"You've been bumping uglies with somebody for sure. I've got three good guesses who and the first two don't count."
He laughed at the doctor's expression, taking delight in treading all over whatever delicate sensibilities the educated man may have.
Loire wondered if Viva noticed ... if it was thaaaat obvious. If it was soooo obvious that Valko, high off his tits Valko, could notice. Not that it was anything to be inherently ashamed of, Loire just didn't want to deal with it right now. Things with Noah and Vee were already pretty messy, Loire didn't want extra chaos brewing on the Lucidae. Plus it was a one-time thing ... for now, Noah had asked about making things serious, but Loire hadn't gotten to respond and now hism mind was reeling.
"Now Noah," He continued after his mirth subsided, although he did flash a grin at the mention of his prime suspect, "Unlike Viva, Noah can take care of himself more often than not. Noah wants to play "Doctor" with a Doctor I ain't gonna tell him no. So If you wanna play 'Cabin boy' to his Captain well then have at it..."
"Just you keep in mind our little discussion yeah?" Val's voice remained casal, but had taken on a dark timbre, "Fuck around all you want, but Noah is as much my kin as Viva is. And if anybody, Anybody Fucks with my family...
"I'll end em." Valko bit the words out with savage relish. Then smiling innocently at the doctor, "Just so we're in the clear ya know."
Loire prepared to respond, prepared to set the record straight with Valko (would he tell the truth but confirm it was a one-time-fling, or would he lie and insist it was all in Val's head, that he was getting totally ludicrous ideas). Suddenly he heard a slight commotion further down the ship, clattering down the halls. Weren't Noah and Viva out refuelling? he thought briefly. Before replying to Valko he excused himself. "I think I heard something ... you stay there and ... stop getting crazy ideas about me and Noah."
He stepped out into the hallway, looking down towards the cockpit (away from the cargo hold). --AMBUSH HIM!!!!--
-----
Switching her legs she ruched up a bit of her lacy skirt, flashing a tantalizing peek of creamy thigh, "I've heard quite a bit of your own reputation Noah Rhoads, Captain of the light freight star cruiser Lucidae."
"All good things I hope." he quipped flippantly. Of course it wasn't good news, he was a fucking criminal.
"You, Captain, are a small time smuggler. A criminal with delusions of grandeur. Which is the absolute worst kind of criminal you could be.
"A humble criminal lives longer..." She crooned, running her elegantly manicured nails down his cheek, "But you have too much ego to ever be satisfied with Humble, don't you. Just look at you, how young and handsome. Tsk, such a shame. "
"Well I won't argue on that last point." he drawled casually, the key was not to show fear, he couldn't let her think she was winning. He knew how much trouble she was though, he knew this wasn't a good meeting but he'd gotten out of that mess with Val, he'd get out of this too. Hopefully with a lot less almost-bleeding-to-death but he couldn't guarantee.
"You thought it would be a good idea to play with the big boys," She said stepping aside as the two brutes secured their arms behind their back, "And ended up stepping on the wrong person's toes. Mar Sullivan doesn't suffer fools, Captain. And that is what you are..." Naomi turned to Viva and repeated her caress on the girl's cheek, "So now you are going to suffer the consequences of your foolishness."
"I'll sort it out with Sullivan, I can take care of myself and my crew." he said, firmly, but calmly, he wasn't going to dare yell at Naomi, he wasn't in the position to mouth off too much. "See this is where I'm getting a little confused, this is between me and Sullivan, you don't have to get your hands dirty with this business at all. Nth isn't exactly your usual remit though is it? Surely your business isn't doing so badly you've had to start pedalling drugs to pick up the girls slack?" it was gutsy ... mayve a little foolish, but Noah needed to know what Naomi was involved too. Her whorehouse usually kept her busy.
"Speaking of which, do you still have that lovely blonde girl working for you? She was from Poseidon her eyes were two different shades of blue, looked weird but she was pretty good at her job."
Quick as a flash, Naomi struck Viva a vicious slap across the cheek that whipped her head to one side.
"Oh no," Ms. Dybbuk said in dismay as she turned away, "I've broken a nail- That's going to cost you."
At a wave of her hand, the grunt that had Viva's hands behind her back quickly pulled them up into a painful looking hold. Dragging her head to one side with a grip on her hair, the man shoved a knife to her neck before she could do more than yelp.
Noah flinched as Viva was attacked and the knife came out. Now they really were in deep shit.
"Y'allright Vee?" he asked, daring to cast his eyes in her direction, but not moving his head too far lest he get beaten too. She had to keep her cool, if she didn't then she'd put them all at risk, she'd have to keep her cool, she knew Valko was still on board and as long as they kept Naomi and her crew here, they'd keep Valko out of harms way.
Returning to her original perch on top of the crates, she seated herself like it was a throne, "You are not in a position to negotiate Captain Rhoads, so I am going to dictate the terms. You are going to Tell me where the Nth is, or your little crewmember here is going to suffer greatly for your arrogance. You've already lost one Crux twin after all... can you really afford to lose another?"
He gritted his teeth, it was all he could do to stop himself lashing out and getting them all shot. He looked over at Viva and willed her eyes to meet his, he was trying to talk to her with his eyes, to tell her that he was bluffing and that everything he would say was a lie to buy them time, a gamble to get them out of this. He didn't mean a thing. She had to play along but know he didn't mean it.
"You're right, I already lost Val ... and what use is just one twin huh? Its like a bike with one fucking wheel, if you kill her, I still won't talk, and if you kill me, you'll have to tear this ship apart inch by inch to find the Nth if its even on this ship, we docked back in Noveria, it could still be there for all you know, the point if I'm not telling. The street value of the Nth is more than enough to get a new crew and a total refit for the Lucidae, not to mention a few sessions with some of your lovely girls Naomi, if you can pencil me in that is." he wished he had the faith to pray to a God but he knew he was on his own right now and it sucked.
"Tell you what, I can cut you a deal, how about 60/40? You know how much Nth we have, 60% is a hefty chunk and we've already done most of the work, you can't get a better deal than that." He hoped it would pay off, it had to pay off he had no other options left.
