CHAPTER 17

'Well this is freaking depressing' Dion shivered, as they crouched around a barrel of fire. Lillith and her crew had arrived at the docs on southern shelf, only to find the ship they would be ransacking was a whole Pandoran day behind schedule.

They had moved camp to Liars Berg, which was a bit more sheltered than the open ice-shelf. Since Jacks demise, Liars Berg was one of few small settlements who's residents were beginning to make something of it again.
At least three more dwellings had been build. The resident Bullymongs (giant, ape like creatures with 6 limbs) had been forced to move along. As life on Pandora evolved into something with a little more civility, this little area would soon become a thriving little town, being not far from an open and easily accessible port.
Duraph and his Hyperion bandits had the potential to crush that though. Lillith was more determined than ever to stop that from happening.
Zareb seemed to always be happy, no matter where he was. Brick and Salvador were the same when anticipating and epic battle. Dion and Gaige seemed to have lost interest in the cold. Lillith guessed their younger age was partly to blame for that. She smiled a she remembered back to her own youth. What a wild child she had been. Not that much had changed, just the age, she sighed. Night was beginning to fall on Pandora, and with the prolonged twilight, the chill in the air increased.

'Brick!' She called out to where the larger man was obviously describing a previous slaughter to the shorter, but just as bulky, Salvador.

'Yeah?' He called back, obviously frustrated with the interuption. When Lillith didnt answer, he sighed and waltzed over.

'Think its time to move this party inside. Before our troops freeze' She nodded towards where Gaige and Dion sat huddled almost on top of a small camp fire.

'If you say so!' He bellowed, turning towards the others. 'Hey slabs! Lets pack it up! We're heading indoors' Most didnt take much encouragement at all!

It was a very slow trip for Mordecai, who had to half drag, half carry the sickly intoxicated siren. He had to stop two more times so she could empty her stomach, she apologized profusely each time.

'Dont worry bout it kid. You saved our arses back there' When they had stopped for the third time. Mordecai had stopped at the bottom of the hill, and left the siren sitting against a rock. Darkness was approaching fast now, so he had to be quick. He searched around in the crevices of the rocks for a moment, finally finding what he was looking for.

'Ah, thank god for that' He said as he fired up a generator.

'Whats that for?' Montayva asked softly.

'So we have power when we reach the top' He pointed towards the top of the pointedly steep hill.

'Oh god!' Montayva cursed at the sight of the steep climb. 'Just leave me here for the Varkids' She replied. Mordecai laughed.

'Man oh man! The number of times I have found myself up this hill in a state similar to yours!' He was still laughing 'I honestly cant believe I am still alive' He shook his head, and helped the siren to her feet.

'Why did you have to build a hide out on top of a hill that spins?' She asked seedily, groaning at the thought of making the climb up.

'C'mon. What doesn't kill you, well, you kill it' And he began to lug her sick and dizzy form up the hill.

It was pitch black by the time they got to the top. Junior was perched, waiting patiently, on the railing outside the door.

'Yeah boy, I know, I know. We'll eat in a minute' He told the bird as he helped Montayva over the last ledge.

'Argh!' She cried, covering her ears with her hands.

'What? Whats wrong?' Mordecai asked in alarm.

'Dont even mention eating! Just the thought makes me want to puke again!' Mordecai sighed in releif.

'Dont scare me like that' He muttered as he flicked a switch. The lights flickered a few times, before flooding the interior with warm light. A ceiling fan whirled slowly in the center of the ceiling.

'Well, it isn't much, but I called this place home for awhile after... well, that's a story for another time' He grumbled. Montayva just stumbled forward into the building.
'I dont care right now' Montayva replied honestly. The building was constructed from sheet metal, but served as a secure shelter. There was a main larger room. A dust covered long table on the far side, with a television sitting on it, a few stacks of papers and echo recording devices on each side of the tele. A two person couch, that had been covered with a sheet. No doubt because of its frail looking condition. It had obviously been well used. The was a smaller room in the corner, a doorway with no actual door. Montayva peered inside. It was a bedroom. a single bed in the far corner, a few sets of lockers, a desk with a lamp that was on. The electrical devices obviously hadn't been switched off when the generator was last
shut down. Back in the main room, a set of stairs that led down, was in one corner. Mordecai led the way.

'C'mon' He urged Montayva to follow. She lost balance slightly, as Junior fluttered into the room and perched on the back of the sofa.

The downstairs was divided into more rooms. A kitchen served as the main room, with two doorways, again both with no actual doors on them. But for someone living in solitude, privacy wouldn't have been an issue.

'In here' Mordecai helped Montayva into the small bathroom. It had a shower, toilet and sink. Very plain but functional all the same.

'A shower!' Montayva gasped in surprise.

'Yep' Mordecai reached out and turned one of two taps. 'Hot water too!' He said proudly. The shower sprayed to life, spraying his arms. He washed his hands and arms quickly, and shook them as he turned toward the girl leaning in the doorway. 'Go ya hardest' He went to leave her with some privacy, seeing as their was no door.
He was halfway up the stairs, when he heard a yelp, followed by a loud thud.

'Shit' He muttered to himself. 'You OK in there?' He asked from the bottom of the stairs.

'Ohhhhhh' He heard a groan in reply to his question. He cursed Tina again as he entered the bathroom, finding Montayva flat on her face, a boot in her hand. She had obviously lost balance trying to remove her shoes. He laughed for a moment.

'A little help?' She asked sheepishly, trying to lift herself off the floor. Mordecai noticed the blood for the first time. Once he had helped her up, he could see it was coming from her nose.

'Never thought I would see the day' He shook his head as he tutt- tuttered.

'See what?' She asked as he looped her arm over his shoulder for support, as he bent to unbuckle her other boot.

'A siren that needed help with something!' He thought of how different Montayva was from the other two headstrong independent women.

'Pretty sure I saved your arse more than once now' She smiled cheekily. He laughed again.

'Yeah, and your lucky you did' His fingers worked at the buckles on her corset as she swayed drunkenly. 'Coz I wouldn't be doing this otherwise!' He thought about the circumstances and laughed. "Undressing a drunken and vulnerable smoking hot women? Sure I would be"

'You can just keep those thoughts to yourself thank-you' She scolded playfully.

'I am! you're the one fishing them outta my head!'

'Oh' she replied 'Sorry!' She laughed, and he tossed the corset on the floor. 'You are a male. Guess I cant hold that against you'

'Nope' He replied, 'Guess not. And for now, I'm the only help you got. So stop yer complaining' He took her weapon and ammo belt off, and she swayed with dizziness again. He helped with her pants, trying not to let his gaze linger where it shouldn't.

'OK, turn around. Arms up' He instructed like someone would to a child. In one swift movement her shirt was up over her head. "think you can manage the rest?' He didn't wait for an answer as he walked out of the steam filled bathroom. As much as he would have enjoyed doing so, he didnt need to see what was underneath her underwear. He had a hard enough time as it was keeping his mind on their mission

'Theres a towel or two in the locker outside the door' He called back.

'Thanks Mordecai' She said earnestly 'I owe you now'

"No you dont kid" he thought to himself. "I still owe you"