CHAPTER TWO: ADJUSTMENTS MUST BE MADE

PART TWO…Familiar Faces…

"What did the leper say to the prostitute?"

After a wet, unpleasant pause, the muffled reply came. "That's sick, Vash," she muttered before feeling another surge of heaving.

Still holding her hair behind her back, he reached to brush a stray bit of hair from her face as she vomited into the fancy toilet. "He said, keep the tip."

In an awkwardly painful moment, she laughed and regurgitated at the same time. Once Vanessa felt the nausea leave her belly, she spat a few more times and relaxed back onto her bare heels. "Like I said last time…It hurts to laugh and throw up at the same time," she insisted.

Vash bit his lip and handed her a warm washrag to wipe her face with. "I'm sorry. I can't help it." He helped her stand to rinse out her mouth. "It gives me purpose," he added. "Are you sure you're up to this?"

Vanessa nodded, feeling along the wall to exit. "Quarantine's being lifted any moment now, and I'm starved. Living cooped up in here is no more fun for me than it has been for you."

"Hey…But I tried to make it more-"

"You did, you did," she interrupted, casting a smile in his direction. "You're the best form of entertainment." Feeling Vash's warmth beside her now, she turned and hugged him. Releasing him, she pulled her long scarf from the bed and wrapped it about her head. "Um…where's that stick…?"

Vash placed the telescoping cane into her scarred palm. "Let me make sure we can first," he murmured, opening their communications circuit. "Excuse me, miss? Are we cleared?"

"Yes, Mr. Saverem. I'm releasing your lock now. Have a comfortable flight."

OXO

Vanessa smiled into her void as the happy reunion bustled about her. She envisioned the bigger woman hugging Vash too tightly, and the smaller one standing tense and authoritative just out of reach. She gripped her cane under the cafeteria table, shifting nervously in the curvy chair.

Once the three bodies landed in their chairs, Vanessa felt Vash's familiar, gentle hand rest atop hers. "Millie's across and slightly to your left, and Meryl's directly across from you," he explained softly.

"Hello! Have you been well?" Vanessa asked warmly in their direction.

Millie nodded, then caught herself. "Yes, we've been just fine, Miss Vanessa."

"We mainly just sat around, watching those television projection things," Meryl added, choosing not to look into Vanessa's scarred face. "And we're not looking forward to more of this studying business. There's so much information we have to go through yet."

Vash grinned cheerily. "But it's so interesting isn't it?"

Millie looked hesitant. "Sort of. Mostly confusing. I wish they'd just let me go into child care or something so I wouldn't have to take those exams."

Meryl's fist connected with the tabletop. "I don't understand why they won't let us just continue with the insurance field. But no…They say we're under-qualified."

"Earth has changed so much…We'll never live the lives we had before," Vanessa interjected. "But we're promised safety and lives not survival-based. And when I imagine the animals and plants and things…It should be so nice."

"Yep. So…Everybody hungry?" Vash asked. "Millie, would you stay here with Vanessa while we get the meals?"

Millie nodded, watching them walk to the distribution line. Her thumbs began to fiddle amongst each other. She couldn't think of anything terribly appropriate to say to the woman, so she began to make awkward conversation. "Didn't Mr. Vash say your eyes were recovering?"

Vanessa smirked a little. "They were. They still might again. I haven't tried to open them since liftoff. But I've an appointment with a doctor tonight. Even if I'm blind, it's a small price to pay."

"It was awfully brave of you," Millie said solemnly, remembering the story as Mr. Vash had explained it, over a communication circuit between their rooms. She could hardly imagine anyone talking so boldly to Mr. Knives, and was very relieved that they'd managed to find a way to keep Mr. Knives calm that didn't involve bloodshed. "Oh, and did I already tell you congratulations? When are you due?"

Shrugging, Vanessa folded her arms on the tabletop casually. "I can guess six months or so, but who knows. I mean, considering."

"Oh, yes, I see," Millie replied. "Well, I can't wait! Little Tessla's going to be the cutest little thing!"

Vanessa smiled. "Thanks," she said, drawing her hands back into her lap as Vash set the tray before her.

"So what do your occupational projections say?" Meryl asked, preferring professional topics.

Vash scratched the back of his head with one hand and picked up his entire block of pastry with the other. "Actually, I'm taking the exams tomorrow. I finished the starter and intermediate information before we left." Still grinning goofily, he shoved his entire dessert into his mouth.

Millie's jaw dropped. "Oh, my gosh!"

"He's some kind of genius," Meryl sighed, bringing the juice pack straw to her lips.

"Meryl's been transferred into math, and I'm stuck with typing," Millie explained, eyes still wide with amazement. "And you're done! Wow! What about you, Miss Vanessa?"

Swallowing an un-ladylike mouthful of granola, Vanessa lifted her head. "If I regain my sight, I may go into medicine. But I've been pretending to study; really, I haven't devoted myself to studies yet. I figure I should act as though I'm learning more slowly to avoid drawing attention to myself. For now, I'm reviewing in foreign languages."

Vash frowned momentarily, but brightened before anyone noticed. "Have you seen the ships' map yet? Oh, they have the neatest things onboard!" he began excitedly, describing the endless botanical and zoological wings of Beta ship's lower hull that he himself had not yet seen. After about 20 minutes of enthusiastic speculations, Vash ended by commenting that he was going to spend every free minute exploring.

"Hey, Vash?" Vanessa whispered, poking him softly with her elbow. "Could you get me another?"

He nodded and went to retrieve another tray.

Meryl sat with her jaw dropped. Vanessa had eaten her meal in less than two minutes, and would soon scarf down another. Vash wouldn't eat but half of his meal, so as to give Vanessa the remainder of his.

"Are you still hungry?" Millie asked sheepishly as Vanessa finished the last of it.

Vanessa nodded. "But it's okay. I can make it until the next round of rations."

"I thought it took until the pregnancy begins to show for a woman to eat so much," Meryl wondered aloud. "You haven't gained a thing since we last saw you; I dare say you're thinner…"

"You're right, but it's nothing to worry about," Vanessa whispered. "I think this may be normal. For me."