Chapter One : The Canterbury

Amos POV

He had been lurking in the corner of the long hallway. The lowest level of the Cant was always filled with the most disturbing figures. Earther, Belter or Martian. The ones who couldn't pass the security check for other kind of work, ended up on this ship. And the worst ones, ended on the lower level. Yet, Amos didn't mind mingling with the lowest residents of the Canterbury. He knew out of experience to keep his eyes open and watch his back in this particular area. But Amos could buy everything here. Smokes, booze, drugs if needed too. But also water. Which was why he was here now.

Right after he bought a few bottles from another Earther, he hears the voice of a woman through the hallway. Making him shift his position and turn around to face the evolving situation before him. He couldn't hear what she was saying but Amos lets out an annoyed sigh when the girl chooses one of the worst Belters to talk to. Amos knows him. He once hit him with a good right when the Belter tried to stab him in the back after purchasing a can of beer. The woman on the other hand, is someone he hasn't seen before on the Canterbury. Amos' guessing she's new on the ship, seeing the backpack she just dropped next to her.

When he sees the uncomfortable stance from the woman, Amos puts away the bottle of water in the back pocket of his jumpsuit. And he moves fast when the long man suddenly puts his hand on her shoulder. He looked threatening and no doubt the Belter didn't have good intentions. Neither did Amos, well in his earlier life, but he had learned what was considered good and bad in the world. Thanks to Naomi. He always asked himself 'what would Naomi do?'. And in this case, she would intervene. So that was exactly what Amos was going to do.

"I'll guide her to her place," he remarks, striding slowly to stand next to the woman. "Obviously, she's not meant to be here," glancing at her sideways and she catches his undertone. The woman nods and tries to stand her ground. Lifting her chin up in defiance and Amos smirks to the Belter. "See."

The Belter before her pulls his arm away and glares angrily at the strong looking man standing next to the young woman.

"Xia na pelesh to (this isn't your place), Amos!"

A chuckle escapes Amos and he glances at the young woman next to him again. She screamed Earther just by looking at her. And by the looks of it, it was her first time away from her home planet. The woman was nervous, fidgeting with her hands or tapping her left foot. But he also saw a fiery glint in her eyes, which told him she would not give up without a fight. But Amos knew this would be a fight she wouldn't be able to win.

He had to keep from rolling his eyes. Why send a newbie to a ship like the Canterbury? It was filled with Belters and Earthers. And she probably never even saw a Belter in real life before docking here. And these weren't the kindest Belters either. They were hired to do the dirty work on the ship. And were kept on the lower levels of the Canterbury because most of them had dubious pasts. Just like the Earthers roaming on the lower levels, they were under heavy surveillance.

Yet, he can't help but letting his eyes roam up and down her frame. Blonde hair, almost white, full lips and when his eyes roam to her back, he smirks. No wonder the belter took interest in this one. She got an ass worth fighting for. She was small, well smaller then Naomi anyway, yet she definitely was curvy in all the right places. Even in the simple jumpsuit, you could see the arches of her body nicely. Nah, he thinks, she isn't something that this jerk of a belter should lay his hands on. Neither should he. From his point of view, Amos wasn't much better than those living on the lower levels.

When she suddenly glares fiercely at him, Amos now knows she has blue eyes and his grin grows even wider when he notices the crimson colour on her cheeks. At least there's some fire in this young woman, seeing how pissed she was with him eye goggling her up and down. Let's see how long she would have that fierceness here in space, he thought. Not many were suited for this life and most gave up after the first week.

Concentrating on the Belter before him, Amos decided he was in no mood to argue longer. He had agreed with meeting Naomi and some others for a drink and if this took any longer, he'd be late. And Naomi would be pissed off at him…again. But he wasn't going to just leave the newbie on her own device down here. Amos was sure she wouldn't be seen again. Naomi wouldn't leave her, he thought. So, he took a step forward so that he was standing between the Belter and the woman.

"You know what the Captain would do when he finds out his new medic is missing? I mean," he rubs over his short hair for a second, "if the Captain starts questioning people if they saw her, I have to say I saw her here…talking with you." Taking another step closer to the Belter, he smirks. "You know what happens with people that do something to the other workers here right? They get send to the Pit."

The Belter opened his mouth to speak but Amos shook his head. "Just go run along and do whatever you do…," making a waving hand gesture before turning his attention to the young woman. For Amos, this conversation was over and done. "He'll leave, don't worry." His voice was flat and he gestures for her to turn around. "Clinic is two levels up, that way." Pointing in the right direction, he sees her glancing over her shoulder which makes her long braid visible to him.

He was letting his eyes drift back to her backside when she suddenly turned to him again, making Amos lock eyes with her and he nods slowly when sensing her uncertainty. "I'll walk with you. The canteen is close by anyway," he murmurs and wanted to start walking when she suddenly holds her hand up to stop him. "What?"

"Thanks," her voice is soft and Amos glances at the hand she's sticking towards him. "I'm Liv…How did you know I was a medic?"

Arching a brow, he takes the offered hand and shakes it. "Well, Liv," he starts and takes a step into her direction so he can look down at her. "Better keep up, or your fine ass will never be seen again if you stay down here," he grumbles, brushing by her and grabbing her backpack that was lying on the floor behind her. "And the tag on your jumpsuit reads 'medic'."

Luckily for him, she decided to follow him in silence and didn't speak, not even when they arrived on the third level. Only then, Amos turned around and noticed she wasn't paying attention to him. Liv was looking around, taking in her surroundings and hadn't noticed Amos had stopped walking. He holds out his hand to prevent her from crashing against him. His fingers curling around her shoulder and making her look up at him.

"Listen, it's clear you can't read a map because you've been holding it upside down the whole time. And that you've never been on a ship before. At least not like this one, so can you at least pretend you know what you're doing," that got her attention away from everything and everyone around her, giving him her full attention and Amos let go of her shoulder when she gives him the same glare as just moments before when he was eyeing her up.

"I can fend for myself. And I can read a map," she mutters and reaches for her backpack, which he hands over to her without a comment. But his brow arches and Amos shakes his head, trying to hide the grin that is no doubt playing on his lips. This young woman her temper was all over the place and it amused him. And she saw it, arching a brow of her own while lifting her chin higher. "And stop staring at me," her voice fierce and Liv turned away from him. Taking a few big steps away from him before Amos rubs a hand over his face and curses under his breath.

"For crying out loud, you're going the wrong way!" Seeing her turn around while he leans with his shoulder against the wall, pointing his thumb behind him. "Clinic is that way, Newbie."

"Amos! Where the hell have you been?" the unmistakable accent of Naomi echoed through the hallway. Even Liv turns her head to the woman approaching them and for the first time since Amos knows Naomi, he realized how tall she was. He couldn't deny he always liked Naomi's long legs. Always graceful in her movements but he knew her well enough that as soon as she opened that mouth of hers, there was always a chance her ladylike demeanour could change in a second. She could curse like a sailor if she felt like it. Waiting until Naomi was standing next to him, he points at Liv in front of him.

"Naomi, Newbie. Newbie, this is Naomi," he murmurs and smirks when Liv gives him her death eye stare again. "She can't read a map and almost disappeared in the bowels of the ship."

He sees Liv struggling to not serve him an answer and again, Amos grins widely while locking eyes with her. Trying to encourage her to just try to serve him a reply. But he sees her biting her lip instead while turning to Naomi. Offering her a small nod and mumbling a 'nice to meet you.'

"Hope you're not a navigator, then," he sees Naomi taking in the appearance of the young woman and Amos can't hold back the laughter escaping him.

"Nah, she's the new medic," straightening himself and turning in the direction of Naomi, already forgetting Liv while thinking of the booze that's waiting for him. "Let's go. I've been itching to have a drink since last week."

Naomi casts a last look on Liv before walking away towards the canteen. "Sure, Amos. We already started without you. Didn't know you were picking up strays," Naomi says.

He rolls his eyes and sighs. Naomi had her own ways of teasing him and this incident with Newbie was of course the perfect set up for her. "You know I don't give a shit about newbies," his only reply on her joke came, voice flat while following Naomi towards the sound of music echoing from the kitchen area.

Before he enters to join the get-together though, Amos glances over his shoulder into the hallway. Noticing Newbie walking slowly in the right direction while turning her map in her hands. When she suddenly stands still before the door of the infirmary, Amos nods slowly when she turns her head in his direction. A wide smile on that beautiful face of hers appears and he looks away. At least Newbie finally found her place. And he could go and get shitload drunk because he was off duty tonight.