Setting
The bar the group was occupying, Lealtâs, was not a high class establishment, but when you lived in the wrong half of the galaxy like they did, it was the local. Technically classified as a ship, the bar floated mid-space a fifteen minute flight from Glaxon. Theyâd been here plenty of times, always coming back when theyâd forgotten about the previous trouble theyâd gotten into.
The bar had three levels, and enough variety to satisfy most desires.
Lealtâs, despite its unsavoury glamour, was always packed. It seemed the galaxy lacked an understanding of âweek nightsâ. The barâs main appeal was Jixeon, a liquid that glowed blue and felt like swallowing static electricity, banned from any regulated establishment because its affects tended to be on the unpredictable side. Of course, that hadnât stopped Jax and the group doing a few rounds of Jixeon earlier before they had all disappeared and left Jax to man the booth.
The room spun a little for Jax, but the Jixeon mostly just made him extra sleepy.
âYou.â A beefy hand started banging on the table, and as Jax blinked slowly a few times he realised the Jixeon might have been affecting him more than he thought at the entire bar seemed to shake.
Jax dropped his feet to the ground to keep his balance and looked up at the trio of aliens in the front of him. The main one had purple bumpy skin and every time he breathed out a puff of yellow steam enveloped his head. Jax supposed he might have looked familiar but theyâd been so many aliens over the years. âWhere girl?â
Wolf had been teaching them all Standard Galactic, the most commonly used language in the galaxy, and Jax had been a reluctant learner, but even he was better than this beefy alien in front of him. So he figured this guy was looking for Wolf to interact with, or for Grace, aliens always seemed to ask for Grace.
So Jax shrugged with a sigh. He didnât know where either of them were, they might have said something but he hadnât heard, or if he had heard, he hadnât remembered.
âWhere girl now!â The alien repeated with a raised voice and more insistent drumming on the table.
Jax rolled his eyes, âI donât know, somewhere in here I guess.â
The alien roared in his own language that sounded something like how Jax imagined sea lions to communicate, hit the table one last time for good measure, then stormed off into the crowded bar. Presumably to find âgirlâ.
Jax sighed and settled back into a comfy position in the booth, dreading the thought that anything annoying was going to come from this. He could really use a peaceful nap for once.
Nothing was that easy.
There was a crashing noise, the shatter of glass, and a familiar snorting-grumble. All piggish, nasal. Familiar. Across the way stood a tall, gangly human male. Heels dug in. Mouth set into a hard line, an eyebrow flagged up in annoyance. He stood directly in front of the purple-skinned alien, its ugly head craned in his direction, lips pulled into the closest reminiscence of a scowl. A puff of yellow smoke billowed from the corner of its mouth. The other two flanked his sides and seemed to look to their leader for guidance, fingers twitching.
âWhere girl, huh?â Buckâs voice echoed sourly as he drew up a finger and prodded the alien hard in the chest. The way his shoulders were set, it was clear that heâd been listening in on the conversation. Glowing blue liquid pooled at their feet and slid down the alienâs knobbed toes. âFuck off, understand that?â As knowledgeable as Wolf was about the alien languageâabout any language, for that matter, Buck had never been that interested in learning any of it. He believed some things were just universal.
A middle finger flagged in the air? How could anyone not know that?
Sometimes, he paid enough attention to Wolfâs lessons to pick up a couple new words. He understood some of the more guttural languages, but only enough to get by so he could make transactions, ask where the bathroom was, or shake someone down. The aliens he bumped elbows with were mostly this type: big, dumb, stupid. He couldnât carry a conversation. Mostly because he didnât want to. Not with flea-bags like this one, booming out their chests, looking for trouble where they shouldnât. Where girl.
It made his skin crawl. Made him want to punch the thing in the face for even insinuating what it wanted to do. He wasnât sure where Isaac was, or the girls, for that matter. Either way⊠Buck squared his shoulders, and remained anchored in place when the alien took one of its meaty hands and gripped at him, digging sharp, mishappen nails into his collarbone, pricking through his shirt. Hard to tell if the thing was smiling but it definitely looked like it. A chattering noise sounded and the other two joined it. Laughter? Who fucking knew.
âWhere girl?â the alien repeated.
There was a twitch along his jawline, only splitting a fraction next to his ear. A sliver. The vague, white line puckered where pink peeped through. Barely discernible, unless you knew where to look. A strange scar, on a strange human. His eyebrows drew together as Buck leaned closer to the alien, eyes feverishly bright. Heâd been drinking like the rest of âem. Maybe, a little too much. His hand was lowering to his waist, slightly behind his back. They were all armed. Couldn't afford not to be.
âDidnât you hear me the first time?â
The night started out just fine. Summer and her crew had celebrated their '5 year anniversary' of being together. At the same time, Summer didn't want to remember that humans were an endangered species. It was pretty ironic, going from being the most power species on Earth to realizing you were just a drop of water compared to the numerous lifeforms in the whole universe. Summer personally hated this 'anniversary' because it was another painful reminder of what she lost. She tried pushing her increasing depressing thoughts and feelings by laughing and smiling with those she now saw as her 'new family'. It wasn't long before drinks were ordered. In the past Summer flat out refused to drink anything alcoholic. When she got her smelling implant, she was able to pick out anything that was distilled or alcoholic. While this wasn't the main reason why she got that implant, it was a definite perk, especially with Wolf around. Earth might be destroyed and the USA nothing more then a memory, but she still obeyed the "No drinking under 21" law that the US had. Plus she was scared of what it could do to her. While her original family was never religious, the times they did go to church, she never drank the wine there.
Recently Summer did turn 21, but was still reluctant to try the blue liquid. However with the combination of her curious nature and Wolf's persuasion of, "Just take a sip. It's not going to kill you", Summer finally gave into temptation and took a sip, which ended up as a gulp. It was all over from there. She felt great and went off with Grace somewhere with her drink. She was already plastered halfway drinking the stuff and somehow got separated from Grace. Seeing she was done, she recalled where their booth were. Even when drunk, it seemed Summer still had a good memory. She showed up just as the aliens Jax and Buck interacted with left.
"Hi boys! This has been the best evening of my life! Who just left? Bucky, have you been a good boy?" Summer asked with a lopsided grin.
It would have been obvious she was a goner, plus she never addressed Buck that way too. She also kept hiccuping and giggling.
"Hmmm, I could use another drink, but I think I'll rest a bit."
However, before she could do anything else, she tripped and ended up falling directly on top of Jax.
"Ooops! I fell! Hehehe sorry Jaxy. Mmmm you feel sooooo goooood. I think I'll just stay here," giggled Summer before snuggling against Jax and passing out.
xxxxGrace Cooper
It didn't take long for them to come after her. Grace stayed in the shadows, blending in despite her human nature and fiery red locks. She watched as they approach Jax first, whom appear apathetic to the whole situation as he did with most things. It worked out in handy when creatures left him. Unfortunately for the creatures, they ran into Buck next and that will lead to a disaster for Grace when he realized she was causing trouble again. It was her fault, but she was helping the group and it felt good. Call it an adrenaline rush or a foolish lack of self preservation, but it made her feel whole for a moment.
The group's celebration of their five years together was bittersweet for everyone. Some remembered the people they lost and others just felt sadness for being the last remaining humans. Grace was both yet neither. She left behind two people on Earth whom she knew she would lose at some point. She was mentally prepared for it, but not in a ball of fire. The lost affected her too, but not in an obvious way like some of the others. The growing recklessness of one of her teammates wasn't unnoticed by her and the growing guilt in another. The team has been going five years strong, hopefully they can last another.
Grace moved closer towards the both the group had been occupying. The Paloovians were distracted and if she needed to, Grace could duck under the table. The wrath of Buck is still hard to deal with, but it's deserved. A drunk Summer was leaning, more like laying, on Jax which brought a smile to her face. Space alcohol and the persuasion of Wolf must have lead to this. She took a seat next to the two, careful to not sit on a passed out Summer. With a simple nod in acknowledgement to her group, she observed the area, keeping a close eye on the Paloovians.
When Wolf finally looked up, she realized she was being held by the female kittycat. She parted her lips to speak, but she didnât know their language. Had she heard them speak before? It was hard to remember. Despite her hazy mind, she had a feeling she should try to escape. Wolf could see Jax and maybe even Summer at the booth. Wolf was distracted when she was adjusted in the alienâs arms. Surprisingly, the movement cause her left hand to hurt since it was against the alienâs body.
She looked at the palm of her left hand. It had five bright red scratches across it. Though, a clear liquid seemed to prevent the cuts from bleeding. Wolf closed her eyes as she tried to remember what happened. She remembered petting the female alien. Next the male slapped her hand away, his claws had given her the cuts. She opened her eyes as she felt ready to doze off. Wolf knew she had to get on her feet fast. She had to reach the ship, a hiding place, and or the others.
âPut me down?â she whispered, hoping the alien understood Standard Galactic. Wolf felt as if she had been sedated. The alien hissed and Wolfâs brain struggled to process the language. The alien said no. Wolf let out a soft sigh. She wondered what the alien wanted with her. Wolf was about to speak again, but the alien started to walk and she heard a familiar voice. Her eyes wandered over to the source of the voice. It was Buck. A smile graced her lips. He was irritated it seemed and talking to aliens. Wolf grew hopeful as they drew closer to him. If she could grab onto him, she could get some help with escaping the kittycat.
Though, Wolf realized seconds later she wouldnât need his help. The male alien came out of nowhere and yanked Wolf out of the femaleâs arms. Wolf hit the ground, but she didnât feel any pain. She knew sheâd likely feel tender in the morning. Slowly she stretched out on the floor and turned onto her back. She listened as the two aliens argued. The argument was about her. The female wanted to take her home, but the male was against it. At the thought of being stolen away, she turned and slowly got to her hands and knees. She clumsily crawled over towards the sound of Buckâs voice. Wolf appeared behind Buck just as he reached for his weapon. Wolf got into a kneeling position. Her vision blurred. She knew she wouldnât be able to stand on her own.
âDidnât you hear me the first time?â she heard Buck say.
âBuck, help me up. Leave the aliens alone,â she said, her voice thankfully coming out clear. She was starting to feel a bit sober, but her body was too relaxed. Wolf still felt tired too. Tension filled her when she heard a series of hissing. She glanced back at the aliens that reminded her of kittycats. The femaleâs eyes were on her as the male tried to drag her off. Wolf felt panic rise inside of her quickly. She held a hand out so Buck could pull her up once he turned around. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath to push away the panic. Wolf knew she couldnât freak out now.
âBuck. I need to hide before I get adopted by a kittycat,â she said, her voice now raised in volume. Wolf was starting to freak out and it annoyed her. If she was sober, sheâd be fine with her current problem.
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Their team had plenty of responsible members who would deal with that. Or, well, they had Isaac.
Of course just as Jax justified ignoring one disaster, another blonde one appeared. Summerâs giggling and red rimmed eyes made it fairly obvious someone had talked to into drinking, which didnât bother Jax, heâd just wished sheâd done it earlier. Like, illegally, back in high school, like most of them had.
"Hmmm, I could use another drink, but I think I'll rest a bit."
Jax raised an eyebrow as the Blonde took a tumble straight on top of him. Heâd been reclining in the booth, with his legs kicked up on the table, and sheâd fallen onto the seat next to him with her whole torso on top of his lap.
"Ooops! I fell! Hehehe sorry Jaxy. Mmmm you feel sooooo goooood. I think I'll just stay here." His reflexes kicked in and his arms raised up out of her way, as she proceeded to turn around and actually snuggle in.
Both Jaxâs eyebrows had practically crawled into his hairline, and he sat still as a statue. Heâd never really been much of a snuggler, even his mother had complained that her only baby had never wanted to have âcuddlesâ. So this was a particularly new experience for him. Eventually, she stopped moving and when Jax looked down her eyes were shut.
âJaxy?â He whispered to himself, utterly bemused. He even looked around for Wolf, convinced she was playing some sort of trick on him.
âSummer.â He said prodding her with a finger. âSummer. Summer.â She didnât respond and so Jax shrugged and eased back into the booth. Smothering a yawn, he grabbed his drink off the table and ignored the snoozing blonde still attached to his chest.
Then Grace appeared and took a seat next to him. He gave her a little, lazy half smile and mock salute.
Their quiet didnât last long though as Buckâs dispute became hard to ignore. âDidnât you hear me the first time?â Buck said, and Jax got a good look at him reaching for his weapon. He sighed and shot Grace an annoyed look, where was Isaac when you needed a straight laced kind of guy?
Looking at the mild-mannered Grace and dozing Summer, Jax realised he was their best bet, which was a shocking and horrifying fact.
He peeled himself out from under Summer and eased past Grace. He downed the last of his glowing blue glass and stepped in between Buck and aliens. He sighed and threw a hand in the air in a lazy surrender before summoning his best Standard Galactic.
âLook Paloovians, I donât know, I think Buck just means-â The rest of his words were strangled off, and his neck was literally strangled by one of the Paloovians who held him up dangling in the air.
Jax for his part, hung there choking as his vision went spotty. He regretted most of what had just happened, and realised quickly why it was easier to let Isaac deal with these things. The guy with a cannon for an arm never ended up being strangled. Of course, then Wolf turned up clawing at Buckâs leg talking about kitty cats. And they all wondered why Jax hadnât wanted to come out tonightâŠ
So many things were happening at once, it made Buckâs head spin.
Fortunately for him, he fed off the annoyance threading from the Paloovian in waves. It pulsed, spilled over. Tensed his shoulders even more, made his anger justified. It pooled from them like the glowing drink dripping off the creatureâs clawed foot. Maybe heâd got it wrong. Maybe they werenât looking for a good time, and one of the girlâs screwed them out of money. Made more sense, the way they were going on. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Summer slithering past him, nearly bumping into his shoulder, before plopping down into Jaxâs lap.
She, at least, was fine. Drunk, but in one piece. Safe. Not knowing where the others were rankled his nerves, made him want to escalate the situation further. Push until this Paloovian pushed back. The thing huffed out yellow smog from its lips, which peeled back from pointed teeth. It seemed to look to its companions, clicking its tongue. He didnât know what it was sayingâif it was saying anything at all. Couldnât understand him. Not that heâd admit it, but he wished Wolf was here. Then, she could tell them to fuck off properly. It usually worked. For whatever reason, alienâs didnât respond well to their spoken language. Probably thought it was an affront to their damned race.
Another muscle jumped along his jawline as the Paloovianâs claw sunk deeper into his collarbone, forcing him a step backwards. Pricking uncomfortably into his skin. They were bigger than him. Seemed as if most aliens towered over them, unfortunately. It made it harder to stand toe-to-toe with them, though it didnât really stop him from trying. Heâd earned more broken bones than he could count from picking fights with them; humans were fragile, in comparison. It pissed him off.
A familiar face bobbed into his peripherals. Fiery hair bobbing past. Grace seemed to be picking her way carefully across the bar in a way that he recognized immediately. He tore his gaze away from the Paloovianâs ugly face, and watched as she plopped down at the table Jax and Summer inhabited. All trouble. It oozed from her; that caution heâd become so attuned to. Though he wasnât sure of the specifics, he could guess pretty damn well what had happened. Didnât mean heâd step down and apologize. âThere ainât no girl youâre looking for hereââ
A tugging at the hem of his shirt distracted him enough to drop his hand from the hilt of the pistol, tucked safely into the hostler strapped to his back. He dropped his gaze and spotted Wolf there, sprawled at his feet. His mouth worked for a question and snapped shut, eyebrows jamming together. Where the hell did she even come from? A huff of breath hissed past his lips as he looked in the direction sheâd crawled from, ears straining for sounds. Two more aliens, furred bastards, heatedly pointing towards Wolf. Abandoning his pistol, Buck pushed the Paloovianâs hand away and took a step backwards, creating some distance, and for whatever reason, the alien seemed inclined to let him. He leaned off to the side, and grabbed onto Wolfâs forearm, hauling her back to her feet, but maintained his grip on her arm.
To keep her steady. To keep her from running off. To keep himself anchored. He wasnât sure anymore, but the room span and everything seemed too damn loud in his ears. Too full.
Whatever calm heâd amassed in himself dissolved as soon as Jax pushed himself between them, unsuccessfully. He was two seconds away from telling him to step off. But, once the Paloovianâs clawed, meaty hand wrapped itself around his neck and pulled him off he ground, Buck reacted instinctively. He couldnât think around the pounding in his head. He released his grip on Wolf and immediately freed his pistol from his back, jamming it underneath the alienâs face, nestled under its ridged chin. A furious breath puffed out. âLet him go or Iâll blow your brains out.â He pressed the muzzle of the pistol harder, insistent, desperate, âUnderstand that?â
There was a clattering of noise in the background. Then, silence. Uncomfortable, heavy. Curious eyes already turning to stare at them.
Humans, making trouble again.
It always amazes Isaac that some concepts are universal, like bars for example. No matter where there's always people looking to drown their sorrows, trying to find some sort of escape from themselves, or life at the bottom of a bottle. Though he supposes there's a certain comfort in knowing that no matter how far they go in the endless black sea that is space, or how strange the lifeforms they encounter it's all more of the same, just with a different coat of paint. For the most part aliens were basically the same as humans, they had the same wants, desires, and vices as any human being.
But then again some aliens were about as far from human as they could possibly get, like the one that "sat" across the table from Isaac in a private room on the upper floor at Lealt's. Rather than sitting the alien was floating above the chair, it's body was translucent and round and filled with some kind of dark-grey gas swirling around inside, looking almost like a thunderstorm, along with having four tentacles dangling down. Instead of a visible brain it had a web of neurons, much like a nerve net in jellyfish. This nerve net glowed brightly, and pulsated, switching between pink, and light blue. It was from a species called the Zroushesh, a species with no verbal communication, and instead relied on visual signals from their bioluminescent nerve net. This made communication difficult, but not impossible. Thankfully this particular Zroushesh, some merchant named Bemso, had a robot servant to translate to other species. The robot was sleek, and shiny, looking almost brand new. It was rather out of place in the dirty dive bar.
On the table between them sat a hookah-like device, and the robot held the tube to Bemso's body, and a purple gas released into it's body. Isaac meanwhile was sipping on a glass of a green liquid, a drink called Preiwox, something that was alcoholic to some species, though humans weren't one of them. Isaac preferred to remain clear headed, especially since nine times out of ten the others would end up causing trouble that he would have to fix. "I have a shipment of Tronacite Crystals for a client on Zaoter IV, but it's been difficult to find a transport ship on such short notice. And you have come highly recommended from Lealt." The robot translated in Standard Galactic, thankfully over the past five years Isaac has become fluent enough to be able to use it without the help of Rosemary.
"Hmm....Zaoter IV? Bit of a difficult trip, pirates have been steadily getting more active around there." Isaac said as he placed his glass on the table. "It's nothing we haven't handled before, so it shouldn't be too difficult. As for payment, we'll take twenty-five percent of the profit, half upfront, and half upon completion. That's our standard rate." They're used to dealing with dangerous aliens, and pirates aren't anything new. The robot translated what Isaac said back to it's master with a series of flashing lights coming from it's singular eye. Bemso took a moment to think it over before it answered with it's own series of flashes. "This is acceptable. I will send you the location, and time to pick of the cargo. I look forward to working with you."
With their business meeting done Isaac left the room, leaving Bemso to finish whatever it was smoking. Almost as soon as he stepped out of the room did he hear a commotion coming from the bottom level. And of course it had to be coming from the others. It always comes from the others.
Isaac got down to bottom level as fast as could, just in time to catch Buck holding his pistol to the head of the large alien that was holding up Jax. "Enough." Isaac calmly walked over to them, almost exuding authority. "Put the gun down. And put him down. Now." Whatever was going on that seemed to be the best place to start to calm things down. Isaac and the alien stared each other down, and after what seemed like an eternity the alien finally released Jax. "Let me handle this."
"Where girl!?" Isaac's eyes instantly drifted towards Wolf, it was usually a safe bet that when trouble is stirred up it had something to do with Wolf. "No! Red girl!" That would be his second guess. His eyes lingered towards Summer and Grace at a booth, the guilt on her face pretty telling. The alien's eyes followed Isaac's, and once he laid eyes on Grace he let out a loud roar, and pointed at her. He began to storm over to her, but Isaac reached out, grabbing his arm before he could go.
"You're dealing with me no-" Before he could finish his sentence the alien swung around, bringing his beefy fist towards Isaac's head. At the last second Isaac managed to bring up his right arm to protect himself. While his right arm looked no different than his left, appearances can be deceiving, and in reality his entire right was replaced by a cybernetic one that housed his plasma cannon. This arm was much tougher, and stronger than his regular one. Pretty handy when he wanted to surprise assailants with some superhuman strength without having to use his Overdrive function.
The alien was surprised to say the least. "For the record, you threw the first punch." Isaac took a deep breath, and quickly let it out, activating his Overdrive implant. Now he needed to get this over with quickly. Isaac punched the alien in the gut with his free arm, causing the alien to stumble back, and double over in pain. Isaac grabbed the alien by the back of his shirt, and tossed him into one of his buddies with little effort. As they toppled over the third one rushed towards Isaac, as it swung it's massive fist towards him, Isaac threw his right fist into his. The collision caused a disturbing cracking sound as a piece of the alien's wrist bone jetted out of it's wrist.
The alien howled in pain as he cradled his wrist. While it was screaming Isaac delivered a powerful uppercut, actually lifting up the beefy alien a few feet off the ground before he fell down. Once he was down it wasn't long before the other two rejoined the fray. The leader punched Isaac across his face, causing him to stagger backwards. That's gonna sting when he comes down. The other alien rushed over to join his leader in double teaming him. A flurry of punches followed as Isaac exchanged blows with the two, using his increased speed, and strength to try to defend himself from them, forcing him back.
'I don't have time for this!' Isaac kicked the leader in his knee, forcing him down, and gave his lackey a right cross, causing him to stumble backwards. Isaac grabbed the leader, and tossed him several feet away across the room. The lackey rushed Isaac, and tackled him to the ground, all the while shouting what was no doubt unsavory words in his native language. As the alien mounted him, Isaac's right arm began to transform, turning inside out with everything below his elbow turning to a plasma cannon. Before the alien could start wailing on him, Isaac pressed his cannon to his ribs. A bright green blast fired from the cannon, forcing the alien several feet into the air. At point blank range his cannon caused a large hole straight through him.
Isaac pulled himself up, and took in several deep breaths. "I....I think it's time to go. Any objections?"
Jax was lifted in the airâŠby his throat. She glanced at the pistol Buck had jammed into the alien. Wolf wanted to tell him to shoot, but she couldnât remember how to talk. She noticed the silence, but focused on clearing her mind. She knew she had to do something. The issue was that her mind was chaotic with thoughts. Slowly, her mind cleared. She was ready to grab one of her hidden blades, but then Isaac appeared. She glared lasers at the alien as Isaac spoke to them.
When the alien released Jax, her super reflexes kicked in. Before the alien fully let go of Jax, she caught him. Well, she caught him enough to help keep him standing up. The last thing she wanted was for him to get even more hurt by hitting the floor. Once she was sure he wouldnât fall, she wrapped an arm around his waist. Her heart was pounding. Her face was blank, but fear made her feel cold. She thought it was fear that made her feel cold anyways.
âAre you okay?â she whispered, not really expecting an answer. She was aware the alien was after Grace. She even knew Isaac was fighting the trio now, but she was focused on Jax. Wolf was staring at him. She was scared heâd just drop dead. Wolf wanted to keep an eye on him to confirm he was alive. She only nodded when Isaac spoke.
âLetâs go Jax, we need to get you on the ship,â she said. Without a second though, she nudged Jax so he could walk to the ship. Wolf didnât plan on leaving his side. Hell, she planned on leaving her arm around his waist until he sat or laid down. Thanks to him being the one who came closest to meeting death tonight, sheâd be his shadow for the next few days. Wolf felt her anger rise at the thought, but she brushed it away. She had to make sure Jax was safe and well.
Summer felt like she was floating between a few layers. Like between the realms of awake and sleep. It was a very unsettling feeling. She also felt sick to her stomach. Where was she? How would she get back? She felt herself move as something warm entered her. Unknown to Summer, this was when Jax moved her and tried waking her up. When things settled, she felt herself sink deeper into sleep. This felt much more soothing, even though her stomach was still queasy.
This moment of stillness would last long as noises started penetrating her unconsciousness, and she slowly started to wake up. However, she wouldn't become fully awake though when Isaac started to get physical with the aliens. She jolted upward when he used his plasma cannon and gasped.
The blast caught her off guard so much that she was brought back to when her life changed forever because there was a series of blasts too. She was actually prepared to run again, but her mind, although pounding, started to function and she took in stock of her situation.
Where was she? She looked around and remembered she and her fellow humans were celebrating their 5 year anniversary and she finally gave into trying alcohol. From there everything was a blur. Oh gosh, just what had she been doing? Her cheeks turn red in embarrassment. She felt awful, physically too. Like her mouth was dry, her head was pounding, and her stomach felt worse then when it did when she was on her monthly. She wish she had a mirror. At least her brain was working. She looked around again to see Grace next to her, Isaac suggesting they leave, Buck nearby, and Wolf helping Jax. She saw the remains of an alien who had been obviously blasted by Isaac. It was then she remembered Isaac's words.
"You'll have no objection from me. I feel awful! she replied.
It was then her stomach started to twitch and she stumbled from her seat and raced for the nearest restroom. She got there just in time and when she returned, she was sheet white and exhausted.
"That's the last time I have any of that . . . . stuff. No more drinking for me." she stammered, her voice cracking, eying Wolf with that last bit.
She started heading for the ship, frustrated she wasn't strong enough to help Jax.
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It took the entirety of the ensuing fight for Jax to regain any sort of normal breathing, and stop his lungs from hacking at air. Though regaining his breath and feeling decidedly calmer, Jax surveyed the alien with the giant hole blasted through its middle.
He rubbed at his, probably bruising neck, and caught Buckâs eye. âIâd like to see you do something like that.â His voice was husky, but was, like usual, devoid of much enthusiasm.
He looked down at Wolf still attached to his waist staring back up at him with a blank face. He wondered how in the last ten minutes he had ended up with two girls wrapped around him as if he seemed the cuddle-y sort.
Isaac suggested it was time to head off. And Wolf repeated that sentiment, but with a lot more sensitivity to Jaxâs sore neck, which he was still rubbing at. He seemed unable to stop prodding at his neck, like a child who pokes their bruises. Jax couldnât think of a single thing that would make him want to come back to Lealtâs at a later date, let alone stay now. So he let Wolf prod him along.
âNo more drinking for me." Summer announced re-joining the group on their way out.
Jax gave a lazy grin and motioned at Wolf still attached to his waist. âGood choice, with me already taken.â He then paused, and leaned on Wolf to nod at Buck. âAnd, I just donât think heâs the snuggle-y type.â
He continued his way out of Lealtâs, and arrived the docking station, where an alien with five blue arms, and a green waist coat was waiting at a podium. He shrugged at Wolf, âWell, I donât have the parking ticket.â
Seeing as Lealtâs was its own large ship in the middle of space, rather than a terrestrial planet, the group were forced to leave their ship to be parked by the valets. Lealt, like most spaced-based establishments, hired aliens who could sustain their life in space without atmosphere and whatnot. Thus they could park and, later, retrieve the ships from external parking yards without, you know, dying.
An identical alien appeared, and spoke in its natural language to the first alien. They went back and forth a couple times, Jax was sure Wolf could understand whatever they were saying but he felt no inclination to request a translation. Finally the first alien turned towards them. âThe humans? With that orange thing.â
Jax nodded, not minding the clear attitude. The trouble they were currently legging it away from kind of made the humans part understandable. And as for orange thing, well, their ship had been an old model five years ago when they purchased it second-hand. Not a single one of them could understand what possessed the previous owner to decided on the visually assaulting paint job. Plus, even with Summerâs abilities, well, there were a few pieces here and there they werenât fully attached.
Hey, it still got them from A to B. Jax didnât see the issue, it had been a bargain.
The Valet spoke into an ear piece and after a few minutes the large circular door behind the valet opened. It revealed a chamber about the size of a double-storey house in which their ship was currently parked.
Wolf didnât let up and she followed Jax around the ship and deposited him in the passenger seat. His usual spot, seeing as he was navigating. In the back there wasnât a whole lot of space, but enough, at the back there was some bench space, and U-couch that surrounded a small table.
âSo, who had the best night then?â Jax asked sarcastically as he rubbed at his neck and kicked his feet up on the dashboard.
His neck looked like it may be bruising, but she couldnât tell as her vision was acting up. She had to take a deep breath. She felt dizzy. Wolf looked where Jax did and listened to his next words. Her smile grew as she imagined Buck being the snuggly type. She wondered what Buck would do if someone did decide to snuggle up to him. It gave her an idea that she mentally stored away.
For now, she focused on helping Jax out of Lealtâs. Wolf was confused when he mentioned the parking ticket. Did she have it? Her memory was all mixed up and not fitting together. What the hell happened with the female kittycat? She got lost into her thoughts until Jax started to move again. Redundantly, she deposited him into the passenger seat. Wolf wanted to bring him to the back to make sure he was okay, but she knew he had to navigate.
Wolf crossed her arms and noticed the icy temperature of her skin. She allowed everyone to get inside the ship before she took the seat nearest to the door. Wolf wanted to help Jax out once they landed. She crossed her ankles. Before leaning back, she crossed her arms and closed her eyes. Wolf focused on her breathing as she tried to remember the night. Though, she was then distracted by Jaxâs question. A soft laugh escaped her lips.
âMmmm, I canât even remember my night much. I must have had the best one,â she said before a soft sigh escaped her lips. Wolf kept her expression neutral during the ride, but her eyes fluttered open when they landed. Quickly she got up, exited the ship, and opened Jaxâs door. She flashed him a devilish grin before she glanced at Summer. Wolf remembered the comment Jax made about him being taken.
âCome on lover, I promise not to choke you tonight,â she said once her gaze returned to Jax. She held a hand out for him to take. Wolf knew he would noticed her icy skin, but hopefully he wouldnât say anything. As she waited for his hand, she looked him over slowly. Wolf guessed he looked lively enough and was pleased. She didnât need him dying.
A breath puffed past Bucksâ lips. An exhale, harsh. He felt the room spin. Revolve. As if it were taking a larger breath, huffing it around him. All caustic heat billowing past his ears, no relief. He didnât hear Isaac stomping over to them until he was at his side, all calm demeanor; something he didnât feel. Something he hardly ever felt these days. Those were emotions that felt like small, ineffectual tides, pushing idly against a violent swell. It did nothing to calm his nerves, and it took everything inside of him to loosen his grip on the alien, pulling the muzzle away from the Paloovianâs scaly face.
Because Isaac knew better. Always did. Still. Still.
Gritting his teeth, Buck finally allowed some space for Isaac to step in. He kept his pistol in hand. Just in case. Finger idly sliding the outside of the trigger, only a hairs breath away. Just in case. Sometimes, he hoped things went south. Just to quieten the noise, dampen it a little. Didnât take Isaac long to wrangle the situation at hand. Busted a hole as big as three fists; ended things nicely. The leader pushed itself to his feet and shook its head, breath hazy, eyes blinking. He raised his pistol, and inclined his chin in the opposite direction. A quick nod. Get lost. Witnessing what just happenedâalien was smart enough to stagger in the opposite direction.
Things like this didnât help their case. Humans. He understood that well enough. Though, it wasnât their fault. Like Isaac said⊠guy hit âem first. Several eyes swung in their direction. Unintelligible chatter, in different languages. Another swell of emotion. Disgust? Confusion? Fear. Fear. It was the heaviest of them all, weighed down like a wet blanket. Dragging down like anchors tied to his ankles. He hated that the most. âYeah, best get outtaâ here while we can,â he tucked his pistol away and glanced at Jax and Wolf.
Good. He was breathing. For someone who didnât like sticking his nose in things, he always managed to get himself in situations like this. Hurt. As if it wouldnât happen, because he didnât care at all. Too much trouble. Best stick in the background. A walking target. He wondered, sometimes. Buck knuckled at his nose, and took the lead. Slightly ahead of the others, though he occasionally peeked backwards. Making sure they were good enough to walk on their own two feet.
No more drinking for me. Whereâd he hear that before?
Buck made a noise, scoffing at Jaxâ comment. A soft mmâhm. Whether or not he was agreeing with the statement was anyoneâs guess. He wasnât cuddly. He didnât rub elbows with the girls like Jax did. Didnât make sly jokes, as if it were easy as pie. Slick tongue as his, it was a wonder he didnât get into any more trouble, for all of his efforts to stay out of things. While they stepped out of the valet, his thoughts swam, spilling over. âWhat was up with that, anyway? Stickinâ your neck out like thatââ it came out meaner than heâd meant to. Maybe. All bite, with a side of bark. He shook his head and stormed ahead, clambering up the ramp and into their ship; all sunshine colors, an affront to anyoneâs eyes.
Only once theyâd all boarded did he do his rounds, checking up on them without so much as a word. Checking to see if they were fine, without the embarrassment of letting them know thatâs what he was doing. Summer would feel like shit, but she was alive and well. Nothing some rest wouldnât help. Isaac would have some bruises, but he was tough. Wolf would mother-hen Jax until he fell asleep, and Grace was fine, probably thought the whole thing was hilarious. He plopped down on the U-couch and leaned his head back against the cushion, mouth set into a hard line. The swell was quieter here. Sure, he could feel Wolfâs worries; Summerâs disappointment. But they were fine, safe on the ship.
Home. As close to home as Earth had felt, anyway.
âThis nightâll get better when we get off this rock.â
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