I Was in the Neighborhood

A new addition can be percieved, if one looks for such things, among the ships on the landing pad. A sleek, matte black freighter, marked only with a fiery scarlet jackal's head, sits heavily in a space near the far end of the landing pad. Nearby, an orange-furred, female Demarian taps at the refueling console, the end of her tail flicking erratically.

A large cargo hovertruck moves into the landing area coming to a stop near a ship. Two large humans pop out of the cabin and make their way to the back, followed by an even larger black and red Demarian. The trio begin to unload crates from the truck, the Demarian hauling them off the back, the two humans bringing them aboard the ship.

The orange-furred Demarian turns and looks over one shoulder as the hovertruck moves into the landing pad, eyeing the familiar figure of the darker-colored felinoid. She flicks an ear and turns completely so that she can watch the trio, leaning with her back against the console.

Razorback hasn't seen the other Demarian, going about his work with a vengeance, much to the chagrin of his colleagues, who do their best to keep up. After work has piled up behind the two humans to a certain degree, the feline pauses and looks at them with an expression that could border either a smirk or a sneer. The halt is momentary, however and soon the truck is unloaded into a pile near the cargo bay doors of the ship.

Swiftfoot continues to watch, the end of her tail flicking erratically. She chuckles softly to herself as the work piles up on the two humans, and scratches absently behind one ear. The refueling console beeps irately and she starts, looking behind her. Oh. Right. You were refueling the ship, genius. She taps in one final key sequence and goes back to leaning on the console.

Needless to say, the humans are somewhat less than pleased. "C'mon, man," one of them calls out, "We get payed by the hour, there's plenty more where this came from too."

Ignoring the man, Razorback begins to heft the crates that are piled up and bring them one by one into the ship. As he is bringing in the last one, the two men look at each other for a moment, then jump in the truck and take off without him. Moments later, a very confused-looking Demarian exits the cargo area of the ship.

Swiftfoot snorts and lays her ears halfway back, then points in the direction the truck disappeared in. "They went that way, chief," she says, raising her voice to make herself heard above the general din in the area. "Prretty rrude, if you ask me."

Razorback's ears swivel towards the vaguely familiar voice, followed by his head. His facial expression shifts quickly from surprise, to joyful recognition, back to a slightly grumpy and irritable expression, his eyes narrowing somewhat. "Missss Sstarrrchasserrr ..." he says, giving a slight bow.

Swiftfoot steps closer, and puts one paw to her forehead in a playful salute. "In the furr," she quips, complete with a wink. "I'm glad to see that you've found worrk herre." Her head tilts to the side at the obviously irritable expression. "Is something wrrong? Aside from the obvious, I mean," she says, gesturing again in the direction that the hovertruck left.

Razorback's snout twitches slightly at the question. "It is of no concerrrn," he replies, somewhat coldly. He glances at the direction pointed to and snorts quietly. "Norrr arrre they."

Swiftfoot tilts her head to the side, eyes narrowing slightly. "If you'd rratherr I just left you alone, I can do that. To be honest, you'rre the rreason I'm here, but I'll underrstand if you don't want me arround. Afterr the whole scene back on Ungstirr, that is." The orange-furred felinoid shrugs noncommittally and flicks an ear.

Razorback seems slightly taken aback, his jaw muscles moving beneath his fur. He looks away for moment. When he brings his gaze back around to the other Demarian, his expression has softened just a little. "Therrre arrre many things I do not underrrsstand, Missss Sstarrrchasserrr," he states simply.

Swiftfoot snorts. "Join the club. Let's just say I chose poorrly, and leave it at that." She looks at the ground, a vaguely embarassed expression on her face. "I trracked you down to make amends. You deserrve betterr than a casual dismissal like that." Swifty shrugs, her ears flicking back, then forward again.

Razorback once again, looks away, his ears twitching. This is apparently not the conversation he had been prepared for. It takes him a moment to find his tongue again, but he manages it, turning back to Swiftfoot. "In that casse, I had besst apologize forrr losing my temperrr as I did, taking off without a worrrd."

Swiftfoot shakes her head. "Not at all. I prrobably would have rreacted the same way had the situation been rreverrsed." She looks away, crossing her arms over her lean chest nervously. "If you don't want to talk about this now, I don't blame you. You'rre on the clock, afterr all..."

Razorback chuckles slightly, but mirthlessly. "I will not get paid anyway ssince I did not come back with the trrruck." He looks at the other Demarian, examining her expression carefully. He pauses, creating a kind of awkward silence. Swiftfoot frowns, her brow creasing. "That harrdly seems fairr. They left you with most of the worrk, and took off without you." She looks down at her feet, then across at the dark-furred felinoid, her tail flicking erratically as the uncomfortable silence ensues.

There is a moment in between the time that Razorback realizes that he should say something, and the time that he actually figures out what to say. "Arrre we frrriends again?" he asks quietly, his voice slightly, but uncharacteristically tremulous.

Swiftfoot blinks, ears going halfway back. "I didn't know we'd stopped being such. If we werren't frriends, you can bet yourr tail I wouldn't be out herre in this heat to find you and apologize." She looks down at her white-furred feet, wringing her paws. "I'm sorry for just walking off. The whole thing took me by surrprrise, to be honest... but that's no excuse. He acted like a jerrk, and I validated it by going afterr him." Swifty shakes her head, still keeping her gaze averted.

Razorback takes a small step forward, head leaning slightly to one side in an attempt to regain eye contact. His tail twitches randomly as he replies, "I am glad that you did come. And I believe the incident is betterrr left in the passt. At leasst, it will forrr me."

Swiftfoot shifts her gaze upward, her eyes meeting those of the other Demarian. "I agrree... I think I'd like it betterr that way." She quirks an eyeridge and scratches behind one ear, breaking eye contact to look away at the Jackal. "I just feel foolish, I suppose," she says, to nobody in particular.

Swiftfoot looks up and nods, a smile slowly spreading across her features, the tension going out of her stance. "Thanks. Forr being so forrgiving, that is." She quirks an eyeridge and blinks, as if just remembering something. "Oughtn't you go afterr those guys eventually?"

Razorback chortles a bit, looking out at the street, "I guess I should, shouldn't I." He looks back to Swiftfoot, some worry creasing his brow, "You going off planet sometime soon?"

Swiftfoot flicks an ear. "I have to be back on Ungstirr next week, to meet up with the Arrtemis crrew for a job. Otherr than that, I've got morre rreason to stay than to go elsewherre." Her tail swishes as she looks around. "Except maybe forr this acurrsed heat," she notes, a chuckle in her voice. "We should get togetherr while I'm herre. If you'rre going to be hanging arround, I can always come back afterr we'rre done with ourr mission."

Razorback nods again, "I will look out forrr you then." He pauses for a moment before settling on, "I will ssee you soon. Have a good evening." He then begins to make his way towards the exit.

"You have a good evening yourrself, chief." Swifty turns towards the Jackal, but turns back only moments later. She grins and hollers after Razorback, "You could always just come with me, you know. Somehow I think therre's morre to you than loading carrgo!" The felinoid laughs to herself, and turns back to board the ship, her tail waving idly.