Timeless Monarch: Astora

Chapter 7

Astora sat in the living habitation area of the Vigilante's main fuselage. Astora moved off to sit by herself while the Crew of the Vigilante and 722114 chatted about flying the darkness of the Milky Way. The living area of the habitation area is right behind the flight deck of the Vigilante, so Astora could still see what was going on in the flight deck if she needed to.

Marcy who had done most of the flying today had gotten up and let Hal and Luis take up the controls and give her a break. Marcy made herself know to Astora by clearing her throat and asking Astora if she can join her.

"Go ahead, it's your ship." Astora said plainly.

"So?" Marcy replied as she went to sit across from her.

"So... why would you ask?" Astora asked her, not really understanding the percieved forced perception of politeness the patron of the ship passed to her passenger. So Marcy replied plainly with this.

"Astora this is a customer service job. You must understand the reason for it?"

Astora replied with, "where's the app so I can give you guys your stars?"

Marcy smiled, and answered with, "submit the review through the TRAVEL COMMISSION!" it was pretty awkward there for a few seconds as both woman didn't know what to do after that. Astora broke the silence by saying, "I was lowkey, being sarcastic, but after that, I will try my hardest to remember." Marcy stood up and gave a curt bow beeming from ear to ear, in a way that Astora thought was absolutely adorable. Astora couldn't help but feel like Marcy was forced to be the polite and welcoming face of their team. This made Astora wonder how she would fit in as their muscle.

A few minutes pased and the boring faced Hal made his way to sit across from her, his face fixed in a smug sort of way. "Hey, Astora... I wanted to apologize for putting the transmitter on the Kids shoulder. That was me feeling threatened by you putting a bug on the Vigilante. I apologize." Hal said with a shaky confidence... which was confusing, it was like admitting vulnerability made him uncomfortable, but his natural confidence was fighting against it. It seemed like a nightmare, so Astora to the apology as genuine and decided to meet him half way.

"I'm sorry for setting up a bug in your ship. That wasn't cool..." Astora said plainly. It was instantly apparent to her that she did not go into as much detail as Hal and she pretended to clear her thoat. Prompting Hal to speak up and ask Astora a question.

"Hey, so what do you do as a contractor? I wanted to ask before but I didn't know how to without it being weird."

"Naw, let's not talk about that." Astora replied. Instead she asked. "Let's talk about how you got started here?"

"Fine, my Grandad was sick and died." Hal said plainly.

Astora looked stone cold at him and Hal knew he had the clearance to keep speaking. His death meant nothing to her.

"When he died..." Hal began, "I felt like if I didn't have Marcy and Lou... I would have probably just love bombed the first person I met. Its not healthy to be that sad, and starved for love."

"When did he pass?" Astora asked confused.

"Last year." Hal replied looking at the table. "It's one of those things I love about those two."

Astora tried not to smile and said, "so you do have a layer or two?"

He raised an eyebrow, "doesn't everyone?"

Astora shifted her back straighter and replied with, "I don't think about it, makes killing harder."

Hal shook his head, "that's very true."

Astora looked out at the stars from the Vigilante's windows and said, "you ever wonder how parents plan out their kids lives?"

Hal shrugged and replied, "I think people plan but follow through is the issue. To many variables between now and 20 years in the future. Predictions take educated guesses and educated people are in short supply..."

Astora liked that response and started staring right at Hal boring face and nice hair. Hal replied uncomfortably with, "what? Was that weird?"

Astora shook her head and reasured him by saying, "not weird at all, just, people always have plans..."

Hal nodded, "but even the best..." but before he finished Astora interrupted him by saying, "even the best plans don't workout the way we want or expect."

Hal stared back at Astora's sharp face and said, "exactly."

Hal asked, "do you think about having kids? Outside of slaves I mean."

Astora sighed and said, "The kid is my apprentice and I will raise him like a little brother. But a kid, I've started wanting them a little more everyday."

Hal glanced out the window and said, "same, I just don't understand why. This world is full of evil."

Astora smiled, "you hate Keegan too?"

Hal's eye shot open and he exclaimed out, "I thought you loved the guy?"

Astora looked repulsed, "I'm a sellout, if someone paid me enough, I'd do what needs to be done."

Hal shifted uncomfortably, "you'd do anything for money?"

Astora shook her head, "just kill people, maim people, I like art, I draw and write sometimes... but I... I think with a world this one its better to just kill people..."

Hal looked sad and relieved at the same time, and Astora could tell why.

Astora began to explain, "before I join a gry covenant, people expect me to fuck or do some other gender stereotype to get noticed. I met my Master in the Library and she taught me how to kill. I liked watching people be scared of me, I like when people respect me. I like when people are afraid of what I can do."

Hal with a calm face said, "what about the opposite?"

Astora put her chin in her hand, "I love that, bravery goes a long way."

Hal mumbled, "I wasn't always... but..." he smiled as if he was remembering lives long lived and decision long passed. He said out loud, "I think I like... when someone is kind."

Astora started blinking, she noticed the Hal's face softened and looked gentle. His eyes dark and contemplating. He was being... vulnerable. Weak.

Hal looked right at Astora quickly and replied, "killing is easy, fear is easy, everyone is already on edge."

Astora noticed his face bore a striking resemblance to the word, or maybe feeling of wise stern elder. Like he tapped into a persona that was from a past existence.

Astora looked away and had to reply. "I conceed to you on that... I definitely feel like making a happy home is harder. But... I like power and ambition. But good people never want that... truly..."

"Maybe that can change with you?" Hal said plainly with... Astora couldn't believe she was thinking this, his interesting face...

When the Vigilante intercoms came up and said they were landing, both Hal and Astora were very confused.

They had been speaking the entire time and there were no breaks at all. They had connected, quickly, they jokes they they had spilled the beans too quickly and exchanged numbers before the rest of the crew could meet them.