One Monday Evening (Saricia)

[Sanis Prent]

I'd planned it out nicely. We were idle cruising and repair work on Layla had been wrapped up. It was a nice and uneventful day. I cleaned top to bottom, and even picked up decent foodstuffs from Valiant's commissary for dinner. A quick sonic shower and a shave, and I was ready for the night.

And I knew just who I wanted to spend it with.

I gave Cirr a credit stipend to blow in the Valiant's mess on drinks and assumed he'd go chase Master Chief Kochanski's skirt again since she was an easy target. I didn't really care, I just wanted him off the ship. With him gone, I was free to spend my evening the way I wanted.

I punched in the comm frequency for Saricia, and waited on the bridge, reclined a bit in my captain's chair.

[Saricia Ask'lan]

The chime of the comm unit instantly broke Saricia's awareness into the here and now. Meditations were difficult at best, having done nothing of the sort, it was easy for her Lupine mind, overwhelmed by senses, to be distracted.

Unfolding her legs, she rose to stand and made her way over to the computer inside her quarters - which were still quite sterile and undecorated. Accepting the transmission, Saricia already had a wry smirk upon her face when Sanis' face appeared.

"Good evening, Sanis. What do I owe the unexpected call?"

[Sanis Prent]

"Well, it's a slow night. We're not being attacked for once, Cirr finished repairs and is on the Valiant, and I even managed to do a little cooking. All I'm missing is a little company.

Figured you might be thinking the same thing."

[Saricia Ask'lan]

The smile upon her lips could not be helped. Sanis' comment about not being attacked held so much truth that it was laughable for once. However, her smile was replaced with confusion at his invitation. Perhaps she was mistaken in his invitation.

"You ... You wanted to see me?" Her confusion was plain to read, almost child like in appearance.

[Sanis Prent]

Her sheltered naiveté almost made me feel like a moustache-twirling villain. And if that thought deterred me, I might even have hesitated.

"Who else would I want to see?"

[Saricia Ask'lan]

"I do not know. There are many people aboard the Wheel that you may wish to see." She was earnest in her answer, taking Sanis' question quite literally.

[Sanis Prent]

"Hahahaa..."

My laugh trailed off as I took her open wondering a bit too literally, turning my daily planner off and tossing it in an organizer bin off to the side.

"There's only one I can think of," I quickly recovered, "and if she can be in the main hangar bay in an hour, I'll bring the shuttle by to pick her up, too."

[Saricia Ask'lan]

She hadn't thought what was said was funny, but Sanis had found mirth in her statement. Eyes widened in shock and embarrassment, mainly from the invitation to dinner. Saricia had yet to eat, as her belly was reminding her. She could hear Lok in the back of her mind, encouraging her young Lupine charge to go as well. Her Elder was incessant with Saricia being more social.

"All right," she said with a thin smile creasing her face. As incorrigible as she found Sanis, Saricia did like being around him. There was always something bound to happen in his presence which was exhilarating and frightening all the same to the Lupine.

[Sanis Prent]

I sat up in my seat and leaned forward a bit.

"Saricia, you've made my night. I'll see you in an hour, then. Later babe."

I snapped off the comm, and bounced up to my feet in triumph. Whistling a tune, I stepped out of the cockpit and into the adjacent galley, checking the braise pot. Red Sabaa Stew was one of the few bits of Nar Shadaan cookery that sponged its way into my brain in my youth. It was cheap, easy to make, and it tasted good. Combine that with buying real bread from the comissary and a few other things (Chandrillan wine, not cheap at all), and I had the closest thing to an honest meal that had been served on Layla in a while.

[Saricia Ask'lan]

Eyes blinked in uncertainty as Sanis' smiling visage disappeared from her console. "Babe?" she echoed, the word sounding quite foreign to her ears. Was it a term of endearment or discredit? It seemed far less intimate then other words used for these sorts of engagements.

"Oh it's was probably meant as nothing ..." she said, shaking her head before getting ready.

* * *

Precisely an hour later, Saricia waited patiently at the hangar bar. Tonight it was her brown dress and black bodice that adorned her frame. It was the only other color she owned besides white. There was a skeleton crew working on repairs and maintenance inside the hangar. For the few workers that that noticed the Lupine, Saricia offered a polite smile and kept to herself near the entrance - still wondering if this was a good idea at all.

"Hmm, quiet you," she whispered and held her belly, who was overjoyed by the notion of a hot meal.

[Sanis Prent]

I touched down the Cat on the open tarmac after being guided in. The repulsors eased the landing skids down, and put the shuttle in idle as I popped the hatchback to debark. Standing at the top of the short step leading down, I spotted her, and smiled.

"You look beautiful."

[Saricia Ask'lan]

Saricia blushed under the scoundrel's sight and coughed lightly, "Thank you."

She approached gracefully and looked towards the Cat idly since it gave her a chance to collect herself - knowing that her warm cheeks would only continue to blush further under Sanis' gaze. "You have impeccable timing, but that would make sense being the 'Best Star Pilot in the Galaxy'."

With a cheeky grin, she looked to Sanis, having recovered completely.

[Sanis Prent]

I helped her into the shuttle showing her the passenger seat. Not a roomy ship, it could at least carry somebody else and a bit of cargo though.

"Well, I could never be late for my most important passenger."

Helping her with her crash webbing, I eased into my seat, closing the hatchback and preparing to lift off again. Leaving the shuttle in a warm state meant take-off was quick, and we were at once gliding back out into the ether. Layla was close, yellow lights at her wing tips blinking invitingly.

[Saricia Ask'lan]

He was such a flatterer, and the Lupine wondered how often Sanis used his silvery tongue when trying to impress the fairer sex.

She stiffened briefly, at the point of take off and swallowed back the fear of flight that had edged its way up her throat. Saricia did not like space at all. The vastness of it was breathtaking, the ease in which it could kill you without protection was not.

At least it was a short flight.

[Sanis Prent]

I could feel her tense up.

"Space isn't your thing, huh?"

I eased a hand out for her if she cared to take it.

"The best trick I used when I first went into space was to find a star, and look directly at it."

[Saricia Ask'lan]

Like a scared pup, she clung to his hand as the shuttle made its way closer to his ship. Acting upon his suggestion, Saricia looked towards the brightest star she could find and stared at it with unblinking eyes. It was rather pleasant as her eyes focused around the stars with similar brightness which shifted again and again like a kaleidoscope.

Her mind was utterly distracted and entranced for the rest of the short flight.

[Sanis Prent]

I smiled as she took my advice to heart, feeling the intensity of her grip relax somewhat as we made our approach. The bay door opened, and yellow track lights guided us in gently as the final approach was handled by a navisync between the shuttle's and Layla's computers. We coasted in the rest of the way, until the shuttle touched down on her struts, and the larger anchoring claws slid up as an extra means to hold the craft in place. The bay door closed, and after a few seconds of hissing atmosphere regulators, the light above us blinked green.

"Well, that was easy, wasn't it?"

I smiled, and hit the hatch control, opening the rear door so we could exit the craft. I helped the Lupine out of her crash webbing and paused at the step-rail to help her down.

[Saricia Ask'lan]

She gave him a look and shook her head with a smile. "Yes. Thank you for the suggestion.

Feet were light on the steps as Saricia descended the step rail, relieved to be back on something solid, though she was not that naive to know they were still at the mercy of space.

"Lead on Mr. Prent. I'm looking forward to dinner."

[Sanis Prent]

The bulkhead doors leading to deck two whooshed open. Due to the main ladder well that connected all four decks, I could instantly smell the Red Sabaa stew going in the galley above. I'd left the wine to chill previously, and we'd been gone just long enough for it to be just right. Stepping through the crew quarters section, we reached the ladder, and I gestured to it, standing aside.

"Galley's up top, behind the cockpit. After you."

[Saricia Ask'lan]

She smiled nervously, but in an endearing way. The Lupine was just caught off guard by how polite Sanis was being. It was refreshing to see besides the surly, incorrigible pilot that loved to start fights by words or fists.

Hiking up her dress just enough so she may not trip upon it, Saricia climbed the ladder, and quite unaware that this was just a ruse to probably stare at her backside as Sanis climbed the ladder behind her ...