Surviving my Scholarship

Evolution

             "I need a ship," I state as I open the door to the independent air hanger. The door swinging shut was met with silence. The pilots, or what I could only assume were pilots, all huddle around a single old engine that is on fire. Fire in an air hanger and fueling station, smart. "Get off your asses and prep one for me!"

One of them glances at me as if seeing me for the first time. He coughs slightly into his warm looking gloves. Then, the man leans over a Comm attached to the wall with what looks like a schedule before leaning in closer to the fire.

"Nah," he states as he spits something into the flames and it infuriates me that I am not getting what I desire.

"What," I stomp towards them, only to have them start chuckling at me.

"Navigators out," another one leans back in his chair with a scrape. These people have actual chairs and that baffles me for a second. You would think Independents could afford the finer things. I take the moment to cool off by glancing around the shop. Sure enough, primitive tools hang on the wall. It is not the all-in-one-adaptable I am used to having for everything. I tap my back pocket knowing it's snug to my behind ready to assemble or destroy.

The hanger has three ships of the transport craft and they look in rough shape but should get me to the Outer Belts. I glance over the closest one to see it is being held up by an air-pressured lift. Perhaps it's under repair. The rest of the hanger is barren of anything decorative, except for a pin up of Ms. Universe, First Millennia. I crinkle my face in disgust at the Sorbettive posing with the crown. That was obviously a bought competition. She isn't even of our universe and she has no actual shape.

"Don't be looking at my girl like that," one of them points at him before gesturing at the picture. He blows her a kiss causing the others to wolf whistle. "Pretty soon I will have Lady Hope up there as well. All my ladies present."

"Lady Hope," I repeat a little disturbed at the way he said my ladies and confused on who this person was. Apparently, there is a new icon for these lower beings to worship. Perhaps it is a new pin up or the next Ms. Universe. If she is going up against Sorbettive, I'm sure she must be hideous herself. The pilots grow silent as they stare at me. I turn slightly thinking someone is behind me only to realize they are shocked at my response.

"Lady Hope, it's that Earl Grison something's kid," a scruffier one sitting near the back of the engine puffing on some substance states. His hands gesture in the air as he speaks like a true Italian's and I smirk at the reminder that some Earthly traits have crossed cultures. Violet has some of those that I find adorable. Perhaps we can go there on a vacation sometime. My stomach tightens at the thought. Or not once she finds out the truth.

"Earl Grison has no children," I argue knowingly and the original man to speak groans as he gets up gesturing to his Comm. I take the three steps through a grease pile. Anger surges though me that my boots will surely be ruined by this. Violet had liked this pair. The picture portrayed on his Comm Unit only feeds this anger. How could he expose his niece when there is still civil war in her homeland? She will be killed!

"I need a ship," I growl though my teeth and once again the pilots go quiet. The few near me shuffle their seats farther away.

"We ain't got none," the warm mitted one states.

"I see three," I gesture towards one. "If you will not fly it, name your price. I will buy it."

The laughter that filled the room insulted me and I grab the first person closest to me pulling his collar to me. I am not in a mood for all of their games. He lets out a yelp at the action. After calming, his eyes turn indifferent and he actually smirks at me. Before I can take a punch at him, I am disrupted by a newcomer.