Miles Away From Yesterday

Chapter 9 - Like a Memory

Author's Note: Yes, there will be interlude scenes with Hunter every now and then. What's happening with him is important, too. ;) Please share your thoughts!

~ Amina Gila

Crosshair doesn't actually give much thought to what Omega might need from them until after Wrecker comes out of the 'fresher mostly undressed to get his body glove and gear up in his armor again. Crosshair went first. He and his brothers often change clothes or shower in front of each other. Why wouldn't they? But he doesn't know if that's something the kid would be uncomfortable with, or – or any of it. She's a girl. He doesn't know anything about girls, has never really interacted with any. They might as well be an entirely different species.

"The kid'll need a room or something, won't she?" he asks Tech.

Tech doesn't even look at him, too focused on trying to construct a device of some sort. "We never had any personal spaces of our own," he answers. "I do not see why she would be any different."

"She's a girl," Crosshair tries explaining.

"You say that as if that makes her another species," Tech replies. "She is fully human, just like we are. I do not see the issue."

"Well, I dunno, aren't there like societal norms or something?" Crosshair points out. He's pretty sure that there are, but he has no idea what they are. It's never mattered before.

"When we arrive on Raada, it will not matter anyway," Tech tells him. "We will have to settle down into a home like the natborns do."

Yep. Not thinking about that, yet.

"Omega ought to have her own space here, if she's with us," Crosshair says to Wrecker, leaving the cockpit. "Tech disagrees."

Wrecker ponders it for a moment and then shrugs, looking at the gunner's mount. "Ya think that'll work?"

The lights flicker wildly, and Crosshair sighs. "Yeah, we'd best get on with the repairs, though. We can... do that later."

Tech does not help with the repairs. He's too busy doing something that he deems more important. It's a little aggravating, if Crosshair's being honest, because he and Wrecker might know how to do repair work on the Marauder, but Tech's normally the one in charge of it. Echo started helping him later when he joined, and now, neither of them are doing it. Echo's not here. Tech is... busy. It's annoying.

Hopefully, the ship won't fall apart around them before they can fix it – thank you, Tech, for your assistance.

Crosshair sighs heavily – and grumpily – as he exits the cockpit sometime later. It's time to call for a break. He will scream if he has to check one more computer readout right now. Omega's sprawled on the floor, leaning against a tipped-over Gonky, a datapad in her hand. "Is that comfortable?" he asks, a little amused despite himself as he grabs for the case of rations. They only have one more. They're running low, but that shouldn't be a problem if they're going to settle down. They won't be eating rations anymore.

"Yeah," she answers cheerfully, taking the proffered ration bar.

Crosshair hands one to Wrecker and throws another at the back of Tech's head, ignoring his startled yelp of protest.

"Got another?" Wrecker inquires hopefully.

Crosshair plucks out a second and hands it to him. "You can have Echo's ration, since he won't be needing it." Yes, he's being snide and petty, but he's still hurt that Echo just – left them like that. He wasn't supposed to do that. But then, they weren't supposed to leave Hunter either, and they did. Maybe they deserve this.