[center][h2]The Things We Keep[/h2][/center] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/xh9pIsH.jpg[/img] [/center] “That’s jest how things are. Folk come and go in tha ‘verse.” Yuri noted the manufactured diffidence with which Abby answered his questions. He knew her well enough at this point to understand the importance of work as her default. Though never one to be shy about her opinions, if the circumstance involved her personal feelings or some upset among the crew, she’d clam right up and find something to do. This morning, with the shock of Alana’s departure weighing heavily upon her, the girl was loathe to share any of her thoughts. “True, true,” the first mate offered a sage nod. “You know you’re on shore leave, right? You don’t have to help with this.” She din’ bother lookin’ up. “I know.” Since breakfast, Abby slipped inta denims an’ a work shirt. If she’s bein’ true, fact she worked her chores til past midnight left precious little tah make ‘erself look busy this mornin ‘. Seein’ Yuri workin’ their cargo, them six climate controlled boxes fer that museum, looked tah grant a bit ‘o’ purpose fer hands needed business….an’ some time tah sort out what’s in ‘er head. “My Uncle Bob always said ‘Work Before Play.’ Don’t seem right fer a deckhand tah go gallivantin’ while there’s work on deck needs doin’. Can yah gimme that socket wrench?” She done wormed ‘er way in twixt them crates. Now, after feelin’ tha tool land in ‘er palm, Abby set tah loosenin’ up them bolts what held tha crates in place. “Should I pull power while I’m here?” she asked without lookin’ back at Yuri. “No,” he said. “The museum techs will disconnect that. I conjure they’ll want to make sure there were no changes while we had their cargo.” Her wrench chattered as she unscrewed a bolt. “Any idea wassinum?” Yuri had joined in with a second wrench to undo the mounting bolts he could reach. “Historical artifacts,” he answered. “That’s all I know.” “Copy.” Fer her two cents, seemed like Yuri’s sayin’ ‘that’s all I know’ a skosh too much…but t’weren’t her business tah call ‘im out on such. “It’s a puzzlement,” she offered, by way ‘o’ makin’ conversation, “that when our ancestors left Earth-That-Was they made room fer old museum kinda stuff. I’da used up space fer tools an’ food…an’ such.” “You’re not wrong.” Yuri’s wrench settled atop another bolt, chattering with each turn. “But maybe…faced with leaving our home and flying a hundred years to a new part of the night sky, d’you conjure folk back then thought it might be wise to bring along things to remind us where we came from?” She ruminated on that. Even now, in a ‘verse full ‘o’ folk movin’ to an’ fro, all the people she met took a pride in pointin’ out they’s actually from someplace. Hook come from Hera, Edina’s born on New Melbourne. Pen hailed from Greenleaf. “Hey Yuri,” she got curious now, “where did yew come from?” “New Vladivostok,” he said without looking up. “My dad was a mechanic for terraformers. Did most of my growing in a skyplex over Ezra. My mom still lives there.” “Yah got anythin’ from them times?” Abby asked. “Tah remember?” Yuri shook his head. “What I had went down with my old ship. How about you?” he asked. “Where do you call home?” “Don’t rightly know.” I’s raised by muh aunt an’ uncle. Spent muh whole life I can remember in tha black. So I guess Mariposa’d be muh home…but she’s been scrapped out nigh on two years now.” “Got any keepsakes?” he asked. “To remember your childhood?" “I do.” He could hear the girl brighten. “Got a couple captures on muh wall. Muh daddy’s pistol…an’ a book what’s called ‘Gunfighters of tha Outer Rim.’ Muh Uncle Bob’s in it,” her tone became proud. “Durin’ his prime, he’s tha fastest gun in tha ‘verse. Book says so.” The first mate smiled as he worked. “Sounds like quite a man, Abby. Makes sense that you’d have someone like him in your line. And some pretty shiny keepsakes, to boot.” “Yeah,” she agreed, “I’m tryna learn more ‘bout muh parents. They both died in tha war. Now with Uncle Bob an’ Aunt Lupe gone, muh chance ‘o’ findin’ out’s gettin’ right slim.” She tapped ‘er wrench on tha deck, dislodgin’ a bolt caught in tha socket. “They’s a barkeep on Grenleaf knowed muh daddy. I’s gonna see him, but them bikers come along…Yuri,” her tone changed as her wrench stopped workin’. “Yah think it’s important? Makin’ sure folk got a keepsake tah ‘member yah by?” “I think it helps.” “Yeah,” tha girl thought on it some more. If Alana’s truly gone, and gone she surely was right now, Abby seen her go without givin’ her nothin’. She give Hook a farewell. She’n Pen done traded things to an’ from afore tha pilot rejoined ‘er family. But Alana, who took ‘er in, protected her, patched ‘er up twice? She meant too much tah just let fly off in ta tha black. Abby had tah find ‘er…give ‘er tha one thing come from their bond way back when it started. She had tah track Alana down. “Yuri,” Abby spoke up. “Done undid all tha bolts in tight spots. Is it shiny with yew fer me tah go now?”