Chapter 4

The mechanic walked in through the airlock. She was in a regular mechanic jumpsuit and... Clean. her black hair went down to her neck.

"Hello everyone. Name's Tess."

"Hello, Tess," Dewblade said, and did the Minashtan greeting, and was shocked as she did the same in return.

"I did a report on minashtans in high school." Said tess. "You guys are really interesting."

"You probably know more about us than that pussy-cat does," Senka growled. 

She leaned against the wall as she examined a new knife she had bought at a fairly low price.

"Well i know you are the great warlord Senka Blackscales." Said tess, Sitting down.

Senka smiled and stood up a bit straighter to reply, "You are no ordinary human. I am pleased to meet one such as yourself, clear of who's in charge, highly intelligent and sophisticated, but not afraid to get her hands dirty. You remind me of one of my greatest warriors."

Geranno turned around. "Umm, tess, i think you broke Senka.

Senka glared at him and said, "If you say something like that again, I won't be the only thing that's broken."

"Talk about tension." Said Tess.

"Not tension, just lack of respect," Senka said as she walked away.

"Since tess is on board, get ready to jump!" Said jed. They felt weightless for a moment as jed got out of the gravitational pull of the spaceport.

"Jumping in Three... Two... One..."

The sensation of jumping is hard to describe but, everyone felt it.

"Everyone one alright?" Sierra asked as she heard someone hit the floor.

It was Geranno's first time jumping in a ship. He had fainted from the experience.

"I'm alright," He said, rubbing his elbow.

Sierra looked at his elbow just to make sure he was alright, then helped him onto his feet. Now a group of about four were in a circle, talking, and Sierra went over to investigate.

"why should i care about pencils and paper?" asked merc. "The captain can do whatever he pleases with his money."

"Yes, but, If he had that sort of money. why hasn't he spent it on better equipment for the ship? The blazeblades, the chairs... heck, i found a dysfunctional Power drill." Said Dewblade.

"The power crystals and batteries i'd found were from the cargo hold." Said merc. "Which had struck me as odd, as he hadn't put them in the current blasters and blazeblades."

Upon having learned enough to have a say, Sierra said, "I once looked at some of the medicines he had, there's only enough there to numb pain and MAYBE bandage a minor wound."

Sierra spoke a little loudly, and tess overheard "If you think thats bad, He still uses KeyBoards to type input codes. I almost couldn't get the engines to start."

The talking was beginning to attract much more attention, as Senka slid over and added, "If his 'hobby' is going to cost our lives, the king of Minashta is going to hear about it."

"Lets go ask him what all this is about." Said Geranno. "The Power Crystals, The Sketching, the lack of equipment... Something is going on here."

"After you," Dewblade said, obviously a little nervous about confronting the captain for a second time.

Although, the captain hadn't known he was eavesdropping, he merely stated he was passing by when the captain emerged from the tent.

Geranno didn't move either.

"You girls gonna man up or what? Lets get going." Mr. Merc Got up and started walking to the cockpit.

Everyone else followed but tess. 

"Come on," Sierra urged her forward. "We're going to confront the captain."

"I figger this is your guy's problem, not mine. I'd rather not be pokin my nose in other peoples buisness." Replied tess. 

"This is as much your problem as ours, if we're attacked on the way there, you're going to have to deal with it as well," Dewblade reminded her.

"Please, Spare me the guilt trip. I'm pretty sure you guys can handle your own problems." She said.

"Oh please." Said Geranno. "You just don't want to insult him because you think he's attractive."

Tess turned to him. "Thats only half true."

"True nevertheless. Now who's got tensions?" Senka said slyly with a flick of her tail.

"You ladies Coming or what?" Asked merc impatiently. "I'll confront him myself if i have to."

"For your information," Senka replied harshly, "females are valued more highly than males among Minashtans."

"Fine. You babies coming?" Said merc.

Senka rolled her eyes and followed, while Dewblade and Sierra remained.

"Come on!" Eclipse said impatiently.

Dewblade hesitated, but followed, a bit of a distance behind.

Soon enough the reached the captain in the cockpit. They all hesitated in the doorway, no one making a sound.

Jed was sitting there, actually flying the plane.

"Captain." said Geranno.

Jed turned around to face them.

"Umm... What?"

Gerrano nudged Dewblade with his elbow. He looked down at the little blue man and nudged him back.

"You are all bloody children," Senka growled. "Dewblade and Eclipse overheard that you have been buying paper and Gerrano explained it was for your hobby. Now they're wondering why you aren't using the money for better ship equipment."

"Just come right out and say it." Dewblade grumbled.

The captain looked about to say something when Merc spoke up. "And the power crystals in cargo? The batteries? The equipment you have, you aren't using."

Jed sighed. "All right."

there was moment of silence before he started speaking again.

"I've got a deal Transporting power crystals and blazeblade batteries to buddy of mine. In return, he gives me Paper and sketching supplies. Stars know what he does with them, or where he gets the paper, but it was always a no-questions-asked Deal. I'm not rich enough to actually buy these things. Trust me, i won this ship in a gamble." Jed looked at them apologetically. "I just wasn't sure if i could trust you guys to keep it secret. now i guess i have to trust you not to tell anyone."

"Your secret's safe with me," Senka said. "But there's one thing I want you to know. This 'Buddy' of yours, could very well be supplying the rebels with weapons. You have a spaceship. And there are unoccupied planets that still have trees. You could learn to make paper, problem solved. Then you keep your hobby and we keep our skins."

"I can only hope the rest of you will keep it secret." Said jed. "Now I'd ask you to get out, since we're about to head through an asteroid field, and i need all the concentration i can get."

Senka huffed and left without another word, angry with him and his foolish mistake.

The group disbanded, and wandered around the ship until lunch. Gluss Served Sandwiches.

Merc sat in his usual spot, not eating.

"Does he normally do that?" Asked Tess.

"Yes, yes he does." Dewblade replied as he took a huge bite into his sandwich. 

"I've never seen him eat, that's for sure. He probably has his own food stashed somewhere," Eclipse said.

"He might be on one of those Diet Pill systems." Suggested Geranno.

"Well, normally people on diet pills act a little differently. I spent three years as a child learning about various nutrients, how to get them, what they do to you, etc.," Sierra said.

Merc ignored all of them, Still carving his idol.

"That is true." Said Geranno. "He probably wouldn't be this... Sane."

"Is that what you call it?" Eclipse joked.

"Well, hes not a crazy, off-the-walls psycho." said Geranno. "He's just a Jerk."

Sierra looked at Merc, still continually carving the idol, and decided to joke as well, "No he's insane."

Geranno decided to have some fun, and steal Mer'c Sunglasses. He swiped them off. Merc's Eyes widened.

Geranno darted away. Merc turned and walked over the Geranno's spot. "Hand those back." He said.

Geranno looked up at the big man. "Ummm..."

Merc decided he needed to drive his point across. He saw Geranno's holopad on the table. He raised a fist up, and smashed it. A look of horror and anger crossed geranno's face.

A growl escaped Senka's lips before she said, "I think that's gone a bit too far."

She grabbed a knife that was strapped to her hip under her cloak and slashed the air where he had just been a millisecond ago.

Merc spun when he dodged, loosening knife Sheaths as he did so. He slipped 2 daggers into his hands and threw them at senka.

Gluss Tried to get everyone into the mess hall as they fought, to get everyone out of harm's way.

Senka grabbed another knife and threw it at him, but he was too agile. She raced towards him and managed to grab him with one paw. She threw him into the wall, but he scratched her with one of his knives.

Merc crashed into the wall as senka grabbed her arm where she had been sliced. Blood Trickled down, and dripped onto the floor. Both of them Stopped for a moment. Merc stood up and took out a blazeblade. Senka's eyes widened. Merc ran over and kicked her in the jaw, knocking her into a table. He Raised the blazeblade over his head and...

Stopped.

Mr. Merc Turned off the blazeblade and put it back. He offered a Hand to senka, who lay down in the middle of a broken Table.

Her eyes narrowed and she swatted his hand away. Her ears were twitching angrily, until she just suddenly stopped being angry, as though she had seen something they hadn't. She suddenly, abruptly, stormed away, pushing through the group of people by the entrance.

Sierra Followed her, insisting to see the wound.

Merc silently walked up to Geranno and extended his hand. Geranno Put the sunglasses in his hand. Before Merc put them back on, Tess Noticed something. "Your eyes are... Dry."

Merc made a small grunt, to acknowledge her statement. He also pushed through and walked off.

"Is anyone else more concerned about why the fight started? Senka was mad that Merc crushed the holopad...she actually defended one of us," Eclipse said with amazement.

"Yeah Don't remind me about the holopad." Said Geranno. He shook his head in disbelief, even though he still had the laptop.

"Centuries ago, people survived without them, and you can too. Although, it's whether you'll WANT to be alive that's the problem," Dewblade joked.

Geranno gave him a stern look.

Nobody noticed as Tess Snuck off, to go find merc.

Merc was looking out the porthole in the shield room.

"Merc?" Asked Tess.

The Mercenary turned to look at her. "What?"

"Do you mind if i do something real quick?"

"Do what?"

The Wrench Glinted as it struck down on merc's arm. Surprisingly, His arm dented.

"Yep" Said Tess.