"Listen here. This is a two person operation." The first mate slammed her glass down on the bar. "I got her back, she's got mine. We ain't got no room for interlopers, 'specially not of your... distinction." Flicking back her long hair, she smiled at him. "Piss off 'fore you get hurt."

"Aw, c'mon now, little lady," he whined, "that ain't no way to treat a guy who's just tryin' ta help out. 'Sides, two gals like yourselves can't possibly keep a ship properly maintained like I can." She turned to glare at her captain across the bar room, silently cursing the woman as she merely smirked and raised her bourbon glass in the mockery of a toast. Well, that was all well and good, but she wasn't gonna like what happened if this sorry excuse for a mechanic kept at her.

"I said. Piss. Off."

"Look honey," he said, lips too close to her ear, his voice turning slimy, "I just need a quick ride off this rock. I'll make it worth your while. Whatever you'd like." She downed her drink in a swift gulp, slamming the glass on the bar.

"Enough." She turned to the man, a hand on her hip as she considered him for a moment. She sniffed once, primly, before driving her fist hard and fast into the soft spot just below his sternum, knocking the wind out of him and letting him drop to the floor with a moan. She shook her head, stepping over him.

"Hey! Girlie!" A voice hollered behind her, a man at the bar grabbing her shoulder.

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" She tossed an apologetic look back at her captain, the woman already visibly irritated, arms folded, eyebrow raised. The left one, for maximum irritability. It was gonna be a hell of a ride to Ganymede. "Sorry Cap'n!" She whirled to face the man, fists already swinging.


"And what do I always say?" the captain demanded of her first mate.

"Saturday night's alright for fightin'," sighed the girl as she limped up the gangplank into the ship, "as it's the High Holy, and the only fittin' way to celebrate."

"Right. And what's today?"

"Tuesday." Dropping into co-pilot's chair, Su, for that was the first mate's name, groaned as her bruises hit the seat. "Christ, don't these bastards know not to hit a lady?"

"You left them worse for wear. And anyway, they didn't."

"Didn't what?" Mari, for that was the captain's name, grinned as she flicked switches across the board and the ship came to violent, shuddering life around them.

"Didn't hit a lady."


Music: Kiss with a Fist – Florence and the Machine