Standard Disclaimers apply
qù tāmāde (exclamation) fuck that!
húndàn asshole/bastard
mâshàng on the double/quickly/right away/immediately
sishengzi bastard (not an insult)
yúchûn stupid/ignorant
Later that same day –LaBiche Class Ship 3 days out from Persephone
"qù tāmāde, húndàn, son of a whore" the cursing broke the silence of the cargo hold, a tall lean brunette stormed out of the companion way "James, Cord where in the hell are you? Get your asses here mâshàng front and center!"
Chloe Ried-Harrison crumpled the letter in her fist; she worked the rim planets in order not to get involved with her crazy family.
"Captain" a tall slim red headed man said as he stepped out of the engine bay where he had been replacing the coolant filters.
"You bellowed" a dark voice came directly from behind Chloe.
Chloe spun around "Cord you sishengzi, how many times have I told you," she pinched the bridge of her nose it was not the fault of her first officer she was pissed, she had no right taking it out on him, "Apologies gentlemen, it is not you I am currently pissed off at."
James elbowed Cord in the side, "Well that's nice for a change, huh?" at the 'weres glare he swallowed and looked at his Captain intently.
Chloe eyed the men in front of her, James Terry, mechanic who's sense of humor kept the crew of Katie's Pride laughing on most days, and who's masculine beauty was not marred in the least by the grease coating him from head to foot. And Cord, a genetically modified human called a 'were, who was her second officer, he stood close to seven feet tall and had skin the color of café au lait, hair down to his waist and biceps as large as her thighs. The 'weres got their name due to their eyes, they were shaped like a cats, Cord's were green gold and had a tendency to glow in the dark.
"Gentlemen it seems we are getting a new medical officer, she comes with a paying passenger."
A grin lit up James' face "That's great news Captain, so why all the cursing?"
Cord crossed his arms and stared at the woman he called friend and Captain, there is only one thing that would make Chloe loose her cool that he knew of "Family" he answered James.
"It seems my dear cousin Ruth has been up to her usual tricks, and even her money could not clear her of this mess, so we get to have her as our new medical officer."
A small graceful woman who had tattoos running across her face, hands and arms interrupted Chloe. "Chloe did I hear you, little Ruthie is coming to be our doctor?"
"Not so little any more Jules" Chloe answered her sister "She's all grown up now."
"OK that takes care of the doc, who's the paying passenger and where do they want to go?" James asked.
"Ruth's twin, Amanda," Chloe replied, "Family rumor has it she's a repressed spinster who writes computer programs." Chloe flashed her crew a grin; "this of course is the same family that has me rolling on silk sheets with a male harem at my beck and call."
Becoming serious again she continued, "We have been advised that we are expected to pick them up at Evansdown docks on Persephone, lord only know how much luggage the Little Princesses will have along. James I want you and Cord to fetch them and make sure they get settled on board." With that Chloe strode away from the group of people standing in the middle of the cargo hold, without breaking stride she called over her shoulder "Yes Cord I want you to meet them first."
3 days later
All the sights, the sounds, the people all intoxicated Amanda's senses, the colors, the smells and movement all flowed around her a stew of exoticness that she had never seen before.
Ruth could feel the dirt working its way into her skin, lord only knew what microbes were being carried in the dust, just the thought of them made her want to scratch. The outfit that Manda had tried talking her out of this morning, the outfit that looked so good in the hotel and had gotten so many admiring looks, made her stand out and not in a good way, Ruth wondered if everyone on the ship dressed as dismally as everyone here on the docks seemed to.
"I don't know why I couldn't bring more of my stuff, " Ruth kicked at her luggage cursing when she hurt her foot. "Where in the hell are they?"
Without looking up from the pad she was reading Amanda told her sister "You couldn't bring any more stuff because the space on a ship is limited, and they are probably on time, we got here an hour early, they are to pick us up at 14:00 hundred hours."
"Well I still say you look ridiculous." Ruth snapped, looking over Amanda's outfit of loose fitting shirt and pants, flat sensible boots and floppy hat, Ruth knew her peevishness at her sister stemmed from the fact that Manda was perfectly comfortable in the heat and dust of the docks and did not stand out. Ruth liked to stand out, but she liked to stand out in a good way not like some yúchûn farmer.
"Oh and you don't?" Amanda eyed her sisters outfit that consisted of a miniscule amount of shiny purple fabric and skin boots, which were all the rage on Osiris, but only seemed to make most of the male population of Evansdown docks mistake her sister for a whore. A cheap one at that.
With a sigh Amanda took pity on her sister, she stood up from her combination backpack/chair "Have a seat I need to stretch my legs." reaching into her other bag she handed Ruth a parasol, "I know it won't match your outfit but at least it will keep the sun off of you while we are waiting."
"You know what this means don't you?" waiting a beat Amanda threw her sister a smile, "You have all these people to educate about fashion, and that means shopping."
The women broke out into laughter enjoying each other's company and finding the lighter side of Ruth's predicament.
"Excuse me, but would you be Dr. Harrison?" Amanda spun around and looked into the greenest eyes she had ever seen, they set off the brightest red hair that had ever existed anywhere in the verse.
"Well hello," Ruth purred from her perch, cutting Amanda's cool "That depends on who you are sir," to shreds, rising she moved in front of Manda, her sister froze up faster than you could say yummy when a good looking man came on the scene.
"I am Dr. Ruth Harrison and this is my sister Dr. Amanda Harrison," with a smile that had managed to melt lesser men into puddles of lusting goo, she asked "which one of us were you wishing to?" Ruth enjoyed leaving the question dangling and only raised a brow and licked her lips.
Amanda shook her head at her sister antics, throwing her hands up in the air, she turned to gather up the luggage, she was tired, hot and a headache was starting behind her eyes.
"This your stuff" Amanda flung up her head and looked into the broadest chest she had ever seen, she actually had to tilt her head back to see the man's face, this was a new experience for Amanda as she usually topped most men by at least half a foot. Mutely Amanda nodded before spinning back around, to face her sister and the red haired man.
Ruth noticed that her sister had a completely shocked look on her face. 'Well, well this little jaunt just might be fun after all' she thought as she studied her sister.
Amanda pulled Ruth off the front of the poor man, "Excuse me you are?"
James gave his head a quick shake, "Sorry Ma'am, James Terry, mechanic and general roustabout for Katie's Pride. Your cousin Chloe sent us to escort you back to the ship."
Amanda knew she sounded stiff and prudish as she said, "Yes, well Mr. Terry thank you for meeting us, would you be so kind as to escort"
Ruth stepped in front of her sister, "Me, seeing as how cousin Chloe was kind enough to send two fine strapping men." Ruth took James' arm and moved along the plascrete, she had tried to flirt with the second man but had not received a response, not even when she discreetly flashed him, he was a waste of her time, he must be sly, oh well surely there were other men out there for Amanda.
Amanda watched her sister swan off with Mr. Terry, she almost felt sorry for the poor man, turning she tried to school her face into a calm mask. Holding out her hand Amanda said "Thank you for coming to meet us, I am Amanda Harrison."
Cord reached out with one hand and the other he used to remove his sunglasses, he took in Amanda Harrison, her sensible clothing and shoes a direct contrast to her sister.
A jolt of electricity raced up his arm and straight to his cock as soon as his hand engulfed hers, Cord could see that the woman was not unaffected her breath caught, her pulse jumped and she licked her suddenly dry lips.
Amanda felt caught up in this mans eyes, a mix of green and gold like a cats. They seemed to hold the secrets of the universe in their depths. Only the heat of his hand kept her from drowning, or floating away. He put his sunglasses back on breaking the spell, his eyes had cast.
Amanda blushed and pulled her hand away from his, "Excuse me sir, if I had known I would not have been so forward." She turned and hurriedly followed James and Ruth toward Katie's Pride.
Cord stared after the tall woman, whose hair looked like it had been hacked at with a dull knife; she seemed to be a maze of contradictions. She was from one of the richest core world families yet treated him with respect that he had never found outside of his home world, he could smell her heat and saw how her passions had taken her over when their hands had touched, but she dressed to hide, thoughtfully Cord carried the luggage after the trio.