Chapter 42 – Risha Is Not a Porn Star

"Are you sure the word you're looking for is not 'insufferable,' Lady?" came a familiar rumble from the hallway.

Risha's smirk broadened as she turned toward Bowdaar. "Hey, now, I'll have you know that – oh my," she interjected, brows arching. "Wow, Furface, you look even bigger than usual."

Corso turned to look as well, and actually took a step back in surprise. "Um. 'Wow' is right, Bowdaar."

The wookiee was tall and broad-shouldered, and generally his glossy chestnut fur lay close to his skin in a sleek pelt. But apparently after scrubbing the grime out of his fur he used the vaporator to dry off quickly, and the result had been... impressive. He looked down, running one clawed finger over his chest self-consciously. "I did not wish to drip everywhere, but the drying machine caused this," he said with a mournful trill. "I hope that the effect is not permanent. I did not expect it."

Smiling gently, Corso leaned in and nudged Bowdaar with his shoulder. "Don't fret yourself none – just a bit of a change is all. If it don't go back, well, I figure we'll all get used to it in awhile."

Risha let out a quiet laugh. "That doesn't sound particularly reassuring."

"Well?" With a sigh of frustration, Corso shrugged. "I ain't gonna lie to him and say 'oh I'm sure it'll go back to how you're used to' when I ain't actually sure. And besides..." He folded his arms with a wry grin. "You tell me I ain't all that good a liar anyhow."

A furry hand thumped his shoulder gently. "Not everyone sees that as a failing," he chuffed, eyes twinkling.

Rolling her eyes, Risha sighed and leaned back against her workstation. "I'm not saying you actually have to lie, exactly," she hedged. "But a careful presentation of the truth is much more effective than just dumping out everything all over the place. You do that, you're much more likely to upset someone."

Corso's eyes narrowed. "We talkin' about Bowdaar's fur, still, or Kyla?"

There was a rumble from above him. "I am unfamiliar with this word. Is it another language?"

"No." A slow, mischievous smile pulled at Risha's mouth. "It's a name – the name of a young lady that Corso met. She's..." Risha paused significantly. "A friend."

Corso threw his hands up. "See?! You're doing it! You're doing it again!"

Bowdaar looked from one to the other and back. "She's doing it? What is she doing? Is this lady not truly your friend, then?"

"I – well – yes, but not like that!" Corso sputtered. His face had become an interesting shade of red. "She's really nice, and she's smart, and kind, and yeah, she's pretty but I don't like her as anything more than that, but RISHA said" and here he jabbed a finger at her in accusation "that I oughta make Vacy think that I did so's she'd get jealous but now I hardly ever even see her anymore and I think she's mad at me and..." He sighed, deflating. "It's just rotten."

Risha's smile faded and she looked down at the floor somewhat uncomfortably, but it was Bowdaar who spoke next. "So your concern is that the Captain does not wish to mate with you?" He shook his head. "Human customs are quite strange. Perhaps, as she is mirialan, she simply does not understand. And if she does, and the situation is as you see it, perhaps you should seek to mate with the Lady instead."

Both of the humans, equally red-faced now, stared at the wookiee in utter shock for several moments of near-silence, in which the faint hum of the ship's power drive was all that could be heard.

"That is not ever going to happen, Farm Boy, so don't even ... just... just don't," Risha managed, finally.

"I didn't – how – what are you talking about?" Corso looked at Bowdaar in utter bewilderment.

Lifting his furry shoulders calmly, Bowdaar explained. "Human females are incredibly eager to mate. While I searched the holonet to study your culture, I received numerous invitations from women, and what was particularly intriguing was that so many of them were from humans. They were –"

"NO." Risha strode toward Bowdaar, mouth a thin line, her face now matching the pinky-purple of her jumpsuit. "Just stop right there. No. I am... NO." She turned to Corso, glaring. "You explain it to him, and you better make sure he understands, because if I ever hear a word of this again, I swear by ... by anything you might think is holy, that I will make you suffer in ways you didn't know were possible." And without another word she marched past them and down the corridor.

Bowdaar watched her go, head tilted thoughtfully, then looked back at Corso. "It is not true, then?"

It took a few tries before Corso was able to manage anything like words. "It – but – well – what exactly have you been looking at on the holonet, Bowdaar?"

"As I said, I have been studying your culture. And others, of course, but human culture tends to dominate most of the worlds we travel to, so I believe that will be most useful. And beyond the invitations I received, there are also numerous guides of instruction, particularly geared toward women, on how to find a mate." His tone was still calm, but slow and somewhat puzzled.

Corso's eyes widened. "Oh. You mean A MATE, not, uhm, mating."

"Yes. A mate. One with whom to share one's life, and perhaps raise cubs." He shook his head. "It is not the same thing?"

Before he answered, Corso took a slow breath and let it out in a long, long sigh. "Well – not exactly, no. I mean, it's related, I guess, but, um... no." He looked over his shoulder, down the hallway where Risha had gone, and couldn't quite hide a smile. "Most importantly, you gotta realize that human women ain't all the same. Yeah, there's some who want to, uh, find a mate and... um... raise cubs, but there's others who got other stuff they want instead. Or in addition. It's best never t'assume anything, because that makes folks mad."

Bowdaar rumbled, frowning. "So... humans are not all alike, except when they are?"

Corso blinked, and then chuckled a bit. "I guess when you put it like that, yeah, it sounds kinda odd, don't it?"

But before Bowdaar could respond, they heard quick strides coming up the hallway again and turned to see Risha moving briskly toward them. She stopped beside the two of them and glared at them both. "I never want to hear anything about That again," she snapped, her tone clipped and still-furious. "However." She looked at Corso, and her expression softened the slightest bit. "Just to clarify? She's not mad."

Hope kindled in Corso's eyes. "Oh?"

Risha sighed and shook her head, recognizing a lost cause. "No. She misses you, though."

The flames caught, deepened, and hope blazed into joy. "Oh." Grinning stupidly, Corso looked up at Bowdaar. "She misses me."

Just then the airlock hissed and clicked, and they all turned to watch as Vacy closed it behind her before heading toward them. She noticed that they were all looking toward her and slowed as she approached. "Everything okay?" she asked uncertainly, eyes widening when she saw Bowdaar. But then, when she looked at Corso, she couldn't help grinning back, her cheeks darkening a bit. "Guess so," she said, answering her own question.

He looked down for a moment, clearing his throat. "Ah, hey there. Good to see ya back."

Bowdaar watched the two of them, observing silently. But they stood there without speaking, and the moment stretched almost into awkwardness.

Risha put her hands on her hips. "Well? Did we get paid?"

Still looking at Corso, Vacy blinked, momentarily confused. Then she glanced at Risha and nodded. "Yup. I need to contact Tookreek, let him know we're ready to meet up with Diago Hixan, find out where we're headed. And then ... we go there." She shrugged.

"And that's it, right?" Risha took a breath, and let out a slightly-nervous laugh. "We're done here... and that navcomputer is all we need. You get back and we'll be ready to go after that treasure."

Vacy nodded slowly, seeming lost in thought. "Yeah. That's all that's left," she replied softly.

But Corso suddenly took a step back. "Wait. That's it? Um. Hang on." He turned to Vacy. "Don't go nowhere without me. I just – uh – I gotta make a holocall quick, then I'll be ready to go, 'kay? I'll be right back."

She nodded, and watched him dash down the corridor and around to the crew quarters. Her mouth pulled up at one corner, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "He seems pretty excited."

"Yup." Risha walked casually back to her workstation. "Must be one important holocall."

"Guess so." Vacy let out a quiet sigh, then turned and headed up the hallway in the opposite direction, toward the bridge.

Risha watched her go, then turned to Bowdaar, fixing him with a stern glare. "Don't you dare go poking around in that mess." He shrugged his shoulders, the picture of fluffy innocence, and she narrowed her eyes at him.

The wookiee rumbled under his breath as he headed to his bunk. "I think fighting rancors was easier than this."

Author's Note: It's been nice to get back to this story! I really feel like the crew is finally starting to coalesce. They don't always see eye-to-eye, but they're getting to the point where they understand each other (Bowdaar's confusion over human mating rituals notwithstanding) and maybe even to the point where they trust each other.

Maybe.

Risha is a bit of a butt in this one, though in fairness she is a well-intentioned butt. Honestly, with all her hidden intentions and doubletalk, Vacy's no better, and heck, she's kind of earned what she's getting from Risha. Those two deserve each other!

As always, thanks for reading!