Freedom sunset part 2

Crew Quarters 

''The narrow passage opens up into a small wardroom. The space is ingeniously outfitted, the furniture and surfaces configured to serve either under nominal local gravity conditions, or that provided by the freighter's own acceleration. Furthermore the room is done in a light-grained wood paneling with brass accents and fittings. Flanking the wardroom are a set of personal sleeping niches, with each empty bunk module containing a bed with built in cabinetry and storage lockers. One of these sleeping compartments has been emptied of its normal furnishings and not sports a nautilus-style exercise machine bolted sturdily to the floor and ceiling in a gravity-from-ventral style. Forward, a fresher unit is located portside, while to the starboard is a complicated wall of intricate machinery and electronics that makes up the ship's kitchenette. The room is softly illuminated, gentle light floating down from coves recessed into the dorsal and side wall framing. The deck plates have a brass sheen to them and are sturdy and diamond girded, providing a bright if utilitarian finish to the space.''

Esther is sitting on her bunk, folding, unfolding and re-folding some clothes. She has put back her normal outfit.

"Heya, Esther." Jack says, walking through the door. "You ok?" A quick scan is all he needs for an answer, as she does seem just dandy. "Take a seat. We need a chat."

Esther startles as Jack comes back, hurries toward him. "You all right? He didn't... Didn't try anything bad, did he?" As he says they have to speak, she looks down, and nods, taking one of the seats of the kitchen area.

Jack smiles at Esther's show of concern, following her to the kitchen area. "No, he's been true to his word and left us alone. Which doesn't mean much." The man sighs, rubbing his head. "Sivad and G'anhli's ports are pretty much closed to us now, thanks to his influence."

Esther presses her lips, and sighs. "I am sorry, it's my fault..." she says softly. "What could I...."

Jack reaches over to muss fingers into the woman's hair, offering an affectionate head butt, the barest touch of foreheads. "Esther, stop. I'd fly ya through the nexus, if I had to. I'm just afraid that this is one thing I can't protect you from, ya know? Now that he knows, he can make any move he wants, whenever he wants."

Esther nods slowly, but looks up to Jack, her hand meeting his for the briefest of time. "And we will make our countermoves in due time, then. What exactly did he say?"

"Said that you were worth six million credits to him." Jack says. "That Sivad and Gahnli would have some complaints about us keepin' him from his rightful property. Said that," Jack pauses, biting his lower lip. "If I told you to go back, would you do it?"

Esther laughs mirthlessly, "Six millions? Ridicule..." At the question, though, it is like a light dies in her eyes. She swallows and looks down. "If /you/ would tell me to, I would, Captain."

Jack sighs, hands going around the diminutive Esther, pulling her into the hug. "Essie, I'm so sorry." The arms go tighter, head pressing to her shoulder. "So damn sorry, I can't even began to say."

Esther tightens, initially, but gives back the hug. "Does that mean... You are asking me?" she whispers.

"I'm askin' ya, Esther." Jack agrees, head still bent to the crook of her neck. "The thought of takin' ya straight to him makes me sick. Ya gotta consider everythin' though. AES is in contract with the fishies. Two major trade hubs are closed off now. He knows where you're hiding, and even if it ain't six million, no guarantee he won't put a bounty out on ya. An' then there is the kid he mentioned. The one you thought so much of. What if he's right?"

Esther doesn't answer for a bit. After a while, she breaks the hugs, and straightens. "If anyone else would have asked, I'd... I'd have slapped their face. But you know I cannot refuse anything to you, Captain." she says, her voice shaking. "Guess I should not make things longer. I am packing." she sighs, "Yeah, as if he's gonna leave me anywhere her soon..."

"You're angry?" Jack says, pulling back for a bit, a bit red around his eyes. "Esther, you have to understand, ain't nothin' more important to me then your happiness. But it's best if you act like you returned on more or less your own will. We'll go together. We'll argue your case to him, make sure you get placed back in your old spot. You should at least have that little spec of happiness."

Esther faces Jack, tears coming now in her eyes. "Angry? Everything I have constructed in those last months... over in a second. The person I care the most about basically getting rid of me. So, no, not angry - but..." she looks away, toward her bunk, the familiar places. "It's over. It was just a dream, a good dream. But nothing more."

Ren Arnassis enters from the ship's airlock. Ren Arnassis has arrived.

Ren Arnassis

Ren's bearded face bears two scars: A very light one on his cheek partially obscured by his facial hair, and another that runs from the bridge of his nose to disappear under a worn-looking fedora. His visage is all hard angles and shadows, from his blunt, squarish chin to the slight protrusions of his cheekbones. His nose is slightly crooked, and his bushy eyebrows protrude slightly to cast shadows over icy, intent blue eyes. Of slightly above average height and powerfully built, this pale-faced, bearded Lunite moves with somewhat surprising fluidity for the size of his frame.

He wears black trousers cinched with a belt, sturdy-looking black leather shoes, and a black T-shirt under the intermeshing dark gray ceramic plates of a flak jacket, giving his torso the matte segmented look of a machine or insect. Over the armor is a straight-backed black jacket with strategically placed padding at the elbows, shoulders, and ribs that hangs down to his mid-thigh. The jacket's collar is habitually worn up, combining with the battered fedora on his head to cast his face in shadow. A shoulder holster reveals itself now and again under his left arm.

Jack wipes at Esther's face. "Aw, don't cry Essie, I can't stand it. I'll keep ya here, if that's what you want. I'll help ya run if that's what you want. Eventually though, gonna run out of hidin' spots if ya flee. Now, what is it that you want?" They're over on a bunk, talking, the female part of the duo crying.

Ren Arnassis enters the room from the aft hatch, a beer can in hand. He takes a pull and crushes it against one thigh, walking towards the kitchen. Jack and Esther get a first, then a second, more concerned, glance. "Somethin' the matter?"

Esther turns away, shaking her head. "What's the use... What's the use of all this? I can't fight. I can't run away anymore. I am tired. I am just a little specialist, a silly goose."

Esther glances quickly at Ren, but just shakes her head, and starts opening the drawers under her bunk bed.

Jack sighs, leaning forward to kiss the woman's forehead. "I did try, Esther, wish things could be different. If nothin' else, maybe the memories will be memorable." He stands up from the bed, rubbing at his eyes. He ain't crying. No siree, just a little bit of dirt in his eyes. "Eh, Haskins came-a knockin' for an old friend an' looks like we'll have to bend over an' take it, no matter what I'd rather do."

"Five hundred years ago there was a bunch a people sayin' the same things as you, Esther, when they had the choice a whether to let their former masters boss 'em aroun' or stand up an' fight. If they hadn'ta chosen to stan' up, I wouldn' be here." He throws the empty beer can in the recycler and looks back at Jack and Esther. "You're emancipated here. This is New Luna. You don' have to go back to no one an' run from nothin'." The Lunite becomes increasingly loquacious, concern and anger registering on his face. "Jack, what kinda crater-humpin' talk are you throwin' out here?"

Esther steps away from Jack, "Don't touch me..." she hisses. to Ren, "They had something to fight for... I do not. Not anymore."

Jack makes a face at Esther, tugging at his sleeve. "I already said I'd guard ya the best I could, Esther. Don't be turnin' this into a concentrated effort to kick ya off the ship, cause it ain't." Ren gets a sour look. "Shuddup, Ren."

"Now what in the hell is this all about?" Ren asks, his expression darkening to match Jack's. "The guy who used ta exploit Esther is back, an' yer sayin' through some loophole, Esther, you don' wanna stay here? An' yer sayin' there’s nothin' you c'n do about it, Jack?"

Esther sighs and starts packing. "Captain told me to go back. Anyone else, I'd have slapped. But Captain..." her voice trembles as she explains to Ren - or at least tries.

"No, I didn't." Jack says in a low growl. "I said it was your choice, that I'd stand by you whatever it was. I ain't gonna chain ya to this ship, but ya ain't gonna pretend like this is all my choice either. Cause, if ya do, you're nothin' more then the Specialist he called ya, and that would make you -his- property. Hadassah and not Esther. An' Hadassah ain't, and never was, my friend." The La Terran says, sounding disgusted. "I'm done. If after all this time, this is how it goes. How it always seems to cut it. I try to stand with someone and they cut me down at the knees. Fuck it." Ren's questions goes ignored as he heads to the bridge, heavy boots stomping. "We're cuttin' a path straight to Sivad, full speed."

"Jack, do that an' I'll have you out your own damn airlock before we pass Tranquility," Ren growls back, a finger pointed towards the forward hatch. "Is a life so little to you that ya can't understan' how someone bred an' trained never to make a difficult choice is can't own her own decisions? Dammit, man, it ain' in her blood yet ta own up ta somethin' without some help. That's how Specialists raised like this -are-. That's why it's a killin' offense for men like Haskins ta be alive."

Esther looks toward Jack, and shakes her head, tears coming again in her eyes. "No, this is not /your/ choice. But, if after that time, if you haven't understood..." she sighs, "Forget it. Thanks for those four months, at least it will be good memories."

Jack slips through the hatchway, pounding a hand on the button to open it, before slipping through and closing it behind him. Stomp. Stomp. Stomp. Airlock hissing, hatchway grinding open. Stomp. Stomp. Stomp.

Ren Arnassis turns to Esther. "Why are you goin' back?" He asks, simply.

Esther sits - or rather, drops on her bunk, and starts crying. "Silly Haddassah... Silly. I love him, Ren. I do. But he doesn't see... He doesn't understand. I cannot say no to him, whatever he asks. And if he asks that from me... Well. He'll have forgotten me in one month." she sobs quietly.

"Listen, little girl," Ren drawls, letting out an exhausted sigh. "He didn' ask you to go. He tol' you he'd protect you if you stayed. An' I sure's hell am gon' do the same." Arnassis folds his arms. "Think hard, an' make a choice this time. Nobody's tellin' you to do anythin', hard as it may be to understan'."

Esther glares at Ren. "I may be a specialist, but I am not stupid. He asked me, if he told me to go back, what I'd do. I answered I would - because I can't say no to him. Then he said..." her voice breaks, but she keeps watching Ren. "He said he was asking me."

Ren Arnassis's eyes narrow. "Any idea why?" He asks.

Esther looks down. "To avoid losing contracts with Ghanlo. And... Well, because, what Master wants..."

"To avoid losin' contracts with G'ahnlo?" Ren repeats, obviously going to pains to keep his voice - and temper - under control.

Esther nods. "Ghanlo recognizes the ownership of specialists - Master said that if we landed there, he'd accuse Captain of having stolen me."

"First of all, he ain' yer master anymore. Secondly, check the law. If yer a New Lunite citizen, then Haskins tryin' a stunt like that might mean problems between G'ahnlo an' New Luna." Ren's hands ball into fists. "An' another thing. If I see this man Haskins move for you ... I have no problem endin' his life. I don't care who he is."

Esther shakes her head, "The Ghanli will just consider me a runaway specialist - not a New Lunite." at the last part, she pales, "No, Ren... This is not the way. I don't want anyone hurt because of me, and..." she sighs. "That includes Master."

"It wouldn' be because of you," Ren replies. "It'd be because of his own bad decisions." The Lunite shakes his head. "Jack's a coward." He cracks his knuckles. "I'm a go have a talk wit' im." Arnassis turns to head forwards.

The door hisses up, Jack stepping back through, looking calmer. Paler, with wetter hair, but calmer.

Esther stands up to stop Ren. "No, Ren... It's..." as Jack comes back, she stops, and sits back on her bed.

"So you're askin' Esther to leave cuz you can't handle lookin' after her in a risky port, huh?" Ren asks Jack, squaring up so that he's directly in his way. "You'd rather she go back than fin' another way outta this?"

"I'm assessin' the situation in which we have found ourselves in." Jack responds evenly. "Gahnlo and Sivad are closed, an' thinkin' they ain't is stupid. Now get out of my way and stop playin' middleman. You're pissin' me off."

"I ain' playin' middleman. I'm tellin' you if you send a Specialist back into slavery, I'm gon' leave yer crew, an' it'll be a good day for ya if I don' break a coupla bones in the bargain," Ren says. "See how that sits for ya."

Esther sighs, and raises a weary hand. "Ren, your intentions are sweet, but... Captain is realistic. No use us all screaming and arguing. I'd rather remember you happy."

Ren Arnassis shrugs at Esther. "Don' worry about that," he says. "I ain' ever happy."

Newt enters from the ship's airlock. Newt has arrived.

"An' you'd rather see me chain her to this bed and say, you can't leave, begotten child of science!" Jack reaches up, as if pulling power from the sky around him. "Wave my arms and make everythin' perfect? Well, I can't. I don't know what to do. She's making a decision, Ren. Ya know what that means? Means she ain't a Specialist anymore. She's a fucking person who’s sacrificing herself for her friends and crew. I can't take it away from her. It breaks my heart to see this happen, but when I first saved her, we both knew it might." The La Terran looks past the man's shoulder, frowns, and sighs. "Esther, you know I don't want ya in Haskin's hands. I'd sacrifice everythin' I'd have to make it not so. Hell, I'd help ya run. Pay for surgery to change your appearance, get that barcode off ya. Anythin'. Just tell me now, and I'll do it."

Ren Arnassis claps his hands together, once, looking over his shoulder at Esther and then to Jack. "See?" He drawls, almost ... pleasantly. "That's more like it."

Esther shakes her head very calmly. "It is my decision. Indeed. And I'm going." she says softly, looking at her mittened hands.

Ren Arnassis gives Esther one long look, shakes his head, and brushes past Jack towards the airlock.

"You just earned yourself a week without pay, Ren." Jack says with a hard smile. "We both can play that game. Whatever game you were playin' anyway."

Jack looks toward Esther, shaking his head. "Get some sleep, Esther."

Newt comes in through the hatchway, looking happyish, "Hey- huh?" He stops, face dropping slightly and looking somewhat more worried. He manages to just get out of the way of the oncoming Ren, "What's happening?"

Ren Arnassis punches in a keypad code and enters the ship's airlock. Ren Arnassis has left.

Esther nods to Jack, "yes, Captain." she drops her few extra clothes in her bag, though. And fingers a little black notebook. She methodically rips it, and throws the shreds in the kitchen's garbage can, before nodding to Newt, "Nothing, Newt, Night."

Jack watches Esther for a moment, tenses up, and pats Newt shoulder. "I'm going out... for the rest of the night. Later Newt. Good night, Esther."

Newt just blinks at Esther, frowning, "Yeah right." and then looks up at Jack, only to be disappointed there too.

Esther nods. "Night, Captain. And don't drink." she warns, serious.

Wiendrbac punches in a keypad code and enters the aft compartment. Wiendrbac has left.

Newt thinks for a moment and then heads out also, probably to follow Jack.