Chapter IV
She slips her delicate hand into mine, surprising me some. I ain't a real touchy feely person, it's been a while since I had real contact with another person. Makes me miss my little duck though. I lead her up the stairs and into the dining room. Finnick, Annie, Gale and Thresh are already there. Peeta comes in shortly carrying Jo bridal style. I shoot him a questioning glare. Peeta sets her down on a couch and turns my way. "She refused to be left behind. Told me she would kill me with an axe, I believed her." I roll my eyes and descend on Thresh who is sittin' tied to a chair.
I stand over him and stare down into his eyes. "Now you mind tellin' me what the hell is goin' on here? You show up on my ship, with a fed on yer tail, hauling a secret crate which just so happens to contain a live girl. Guns are drawn the fed gets shot, as well as one of my crew, then you hold hostage the doctor till we turn around and flee…now I am mighty curious as to how I got myself caught up in all this. So you'd better start explainin' and it better be good."
Thresh clears his throat and addresses Peeta. "Doctor, I'm assumin' that you went to one of the best med centers in all the core to get that education of yours. You probably passed as one of the highest in the class. In short you are very smart. Am I right?" Peeta nods, "Yes. I was top of my class. Finished my residency in eight months. Gifted, some called me." "Well don't go braggin' bout it." Johanna snorts sarcastically from her place on the couch. I silence her with a glare.
Thresh looks around the room. "I thought so. Now no offense doc, but my sister would make you look like an idiot child. She ain't just gifted. Everything she does, from dancing to advance mathematics comes to her as easily as breathin' does to us. When she was ten the Kapitol offered her a full ride scholarship to some fancy schools in the core. Naturally we sent her. After a while I noticed her letters weren't makin' any sense. She was misspelling things, talking about memories we never had, or jokes we never made. It was a code, took me a while to figure out but I did. She claimed they were hurting her. Experimentin' on her. She begged me to save her. So I did. Paid off the right people and managed to get her out. But the Kapitol ain't so keen on lettin' 'er go. So they is chasin' us. That's my story. If they catch us they'll probably kill me, and go back to using her like a lab rat. I just can't have that."
Touching. Annie has tears in her eyes, Finnick holds her close, Johanna looks stunned and impressed, Peeta has one hand on his heart and a look of respect in his eyes, Clove wipes away a small tear I can tell she don't want no one to see it, hell even Gale looks less moody than usual.
"So what's that got to do with us? You seriously expecting me to take on fugitives and risk puttin' the rest of my crew in danger? Could get us all killed, did you consider that? I got me two fugitives and a dead cop…that's a whole heap of trouble I don't need. I should just toss you out at the next Union station…"
Before I can continue Peeta interrupts. "You can't seriously be considering that! They were testing on her, experimenting on her, it would be cruel to force her back into that life. You'll have Thresh's blood on your hands as well." He has moved very close to me, and is yelling in my face. "What kind of heartless, low life, psychotic, hurensohn, arschloch would you be if you even considering doing such a…"
Well I ain't very well gonna stand here and continue to let him insult my character. Quickly I draw back my fist then let it fly till I feel the satisfying pain indicating I connected with the doctor's jaw. He tumbles back against the wall looking shocked.
…:::…
Crack! Rippling pain shoots through my jaw as her fist connects. I feel my body reel back and into the wall. Her eyes are enraged and her hand is still clenched in a fist. Gale chuckles from where he stands and mutters loudly "saw that coming."
Katniss steps forward till her face is mere inches from mine. "I wouldn't go insultin' my character if I was you. You don't know nothin' bout me. Shit you only just met me so I'd watch my words if I was you. Also don't ever get the idea in your smart little head that you can tell me what to do on my ship. You may be some gifted little doctor but I'm the captain round here. This is my ship and if you want to stay aboard it you best be respectin' that real quick. Ya hear?" I nod curtly. She certainly demands respect and I feel that I am all to willing to give it to her. I feel foolish for interrupting her now, and even more so for insulting her. I have made a complete ass out of myself. "Now then pretty boy, if you'd let me finish. I was going to say that we should just toss 'em out at the next Union station, but we won't. We'll protect 'em. As long you be willin' to pull yer wait around here. Clear?" Everyone nods in agreement.
"Good. Now Finn, Gale you get rid of that feds body for me. Bury it good; don't want it being traced back to us anytime. Annie, Clove…you two go and make up another bunk for Rue here. Find her some blankets and such. She got extra clothes?" She asks Thresh. He nods. "Good. Get her comfy." She turns on me, "Doc why don't you get Johanna situated back in the infirmary. I need her better as soon as possible you got me?" I nod and make my way over to Johanna. As gently as I can I pick her up.
Once we are out of earshot she speaks up. "Well pretty boy you just threw a whole lot of shit at the fan. The Cap'n ain't one to be bossed around, especially not at the same time as being highly insulted. Hope your jaw hurts mighty good for what you said about her." Her words are both mocking and angry.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I never meant to shout at her, or say such things. In truth I actually have very high respect for the Captain." Johanna looks up at me.
"My word! Looks like someone has a crush on our dear Cap'n." Shock washes over my face as I stutter out a bunch of nonsense. "Oh don't you worry doctor your secret is safe with me. Kat don't really know the effect she has, oh but I do. I've seen many a man look at her exactly as you do. They lose their damn mind around her often enough. It ain't all your fault, she really does have a strange effect on men."
I lay her back on the cot. Check her vitals and dope her. She falls asleep quickly and I shut her in the infirmary.
She's right of course. Katniss really doesn't realize the effect she has, but I am beginning to. This woman may very well be the death of me, but I don't think I'd be to upset over it. She truly is incredible.
...:::…
A few hours later Marvel's body is disposed of and we are back in the air. I've once again settled in my bunk, after the excitement of today I wouldn't mind a few minutes of quiet.
The crackle of the intercom sounds. "Finn, Gale. You best be gettin' up to the bridge." Katniss' voice carries an obvious hint of worry and panic that I have yet to hear. Even when Marvel had a gun pointed to her head. Something is very wrong.
I race up to the bridge, curiosity coursing through my veins. When I reach the control room I see Annie, wearing a costume pilot hat, goggles and all, sitting at the controls. Finnick is directly behind her with his hands tenderly rubbing her shoulders. Gale leans against the back wall of the room rubbing his hands up and down his thighs. Katniss stands staring out the front window, stiff as a board. They all share one thing in common; dread and horror played out upon their faces.
"What's going on?" I break the silence. Katniss turns ever slightly to me; her eyes are filled with haunted pain. She grabs the intercom and pushes the button, still looking at me, "Everybody. We are coming up on another ship, looks to be Mutts. We're hoping that they don't change course, we're holdin' steady. We should be passing them in a few minutes. Let's hope they ain't huntin' today." The tension in the room rises tenfold.
"Mutts? What does that mean?" I ask.
"You ain't never heard of Mutts?" Gale's dark voice is filled with trepidation.
"Only campfire stories and myths." I reply.
"Well they ain't myths out here pretty boy." Katniss turns to me fully now. Fear is evident in her eyes, something that I haven't seen there before. "They are all to real."
"What happens if they change course?"
"They'll dock us. Come aboard and pillage. And if we are very, very lucky," Her voice wavers, "they'll kill us before they rape us, cut on us, and eat our flesh. But that is only if we are very lucky."
I stand, stunned and silent. "What are they?" I ask, my own voice wavering.
"They were men once. Out on the outer rims, no body knows exactly what happened, but they lost their minds, went all crazy like. Now they cut on themselves, and have turned to cannibalistic and torturous ways."
The ship comes into view of the front window. The silver metal is scratched and battered, with red paint smeared on many sections. "Is that?"
Katniss nods, "Blood. They paint their ships with the blood of their victims." The blood splattered ship closes in a soon it completely fills the window, dread fills everyone's hearts.