Another Life?

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Felix & Artie © Mr. Jeffrey Pierce

Bearovich, Low, Rimecorps © Mr. M. Marmell

Kiko Nao Rhys, late of the Timecorps, sat quietly in the stations small bar. Nursing her drink she carefully inspected the one man she had selected. Two weeks of wandering the stations busy corridors, reading billeting posting, open berth announcements, and dodging active duty Timecorps agents had lead her to this. A small singleship, unknown origin, unknown owner, and maybe not even an open berth at that. Fingering the paper in her pocket she sighed, it was either this, or face Low when she arrived tomorrow afternoon.

Somehow she felt accepting a berth as 'Ships Moral Officer' would be better than facing an angry Low.

Certainly she hadn't been asked to leave, not after returning with Bearoviches battle Mech. But her dreams had haunted her. Somehow she had failed, had let the thief escape when she had the power to capture him. Something in her previous life demanded her taking this leave of absence from the Corps. She had talked with Tali about it, finally deciding she couldn't stay any longer. Not if she wanted to get any sleep. She had to find herself, somehow, before she could be any use to the Major. Setting her empty cup aside she stood, and quietly approached the man sitting alone.

Felix Denton sat reviewing the three 'job offers', idling picking at the food in front of him. The mouses initial movements didn't register, not until her second step directly towards him. Gently slipping one hand under the table he loosened his weapon, a lifetime in his own universe taught you several lessons. Staying alive was the most important. He watched as she stepped towards him. 'Not a fighter' he thought, still something about her bearing tugged at his memory. The recently missing patches on her jumpsuit told him some, the almost black oxygen badge more.

She stopped a few feet from the table. Taking a breath she held up her left hand, and a small packet of papers. The man nodded.

"What do you want." Felix asked.

"My name is Rhys" she answered, "Kiko Nao Rhys, recently released from duty. I'm a mechanic looking for employment, and hoping you have an opening."

Felix almost smiled, an hour never passed without someone approaching him for employment, or a handout.

"I'm a one man operation" he answered, "I don't require further crew, and don't want any."

Kiko nodded, she'd heard this several times. Those times she'd been offered jobs. . . Well, she'd rather not remember some of the offers.

"Thank you for your time" she answered, quickly sliding the papers back into her blouse's inner pocket.

She was backing away to leave when Felix pulled a few bills from a pocket.

"Here" he offered, "Its not much, but it might help."

She looked at the bills, perhaps three hundred credits.

"Thank you, but I cannot accept" she replied, turning away.

Memory suddenly hit Felix, that walk, style of conversation, bearing. There had been another woman, soul survivor of her planet. She had held herself the same way. He chewed at his lower lip, weighing the possibilities. Did he really want to run around alone? Was there something about the mouse-woman that could help him?

Artie was his only real friend, was it time to make another? Or, was it a better idea to let this possible problem woman slide past.