If the woman found her threat of blowing people out the airlock amusing, it certainly did not strike any humorous chords with Ajan. Inwardly he cursed the day he'd turned down his father's offer to have him sent to the military academy - "for your own good", the old man had said - the last time he had spoken to his father was before he'd boarded the [i]Fortuna[/i], and though he sometimes resented the man for his meddlesome nature, he now wished he had the ability to perform sudden, superhuman feats to stun and astonish the pirates into subsequently surrendering. Alas, but a man could only dream. Right now, words were the only weapons he had, and devolving into a stuttering mess was not at all a pleasant way with which to pull the trigger. The diplomat sighted Renfred from the corner of his eye, and was surprised the captain had not already emptied his bladder out of sheer fright. 

But then, it was Ajan's turn to yelp as yet another bolt whizzed past him; with remarkable precision it struck a crewman who'd been attempting to call for support, sending the man crumpling to the floor in a smoldering heap. Again the diplomat's stomach lurched uncomfortably, his stance unsteady in a mixture of fear and an attempt to appear more confident than he actually was. Pirates surely wouldn't like a sniveling worm as a hostage, would they? Still, Renfred had been offered a way out, and he'd obviously taken it. They were asking for it, really, in bringing that incapable man aboard. No matter, he'd likely be marooned on some far-flung planet within a matter of weeks. 

Then it was [i]his[/i] turn to be victimized.

"Beg?" The word dropped from Ajan's lips with utter disdain. A man of the Wolfe lineage certainly did [i]not[/i] beg! His family did not establish itself as one of the most influential in Association space without blood, sweat and tears! Well - his parents' and grandparents' blood, sweat and tears, to be more precise - but nonetheless! The man swallowed nervously, feeling a lump get lodged in his throat as he tugged absently at his collar. His regal apparel seemed far too suffocating now, the collar seeming to constrict about his neck. Perspiration beaded on his forehead, showing just how threatened he was feeling despite his attempts to veil it. But when the woman got closer, and ever closer, what he saw made his blood run absolutely cold. Her eyes - those were [i]Dracian[/i] eyes. It couldn't be - could it? Had she one of the lizardmen in her lineage? That seemed likely, considering how she stood over him when his own height was already quite above average. 

A sudden hatred stabbed at his belly, and Ajan struggled to keep calm even as a red mist of hostility clouded his mind. It just [i]had[/i] to be a Dracian-blooded pirate captain looting his vessel! Had she been sent by the Dracians? Had the Association been tricked? [i]No, that's highly unlikely[/i], the remainder of his logical brain responded. [i]Pirates are considered disgraceful in Dracian society.[/i] Now, the last thing he wanted was to beg, but then it certainly seemed a better alternative than instant death. Grudgingly, he lowered himself to the ground, knees meeting the cold floor of the bridge.

"Please, spare my life. You'll find that I am capable and will be of great use to you - moreso than Renfred, at least." He couldn't resist throwing that one, final barb at the [i]Fortuna[/i]'s former captain, even when bargaining for his own continued existence. But the words - [i]Dracian, Dracian, Dracian[/i] - continued to ring.