He didn’t turn his back on Abilene and her people until the last horse was over the horizon line, heading back to town. At the same token, he likewise didn’t draw his blaster till the last horse had disappeared from his vision, too (though you best believe he wanted to.) Once the Abilene folks were far enough off, the sounds of the planetoid were enough to make the hair on the nape of his neck stand up. A few rocks rolling down a hillside, a rustle in an opposite shallow ravine or dry creekbed. Now that the emitter was gone, Fel was hyper-aware of every movement, watching and listening for Prowlers. Not that he’d have much warning. And the damnable leg. Made him move slower than piss rolling down a coward’s thigh. 

But that was the double-edge sword. He absolutely would not accept help from anyone as long as Abilene could still see them, and so he backed toward the landing ramp of the UA as quickly as he could, which wasn’t very karking quick, his hand on the butt of his Power5. 

As soon as they were ‘gone,’ (they weren’t really gone… he knew that, too. If she was half the tactician he took her for, Abilene had shooters watching them still. Fel thought he had spied two or three reflections off scopes in nearby hills, but the takeaway was, he wouldn’t do anything even remotely antagonistic like pull a gun, till the boss lady was out of harm’s way. He figured that might have bought him his skin, for the moment… ‘less they were real bad shots.) 

The bottom of the ramp had seemed a mile off, and he was sweaty and winded by the time he reached the bottom of it. Last aboard. As it should be. He hit the ‘retract’ button as soon as he was up the ramp, and came face to face with Jet as he turned around, to walk into the belly of the ship. 

[color=F7941D]“Nobody leaves. Not now. The cats’ll be looking for an easy meal.”[/color] There was no point in heading to town now. Easier, safer with sun-up tomorrow. The pilot breathed deep, holstering his gun. [color=F7941D]“Where is she?”[/color] Jet jerked his head, over his shoulder. Deeper into the ship. No words were necessary. He’d either find her in the common room, her bunk, or the flight deck. There weren’t too many more places she could go. Jet glanced down at Fel’s leg, opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it, seeing the look on Fel’s face. 

He entered the common area, checked the cargo bays, looking right past (or through) Zane, and finally, the flight deck, where he likewise ignored Wrench’s comments that the likelihood of being boarded almost caused him to abandon their foolish transaction and take off. (he would never have done so, regardless of the stubborn little droid’s protestations.) He didn’t even dignify the droid with his usual taunting derision, no good-natured laughing. 

So, she was in her quarters. Fel moved stiffly to the door, entering the bypass code that would open the door regardless of whether the occupant had it locked, or not. It hissed open, and the pilot stepped inside the small room, letting the light from the common room flood into the dimly-lit chamber. 

So much for privacy, Aellyn thought as the door behind her hissed opened. Mid change, much like her days at the academy where anyone can just waltz in. It was his ship after all. Unbothered, she pulled the fresh shirt over herself as her eyes went to him. Undoubtedly about to get a verbal lashing. 

[color=F7941D]“I owe you my thanks for that ship, getting us out of a tight spot.”[/color] There was thankfulness in his words, but barely-contained, seething rage in his words. He stood still, the blood from the gunshot on his leg dripping on the decking. He was unconcerned, letting the uncomfortable silence stretch out. [color=F7941D]“...but if you ever disobey an order again, or give away my ship’s position, or compromise the security of my crew again, I’ll kill you.”[/color]

He let that sit a moment, before turning to leave. 

Surprised. [color=AE91B8] “A thank you and a threat?”[/color] Aellyn raised an eyebrow. [color=AE91B8] “Figured you would at least come in here and give me a matching one…” [/color] She pointed to his leg. [color=AE91B8] “Sure, going on the holonet was my fault, I can take that. Nothing about your ship or the security of it was compromised. My contact is solid. I trust him.”  [/color] Aellyn let the last few words sit with him. [color=AE91B8] “I wish I could say the same about you. I booked you for passage to lay low and where did that get me. I didn’t sign up for a heist. Nor be threatened by an old hag who has it out for the captain of this ship. Perhaps I should have let her kill you?” [/color] 

He considered it for a moment. Shooting her, that is. Considered tossing his rebuttal back, over his shoulder at her, so that he wouldn’t have to contend with having to look her in the eye... but he stayed where he was in the tiny cabin, within reach, facing her, though every fibre of his being wanted to be as far away from her as he could be. Did she really believe the line of crap she was spewing? [color=F7941D]“You’re missing the point. Your contact. Not mine. You say he’s solid, but I don’t know him. I don’t trust you, or him. So you saying nothing of mine was compromised, carries zero weight. Bottom line, I told you not to go on the holonet. You did. And you didn’t ‘book’ anything with me. I’m not a rutting travel agent. You scurried your choobies into my docking bay, looking for a way offworld in a hurry. You may not have signed up for a heist, but you agreed to it when I asked you face to face if you wanted in, and it just made you 25,000 richer than you were, despite your best attempt at karking the whole thing up… and got you a case of Kolto to grease the wheels with your ‘contact.’ We’re even. You may not trust me, or think I’m a safe bet, but you don’t know squat about me, lady. And whatever the ‘net can tell you, wouldn’t be half the story. And I’ve never betrayed you, or lied to you …Can’t say the same for you.”[/color]

If she thought it was a threat, fair play. He didn’t need to correct her on that point. A promise was simply a threat that was carried out as planned. As to whether Abilene should have been allowed to kill him, well… he let that go. Might have been the only thing she was right about. 

He wasn’t wrong about any of it, perhaps this was part of her journey,  shedding the Imperial skin off her. Kark  This was exactly what Wyler had told her not to do. Though, he told her not to trust anyone either. Stay low, stay hidden. She was doing the exact opposite. Aellyn didn’t change her face, she took in his words. To her, the conversation was over. She picked up the dirty shirt off her bunk, folding it for whatever reason before making eye contact with the captain. [color=AE91B8] “Give half to the kid, the other half can go to parts. I don’t need the credits.” [/color] Aellyn said softly, turning her back on the captain, signalling she had said her peace. 

[color=F7941D]“Frack no.”[/color] he spat. [color=F7941D]”You’re going to need every cent you have in order to get the hell off my boat. Most Captains require payment up-front, for passage.”[/color]

She cocked her head to the side and turned to him.  [color=AE91B8] “Maybe if you did require payment, this ship wouldn’t be such a dump. Take the credits for yourself, I don’t need them… “ [/color]  

Jet had been lurking in the corridor for a moment now, letting the two say what needed to be said when he was just about to step in and attempt to cool things over. That was, of course, until Aellyn had mentioned the ship. He knew better than to step in now, he shrugged his shoulders, sunk his hands into his pockets and turned on his heel, moving back to his own bunk for some rest while those two cleared things up. Was he willing to let things get heated? No. Was he going to have this come down on him? [i]Kark, no.[/i]

Fel was tempted. Sure, he was. Typically, you simply don’t insult a pilot’s ship. That was liable to get you a shot in the mouth. But it was also low-hanging fruit. Inconsequential, compared to what had been said already. Reactionary, which meant her blood was up, and that he was right in what he had said thus far. And he knew it. (and it was just not true. Maybe the UA was a mess compared to luxury liners and military vessels… but it wasn’t that bad. It was just old, creaky, and lived-in.) So he let it go and walked out, leaving the door open.