[center][h2]”The Sun Don’t Always Shine…”[/h2][/center] [center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/5M2xGq0.jpeg[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/pg6Bb2R.png[/img] [/center] JP/collab from [@Xandrya] and [@sail3695] [color=FFFF00]Cal Strand[/color] appears courtesy of [@wanderingwolf] “Ever wonder why an old dog likes layin’ in the sunshine?” his pa had once asked. After a shake of the son’s head, he’d said, “Cuz old dogs always see sunny days as gifts, young’un. You have a day when the sun’s shinin’ on you, make sure you don’t let it slip by.” Pelorum lay ahead, a jewel of blue and green which steadily grew in the cockpit viewports. Tommy’d have China Doll skids down in about eight hours’ time. Ship was flyin’ right. Crew all seemed happy for the coming days…and thanks to the museum pieces in the cargo bay, Cal was proud to turn ‘em all loose with some coin in their pockets, It felt good all over, knowin’ they’d helped those Anabaptist folk move on to a proper life…but breakin’ even in the process made things that much sweeter. “Abigail,” the captain caught sight of the young deckhand as he crossed the catwalk. “Kindly tell me you got some proper lollygaggin’ planned this time around?” The teenager turnt incredulous eyes towards ‘er Cap’n. “Lollygaggin’?” She groused. “Yah seen whut them college folk done tah yer boat, sir? Whut with all tha all night parties an’ not pickin’ up after their selves? Not tah mention all tha humpin’ goin’ on? Gon’ take me a solid week tah git them rooms decent fer payin’ customers…” She stopped, drawn up short by Cap’n’s raised hand. “Won’t order you to have fun…no, wait…I conjure I will,” Cal decided. “We’re skids down for five whole days. I order you to spend the first three of ‘em doin’ nothin’ productive…[i]dohn mah?”[/i] The girl looked all like a fish done flopped up on tha bank accidental like. “I’ll think on it, Cap’n,” she finally give a bit. “Think hard. Hey, seen the doc?” “Yeah,” Abby thowed a shoulder towards tha aft hatch. “She’s squarin’ up medbay.” “Dandy,” Cal nearly bounced down the steps on the balls of his feet. “Sun’s shinin’ on this ole’ dog,” he smiled to himself as he made for the medbay…and Alana. In a funny twist of events, her partner's savior needed a savior. That was her initial thought anyway as that girl Imani went on about how she rescued Cal, their "handsome" captain. Even though that was a while back when she went up to Alana in order to get checked out, the story that was told remained in her mind. Obviously Alana wasn't happy about the fact, especially with Cal making friendly comments about that other passenger. After announcing himself with a quick “shave and a haircut” rap to the door, Cal leaned in. “Is this where the prettiest doc in the ‘verse works?” he grinned. "Prettiest doc maybe, but not the prettiest woman." The sour tone of her voice indicated displeasure at his arrival, the point further expressed as she didn't turn around to greet him, but instead kept her eyes on her cortex. Alana figured he was attempting to make good with her, possibly out of guilt. Cal Strand was ebullient. “Eye of the beholder, [i]piàoliang de yīgè,[/i]” (pretty one) he quipped as he slid the medbay hatch shut behind him. “Have to tell you I’m pleased as punch how this all turned out. You, Hook, and Abigail really stepped up,” the proud grin held as he recalled the way this crew came together. “And Tommy? Then Quill…I’m hopin’ to get her to ride along with us a spell. And how about that Imani?” he asked, pleasure creeping into his tone. Her eyes shifted upward from the screen, finally glancing at him. He was being smug about it too... "So you fancy them then?" Alana played along, a smile forming as if she was genuinely taking interest in what Cal was saying, though how she felt inside didn't one bit match her expression. On the other hand, he was sharing plenty with her. "I would feel the same way if someone stepped up to get me out of a bad decision gone wrong." Paloma Faith - Only Love Can Hurt Like This (Lyrics) He couldn’t be rightly certain, seein’s how his gambler’s senses looked to need a bit of a tune, but something here felt just a might…off. Alana was smiling at him…he loved to see her smile. Hoped to see a lot more of that on Pelorum, in some little out of the way bungalow he’d find for them both. Well, maybe Sam would find it. Iceberg, Goldberg… “Not sure ‘fancy’s’ the word I’m thinkin’,” the captain leaned casually, one hip against her work surface. “Like,’ mayhaps? ‘Feel good about hirin’?’ Yeah, that one,” he let himself snicker. “We’ll go with that. So, I was gonna…” he began, and just as quick on the draw, stopped. Alana was way too still just now. He’d tangled with that kinda still before. There’s that viper on Deadwood…he didn’t even see it til it struck at him. Worse yet, Fanny Lee Brochette’s cat. So still he thought it’s stuffed at first. At the time, he’s stretched out nekkid on her bed when it come flyin’ down off the bookshelf with aims to put claws to his bits…”Um Alana?” his voice softened as he felt like he’s walkin’ into the valley of the shadow of death, “is somethin’....not right?” "Something is indeed not right..." her voice carried equal parts sadness and anger. Alana held his gaze as she went on. "You've barely noticed me these past few days...almost as if you were ignoring me. And come to find out, these new passengers seem to have left quite the effect on you." For a moment, Alana wondered whether she was being high-strung about it all, but then she told herself he [i]had[/i] been acting distant. No matter how busy Cal Strand had gotten in the past, he'd always made time for her, even if it was a simple note he left her on the sly. However, now it was looking as if their relationship was fizzling out, that which was in part thanks to their new guests. This was not what he conjured to take place just now. Not at all. He realized right quick that talkin’ about what bikini she’d pack for a private getaway on Pelorum wasn’t even in the same county as what words’d be passin’ between ‘em next. “Aww, no, no, no,” Cal’s brow furrowed like a fresh plowed field as he turned square to face Alana. “It’s not like that at all,” he lifted earnest hands to signal his surprise. “This one was just real busy,” he stammered. “Real hands-on,” the captain protested. “Whole lotta movin’ parts to mind. I knew you were solid, appreciated that I did, and so I kept eyes on where they’re needed, was all.” "Seems like a whole lotta fumblin' over words that don't communicate much..." Alana had watched the way his expression shifted as she had brought up what was currently bothering her. "If I'm being honest, Cal, that excuse just doesn't sit right with me." It was then she stood up, placing the cortex down and looking at the device as she attempted to find the right words to continue with their conversation. "I get it...being stuck out here in the black and constantly seeing my face...who wouldn't get bored," she shrugged casually, giving off the vibe that their current troubles happened on the regular. “Bored?” Cal’s moment of shock was bein’ fast overtaken with another feelin’ altogether. “Bored? You’re sayin’ this is about me lookin’ at somebody else? Gorramit, girl, which one you thinkin’? That Quill’s drop dead gorgeous! Yuri can’t put two words together ‘round her. Not her? Shiny!” he stormed. “Well, who else?” Cal demanded. “Edina? She’s mighty fetchin’, if I do say so…’specially since she stepped up for this boat not once but twice! Abigail? Tell you now I love that girl to death…she who you’re gettin’ panties in a twist over? Nah,” his anger cracked a rueful smile. “It’s Imani,” Cal nodded his head. “Gotta be her, cuz if it ain’t, all I can conjure is you think I’m sweet on Yuri. Mind you, he’s pretty, but…” "Well don't be shy now! If you're longing after the whole ship, you coulda just said so!" Alana was practically shouting, her voice carrying outside for any wandering soul to pick up on, but she was saddened and angered by the words being exchanged and so she did not concern herself with the possibility of having an audience. Alana was quite aware she was exaggerating the situation, her approach in the midst of a heated dispute was stretching the truth. It only made matters worse, but oftentimes her arguments were never the voice of reason. "We've constantly had targets on our backs, and how many times have I had to patch someone up here in the past? But now you were just too busy?" She was practically throwing the blame on him, being caught up in the moment Alana didn't care for his feelings nor the repercussions of her actions. "Save it for someone who'll buy it!" Cal’s rising temper was walkin’ right toward places he knew he shouldn’t oughtta go…but bein’ named a liar, a lecher, and now havin’ his captaining called out by the one person he cared for the most? What Alana’s throwin’ in his face was the sort ‘o’ talk heard over card tables just before pistols got jerked. “So you’re sayin’ if some [i]feh feh pi goh[/i] (babboon’s ass crack) pulls a trigger or one ‘o’ mine gets sideways in a saloon, that’s all my fault?” He jabbed his finger down, tapping the worktop in time as he growled, “That’s why you’re here!” He’d squared up, his breathing deliberate as his eyes remained fixed upon Alana. All the while, the inner voice of reason cried warnings against the words erupting from his mouth. But for the blood roaring in his ears, Cal couldn’t hear a thing. “Out there? That’s the ‘verse!” He waved a hand toward the closed medbay hatch. “An’ we don’t get much by way ‘o’ choosin’. Best I can do is keep me an’ mine in foodstuffs an’ a bit ‘o’ coin…an’ the promise I’ll get their hurt patched when somethin’ goes South. Whattya want, Alana? I should put a suggestion box in the galley?” "Oh I got plenty suggestions for ya Cal of things you can go do!" her fists turned white from the tension. So much running through her mind, not enough words to lay it out for him. "As for me, I can get out of your hair as you seem to be plenty busy these days..." Her sarcasm was full force, and once it got her started it wouldn't let up. "Ya didn't need to string me around just to fix your mistakes, I would have done it for the pay either way! But hey, least you got your options now!" Now his jaw’s set tight. In future days when he’d think about this moment, Cal would admit to himself that he’d let his temper off the leash when he should oughta have backed down with her. But as Alana’s standin’ there layin’ into him, only thing on his mind was the fact that once a dog’s in the fight, there’s no turnin’ back ‘til the thing is done. “It’s a job,” he spat, “not a ruttin’ conscription. You came aboard this boat under your own steam, Alana. You get a yen to walk off, that’s all on you. But til you do,” his eyes hardened, “you do your gorram job and I’ll do mine. [i]Dohn mah?[/i]” That look...that's the one that did her in. Alana bit her tongue, tightening her jaw as she looked him in the eye. "[i]Mei wen ti.[/i]" Her voice was back down to normal. She motioned towards the hatch behind Cal without breaking contact. "Then get, you're in my workspace and I'd like to start organizin' prior to my departure." It took a great deal of effort not to break down right in his presence, but she held her ground surprisingly well. Cal knew then and there was things he should say. He knew this wasn’t right, knew in his heart what he wanted most, but staring down this obstinance he wasn’t like to swallow a morsel of pride to try ‘n’ put things right. [i]Neither is she,[/i] his churlish mind retorted, as that little part ‘o’ him begged not to let this go as was. He stood there a spell, nostrils flared an’ eyes ablaze. When it became obvious that Alana had nothin’ more to say, he broke the silence. “Shiny. Pelorum in eight hours. I’ll send Yuri by with your share.” That being all he was like to say, Cal opened the hatch, making for the stairway topside. Soon as her ex-lover was no longer in her presence and she was left all alone with nothing but the slow, steady [i]hum[/i] of one of the overheads, Alana turned her back as if Cal was still there. A tear came out, followed by another, and she scrambled for a tissue to keep her face as dry as possible. Their relationship was over just like that, and her time aboard too. She supposed if she was going without a home again, it might as well be in Pelorum. "I need to work, I need to work—" she paced, her head in a fog making her go in circles. Alana looked at where Cal had stood a few moments prior and her chest started heavin' up and down as the memories of them two flooded her consciousness. "I need to work..."