1 Section 2: Lessons
Elise sat back and took in the bright darkness of space. Brock looked over at her with a warm look on his face. She reminded him of a girl he used to know, a girl from a past too dangerous to reveal. This girl was clever and quick to learn, but she didn't look 19 like they said. She looked more like a mature 17 year old. Her face was still recovering from the dreaded acne that plagues teens. He noticed that she wasn't clumsy like most adolescents though. She, like him, measured her movements and was careful about what she revealed. Something about the ship she used to live on was someplace she didn't want to go back to, so she avoided telling anything other than facts about the ship itself. That was fine with him, he figured she would reveal her mystery to him in time. As for him, he didn't plan on revealing anything.
"Things look real interesting up here." Elise turned around in her seat to see who was talking. "Hello Elise. I'm Manny." He gave a grin that appeared to be more forced than natural.
"I know." She made to get up, but Manny placed his hand on her shoulder to gently push her back down.
"You don't need to get up. I was just coming in here to ask you guys what you want for supper. Melinda Singer offered to cook something tonight in celebration for the launch. So what'll it be?" Brock turned his head to look at Manny, but Manny was looking at Elise.
"Mm…space food. Does she need any help?" I had always hated the space crap they tried feeing us on the other vessel.
"She didn't say anything, but I can go ask her for you."
"No, that's all right, I'll go myself. I was getting tired of sitting here doing nothing anyhow." Brock thought maybe she was lying about that; she didn't seem the type to put up with something she didn't have too.
"Well now, actually I was hoping to bounce around some thoughts with you about this sector on the electro-map. I heard something about you having been around these parts before."
She was hesitant and made an effort to be vague. "Oh, well yeah, some. I've made some pit stops along the way."
There was a moment of silence when the two looked at each other, sizing the other up perhaps. Brock didn't like the way Manny was looking at his young trainee. He had thought Manny was only kidding when they had been talking about her before. They had been friends since that other, dangerous past when they had done some time together in Dose Dia. Manny was in on chump time. He had been dealing drugs, but his lawyer was good, so he only got a year and a half. When Manny got out he said he would meet up with Brock again someday. Only then, "Brock Richardson" wasn't his name. It had been Riddick, and Riddick knew that his colleague was into younger women.
If Riddicks suspicions were right, and Elise wasn't the age she said she was, then he better warn Manny. This girl didn't look like she was into anything kinky, and that might just well have been Manny's middle name…especially when they were younger. It was funny looking at Manny giving Elise that "wanna fuck?" look, and Elise giving Manny that "wanna fuck off?" look. She glanced over at Riddick and then turned back around so she wouldn't have to look Manny in the face. She gave a haughty sigh and, looking out the window, arched her chin in a look of utter prestige. "Tell her I'd like a roman salad, please."
Kudos. Riddick was impressed at the way she so easily overrode the tense moment. He was also impressed that she should be so calm when Manny was carrying a weapon. He had seen that it bothered her when she glanced at it. Now to test her breaking point. "I'm going to check the fuel compartments. I'll stop by the kitchen and give the meal orders." He slid by Manny, taking his gun out of its holster, but didn't look at him. Manny was so eager to steal Riddicks seat that he didn't even notice. Riddick left and Manny slid smoothly into the seat next to Elise.
"When have you been by here?"
"I've only been by here a few times on routine runs. We made stops along the way at…" She pressed the blue-lighted switch by her hand to make the 3D map hologram appear. It was magnificent in its shape and color quality. The planets and vital star constellations were perfectly proportioned and everything was labeled. Options were given for short routes and directions, information on each planet, and the distance between stops. By asking, the computer's voice-sensitive speaker could state the current comet/asteroid activity in a specific area. Elise touch-activated certain areas to bring them up and into better view. Manny was thoroughly impressed by the ease at which she used the map display. He figured she had either practiced using it with Riddick or was very good with computers. Although, Riddick isn't too swift with the new computers. He saw double when looking at them if he didn't have his goggles on because the special light reflected funny in his eyes. They hadn't been on his head. "There, mostly we stopped at Niata, Caputa, and Klim. We've been other places, but not more than once or twice." She glanced wearily at Manny. He was looking at her legs rather than the map. She had black shorts on, and for the moment they rode high up on her thigh because she was leaning forward. At least he's not checking out my chest. Oh, wait, he had plenty of opportunity for that when he was standing above me. She felt the urge to shift her shorts back down, and maybe make a break for the door to the cabin while she was at it, but held back. After all, he was a man, and flying around space for half your life could influence disturbing behavior in anyone. "You've been all over this place, right? So that means you've been to Pulak then?" She hoped to distract him.
He finally looked up to her face, "yeah, that's right."
"Oh, well, I've always wanted to go there. I hear it's got some really great…" She paused slightly, "sailing spots." She was less interested in the place than she was in how many hairs were on her head, but it brought his attention away from her legs and onto something she was more comfortable with.
"It's true. Have you ever been sailing?"
All she could think about was getting out of there. If lying meant she could end the conversation sooner, then so be it. "No. I haven't. There isn't much sailing interest in the city where I came from. You know, I'm betting supper is almost ready. I'm awfully hungry. Aren't you?"
Manny was a hound, but not completely stupid. He could see she wanted to get away, unfortunately, he thought she was just trying to play hard to get. She flipped the switch and the hologram disappeared. A dim darkness was left with only the miniscule light from the other lighted buttons to see by. Manny took the opportunity to reach out and grab her hand. The reaction was quick. She flipped her hand over his and twisted. His wrist gave a warning pop, but didn't break. The girl was quick, even eerie in her immediate response. He had expected maybe a small jump and most definitely a small squeal, but not a fight move.
"Some advice, keep your hands to yourself, and your dick in your pants." She released his wrist and he hurriedly pulled it to his chest. Swiftly she moved from the seat and out the door. A spark had been ignited in him, and he sat solemnly in the dark feeding it.
Elise sat back and took in the bright darkness of space. Brock looked over at her with a warm look on his face. She reminded him of a girl he used to know, a girl from a past too dangerous to reveal. This girl was clever and quick to learn, but she didn't look 19 like they said. She looked more like a mature 17 year old. Her face was still recovering from the dreaded acne that plagues teens. He noticed that she wasn't clumsy like most adolescents though. She, like him, measured her movements and was careful about what she revealed. Something about the ship she used to live on was someplace she didn't want to go back to, so she avoided telling anything other than facts about the ship itself. That was fine with him, he figured she would reveal her mystery to him in time. As for him, he didn't plan on revealing anything.
"Things look real interesting up here." Elise turned around in her seat to see who was talking. "Hello Elise. I'm Manny." He gave a grin that appeared to be more forced than natural.
"I know." She made to get up, but Manny placed his hand on her shoulder to gently push her back down.
"You don't need to get up. I was just coming in here to ask you guys what you want for supper. Melinda Singer offered to cook something tonight in celebration for the launch. So what'll it be?" Brock turned his head to look at Manny, but Manny was looking at Elise.
"Mm…space food. Does she need any help?" I had always hated the space crap they tried feeing us on the other vessel.
"She didn't say anything, but I can go ask her for you."
"No, that's all right, I'll go myself. I was getting tired of sitting here doing nothing anyhow." Brock thought maybe she was lying about that; she didn't seem the type to put up with something she didn't have too.
"Well now, actually I was hoping to bounce around some thoughts with you about this sector on the electro-map. I heard something about you having been around these parts before."
She was hesitant and made an effort to be vague. "Oh, well yeah, some. I've made some pit stops along the way."
There was a moment of silence when the two looked at each other, sizing the other up perhaps. Brock didn't like the way Manny was looking at his young trainee. He had thought Manny was only kidding when they had been talking about her before. They had been friends since that other, dangerous past when they had done some time together in Dose Dia. Manny was in on chump time. He had been dealing drugs, but his lawyer was good, so he only got a year and a half. When Manny got out he said he would meet up with Brock again someday. Only then, "Brock Richardson" wasn't his name. It had been Riddick, and Riddick knew that his colleague was into younger women.
If Riddicks suspicions were right, and Elise wasn't the age she said she was, then he better warn Manny. This girl didn't look like she was into anything kinky, and that might just well have been Manny's middle name…especially when they were younger. It was funny looking at Manny giving Elise that "wanna fuck?" look, and Elise giving Manny that "wanna fuck off?" look. She glanced over at Riddick and then turned back around so she wouldn't have to look Manny in the face. She gave a haughty sigh and, looking out the window, arched her chin in a look of utter prestige. "Tell her I'd like a roman salad, please."
Kudos. Riddick was impressed at the way she so easily overrode the tense moment. He was also impressed that she should be so calm when Manny was carrying a weapon. He had seen that it bothered her when she glanced at it. Now to test her breaking point. "I'm going to check the fuel compartments. I'll stop by the kitchen and give the meal orders." He slid by Manny, taking his gun out of its holster, but didn't look at him. Manny was so eager to steal Riddicks seat that he didn't even notice. Riddick left and Manny slid smoothly into the seat next to Elise.
"When have you been by here?"
"I've only been by here a few times on routine runs. We made stops along the way at…" She pressed the blue-lighted switch by her hand to make the 3D map hologram appear. It was magnificent in its shape and color quality. The planets and vital star constellations were perfectly proportioned and everything was labeled. Options were given for short routes and directions, information on each planet, and the distance between stops. By asking, the computer's voice-sensitive speaker could state the current comet/asteroid activity in a specific area. Elise touch-activated certain areas to bring them up and into better view. Manny was thoroughly impressed by the ease at which she used the map display. He figured she had either practiced using it with Riddick or was very good with computers. Although, Riddick isn't too swift with the new computers. He saw double when looking at them if he didn't have his goggles on because the special light reflected funny in his eyes. They hadn't been on his head. "There, mostly we stopped at Niata, Caputa, and Klim. We've been other places, but not more than once or twice." She glanced wearily at Manny. He was looking at her legs rather than the map. She had black shorts on, and for the moment they rode high up on her thigh because she was leaning forward. At least he's not checking out my chest. Oh, wait, he had plenty of opportunity for that when he was standing above me. She felt the urge to shift her shorts back down, and maybe make a break for the door to the cabin while she was at it, but held back. After all, he was a man, and flying around space for half your life could influence disturbing behavior in anyone. "You've been all over this place, right? So that means you've been to Pulak then?" She hoped to distract him.
He finally looked up to her face, "yeah, that's right."
"Oh, well, I've always wanted to go there. I hear it's got some really great…" She paused slightly, "sailing spots." She was less interested in the place than she was in how many hairs were on her head, but it brought his attention away from her legs and onto something she was more comfortable with.
"It's true. Have you ever been sailing?"
All she could think about was getting out of there. If lying meant she could end the conversation sooner, then so be it. "No. I haven't. There isn't much sailing interest in the city where I came from. You know, I'm betting supper is almost ready. I'm awfully hungry. Aren't you?"
Manny was a hound, but not completely stupid. He could see she wanted to get away, unfortunately, he thought she was just trying to play hard to get. She flipped the switch and the hologram disappeared. A dim darkness was left with only the miniscule light from the other lighted buttons to see by. Manny took the opportunity to reach out and grab her hand. The reaction was quick. She flipped her hand over his and twisted. His wrist gave a warning pop, but didn't break. The girl was quick, even eerie in her immediate response. He had expected maybe a small jump and most definitely a small squeal, but not a fight move.
"Some advice, keep your hands to yourself, and your dick in your pants." She released his wrist and he hurriedly pulled it to his chest. Swiftly she moved from the seat and out the door. A spark had been ignited in him, and he sat solemnly in the dark feeding it.
