Serfin

The Starblazer is a vast ship. Appropriate for any warship. The most spacious parts are reserved for essential components. Deep in the bowls of the ship one can find the life-support system, the supply, the engine and weapon-systems. Tubes crisscrossing above, below and next to metal-grate walkways barely wide enough for two Menkar to pass each other. The hum vibrating in the metal of the whole structure. Darkness swallowing everything past the pipes that bang and raw like beasts or beat like the heart of a giant monster.

The remainder of the ship hosts the living quarters, the dinning hall and the medical bay. In there among the entertainment areas one can find most of the crew off-duty. Music and laughter can be heard above small and big conversations. Sometimes those who are able, perform little tricks and entertain the others with her psychic powers. But most often one can find two or more Menkar in a brawl.

As Serfin walks to the living quarters, he doesn't pay any attention to the Menkar around him. All he can do is think about the mission. Slicer doesn't seem like he will give the promotion. Then again Serfin isn't that disappointed it didn't work out. It ought to have been a ruse from the start, he muses as he moves along the plastic and metal grate corridors towards the sleeping quarters. Slicer likes to do this stuff. At least Res has made it!

Serfin enters the cabin he shares with Respin. As he closes the door Respin changes into a lime-green turtleneck and turns around. Once he has pushed his head through the top, he looks at Serfin, and his expression drops from neutral to worried. This expression causes Serfin's heart to skip a beat. Before Respin can say anything, Serfin pulls him into an almost bone-crushing hug. Taken by surprise the smaller Menkar lets out a sound like a squeaky toy and doesn't know where to put his hands.

"I was so worried about you, Res," Serfin mumbles against his Bondmates shoulder while fighting back the tears collecting in his eye.

"Worried about me?" he asks confused and somewhat shocked. "I should be the one to say that! Dear Gods of the Void! All those patches…"

"Just a few scratches," he replies without any intention to let go.

"And her partner?" he asks muffled and pats Serfin's back.

"She's alright," he tells him and gives him some air to breathe. "Topasa, that's her name, knocked Nethra out by hitting her with something… Respin? Is something wrong?"

The frown on his head is deeper than usual.

"N-no. Nothing," he hastily says but it does not convince Serfin.

"You worry about something," he says and sits down on one of the two chairs beside their water-tanks. "You know that you can tell me everything."

"Yes… Sure…" he replies strained. "Umm… I don't know… I shouldn't be worrying about something like this but…"

"Go on," Serfin encourages Respin as he falls silent.

Before he continues, he sits down on the other chair in front of Serfin.

"You don't happen to have seen, by any chance, this small chitinous creature we bumped into?" he asks cautiously as if defusing a bomb. "I'm worried because I have the bad feeling that it… he's on the ship…"

"Is this your sixth-sense tingling?" he asks alarmed and half raises from his chair.

"Perhaps… I don't really know," he answers frowning and looks away. "I can't concentrate on anything since this whole debacle…"

"Then we better take a look around," Serfin suggests after a while. "I don't think Slicer takes kindly to intruders. And I can tell you on the way what has happened. Deal?"

"Deal," he replies with a smile.