Chapter Two

Khymera humned a soft appreciative purr as he took a bite of some turian-edible steak. The old turian, having said his name is Nyrius, snickered. He wasn't entirely finished cooking up lunch before the biotic male tore into a steak fresh off the skillet. 'This is absolutely, one-hundred percent better compared to dextro nutrient paste. Hell, it's way better than take-out,' Khymera mused to himself. Nyrius could feel the biotic's tail thumping happily through the floor. He thought it comical when he compared it to a varren or one of those furry things humans called canines, dogs.

"If you don't mind me asking, curiosity getting the better of me," Nyrius started, turning around to place the next steak onto his own plate. "What do you know of yourself?"

Khymera paused mid chew, staring at the turian with a cocked brow. "Why?" he questioned back carefully, feeling the energy of his biotics buzzing beneath his skin.

Nyrius set the skillet aside and lifted both his three-taloned hands up. "As I said, just curious. Didn't get passed me that you've some turian features. With that fringe, those talons, some of your plating and..." he gestured more downwards.

Khymera smirked, giving a flirtatious smirk and leaned forward onto the counter. "Well, I have been told I'm hung like a--"

Nyrius sputtered and coughed, the coloration of his showing softer hide beneath his plating darkening in a form of a blush. "Not what I meant! Your feet, jackass!"

The large biotic male tossed his head back in roaring laughter. Khymera crossed his arms over his chest as he straightened up. "Let me remind you, I do not belong to any of the known council species." he stated calmly. "I mean, look at me!" Khymera scoffed at himself, gesturing and thumped his tail heavily.

The old turian did look him over once more, tapping a talon against his bottom mouth plate. "Hmn~, I can also pick out that you've some features of... a mix of asari... human? Hm. Asari-Humanesquic... Your height must be tied in with Krogan, possibly also the tail... a... very long tail. Krogans have lil stubby ones," Nyrius waggled a talon to mirror a krogan's. Doing so made Khymera snort humoriously.

"You know, I know a Salarian doc on Omega. He could--"

"No." Khymera snapped, his casual expression twisted up into a menacing one. "Doc means scientist with Salarians. Fuck that!"

Nyrius's mandibles quirked, rapted his talons atop the metal surface. Striking greens stared down the larger male standing on the other side of the counter. "Dr. Solus is a trusted old friend. He wouldn't harm a pyjack..." the turian blinked at the thought and decided to keep it to himself. 'Most likely disect a pyjack to figure out how they can adapt to various planets...' Nyrius cleared his throat, "Besides, aren't you curious?"

"Fuck. Scientists." Khymera growled low, one corner of his lips curled over his teeth as he bared them in warning. Struggling hard to keep those horridly detailed memories at bay. The old turian gave a shake of his head as the biotic hybrid stormed off down into the cargo bay.

Nyrius' mandibles flicked and fluttered in thought as he picked up his plate. He made his way back to the cockpit to eat, watching the void sparkle and dance with the various stars. After eating half what was on his plate, he brought his omni-tool up and tapped away a message to a friend.

[M,

I've a guest on my ship Omega bound. He's an interesting fella, actually. Could I ask a favor of you, old friend? Can you keep an eye on him? I've a feeling there are some bad folks hunting this kid. When you see him, you'll understand.

-N]

Khymera had found some contraband boxes to lay across on, using his arm as a pillow. 'Dumbass, fucking old bird-face... What the fuck does he know? He doesn't know shit about me!' he snorted, readjusting himself to try and get more comfortable.

"You know, it's a lot more comfortable in the spare sleeping quarters." said old bird-face's voice chimed over the ship's comms.

"Fuck off." Khymera snapped.

A sigh was heard over the comms. "Invitation's still open." Nyrius closed comms and fell back in his pilot's chair. He sat there for a few moments longer and was about to get up when his omni-tool pinged. He brought it up and opened a message he recieved. Glancing it over, he sighed in relief.

[N,

Need I remind you I was formerly part of the STG? Consider it done.

-M]

At some point, Khymera had dozed off only to awaken with a start. He worked to steady his breathing and calm his heart rate. Sitting up, he rubbed at his face with a taloned hand. An aggitated groan sounded from his throat as he then shook his head to clear his early childhood terrors. He slid off the boxes and shook himself, rolled his shoulders then stretched.

The large biotic male glanced about the dimly lit cargo bay. He pulled up his omni-tool, takked away to access his private channels for anything new. He found that he had one new encrypted message. After he got to work in opening it, he found it was for a hit. In all honesty, he hasn't had an assassination assignment in weeks. Briefly and carefully glancing over the details, the target was batarian and a slaver. Fortunately for the hybrid, the target's frequent place to stay was Omega. Their favorite haunt, Afterlife.

'Finally, I can get some creds... maybe a better appartemt and some fucking decently edible food on Omega.' Khymera smirked to himself, sent a quick response to confirm taking on the assignment and meandered his way up to forge for food again. Even though it had only been near three hours since he last ate, he felt rather famished. He hoped there would be more of those dextro-amino based steaks somewhere. Not caring if they were cooked or not once found.

As he, quietly as possible, made his way passed the small crew deck to the kitchenette. Khymera quickly picked up soft, snore-like warbling. 'He sounds like a dying earth bird.' He snirked, bit down on his lip to stay quiet and stealthily sifted through the night cycle, dimly litted kitchenette.

Khymera had busied himself in hunting down food, he hadn't noticed that the turian had woken up. While crouched, poking around in a cabnet full of rashens and some containers of nutrient paste, the lights brightened and he banged his head against the framing of the cabnets.

"Fffuck!" he grounded out, standing up as he clutched the back of his throbbing head.

"There's no need sneaking around." Nyrius yawned. "Just don't eat all of my rations."

Khymera glowered over his shoulder at the old turian leaning up against the wall. "Sneaking up on others is a sure quick way to get yourself killed." the hybrid groused, his dark red-violet biotics flaring up.

This didn't faze nor intimidate the turian. Nyrius simply walked by him, opened the fridge and plucked out a sealed container. "Kill the pilot, get stranded in the middle of space." the old turian stated, handing the container to Khymera.

The hybrid sneered, swiping the container from him. "I could tear--"

"Do you know how to pilot a ship?" Nyrius interrupted him, mandibles held relaxed at his face, striking green staring at Khymera. The larger of the two opened his mouth to protest, but snapped it shut fuming. "Thought so. Oh, and you need to be lighter on your feet."

Khymera sort of gaped as Nyrius tiredly shuffled towards the cockpit. He couldn't believe the old turian-- He shook hisnhead and grumbled, popped the lid on the container and tore into the galaxy's most delish cooking he's ever eaten. A small part of him already starting to miss it before they even reached Omega.

"ETA is three hours of no more sleep for me. Thank you for waking me up, brat." Nyrius grouchily snarked.

Khymera simply gave a closed lip, full cheeked grin as he rumbled a pleased purr. 'Anytime, ol' bird-faced fuck.' he thought right back, knowing Nyrius wouldn't know.