Eagle X, Mission 20: Quantum Bonds(Editing)

Part 7: Scott

We will reach Jagg-Ra C in twelve hours

Scott could barely hear the announcement over the hustle and bustle of the ship's common room. He grumbled to himself, and plucked a ball of yonyon fruit from the bowl at his table. Over three dozen people ate, smoked, and slept as they awaited arrival at their destination. It wasn't the noise or the smell of pipe leaf which annoyed him, it was the crush of people. In his years among humans Scott had developed an appreciation for privacy. Of the potbellied transport's five common rooms, his was the least crowded thus the most tolerable.

Felarnian transports traditionally lacked private quarters, though more recent models were designed to accommodate their less traditional passengers. He looked up at his traveling companion, and she definitely qualified as less traditional. Ivory was a human cyborg, trained as a soldier and augmented by a dozen support systems. She was thin and short, even for a human. She was one of Liam's additions to the team. Scott never truly trusted mercs, but Ivory had yet to give him reason to distrust her.

"Okay, I have to ask," she said while he stared at the vastness of space through the viewport beside their booth. "We paid for a booth because Felarnian ships don't have rooms, right?"

He gave an affirmative grunt.

"There aren't nearly enough booths for everyone, so how do your people rest during long flights?"

Scott turned, and followed her gaze to the far wall where a dozen felarnians slept on a collection of cushions. He thought of his childhood growing up with his father and uncles, taking weekly treks into the wild lands to train, and to commune with The Hssai. They each carried their own cushion, a home mound, embroidered with family and clan symbols as well as little messages from his mother, aunts, and his little sister. Scott saw an image of little Patricia playing in the yard of their ancestral home. As he watched the childhood memory was consumed by an eddy of silvery blood, leaving a still corpse in its wake.

"Raven!"

His vision returned to the here and now. Ivory watched him with concern as did the couple sitting in the next booth. He nodded at them, and they nodded in return before returning to their own conversation. Ivory wasn't as easily reassured.

"What?" he grumbled.

"You were growling so loud, I thought you were about to pounce." She shook her head. "Spider and Dr. Ho warned me to beware your temper on this assignment. They said I might have to play interference, but no one had to tell me that. We're all feeling it. Patricia is the heart and soul of Eagle X."

"Don't mention her again." His voice was flat, dangerous, even to his own ears.

"Seriously? Fine." She looked back at the cluster of sleepers. "So you never answered my question."

He looked out at the stars once more, trying to shake memories of murderous nano.

"It is tradition for travelling felarnians to find refuge in the warmth of family and clan," he said, quoting his uncle Raice.

"Really? So the matching markings on their pillows a-"

"Home mounds."

"The markings on their home mounds are clan, and family symbols. I get that." She yawned. "Did you stash a pair in you pack? I'm tired."

"A lot of people would be offended if you just strolled over and tried to join them." Scott chuckled, "It might be entertaining to watch you get into some trouble."

Ivory had joined him and Liam on a few assignments and he'd learned that, though she was small, she was also scrappy and loved a good fight. She had a warrior's disposition. He liked that.