?" Patch said as he came in from the doorway leading to the engine room, having only managed to hear the last bit of the conversation. The big man looked about to see life in the galley and smiled with satisfaction. "Everyone gettin' comfortable. Nice." He said with a grin before spotting the freshly made pot of tea, letting it an excited little "Ooh!" as he headed over to pour himself a cup not thinking to clean his hands first.

“I wasn’t gettin’ uppity, it was the people who were looking for Lawrence, bein’ uppity” Serena said, ticking her head towards the preacher. She scowled at Patch’s grimy mitts.

"Hooboy" Patch said in a mock worried tone. "What'd ya do, Padre? Collection plate come up light?" he snickered as he poured himself a cup, leaving smudges on the pot handle, his mug, the counter like a trail of greasy breadcrumbs leading back to the mechanic.

“Patch! Hands!” Serena chastised, wiping all of the smudge prints with the soapy towel. She looked at Patch and sternly pointed to the sink.

Patch jumped at the young girl's admonition, put down his cup and hastily complied with her silent order.

Vas snickered into his mug watching it all play out like a Panto during the holidays.

Serena grumbled as she wiped down the mug.

The old mechanic dutifully washed his hands as he gave the girl a sheepish look, collected his mug and took a seat at the table.

The teen tossed him a final glare for good measure as she wiped the sink faucet, shaking her head. If she told him once - she told him a thousand times…

The mound of grease and sweat named Patch nearly brought Lawrence to tears as his scent passed him. If the man ever bathed, he clearly had not been trained properly. He couldn’t decide how to respond to the man’s jest in fear of having to take a deeper breath when the girl chastised Patch.

Lawrence gave a light chuckle as he looked to Patch.

“I see who truly reigns amongst the crew. As for the group after me, I can not say what it is I did. I left Persephone on what I believed were good terms.”

He chose to look deep in thought after this comment, hopefully appearing to be thinking of a possible source of hatred against him.

"I hear ya." The old mechanic nodded as he took a pull from the steaming hot mug of tea. "'Sides, whoever heard of a crooked holy man, eh?" He added with a laugh.

“You poor naive old man …” Vas chuckled.

Jago walked in pouring himself some tea. He couldn’t argue that tea quality since he had hired little orphan Annie and her pet Rottie. “Should I be breaking out the tea biscuits or something?” He asked dryly.

Serena shrank back behind her brother, just in case.

“We have biscuits?” Vas asked, perking up.

“No jackass and if we did I ain’t sharing ‘em with you.” Jago snorted.

"Awww" Patch whined, crestfallen, "I love tea biscuits."

“Buy your own.” Jago suggested.

“Buy extra,” Serena said quietly, giving Patch a thumbs up.

Patch gave a smile and a wink to the girl, returning her thumbs up.

“Ya’ll done with your tea party? Can we get back to what you're paid to do? If you got time to lean …” Jago started.

“... you got time to work.” Vas recited putting his empty mug in the sink.

“Oh, good you know it so I can’t stop having to repeat it!” Jago said slurping his tea.

The main man entering the galley brought a swift halt to any small talk. While grateful, it was a terror to be near Jago.

Finally taking a cup of tea, he moved out of immediate glare range to nurse the brew. This social trip had so far been a failure seeing as the woman he wanted to see was a no show. Perhaps another time then.

Jackson nodded. "Most of it, yeah. Didn't have much to set up, really." He took a long sip of the tea and smiled gratefully. "It's amazing what one can do with boiled leaf water," he commented.

Jackson watched, amused, as Serena accidentally threw a wet towel in the face of one of the guests. He nodded acknowledgement when the young girl introduced him to the pastor.

The doctor shrugged. "I don't suppose you've seen much of the medical profession up close, then," he said, a crooked half-smile cocked across his mouth. "It's only really admirable from a distance. Up close it'll be enough to make your stomach churn."

Then Jackson contentedly enjoyed the show of the various crewmates squabbling and playfully arguing (or not so playfully, in Jago's case).