[h1]”I Know a Guy…”[/h1] [img]https://i.imgur.com/FJmfuhX.jpg[/img] Cameo appearance by [@wanderingwolf] “You know,” Thomas observed, “that the idea of sun tannin’ your legs is to do both sides...right?” When she’d called him up, Abby’s sorta surprised at how quick he come runnin’. Even better, he’s happy tah see ‘er when he showed. They may ‘o’ looked awkward, but she still seen him sneakin’ looks at her legs...which she figgered she kinda liked. “Ya know,” she countered, “only a right jackass would say a thing like that?” He give her a chuckle. “That’s “Mister Jackass” to you. So, Crabby, what’s this new mission you got?” “Shhh!” she waved her finger. Abby made tah lift herself from tha chair, til all of a sudden Thomas’ hands was holding her own, helpin’ her onta her feet. Felt like ‘er heart skipped a minute there, til she drew ‘him down close an’ placed a hand to his ear. “Got a crewmate needs new ident...fast,” she whispered. “Ya know anybody does that?” He drew back, eyes upon her as he calculated his words. “I may know a guy.” Thomas studied Abby for a minute with eyes she couldn’t quite read. Finally, he spoke in a whisper. “You got this person’s new info? And a capture?” “Right here.” She held out the cap’n’s cortex. He brought his own device out ta bounce the file. “I’m conjurin’ here that somethin’ like this...done on the quick..won’t be cheap.” Abby give ‘im the dead eye. “How much?” Thomas shrugged. “Maybe a hundred...and a picture of your next drawing?” [i]Well,[/i] she fought the urge to smile and then lost, [i]jest kilt the oyster payout.[/i] She pulled the coin from her pocket. “Done.” Abby closed her hands over his, passin’ the money. Couldn’t quite place the sorta electric feelin’ as her fingertips brushed his. “Cap’n has me here til noon. Then I gotta hightail tah tha engine room. Think yah’ll be back by then?” Thomas grinned. “Here I go, movin’ heaven and New Melbourne for some girl I just met. Call me a dumbass.” “Shiny,” her own mischief come out tah play, “can yah be back here by noon, Dumbass?” He laughed. “It’s a date. Try’n have your legs tanned by then, okay?” “Can’t do that ‘thout layin’ on muh stomach with muh [i]pi gu[/i] up in tha air.” “Don’t think anybody’d mind that!” Thomas waved as he took to his lorry. “Shut up!” Abby laughed, waved back, and settled inta her chair. ************************************************************************** “So what do you think?” Thomas and Abby huddled together. Before them gleamed a new ident card. [b]RANDELL, PENELOPE D[/b] stood out in bold face type, next to a photo of the pilot. Completing the card was a scan code, intended to pull up a full record on the bearer. Abby turned it over in ‘er hands. “Looks tha real McCoy,” she nodded her head slow as her eyes took in ever’ corner. “How’s it scan?” “Doesn’t, yet,” he whispered. “Takes some time to set all the file traces in her new history. Data push is on for Greenleaf, since you’re headed there first. She’ll read legit through a regular checkpoint or if a bartender needs ident.” He lifted his eyes toward her. “Know how long you’re staying there?” “Cap’n ain’t said.” Thomas offered a tilt of his head. “My guy tells me her ident will register ‘verse wide in about three days, so she needs to keep out of hospitals and government buildings til then. Tell her not to get arrested...okay? And she best work on a Heran drawl.” “Copy that.” She pulled her own ident from her pocket. Abby compared the two, side by side. “Durned if it don’t look more real’n mine..” He burst out laughing. “What’d you do? Fall out of bed into a bag of cats? Crabby...that picture! Omigod!” He snatched the ident from her hand, holding it out of reach as he teased her. Abby leaned toward him, stretchin’ on tip toe tah grab it back. “Cain’t jump fer it right now, ‘member? Bullet hole an’ such? Gimme muh gorram ident!” With a shake of his head, Thomas relented, surrendering the card. “Oh,Crabby,” he chortled, “it’s true what they say about ident photos, huh?” “Like your’n’s any better,” she bristled as she tucked it away. “I,” he produced his ident with a flourish, “Am a bronzed god. Look upon me and swoon, woman.” A grin spread across his features as Abby doubled over in laughter. “Is this...is this…” she collapsed into another fit ‘o’ laughin’. “Is this afore ‘r after tha keel haulin?” Thomas loosed an audible sniff, turning his head. “Acne is a serious condition. And for your information, Little Miss I-Hate-Brushing-My-Hair, I was only ever keelhauled once. Well, maybe twice. Once. Three times.” Abby put a hand to his shoulder fer tah steady herself. “Oh….oh...whew…” she surrendered his ident. “Ah want that pitcher,” she giggled. “That reminds me,” he went into his pocket. “Had to kill my burner cortex for this job. Was thinking instead of pitching it I’d let you have it.” Thomas handed the little reader to Abby. She give it tha once over. “Oh...right! I got this thing I’m throwin’ away so’s I won’t git inta trouble...what say I give it tah ‘Crabby?” the deckhand quipped. “Girl, you’ve got a funny way of expressin’ your appreciation for someone who just…” “Oh, why don’t yew jest shut the hell…” She didn’t see it comin’. Had no idea in ‘er head what she’s gon’ do til she found herself doin’ it. One arm about his neck an’ layin’ a kiss on him tha likes of what she never done. Later on Abby’d think on this. Wonder if she done it right. But not now, while he’s puttin’ his arms ‘round her an’ kissin’ her right back. Her eyes was closed. She couldn’t hear nothin’ but her own blood roarin’ in her ears. She weren’t rightly certain how long the kiss lasted. But when it broke, an’ their foreheads touched, she heard Thomas breathin’...all raggedy, like she’s doin’. “Wow.” “Yeah.” “When are you comin’ back?” he asked. “Not soon enough,” she answered deadly serious. Lightnin’ still shootin’ though every inch of ‘er, but that didn’t stop the town clock from strikin’ noon. “Gorramit,” Abby swore under her breath. “Thomas...I…” “I know,” he pulled back. “Got work myself. But now we can talk,” he brightened. “Send me what you draw...and pictures of you in all the wild places you’re gonna go..[i]dohn mah?”[/i] She smiled, placed a hand to his cheek. “If you do, I’ma do to.” Next kiss was his idea. It’s shorter, but still coulda put her right off ‘er feet if he weren’t holdin’ ‘er at tha time. Thomas withdrew from the embrace, his face a healthy flush as he turned for his lorry. “See you soon, Abby,” he smiled. “See yah soon, Thomas.” As the engine coughed to life, she turned back toward China Doll. Cal was standin’ there. “Hey Cap’n,” She done her best tah sound all casual like, but couldn’t shake the hot flush on her own cheeks as she handed Pen’s new ident over. “Got ‘er done.” Captain Strand pawed the forgery, his brows lifting in recognition of good workmanship. “Your fella knows his stuff.” His eyes met hers, a look passing over his features. “What happened to you?” That’s when it dawned on him, “Go shoppin’ for duds again, didja?”