Introductions

"You're getting your new co-pilot today," Amalric said as he walked down the hall of the ship.  He looked ahead with his one good eye, the emerald green darting about assessing anyone he passed.  There was scarring around the right socket where a reflective glass was set to cover a cybernetic replacement.  The red hair was left wild for the most part, only a braid starting near each temple as an effort to tame it.  His pale skin seemed deathly white in the artifical lights of the halls and though he carried the marks of age well his face showed signs of many rough years.

"Why is that?" Kanoa asked as he followed.  The light gray eyes seemed to brighten with his question as he looked to the older man.  He kept his sharp features in a neutral expression that barely moved, even when speaking.  The marble pale skin and smoothness gave the impression of timeless statue in this lighting.  The large hat that looked appropriate for a cold climate pilot and the heavy trench coat nearly smothering his form added an iciness to his appreance.

"We're going to the Telnay system for a smuggling operation, we'll be leaving by the end of the month."

"You aren't kidding about me having to be pretty quick, so where is she?"  Kanoa kept a pace and a half behind Amalric.

"I told her to wait for us in the main mess," Amalric said as he walked through the last door.  The mess hall was a huge food court that had been adapted to feed a crew instead of some vacationers.  It was between shifts so the place was rather deserted.

"Smells pretty good in here, did we take a food convoy and I wasn't invited?"

"Naw, just a lot of spices in that last ship, remember the one with the guy in all those purple layers?"

"Oh right, that guy would not stop sniveling," Kanoa laughed.  Amalric lead them to a table where Avis was sitting.  She looked up from her plate and shot up with the captain's approach and saluted.  The first thing Kanoa took notice of was her hair, or more the lack there of.  She actually had a mohawk, the skin on either side of the strip of hair was too smooth to be shaved, a sign it was likely a natural occurance.  She was also very young, almost too young to be a pilot actually, early twenties.  And her eyes, were they green or blue?  Couldn't tell right off, but they were so eager.

"Captain Bran," she said.

"Let me introduce you to your head pilot," Amalric said as he gestured to Kanoa.

"I am Kanoa Makani Helki Shaka Iman, you can call me Kanoa for short."

"Really, that is a long name, mine is only Avis Ra," she said holding out her hand.  Kanoa accepted the offering and smiled.  "Join me?"

"Sure," Amalric said pulling up a chair, though he didn't sit in it immediately.  "I already ate in the officer hall so I will just have some tea."

"I'm fasting right now," Kanoa said taking a seat.  "Now allowed food until third shift."

"You could have something like tea right?" Avis suggested.

"Only water, plain water," Kanoa explained.

"I'll get it and my tea," Amalric suggested and strolled over to a counter.

"Why are you fasting?" Avis asked.  She dug into the salad on her plate.

"Cultural reasons," Kanoa said.  "Considering we will be working together you should read up on Farlans."

"I will be sure to do that," Avis said.  "I think you should read up on my people as well."

"Tinrasie, your people were very advanced when discovered during the Great Reunion," Kanoa started.  "Known for matriarchal rule and sexual segregation, yet individuals are adaptable enough to emigrate into other cultures.  Famous for poetry, music and a distinct lack of abstract art."

"I'm impressed," Avis said taking a drink from her glass.  Just then Amalric returned with a pair of cups in his hands.  He grinned as he took his seat handing off one of the cups.

"There is a Tinrasie electrician in the crew," Kanoa explained.

"Nicolas," Amalric said.  "Brilliant at what he does."

"Set up the cockpit of Aces Wild perfectly," Kanoa said.

"What happened to your previous co-pilot?"  Kanoa and Amalric looked pointedly at each other. Kanoa shifted uncomfortably and Amalric took a drink of his tea.

"Well, Bob isn't among us any more," Kanoa said.  "Back in the last run, he came by a disease; thankfully it wasn't contagious as he coughed up lung tissue all over the controls."

"Don't try and scare her," Amalric said.  "That is not what happened."

"You're the one that told me to break her in fast.  Fear is a great motivator."

"Don't mind Kanoa, a great story teller," Amalric said turning his attention to the wide-eyed Avis.  "Actually Rob was promoted to another crew."

"Good, I was wondering what sort of disease could do that," Avis said.  "There are so few infectious microbes left on my home world."

"Get inoculated," Amalric said.  "There is such a disease out there, more than one actually; thankfully they all are treatable if caught early.  The worst is from Terra as it is the most virulent and contagious."

"I am already inoculated," Avis said glancing down at her plate.

"Very good," Kanoa said.  "I've heard that because of your level of technology at home most Tinrasie are prone to diseases found among the stars."

"As you two are copilots now I suggest figuring out how that is going to work," Amalric said.

"A few dry runs together should do it," Kanoa said.  "Probably a spare cargo tug while the Aces Wild is being repaired."

"But the cockpits are different."

"So? Flight is flight.  I'll have the thing ready by third shift," Kanoa said.

"You're actually suggesting we go and fly?  Don't you have a simulator or something?" Avis asked sounding unnerved by the proposition.

"We're pirates," Amalric said with a laugh.  "Do you think we'd have something as fancy as a simulator just laying around, much more lucrative to just sell equipment like that."

"Well normally we wouldn't do a test flight either," Kanoa said.  "But we have enough spare fuel captured with this last run.  It'll be good for us to fly together before we have to do it in some action."

Some time later

"I forgot Tinras really like pork," Kanoa said with a wrinkled nose in the serving line.

"Problems?" Quintana asked, she was standing next to him in the line with her own tray.  She stood tall and proud next to him, though she was an obvious span shorter than he.  Her smiling face was framed with short, black hair that looked as straight as rays, around her twinkling green eyes were crinkles that had been left by years of such expression.

"I'm prohibited from the meat, remember?" Kanoa sighed and looked at the serving woman.  "Is there a pork free meal?  Like a vegetarian dish.  Oh, Joal-je, please?"  She pointed down the line and rolled her eyes.

"Feeding such an assorted crew is  always interesting," Quintana said.  "Even from my home everyone is very different."

"Sometimes I wonder if they slip bacon fat into some of the meals just to spite everyone who avoids the stuff."  Kanoa gave a wary sniff to the offered dish but accepted it all the same.  "I can't wait to be on the Aces Wild again, Esmond bars all pork from the food stores."

"Now you're just being paranoid," she said.  The two of them went to a table together.  "I seriously doubt the cooks would do something like that."

"I still purify myself after every meal over the suspicion."  After sitting, Kanoa motioned at Avis for her to join them.  "I would like to introduce you to Quintana Sindor, Chief of Engineering for Aces Wild."

"Good to meet you," Avis said as she sat down.

"So you're replacing Bob," Quintana said.  "I'm a little surprised."

"Really?" Avis asked.  "Why's that?"

"Kanoa's track record.  Last time there was a woman as a copilot thing ended badly."

"Not my fault," Kanoa said.  "She didn't understand the boundaries and crossed the line."

"What ship was Bob transferred too?  I would like to meet him and get his impressions of Kanoa; no offense to you but the faster I can learn the better."

"None taken."

"Oh that won't be happening," Quintana said.  "The ship he was transferred to was destroyed recently, during the last run actually.  No error on his part though, the pilot of the other ship was spacing air rapidly and figured the best he could do was take another ship with him.  Bob will be missed."

"Oh sorry to hear that."

"Death stalks us everywhere," Kanoa said.  "Certain lines of work are stalked more vigorously."

"Hey guys," Nicolas said as he came to the table.  "A new Tinrasie."  He smiled at Avis and shifted the shakers on the table as he pushed his tray in.  He was all smiles as he sat down and nodded at everyone at the table, which sent his black hair bobbing as his mohawk actually stood up like a crest from a tropical bird.  There is an odd gleam in his black eyes as he settles himself down and tears the crust from his bread.

"Our new copilot," Quintana said.

"Really?  The last woman we had Kanoa chased off the ship," Nicolas grinned.  He reached into his sleave with the crust and there was a furry face there eating what was offered.

"Seems memorable, this woman," Avis said as she shot a glance at Kanoa.

"No offense to her or her, but non-Farlan women give me the creeps.  I allowed myself t relax too much around her and she took it as an opening," Kanoa explained.  "I reacted badly when she hit on me."

"I think badly is an understatement," Nicolas said laughing.  "Esmond is still mad about the stuff you broke."

"He's the quartermaster of Aces Wild," Quintana explained.  "Excellent chef too."

"I will keep this all in mind then," Avis said.  "These stories are probably enough to keep me from even thinking about considering hitting on you."

"Good, having such an understanding shows we are starting on the right foot," Kanoa grinned.