Chapter 7
Christmas morning on the Bebop. The main room was decked out even with a Christmas tree. It lit the main room with its multi-colored glow. The ordainments gleamed and sparkled. Waking up Ed was sure she was up first but to her surprise Spike was nowhere to be seen.
"He must be doing his training." She hopped out of bed to go and looked for him. In the main room sat Spike. He was on the floor next to the Christmas tree, with a present in hand. He shook it lightly then turned finding he was caught.
"Hi Elisabeth, merry Christmas?" He blushed.
"And what do you think you're doing?"
"Nothing." He put the gift back next to the tree and stood up.
"No peeking."
"Why not? Are you the present police?" He smirked.
"Maybe. Alice, Jet you're up!"
"Yeah we're up."
"Can we open our presents??" Ed almost began to jump up and down.
"Stay still Ed. You going to pass them out like last year?"
"Oh yeah!" She forced Spike to sit then starting handing out the shinny wrapped packages.
"Who goes first?" Spike looked at everyone.
"How about we go in alphabetical order? Alice, Ed, myself then Spike."
"Sounds good!"
They all watched as Alice opened her first gift, it was from Ed. It was a silver watch with a navy blue background to it. Ed went after the one Spike gave to her. It sure as hell was no puppy but that didn't bother her. She opened the flat box to find a diamond necklace.
"Do you like it?"
Ed's hands shook, as she looked it over, she was speechless. Finally the words come rushing back to her as she hugged Spike sending him to the floor. She gave him a quick kiss then sat up.
"Thank you so much Spike."
"Jet, you're turn I believe."
He nodded and opened a box from Spike. It held a small piece of paper and after reading it slowly Jet's eyes enlarged.
"You… you…"
"I bought you a house on Mars. She's paid off and I also paid for the Bebop to be docked near by."
"Thank, thank you Spike."
"Spike's turn."
He opened a small box and a matching silver lighter and silver cigarette case fell into his lap. Fumbling it around in his hand he noticed it said his name across the both of them.
"Thanks a ton Ed."
An hour pasted before everyone was done then Jet sprung the surprise. He handed Alice a small box.
"For me?" She smiled and looked at the tiny gift.
"Yes for you silly."
The three watched as she unwrapped it and Jet got to one of his knees. Alice's face turned pale as tears formed in her eyes.
"Alice will you marry me?"
"YES!" She hugged Jet tightly and the two younger kids made their way to their room. They wanted to let the two be alone together.
"I think everyone had a good Christmas." Spike smiled.
"Oh yeah, but mostly Alice." Ed looked around. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
There was a faint whimpering from Spike's room.
"Did you? Did you really?"
Spike nodded and walked to his bedroom door. Opening it a crack a small nose peeked out.
"She's a Boxer mix. I found her to be kinda cute so I got her for you."
"Thank you Spike!" She clung to his body then opened the door to scoop up a roly-poly puppy. She had light tan markings around her face and a heart shaped marking on her back.
"Do you like her?"
"I love her. What should I name her?"
"It's your dog."
"I'll name her Hope. Do you like that name?" She peered up at the puppy. The puppy licked Ed's nose then barked.
"At least she likes you."
From the control room the main computer started to buzz. The Bebop was receiving a message from an asteroid colony.
"This is the Bebop." Jet answered, pulling himself away from Alice.
"Hello, I heard the crew of the Bebop are bounty hunters but are you guys willing to do a body guard job?" A man asked from the other end.
"Sure. We charge on how long a person needs to be guarded and we don't ask any questions."
"Money is no problem for us. We need you to watch and make sure this one young women gets to Titan."
"Titan, no problem. When do we start to watch her?"
"As soon as we can get to you. I'll say twenty-four hours?"
"Sounds good. We'll be in touch before you dock with the Bebop."
"The Empire of Martina thanks you." The man faded out and Jet turned to Alice.
"We have a body guarding job of the Empire of Martina."
"Really? That's cool."
"Spike, Ed get your asses out of here! We have a job and it's going to be a women."
Neither Spike nor Elisabeth said anything only the puppy barked from the room.
"A dog? Jet, do you know how Spike could afford how to buy such expensive gifts?"
"Not at all. Maybe he had a nest egg or something. You can never tell with that boy. I'm really happy about the house. We can move in after we get married."
"I want to get married in the spring on, um.. What planet do you want to get married on?"
"Any planet is fine with me. You and Ed should plan this thing, I'm no good at planning."
"I wonder when Spike and Ed will get married."
"They have only been together for a year. For Elisabeth's sake I hope he wants to take the jump with her. She loves him so much and I don't want her to get hurt."
"He won't hurt her. They are together all the time and I think they love each other."
"Then again I waited six years to ask you." He smiled and put an arm around Alice's shoulder.
"Six years it too long to wait!"
In Spike's room Ed was on the floor with the puppy. She was on all fours crawling around with the small dog.
"Get off the floor you."
"How about you get down here with me?"
"How about no?"
"Please?" She looked up at Spike, pouting.
"Fine." He slipped off the bed and sat next to her as Hope waddled her way over to Spike and crawled up into his lap. The puppy put her paws on his chest and looked up at him.
"She likes you ."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
"Good thing."
Early the next day the Bebop was contacted by a Martina ship.
"Bebop, this is the Martina Empire ship Acer Tango Beta, requesting to dock."
"Request accepted." Jet looked out the window at the large silver ship with was docking with the Bebop.
"So that belongs to the Martina Empire?" Alice watched out the window along with Jet.
"Yeah. We're watching a one Empress Jezebel."
"A part of the royal family, wow. I wonder why she is needed on Titan."
"Beats me."
In the hanger forty armed guards filed out of the ship. A group of five escorted the Empress to the inside of the Bebop. Spike and Ed watched with raised eyebrows.
"Crew of the Bebop, this is Empress Jezebel. She is to be taken to Titan if she is harmed we will hunt you down and kill you." Some tall armored man spoke.
"I know, we all know." Jet signed some papers then the group of men left the Empress who was covered from head to toe in dark clothing.
"They only want me to be safe so excuse their manors. I am Empress Jezebel of the Martina Empire."
"Jet Black."
"Alice Miller, soon to be Alice Black."
"Spike Spiegel."
"Elisabeth Dean."
The Empress nodded then began to take a few layers of her clothing. She was very beautiful; her hair was long and black. Her eyes were light blue almost with a silver tint to them. Her clothing was a long purple gown that had many different layers of different textured fabric and different shades of violet.
"How long will it take us to get to Titan?" Jezebel inquired.
Jet sat down and placed a hand on his shoulder. "A week. The gates are being fixed in that area plus we may need to stop for supplies."
"Very good, I'm in no rush."
"You'll be staying in our guest room. I'll show you to the room." Ed picked up a small trunk only to have Spike take it from her.
"I don't need you throwing out your back."
"Thank you." Elisabeth walked behind Spike as they went to show the Empress her room. Looking over to Jezebel she watched the girl's eyes roaming over Spike's back.
"This is were you'll be staying. The bathroom is down the hall, three doors to the right." Spike sat the trunk down at the foot of the bed and smiled looking around Ed's old room.
"I will remember that. Spike, right"
"Yeah, that's my name."
"Thank you." Jezebel bowed slightly, taking his hand in hers placing a kiss atop his hand.
Ed raised an eyebrow, trying not to get jealous of the beautiful women hitting on her boyfriend.
"No need to thank me. And if you need anything, you can find Elisabeth and myself in our room. It's two doors past the bathroom."
"You two share a room? Whatever for?" She giggled.
"We're a couple. I sleep in his bed every night." Ed said a bit snidely.
"Oh, I understand. Please excuse me I think I may use you're shower."
"Be our guest." Spike smiled then left with Ed trailing him. " A little jealous?"
"Me? Why would I be jealous? I'm your girlfriend."
"So you don't mind other women hitting on me?"
"As long as you don't hit on them back." She took his hand in hers.
"You know you're the only one I want. I'm going to go take a nap, wanna come?" He smiled wickedly at Ed.
"What if I don't want to sleep?"
Spike dipped into his room, making sure not to step on the puppy, and locked the door. As soon as the door was closed he turned Ed to the wall taking his lips to hers. His hands locking around her hips as they kiss.
"I told you you're the only one I want." He whispered as he kissed her neck.
After a few minutes the two were in bed in their underwear, nothing bothering them until a scream was heard from the bathroom. Spike jumped up and quickly pulled on his pants.
"I'll be right back babe."
The bathroom door was shut so Spike knocked yet got no answer. Slowly he opened to door to find Jezebel drying herself off with a towel. Completely nude she looked up at Spike and smiled.
"Why did you scream?" He turned his head, snapping a bit at her.
"I was hoping you'd come to my rescue. I'm a woman of high power in my Empire; many men want me yet I haven't found the man I want. Now I know who I want, I want you." She inched her way towards him.
"I have a girlfriend and she makes me very happy." He looked her in the eyes.
"That girl has nothing on me. She's a peasants and I am royalty."
"This is the Bebop chick, the only one who has power is Jet."
She smiled, standing in front of him her bare chest almost touching his.
"I'm not interested." He turned and grabbed the doorknob.
"I offer stands, anytime you want me I am yours."
Spike shook his head and walked out of the bathroom and back to his room. Ed was still in bed waiting for him. Smiling he locked his door again and turned off the lights.
"What was wrong?" Elisabeth ran her hand over his chest as he rested his body over top of his girlfriend's small frame.
"Nothing, it was just a bug. Nowhere were we?"
Three days had pasted from when Empress Jezebel had arrived. She had been hitting on Spike more often. The group was sitting around the main room, Ed was braiding Jezebel's hair and Alice was painting Ed's toenails.
"Can I paint your toenails Spike?" Elisabeth smiled then giggled.
"No."
"Why not? Please, I swear I won't ask you to do anything for a week or two!"
Spike looked over to Jet who was holding in his laughter. Jezebel looked up at the pair, rolling her eyes at Ed.
"You should not have to listen to a women. In my Empire the women listen to the men, well beside my husband. I'm going to be the ruler therefore I need to heed the words of no one."
"This is not your Empire. And I'll handle you later Elisabeth." He smirked then walked to the kitchen looking for something to eat.
In the kitchen he started the search for something to settle his rumbling stomach. Nothing really to eat but that was fine. He knew they had to stop on a small asteroid colony to get some supplies so that meant food.
"Hey Jet when are we going to stop for supplies? I'm sick of eating rice!"
"We're stopping later tonight. It's going to be interesting because this colony is against Jezebel's Empire. So that means she stays here so you and Ed can go. Take the Swordfish or something."
"The Swordfish will not hold all the supplies that are needed. We'll have to land and Jezebel will just have to stay here with someone."
"I can stay alone, I am a adult." She snapped slightly.
"Ok, that settles it. We'll split up the things we need and go out in pairs of two. Spike and Jet then Ed and I. I figures everyone needs some time alone with people of the same sex."
Ed jumped up and smiled walking towards the bathroom. "I need to freshen up then. Don't want to go anywhere looking like shit."
"Not like you're going to pick up guys or anything."
"Hush up Spike." She smiled then walked off towards the bathroom.