Chapter 2
Hunters Moon
The fast travel station deposited them near the cargo hold, or so Gaige surmised from the piles of crates and stuff covered in tarps she could see through the door. Ahead, on the side, was a workshop, with various parts of what appeared to be left arms and legs in various stages of build, along with other projects she couldn't easily identify. They passed through what would best be described as a mud room, with racks for boots and tools and a partitioned off shower area, which ended as they went through an ornate door and the open pipes and metal floors were replaced with wood paneling and deep patterned carpeting.
The other girl led her through a wide room lined with trophies, some Gaige recognized, a prime horned saurian, a double scaled milinx, and others she had never even heard of, one looked like a crystal bird head, another a dragon head that reached from floor to ceiling.
Up some stairs, another door opened onto the bridge.
"I would recommend that you hide until after next Tuesday." Jinx said turning to Gaige "I know
some places that would be hard to find, or we could just hide the ship and wait."
"Can't, I got a wedding tomorrow evening, so I need to be there by one to make sure things get
set up right."
"You should cancel, it'll be easy to find you there, but I suspect you'll refuse, so where is it?"
"Talion 6"
The other girl leaned around one of the leather chairs and programmed the course in. Then she led Gaige back to what would best be described as a sitting room, even though it only had one armchair. The room was lined with cases filled with books and small artifacts. One wall was an armory display, to which Jinx walked, pulling her guns out, checking them before hanging them up.
"Have a seat" she said waving to the chair before crouching next to the fancy burl wood desk and opening a cabinet, from which she pulled out a bottle and after some digging two glasses. She set them onto the table next to Gaige before pouring the clear liquid into them.
"Water." she said, setting a glass near Gaige "I'm gonna change into something more comfortable, then we can talk."
When she returned, she had changed into a pair of tattered jeans, the right leg missing from mid-thigh showing a purple and white striped stocking, the right side had tears around the knee and elsewhere, revealing her artificial leg. Her top was a dark green hooded shirt with no right sleeve and the left rolled to mid-bicep revealing a purple lining, the lower part of which was similarly uneven, with the right side being full, and the left consisting of four narrow straps over the lower part of a leather chest guard that went over her right breast and shoulder.
She snagged the desk chair and pulled it up, plucking her glass off the table, before curling into the chair, with her left leg bent up to rest her cheek on, her glass dangling from her fingertips.
"Before we start, can I get you anything, coffee? I think there was some tea somewhere when I got this ship, something to eat?"
"Got anything stronger?"
"You've already had something stronger, by the smell, and I prefer to be cogni…cornaz…clear headed while we talk."
"Urgru"
"Fine, team up on me then" Gaige said grabbing her water "So what couldn't you say on the surface?"
"I suppose I should start at the beginning, or there abouts, maybe a little later."
"I first found your ECHO casts while I was in the hospital, after the...accident" she started looking into the distance, her right-hand tightening on her left arm. "I had been trolling through dozens of Echo-casters when I found yours, I think what drew me in was that you were real, most of the others sounded, I dunno, scripted? But you were real, relatable, talking about things that where small, not that I'm saying that they were small or unimportant to you, only, well, not massive, earth shaking things. A fight at school, a bully, loneliness, your parents, and such. Anyway, that's what got me into robotics, before I got released, I already had designs for my first arm, it was crude but it worked. I continued to follow you until you stopped casting, then to be honest I would think about you from time to time, you know, wondering what ever happened to you, but overall, kinda forgot about you. Sorry.
"Well, about the time you arrived on Pandora, there was a problem in my area, a wild Tusked Skraling had started attacking hikers. So, they placed a bounty on it. I, wanting to test out my latest limbs, went and bought the only gun I could afford, a Tediore piece of crap, and some ammo, and went hunting.
"And I found it, but that piece of crap gun didn't do anything but piss it off, but I noticed that the reload throw did hurt it, so I just threw the next one, which hurt it and as luck would have it caused it
to roar, my last throw went right into its mouth and blew inside, killing it. Well the reward was some money and a gun, that gun in particular." she pointed to a well-loved Jakobs pistol on display "I carried that gun for years, saved my butt more times than I can count, started my love of the Jakobs gun line,
'if it took more than one shot, you weren't using a Jakobs." she said with a distant smile.
"Well after that I started to do more hunting, started bagging some pretty good trophies too, got some more guns, and before long I had hunted just about everything worth hunting on the planet. So I did the only thing left, at sixteen I hopped a flight off that rock and never looked back."
"Wait" Gaige said apologetically "But how old are you?"
"You mean now? Uh…something like twenty what, two or three? Depends on what month it is. How old are you, that might help?"
"You don't know how old you are?"
"Doesn't come up in my day to day."
"Fair enough, as for me, I turn twenty-six next month."
"That would make me, let's see, I'm three years younger than you so…twenty-two, I'll turn twenty-three a week before you."
"Really? Huh, we nearly share a birthday. Anyway, sorry, carry on."
"Right, where was I? Right, anyway, like I was saying, over the next few years I taught myself all about hunting, how to track, how to spot weaknesses, how to drop a target without ruining the meat, or hide, or head, whatever I was hunting it for. Then a few years ago there was a big hunt on Wilina 2. Sir Talbot S. Montamore, a legendary hunter, was dying, and all of his heirs where, well as he put it 'Where less useful than a Ratch turd in a gunfight' and that they 'Couldn't find their prey unless someone nailed a dollar to it.', so he organized a competition, a grand hunt to determine his will, with the winner getting his estate. So of course, I took part. There was some heavy competition, including more than a few that were representing his relations, and let me tell you, those ones played dirty. Still I went out and did my best.
"Won the damn thing to, to my chag…shagrim…chagrin, that's it, chagrin. Took a bit to convince the old man that I didn't want the estate, I wanted the ship, but then he told me 'Ship's part of the estate dipshit.' so he gave me his old ship. This ship, 'The Hunters Moon'. It took me a little while to get things how I liked them, but I had a home, transport wherever I wanted to go, and I was set. He also insisted I keep the rest of the estate, since I had won it and was the 'Only real hunter in this pile of greed licked snake farts', truly had a way with words he did, though I haven't been back since he passed, but he told me to hold onto it, someday I would want a home to retire to, retire, pfft, don't ever want to stay in one place that long.
"So anyway, things went well for a while, then about just under a year ago I was on Tartaris, hunting a beast the locals called 'The Keeper of the End', you saw him on the way in, that long skull, looked like a dragon, that one. Anyway, after a long fight, had to snipe his eyes out to get him to land, then blow off some scales to get at his heart, regenerating parts, pain in the butt, anyway when he died, I found something. He must have swallowed it or something, maybe that's why he was so big, but anyway he had this." She stood and went to one of the cases, and withdrew a large spiral cylinder of stone, around an orb of what looked like a bramble trying to escape.
"Is that a Vault Key?" Gaige gasped, her eyes going wide. "You were a Vault Hunter?"
"Yeah, I guess I was, took me almost four months to find that damn Vault, it was half way down the inside of a live volcano, though it did kinda make his name make more sense in retros…retrospes…retrospect, 'Keeper of the End' that is. So, I find the Vault, kill some weird glowy crystaly guys, and find the Vault itself. No one ever tells you what you'll find inside one of those things, do they?
"So portal opens and out plops this giant ball of rotting, bloated tentacles, with mouths everywhere, bone spikes and eyes and total gross. And me, I'd figured if there was going to be something, it would be fire based, I mean it was hot as all get out in there, but no, thing was weak to fire. Lucky me, my SMG's alternate fire mode was from ice to fire. So after a long fight with that thing, spent mostly ducking around the room, shooting the eyes and pustules on its' tentacles, which if I didn't pop them fast enough spawned mini versions of the thing that floated around vomiting acid and chunks and firing lasers, I had nightmares for weeks, hell I still do once in a while. So anyway, after it dies the gate reopens, and I'm freakin out a bit cause I'm like, almost out of ammo, I mean I think I had like two pistol rounds left at that point, but nothing comes through, so, and I still have no idea why, I go through. Actually, I do know, curiosity, but anyway on the other side was this weird room, with nothin in it. Well almost nothin, there was a creepy statue of one of those crystal guys with his arms extended, and floating above them was something.
"I knew that whatever it was, I could tell that it was not something that should end up in the wrong hands, so I started to look for someone I could trust with it. And I had no luck with that, none, nada, well until I got the ECHO from Holloway, then I realized, you might know someone, the right someone. So, I help you and you help me, at least that's what I thought."
Gaige looked at her, stupefied, before shaking her head "Hold on, you found something, in a Vault, and thought I could help you with it?"
When the other girl nodded, Gaige just sighed "Can I at least see this thing?"
Jinx nodded and opened another cabinet, and after crouching down made a poor attempt to pretend she was fiddling with something behind the door, while actually doing something on her belt. Gaige wasn't fooled for a second but kept her mouth shut. When the other girl stood back up, she had in her hand an object about eight inches long that seemed to smoothly transition from red crystal to dull gray stone, and was covered in strange glowing red lines. Jinx reluctantly offered it to Gaige to examine. Holding it in her hands and examining it for a second, she was surprised that the crystal was warm to the touch, and the warmth seemed to pulse in time with the brightness of the lines. After turning it this way and that for a few seconds she handed it back.
"Tannis, you want Tannis."
"What's a Tannis?"
"Not what, who. Tannis is this crazy smart lady, emphasis on the crazy, but also the preeminent Eridian expert. She should still be with the Crimson Raiders, so she's probably on Sanctuary 3, or at least they could tell you where to find her."
"And where is this Sanctuary 3?"
"No idea, it's a ship, so it tends to move around a lot." Gaige admitted "But I might know someone who does. But it's gonna be out of our way, and that's if they're even in, and we'd have to go back there." she closed her eyes for a second " You'd need an introduction I suppose. What do ya say babe, should we go see the old B team?" she said as she turned to the large robot floating behind her.
"Urug"
"Yah, not happy about it either, but it would put us out of where we would be expected"
"Urarug"
"OK so maybe they would expect it, but do you think anyone would survive messing with them? Didn't think so. It's settled than, after the wedding, we'll go to Pandora, and make some introductions"
"Well that's settled" Jinx said, returning the artifact from where she'd gotten it, then sat back down before looking around awkwardly. "So…um I don't really know how these social things are supposed to… proceed, do we… um talk, about what? Do you ask questions? Do I?
"Don't have a lot of social interactions do you." Gaige said, looking a bit shocked at how fast the conversation had died.
"To tell the truth, other than to order stuff and get info on a hunt I haven't had a conversation in, well…um, I can't remember, no wait, it was with Sir Montamore, before I left, that's it."
"Wow, I think she might be worse at this than I am, definitely doesn't have the confidence." Gaige whispered to Deathtrap before looking the other girl up and down and proceeding "Well, first off, odd question, can I call you Artemis? I mean that's how I've been identifying you in my head this whole time, if not that's cool, whatever you're comfortable with."
"That…would be fine, actually that would, that would make me happy, actually, please do." She said with a smile while her cheeks reddened slightly.
"Cool. Artemis. Artemis." Gaige said as if trying it on, then with a nod and a smile, "So, Artemis, I suppose we should get to know each other better, so I got this thing I sometimes do with a client, especially ones that don't quite know what they want, it was one of the things they taught in the ECHO lessons for being a wedding planner. Care to try it? I mean, gonna have to modify it slightly, I don't need to ask what kind of cake is your favorite."
"Chocolate, with like white frosting, and sprinkles."
"OK then, wait, they put sprinkles on cake? Anyway, just answer with the first thing that comes into your head, you can also always refuse to answer if you want, but if you answer you can ask me a question. You good with that?"
"Uh, OK."
"Let's start simple, favorite color?"
"Purple, you?"
"Same, is that your natural hair color?"
"Yes, is that yours?"
"Yes, you know you don't have to ask the same questions back?"
"Yes, I just can't think of one now, maybe in a minute."
"Oh, well then what's up with that hand cannon?
"Like I said, it's a prototype. I wanted a backup weapon, one with as much stopping power as I could get, so I started experimenting, and that's what I've come up with, fires custom rounds, about the same size as that elephant rifle there." She pointed up to a huge old rifle across the top of the armory "Though the first time I tried to shoot it I felt something in my wrist crack, so you need a cybernetic arm to fire it, at least for someone my size."
"Geez, is that why you didn't reload it until you got back here?"
"Correct, I try to save the cartridges to reload them, it also only holds three rounds, so there is that."
"So you've built your own gun, and your own limbs, so do you do the ship maintenance as well?"
"Nah, there was a robot on the ship when I got it, that takes care of most of that. I only do something if there's a real problem. One that it can't take care of by itself."
"Anyone else on board?"
"One other robot, does the cleaning, neither one has a vocal processor though. Older models, some out of business brand, bugger to find parts for them."
"Why don't you get some new ones then?"
"They are a bit pricey, and it's almost impossible to find any that aren't Holloway robotics. I refuse to have one of those things on my ship.
"Good choice. What's your favorite band?"
"Don't have one. Don't really listen to much music."
"Oh come now, I saw the Digby Vermouth records in the case over there."
"Truth is most of them were Sir Montamores', and were on board when I got the ship."
"Well he had good taste, but I noticed you picked up his latest."
"Complete the set, plus he is good."
"That he is, 'Sax to Grind' is a personal favorite. OK personal question, got a boyfriend?"
Gaige thought she saw a twitch in the other girls' face, but whether it was from a bad experience or something else she couldn't guess. " No." came the flat but forceful response. Then a bit softer laced with something undefinable she stammered out "H-how about you?"
Gaige sighed "I'd like to pass, but you answered, so, no. No, I'm not seeing anyone. What about you, any ex's that might be hunting you?"
"No." Jinx looked down "no ex's, no ex's at all."
"Wait, you've got no ex's, like never dated anyone."
"Fine, laugh at the girl that no one would want to be with." She didn't sound angry, just sad as she seemed to shrink in on herself.
"That's not what I meant." Gaige started.
"No, no, you asked, so here you go. I lost my limbs, missed a lot of school, was considered a freak when I got back, didn't care though, I didn't have anyone close anyway since I was at a new school. Then I took to hunting, not a lot of options for dates there, especially not ones I'd be interested in. But I'm good, really, with not dating I mean. And before you ask, no, I haven't been with anyone. How about you, what's your love life looked like? There's a question for you" To Gaige's surprise she didn't sound mad, or annoyed, maybe a touch embarrassed, but that was it.
"That's gonna be your first real question? Uh…" Gaige started to turn a bit red. "I've been good, had a few serious boyfriends and"
"Urura"
"Baaabe" Gaige whined turning to her robo buddy "Fine, there you have it, straight from the traitor bot's mouth. Was too much of a nerd in school, then went on the run, no one as a Vault Hunter, little hard to find time when you're being shot at by bandits all the damn time. Then I was on the run, like you said, kinda hard when you're always movin planet to planet. And fine," she added with a sigh "Haven't had much luck with men, only a few drunken come-ons from seriously gross guys. There were a few nice ones, here and there, but someone chased them off." she turned with a fake glare at Deathtrap who shrugged with over the top dramatics, and ended with her sticking her tongue out at him.
"Ururg"
"And a number of guys that wanted me, wanted me to get rid of my best bud, can you believe that?"
Jinx just shook her head. "No way. No, wait, I mean I can believe it, I mean…let me start over. I believe there are jerks like that out there, but I do not agree with them, there, that's what I mean."
"Wait whose question is it?"
There was a moment of silence as they both thought.
"Ururarg"
"Ooh that's a good one babe, mine would be Deathtrap here, but since that might be considered a cheat, the next most favorite thing I've got is,"
"Wait," Jinx interrupted "let's change that slightly, how about what is your favorite thing that you've collected that would be considered weird or silly or you know…"
"Embarrassing?"
"Yeah, but only slightly."
"Oooh, like guilty pleasures, I like it. Hmm, well I've got my wanted posters, but that seems pretty, tame. No. Mundane. Expected. So I also keep an invite from each wedding, but that's kinda work, lemme think, I don't really have that much stuff since I keep moving, and then I lost more of it when my ship exploded, Mr. Torgue would have been so proud of that. While I'm thinking, what about you?"
Jinx stood and turned showing what was hanging from her belt. Gaige looked at the small horse hanging from a metal carabiner for a few seconds before "Ahh, is that Shadowstar, from 'My Friendly Equine"?! That one was super rare."
"Oh? You know it?"
"Pfft, know it, I loved that series, had almost the whole collection, probably still do unless my dad sold them, and there's no way he woulda done that."
"I've got the whole set" Jinx said with a smile "Creatures aren't the only thing I'm good at hunting."
Gaige suddenly stopped smiling, like she just remembered something and turned a bit to the side while she said "I would've sold mine by now though."
"Why?"
"I'm too old for that stuff anymore."
"To old to like what you like?" Jinx was sounding so confused that it stopped Gaige for a moment, and she quickly realized that it could sound like an attack on the other girl if she continued. "But hey, you be you, K."
Jinx looked at her a bit funny before sitting down and seemed to curl inward a little again.
Gaige sighed inwardly and continued "So other than the guns, what is your favorite, or most used thing in this room?"
"The chair?"
Gaige blinked "That you've added?"
"Hmm, Ooh, I'm rather proud of the first editions of Sir Hammerlock's series, very useful those, though I don't think he would have been to welcome where I'm from."
"Hammerlock! I know him, did his wedding." Gaige got a far-off look and missed the look that crossed the other girl's face. Deathtrap did not, and nudged Gaige to get her back. "Ahem, back on subject, how about foods, do you have any allergies?"
"No"
"Yeah, me neither, though I did try and convince my parents that I was allergic to onions when I was a kid. But they told me I would learn to appreciate them when I got older. And I do eat them now."
"I hate onions, unless they're cooked into something, and chopped really small. But on like a pizza, ew."
"Yeah totally, speaking of pizza, what do you like on yours? Me I'm partial to just about anything, but no anchovies, that's just wrong, or squid, or like anything still alive, oh or bugs, I had a wedding where they wanted to serve pizza's with like local centipedes on them, and I'm like, I'm all for local cultures and all but you people are just sick, like in the head."
"Eww, I mean I've eaten a few bugs, mostly roasted, and always when I couldn't find anything else
to eat while hunting, they're actually not as bad as you'd think, but to choose to top a pizza with them?
No. Sick. Oh, but for my pizza, meat. Meat and I'm good. Actually, doesn't have to even be a pizza,
I like meat."
"And what would you have to drink?"
"I'm actually good with water." she said, raising her glass.
"Margarita's for me. Babe! Margarita me."
"Urug"
"Seriously? Traitor. Anyway" she turned back "and what for dessert?"
"Haven't had many, what you'd call fancy desserts, but a fresh bowl of berries, maybe with some whipped cream on the side."
"That actually doesn't sound so bad, but you've got to try a triple chocolate and berry Argolian cake. Had one at this wedding, absolutely blew my mind how unreally good it was. Seriously think I died a bit when I ate it, so good."
"Wow."
Gaige came back down from her memory high "Can you cook? Not to sound like a bitch, or anything, was just wondering, I can't myself, at least nothing more than the basics."
"I mean I can follow the directions to make something, but other than that I can fire roast things, learned a bit about spices, but only enough to survive."
"Ah, that's cool. So, been wondering…"
"Y-yes?"
"What's up with the chest protector?"
"Huh? Oh, this, it's so I don't smack my chest with my gun." Seeing the confused look on the other girl's face she stood and said "Here, stand up."
Gaige stood slightly confused. Meanwhile Jinx grabbed her rifle off the wall.
"Now take your gun like you're carrying it." Gaige mimicked the way the other girl held her gun at hip level like they were walking.
"Now raise it like you just saw your prey. Notice you pulled it away from yourself to avoid hitting your chest." Gaige blinked and repeated the motion looking down. Sure enough she brought the stock out and around her breast on the way to her shoulder.
"Now watch" Jinx smoothly brought the gun from hip to shoulder keeping it close to her side. "If I didn't have the guard, I would've smacked my breast, and that hurts, or I would have had to swing the stock out and that creates extra motion that could attract your prey's attention."
Gaige nodded with understanding, before pushing in on her chest. "But doesn't it get uncomfortable?"
The other girl shrugged "Not really, maybe I'm used to it." she said looking down at her rather small chest, over at Gaige's chest and back, causing Gaige to realize that she had at least a full cup size on Jinx, if not more. Taking pity on the other girl she changed subjects.
"What's the weirdest request you've had for a hunt?"
They kept going like that well into the night, both girls slowly opening up and before long started to get into it, until Deathtrap finally interrupted them. Looking at the clock on the wall Jinx stood up. "Wow, yeah it's getting late. Uh, you can have the bedroom, it's this way, just let me get a couple things out of it first."
"No way, I can't take your room on your ship, I'll take the guest room."
"Yeaaaah, kinda don't have one, and you're the guests and theirs two of you and I'll be fine, just sleep in the trophy room, or the cockpit or the workshop, or in here, wouldn't be the first time."
"Really? I don't want you to have to put yourself out on our account."
"I insist, wouldn't be able to sleep otherwise, this way."
"OK, but I still feel bad about this."
Jinx led them to another door, which opened on a room dominated by a large posted bed. The rest of the room was filled with dark wood dressers, cabinets and glass fronted shelves.
"Bathrooms through there, don't worry there's another in the hold, so I won't be bothering you for that, just let me grab my things." She quickly grabbed some things from the dresser and snagged her pillow off the bed "Make yourself comfortable." she said closing the door behind her, leaving Gaige and Deathtrap alone.
Gaige slowly looked around the room, at the thick fur hide over the bed, which had dark purple cloth hanging from it, and as she stepped over to the shelves she spotted with a slight squeal, the full set of 'My Friendly Equines' figures.
"Ahem," she caught herself before turning to her robo-buddy "What do you think?"
"Urarug"
"No, I meant about her."
"Urur" he said in what was his equivalent of a laugh "Ururu"
"Yeah, I think she might be OK too, maybe a bit naive, but seems nice enough." She paused and looked at the door "She's not outside listening, is she?"
"Uru"
"Good, then to be honest, she might be a bit too trusting. I mean how can you admit some of that stuff to someone you just met?"
"Uragu"
"I hear ya." she turned to the bed and pulled back the fur, before stopping and petting it a few times "So soft" she whispered. She then tested the bed lightly with one hand before nodding and throwing herself onto it, enjoying the luxurious sensation of sinking in.
"Urru"
"I know but it feels so good" Gaige barely lifted her head while responding.
A few moments later there was a knock at the door, causing her to quickly pop to her feet. "Yeah?"
The door opened a little and Jinx popped her head in. "Do you need anything, an extra blanket, a toothbrush, a specific size connector to charge things with?"
"No, I'm good, thanks, got everything I need with me." she said thinking the other girl seemed almost desperate to be useful, like she didn't know how to act with someone else onboard, which judging by their earlier conversation probably wasn't far off the mark.
"Just thought I'd ask, oh and I brought you this." She pushed open the door and entered with a tray, with a single steaming mug on it. "Thought with everything that's happened today, with all you've heard and with all that must be on your mind, and I've heard sleeping on a strange bed can cause people to have trouble sleeping, I figured you could use something to help you get to sleep." She set the tray next to the bed "Well, good night." And with a slight blush, hurried out.
Gaige looked in the mug to find it full of hot chocolate, with little marshmallows floating amidst the steaming brown liquid. "What does she think I am, a kid." she grumbled to Deathtrap.
"Urarg"
"Well if it's safe I shouldn't let it go to waste" she said before taking a tentative sip. "Oh god that's good, almost as good as dad used to make." she said with a sad whisper. "Dad." With everything that had happened during the day, it finally hit her, "I can finally see him again, I could go home. Do I want to? What will he think of me? Of what I've become?"
Before she knew it, she had finished the mug and after a quick trip to the bathroom, which was way better looking than any bathroom should, crawled into bed. She had expected Jinx to be right about her having trouble sleeping but within a minute of her head hitting the pillow, she was softly snoring.
The Next Morning
Her eyes slowly fluttered open as consciousness reluctantly came back, and when it did, she panicked for a brief second, as she woke in an unfamiliar bed, before remembering the events of the previous day. Looking around she was surprised to find Deathtrap was not in the room, but a quick check of her ECHO told her he was operating properly elsewhere on the ship.
So after a relaxing shower, she got dressed and went looking for him, as she did she realized she was hungry, really hungry, and she wanted breakfast. To her surprise she found him in the sitting room playing chess against Jinx.
"Good morning, sleep well?"
"Best night I've had in a long time, how's the game going?"
"I think I'm zero for ten, eleven counting this game."
"Good to see he's found someone else to destroy, definitely not a game for me, should never have installed that chess subroutine."
"Seems like an odd thing for him to have."
"Yeah, actually I installed it because this one couple wanted a chess themed wedding. Having the groomsman and bridesmaids calling out moves so that one king, the other queen and one of the bishops would end up together and perform the ceremony. Cute concept, but man was it a pain to figure out. Anyway, I had Deathtrap download the game so he could help me set it up and he seems to enjoy playing, so he kept it, he's actually got a few dozen games in there. He actually says they help him in combat if you can believe that, something about strategy, never really got it myself. Sorry he conned you into playing with him."
"Actually, I'm just glad for the distraction. I've had this set since I got this ship, but I never really knew how to play, nor had anyone to play against for that matter. This game is his, so go, go big guy, make your mistress breakfast." She turned to Gaige as an aside "He makes a mean omelet, but I had to cook the meat, how does he not know how to cook a breakfast steak, still I think he's figured out my trick though, so I'll let him try it this time."
"Wow you two seem to be getting along fine. He usually doesn't take to people this well."
"Neither do I, but I think we see eye to eye on the important stuff. Oh yeah, we should be making planetfall in about an hour and a half, about twelve local time so I should be on the bridge about ten, fifteen minutes ahead of time." Jinx told her as they relocated to the dining table, which could have sat six without too much inconvenience, and through a door was a small but well-furnished kitchen, where Deathtrap slipped an apron on and went to work making Gaiges' breakfast.
"What'll you have to drink?"
"Coffee, black."
"Eeeegh." Jinx replied grimacing "Black it is." before slipping into the kitchen and coming back with a tray a minute later. She poured a steaming mug for Gaige from the pot, before prepping her own, which consisted of six lumps of sugar, a solid pour of cream, and then topped off with a shot of strong coffee. Gaige looked at the other girls longingly before sipped hers with a slight wince at the bitterness, but was pleasantly surprised by the taste. "This is good, what kind is it?"
"Arcturian black roast, you sure you don't want anything in it?" when Gaige shook her head "Suit yourself, me personally, I can't stand it straight, way too bitter, and this is a fairly smooth cup."
Gaige took another sip of the dark black goodness as Jinx eyed her like she was trying to figure something out. Eventually Gaige couldn't stand it "What?"
"Somethings different about you, I'm trying to place it. That's it! You're missing that, whatsit called, that spot on your cheek."
"The beauty spot? I must've forgot it, I generally only wear it for weddings. Gonna have to put it on before we hit planetfall."
"Pity, you look better without it."
Gaige's shoulders slumped slightly "It's supposed to accentuate the beauty of the wearer."
Jinx just shrugged "You look better without it." she repeated.
Right then the door swung open and Deathtrap brought in another tray and set it before Gaige, much to her relief for the distraction. As she dug in, she tried a strip of steak
"Mmm this is perfect." to which Jinx just gave Deathtrap a thumbs up, before heading back in to whip up a second batch for her.
After they finished, they headed back to the sitting room where the two girls continued their conversation from the night before until it was time to prep for planetfall.