[b]Nightingale[/b]

The stars blurred past the lone freighter like snowfall in the night. Its crew had just successfully hauled a big shipment of modified omni-tools to a backwater colony in the Inner Rim. The long overdue payoff they received kept everyone happy – well, mostly everyone.

Zaygrah’s contemptuous silence was beginning to irritate Alexio. They both sat in their designated stations on the bridge; the zabrak, brooding in her navigations chair, while the Captain relaxed at the helm with his feet on the dash. “You gonna say what’s on your mind, Red Horn?” He ordered more than asked, a slight southern drawl present in his low tone. “I can almost hear you thinkin’ back there. Been hearing it since we left Yuran.” 

“Call me Red Horn again and I’ll slice your throat open,” The zabrak snapped. “And if you already know my thoughts, then why proceed to ask for them!?” 

Alexio couldn’t help but smile as he felt her laser eyes burn into the back of his head. He found pleasure in the simplest of things, and pissing off a warrior-cultured alien was one of them. He mastered it to the point where he knew, albeit the hard way, which buttons not to press. Not quite the savant like crewmate Rulmar, but he's getting there. 

"I'm not one to make assumptions, Re-Zaygrah. I'd much rather hear it from the source. Besides, you could be mad about a lot of things." He turned to face the zabrak, who fiercely met his gaze. Her expression was intense, and he found himself checking to make sure she wasn’t armed before continuing. “Like why Rulmar got a bigger chunk of the profits from our last job? Or why we’re on our way to Malastare?”

She rolled her eyes. “I will discuss the former issue with the little bantha fodder, shortly.” Alexio nodded enthusiastically, almost giddy at the thought of those two going at it again. “But Malastare. Really? Must we add another imbecile to our already imbecilic crew?” 

“Look, upkeep is burning a hole through our repair budget, Zay.” The Captain sighed, rubbing the sides of his skull. “It’s the price we have to pay for keeping our Nightingale sitting pretty. We need someone monitoring the ship’s systems, full-time; fix things proper around here, nice and cheap like, before it becomes a problem. An expensive problem. ”

“And the Wookie is not suited for this task?” 

“Wrrlevge knows the Nightingale like the back of his furry paw, but as much as he doesn’t want to admit it, he could use an extra hand. Multicore kinetic shielding is a science in on itself, ya know.” 

“Then why not save even more money and appoint me for the role? Do you think I am not up to the task? Or Rulmar? Surely he can take time out of his [i]busy[/i] schedule ‘surfing’ the extranet and be useful for once.” 

Alexio regretted ever opening his mouth. He much rather preferred the tension-filled silence than this. “As much as you despise the volus with every fiber of your being, Rulmar is the one keeping our accounts afloat with jobs that don’t shortchange for peanuts. Oh, and do you remember the last time you tried helping Wrrlevge calibrate the GARDAIN lasers we got?” Zaygrah rolled her eyes again, mouthing Alexio’s next sentence, word-for-word. “You damaged the circuit boards to its targeting systems so bad, it ended up costing triple the lasers to install new ones! We were living off emergency rations til we broke even!” 

Alexio looked at her firmly now, his smug demeanor replaced with an unflinching sternness. “You, Rulmar, and yes – even me. We all have our duties aboard this ship. We help when we can, but like I said, and will say for the last damn time: We need another pair of hands, capable hands, runnin diagnostics. Either get with the program or find yourself a new ship at Malastare.” The tension was thick, but it quickly left the room as soon as Wrrlevge entered the bridge. [i]Thank the heavens.[/i] 

“Oh don’t be so melodramatic, Alexio." She scoffed, her attitude more relaxed with the Wookie present. Wrrlevge seem to be the only one onboard that had that kind of effect on her. Seven feet worth of man bear that tear your arms off no problem was enough incentive to keep anyone in line. "This is your ship. Just don’t come crying to me when this plan backfires.” She took a quick glance at her terminal before she rose from her station. “We’ll enter Malastare space in 15. If I may take my leave, [i]Captain[/i]?” 

Alexio gestured with his hand as if he were swatting away a pesky fly. “Go.” She mockingly bowed, then turned toward the door and nodded to the Wookie. “I hope you softened up Rulmar for me.” Zaygrah said, cracking her knuckles as she exited the bridge. 

“As always big guy, your timin’s impeccable. I mean that with every ounce of sincerity left in me.” He let out a sigh of relief, but it quickly turned into an agitated groan as he saw the Wookie’s face. Even past his furred exterior, Alexio could detect the slightest of subtleties in Wrrlevge’s body language. [i]Great, another disgruntled employee.[/I] “Sit down... let's hear it.” 

From that point on, up until the Nightingale entered Malastare’s atmosphere and arrived at the designated hangar bay, Alexio discussed Wrrlevge's issue in a patient, less sarcastic manner, a courtesy he'd never dream of offering Zaygrah. She, on the other hand, spared no expense in letting the volus know what she thought of him, his influence on the captain, and the prospect of another ‘imbecile on board a ship of imbeciles’ no thanks to his recommendation. 

Yup, just another lovely ride aboard the Nightingale...