Special Pickup - Epilogue: Parting Ways
16 Jun 2016LordPsymon
Previous chapterSpecial Pickup - Epilogue: Parting Ways
---Garoju - Verrier Orbital - Aboard Rattlesnake---
I woke up with Fiona still resting her head on my chest. I felt like my head had been hit by a giant meteor. Fiona wiggled slightly then raised her head to look up at me, with a half smile on her face.
“What are you doing awake, flyboy?” She asked, her voice soft.
“Wishing I wasn’t.” I laughed weakly. “My head feels horrible. Are you in a rush to get home?”
She kissed my lips softly. “Well… We don’t have to leave so soon.”
“Oh yeah? What have you got in mind?” I queried with mischievous grin.
She moved her hand up her back, unzipping her dress and letting it slide down her body, until she was wearing nothing but a cheeky grin.
“I think you know what,” she slyly replied as she clambered on top of me.
Oh hell. You got my attention.
We exited the shuttle from the hangar into a small plaza, the same plaza where we first sat together after visiting the Magistrate. We wandered around slowly, my hand holding hers, both of us still feeling like hell, but feeling rather enthusiastic since waking up.
“You know what I could go for?” I uttered, pointing to a small food vendor. “I need the greasiest food I can get my hands on to chase away this hangover.”
Fiona turned to me with a quirky grin. “You don’t want another Crown Jewel?”
“Hell… No. I don’t even want to think about alcohol right now.”
We both ordered burritos with green salsa and sat down on a bench.
We quietly sat on a bench, eating and enjoying each others’ company.
“You know, we’ve been around each other for three or four weeks and I haven’t even gotten around to asking you where home actually is.”
Fiona swallowed and pursed her lips. “Kamadhenu. I grew up on Kamadhenu 1.”
Damn, that’s one of the nicest parts of the whole damn Empire.
“I’ve never been there.” I said, taking another bite. “In fact… Before I got kidnapped, I had never even left Cubeo.”
Fiona sighed. “I had never left Kamadhenu either. My family could never afford to leave the planet.”
I smiled slightly. “Yet here we are, both several light years away from home huh?”
I stood up after we finished our food, offering my hand to Fiona, feeling much better with food in my system.
“Come on, we have a long trip ahead of us.” I said as Fiona grabbed my hand and we headed back to the docking bay.
---Kamadhenu - Shajin Market---
The two habitation rings of Shajin Market raced into view as Rattlesnake exited supercruise nearby, the city lights of the nearby planet peppering the night side of the planet below, while many ships flew in and out of the station.
I docked the ship and took Fiona to purchase a ticket to catch a shuttle down to the planet. Outside the terminal, an Adder waited on the docking pad, being fueled up and preparing for boarding. Fiona and I walked outside the terminal building as the PA announced the first boarding call.
Well, I guess this is it. I thought to myself as we were preparing to say our final goodbyes.
I held out a small bag of credit chips.
“Fiona, I want you to take this. Some credits to help you get back on your feet.”
Fiona looked at me reluctantly, a small sigh escaping her mouth.
“Are… are you sure?”
I waved the bag back and forth slightly.
“I’m serious, take it. It would mean a lot to me, knowing that you’re okay.”
Hesitantly, Fiona took the bag. She looked down on the small bundle of credits, frowning, as if conflicted for accepting gift. Slowly, she looked back up at me, relief, gratitude and guilt all fighting for control of her face.
“Thank you. I don’t- we’ve never had much, and Fink didn’t really set me up for the end of my term. I just-”
She looked down and shook her head. I stepped up to her and tried to peer at her face.
“What is it, Fiona?” I said, raising my hand under her hair, slowly running it down her cheek. She held my hand and raised her head again, her expression more resolute this time.
“I don’t like charity.”
I sighed, shaking my head. “I know but-”
She raised her finger to my lips. “I wasn’t finished.”
I raised my hands, half smiling in mock surrender. “Sorry, do continue.”
A warm look crossed Fiona’s eyes as her lips curled into the faintest of smiles. “You didn’t just give me these credits. You bought something too, an obligation.”
I smiled wryly, not knowing what to expect. “What have I gotten myself into?”
Fiona took a step closer, grabbing both of my hands and holding them close to her. “Promise me one thing.”
“Anything you want.”
“Promise me that you’ll come visit. Don’t just send a transmission. Don’t say you’ll do it and forget, but actually do it. At my house, within two or three months. You have my comm number, don’t lose it.”
I waved my datapad. “It’s not going anywhere. Just what are we going to do on my little visit?”
Fiona’s smile turned just a tad mischievous as she looked at me from an angle. “Whatever we want! Isn’t that what you freelancers are all about?”
Smiling, I kissed her hand softly. “Yeah well, that’s what the holo-vids say. Real life tends to fall a little short.”
Fiona squeezed my hand and leaned in closely, giving me a long, tender kiss on my lips. Pulling away, she smiled the most genuine smile I had seen since I found her by the Tiberius.
“Well, maybe you will let me experience some of that too. There is two seats in that ship of yours after all.”
I ran my hands down her arms one last time. “I think that can be arranged, but I warn you. That kind of life gets addictive.”
“Good.”
I raised my eyebrow. “Good?”
She squeezed my hands for the last time, then leaned in for one last kiss. I obliged, releasing her hands and wrapping my arms around her waist, giving her a long, and very satisfying kiss. We pulled away and Fiona pocketed the credits, her mischievious grin returning.
“Yeah, good. Don’t keep me waiting, Simon.”
Last boarding call for Kamadhenu 1. All remaining passengers please board the vessel immediately.
Fiona turned and walked away, her backpack bouncing as she strode toward the shuttle to board. I looked down at my datapad. Sure enough, there she was at the top of my short contact list, her photo accompanying her details.
That’s one hell of an obligation. I thought, chuckling lightly to myself.
Looking up, I saw her glance back at me, just before disappearing up the shuttle’s entry ramp.
I raised my hand to wave goodbye, already having made up my mind. It wasn’t like me to stop someplace twice without a job taking me there but-
It’s an obligation I wish to keep. A promise is a promise, isn’t it?
I looked back toward the shuttle as its engines fired up to depart, sadness and joy competing for dominance of my emotions.
“Good luck, Fiona.”
---Shajin Market - Aboard Rattlesnake---
I sat back on the pilot’s seat, looking out into the vast docking bay, pondering my next move, my thoughts stuck on Fiona.
You knew this was coming. I thought for a moment. I chuckled slightly. But you didn’t know you were going to develop feelings for her.
I sighed and sat forward, initiating the startup sequence for the ship. I launched out of the station’s mailslot, fixing my eyes on the blue world below.
Now that I know Fiona is safe… I thought as I gripped the joystick firmly, a wave of anger engulfing me all over. There was only one thing on my mind.
You better sleep with one eye open, Caius. I’m going to find you, and I’m going to fucking kill you.