It seemed like he stood there for an eternity. The room was empty and hed rented it for a few more days. She hadnt given him a name or a number. She didnt trust him, but he hadnt given her his name either. Perhaps he was reading to deeply into this and it didnt mean anything, but one piece hit him again and again. She was a black angel. He must have pulled the name from someones past, perhaps even his own, but it took him a long time to remember where it came from.
An eternity ago hed been given a similar name, he tried to stop himself from remembering but the thoughts rushed backwards unbidden and unstoppable.
_Enough Matt. She pushed him away gently. He was emotionally delicate and very strange, but he was perfect for her. Theyd been together for years now, and he was still the same beautiful, tortured man shed met long ago. His eyes were amazing, pearls of incomprehensible depth and she hardly cared that he was blind. With his staff it didnt matter, he saw as well as anyone else. His eyes were beautiful but his hair was unbelievable, it was longer and softer then hers! She had to admit she was a little jealous even as she ran her fingers through it on the bed. You know youre hopeless?
He continued to stare vacantly toward her as he replied with his usual boyish joking grin. Hopelessly in love, you already know that.
She pushed him away again, enough so that she could get out of bed and check their bearings. The ship was an amazing hodgepodge of materials and toys, it was originally hers but she knew that Matt knew it more intimately now than she did. It was great to be able to share the work with someone. She wouldnt let him paint it, and he always looked like a puppy-dog in the rain after she refused. His color sense was worse then his sense of timing if such a thing was possible. The ship was a heavily modified Argosy class freighter, he had modified it to run with a crew of two, it was cheaper and gave him more personal freedom. They both agreed that they could always run from trouble and they didnt need weaponry. It was profitable business and just perfect for a young couple, they didnt worry about trade barriers and tariffs. Matt was essentially classed as a pirate by both the Rebels and the Confederates, but no one ever minded a cargo load of food and medical supplies. It must be hard for the man to be on the run from everyone. As far as she knew he had never done anything wrong, but he had a knack for being in the wrong place.
The bearings looked good, they would make it into Yemuro in a little under an hour. She should probably go get dressed for landfall. She loved not having a crew sometimes.
Looks like well be there soon. She jumped and turned around staring into Matts ghostlike eyes. On the other hand she might get better warning when her ghost of a husband snuck up behind her with a full crew compliment.
Get dressed Matt. She relaxed back into command, she was his captain whatever their relationship. Well make landfall soon.
Yes maam! He replied snappily as he whipped into attention then whirling into a military turn. He could avoid mocking her for at least a few minutes a day, couldnt he? No matter, it was in good fun and shed have a great chance to return the favor when he came back wearing that atrocity he called a robe.
Sure enough a minute or two later he was wearing the fluorescently colored robe. Somehow every color managed to clash with each other, his golden hair and his eyes. Shed torn that thing up several times and even dumped it into space but he always continued to wear it. It had taken her a long time to get him to even wear trousers underneath it, but a few weeks with near freezing temperatures had encouraged him. Did you kill three more peacocks last night or does that thing have a mind of its own.
He laughed good naturedly and shook it. Its alive! Oooh. She had no idea what a peacock was but shed heard him refer to them and explain how many birds used bright colors to attract a dull-colored mate. Better to hide the nest, he said. Apparently, the method worked on her. That was fine, she had her wings and in comparison with him, she was dull.
About then she and her husband both had to take their seats so they could navigate out of sub-space and into physical space. It wasnt tricky but it was a big enough ship to require some attention. As soon as they were stable again they received a call from the local militia. That wasnt unusual, theyd brought much needed medical supplies from Levo straight to Yemuro as fast as they could manage, they seemed to have problems with about six plagues a year recently. She had warned them about keeping those pigpens in the middle of cities, but did anyone listen to her?
This is from Yemuro command, so dont shoot the messenger.
This doesnt sound like good news John. It better be, cause Ive got my finger on the trigger.
Ha, ha very funny Jennifer. They were pretty well known to the Corvettes pilot, as well as every other militia man in this little galaxy. Since flying into Confederate or Rebel space was like putting their head in a guillotine (another one of Matts strange expressions) the Independents got to know them pretty well. We have nothing against you but we cant do business with you anymore.
Damn, they couldnt afford to lose more clients. That sounds like you have something against us to me.
Captain we love you and your business and would gladly have you back if youd just dump him out the hatch.
Matt generally could keep his temper in check but she had to admit this was pretty insulting. What the hell are you talking about? Ive only helped Yemuro.
The other captain may have been pilot to Jennifer but he clearly disliked Matt. Shut up. You cause death and havoc wherever you travel. Havent you heard, another six billion people died these last few days because they were accused of harboring you? Youre the bloody angel of death and wed kill you right here if we could.
This was enough to anger even the slow tempered Jennifer, but she didnt want Matt to overreact, so she shut off the communication. I guess we wont land here. Those medical goods were atrociously expensive, Im afraid well have to take a loss.
He didnt respond, he just sat in his chair staring blankly. He would be withdrawn and moody for a few days after this. Perhaps it was for the best, he needed to deal with his grief in his own way. She just wished that he wouldnt take it out on himself. He was male and they always had to deal damage to something for their grief and pain, but he was too softhearted to even hurt a fly. She knew what shed do. Next time they landed, shed take a short vacation with him and pay some friends to paint the ship in his style. Then shed turn the insult hed just been given and make it into a joke. Shed rename her multi-colored trading vessel the Angel of Death. Shed paint the lettering in yellow and purple and bright red, with green and blue dots. It would be an eyesore to everyone that saw it, but it would make him happy. That was all that mattered._
He cut off the memory and tried to delve into something else, anything else. He didnt want to dwell in the past but it was such a temptation. He hated being helpless, but it was who he had chosen to be. He sighed slowly and began to walk out another escape hatch. It would be best if he got back to the bar now. Things always changed to quickly if someone dwelled in their memories, but memories were always flowing in. To understand them he needed to analyze every one. It was impossible.
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I move along the path alone, without a friend, without a home.
Yet though this tortured world I roam, knowing that my mind doth foam;
in madness shall I ever seek, an answer for the poor and meek.
(This message has been edited by Paranoid (edited 08-23-2004).)
