strangetrip | [Locked to Yasmeen] Time for beer and soaking up the sun

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[Locked to Yasmeen] Time for beer and soaking up the sun

The pool at the hotel wasn't anything like the Harvest Fest on Leith, but it was a hell of a lot better than what was on Westerley. He missed Dutch and even D'Avin, but mostly Dutch. Johnny had left them behind on purpose, but knowing that you can get back to them any time you wanted and being cut off from them were two different things. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that he would eventually see them again. Life was not that cruel, especially after Pawter, for him not to believe in that.

The waterfall at the pool was an indulgence as was the pool bar and Johnny wasn't about to turn down either temptation. It was also more comfortable in the water, floating, than walking. It felt more like he was on Lucy with the anti-grav, which also made him a little homesick. He picked up a bottle of beer and headed toward the waterfall. It wasn't until he was just behind it, in the shadows that he noticed someone else was there. "Oh, sorry. Didn't see you. Mind if I share the space?"

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Yasmeen had, as her caracal genetics permitted, heard him approaching. She had, in the typical attitude of a cat which she was not but occasionally imitated on sunny days, ignored it. Either he would find his way to her sunning spot or he would not and neither would bother her. He was far more likely to be bothered by her tits when she sat up topless.

"As long as you don't plan to talk my ear off, I have no objection," came the sardonic voice from the woman who remained facedown on a lounge chair reading a book between the slats, with a thick mane of hair dressed liberally with braids spilling over her shoulders to block the glare.

"Not a problem." Johnny said as he sat on the edge of the pool by her with his feet dangling in the water. "I'm not really a talker." Except sometimes that he was. He popped the top off the beer and took a swig with a kick of his foot which caused a little ripple.

"That's novel." A young man who didn't love to hear himself talk? He was abruptly considerably more interesting. "Do you have a name, or shall I call you Silence?"

Not that she planned to call him much of anything. But she could be personable enough as long as he knew when to stop talking.

"Better than dumb ass." Johnny shot her a grin over his shoulder. "But most people call me Johnny. Since we're being all sociable and everything, what should I call you?"

"Most people who want to remain in possession of their tongue call me 'Captain'," came Yasmeen's dry response. "We're sociable enough that you, too, can call me 'Captain'." In time, perhaps, he'd earn the right to call her Yasmeen. It hadn't taken Raleigh all that long.

Johnny couldn't put his finger on it but there was something about her that reminded him so much of Dutch and not just because they both were Alpha females, it went deeper than that.

"So what type of ship are you captain of?" At least he assumed that was why she was called that. His eyes sparkled with interest. "I've piloted a few before I came here." None as good as Lucy, but he was biased like that.

He'd hit upon perhaps the one topic in the world she would willingly 'chat' with strangers about and when she spoke, her voice had taken on a richer timber, more warmth, and a hint of a hidden smile. "The Lady Corsair's the finest skyrunner in three worlds. She's sleek, fast, and deadly when she needs to be."

Not unlike Yasmeen herself.

His eyes lit up and there was an aura of excited puppy about him, listening to her pride and love about her ship. Johnny knew that he had the same tone and expression when he talked about Lucy.

"What is a skyrunner? I mean I assume that it is a ship that sails the skies, but what type of ship is she?" Johnny only knew his own types of ships that traveled between planets.

Yasmeen propped herself up with absolutely zero regard for her bared breasts. "Airship. Balloon, envelope, coal propulsion." She knew from Gotham that the Lady Corsair was hardly cutting edge technology for some, but she also knew most versions of Earth had never gotten the dirigible to function satisfactorily.

"What did you serve on?" Obviously not the Captain from the puppy-like excitement. She'd guess engineer, but 'serve' was generic enough to cover the bases.

"Only the best starship in the Quad." Okay, there had been one more that was a sweet ride, but it didn't have Lucy's charm. "She's the best ship to pilot." His lips quirked, "I'm admittedly biased."

"Starship," murmured Yasmeen thoughtfully. She'd seen movies, tv, read books in Gotham, and science fiction had been her favorite because of all the adventurous women who never went soft.

"Fighter? Miner? What kind of starship was she?"

"Lucy can do all of those, she's got a nice size cargo bay, but she's mostly a transportation ship. Dutch and I fly her on our jobs." He flashed a quick grin with a dimple, "I fly her mostly, I'm Lucy's favorite." Since he wasn't sure if she understood about Lucy, he explained, "Lucy is the AI of the ship."

She was the ship.

Yasmeen inclined her head to acknowledge his apparent prowess, even if he sounded more like Roland reporting his first kill with a bow than anything. Actually, it reminded her rather of young Max and her certainty she could watch Yasmeen's back.

"AI would be artificial intelligence, yes?"

"It would. Lucy is the ship." Johnny explained with both pride and affection in his voice. "I think if it were possible, I'd probably marry her."

Yes, he was teasing but a part of him wasn't. They had been through a lot of tough times together.

"How would she feel about that?" Yasmeen asked, perfectly deadpan. He had the same starry-eyed glee about the ship that Mako used to have about Gipsy--even if she'd spoke in muted, respectful tones, Yasmeen had see the gleam in her eyes.

Johnny laughed knowing exactly how Lucy would feel about it. "She would probably be the one to ask me if she could." It wasn't bragging - well not much. "We've been through a lot together." Including lying to Dutch which neither of them like to do. "I know she's a ship but she has personality just like anyone else. To me, she's a very important part of the crew."

"You needn't explain to me," Yasmeen observed mildly. "My Lady has no artificial intelligence but it hardly stops her from having a personality or being both friend and crew-member." And Yasmeen missed her with every fiber of her being.

"Exactly. That's what people just don't understand." Johnny said enthusiastically. "Even if my girl wasn't an AI, each ship has it's own personality and it talks to you, in their own way."

He'd flown some ships that didn't have an AI, especially when he'd first left home, but Johnny would admit that he liked the ones with AIs better.

"Nor do they understand how you could miss her like breathing," Yasmeen added, allowing considerably more emotion into her voice than usual, since he too felt the call. "Friend, transport, freedom... my Lady is a part of me."

Johnny nodded his head enthusiastically. She got it. Dutch sort of did, but Captain, definitely did. "As much as breathing." He was quiet for a minute, then admitted something that he hadn't even to Kitty and Abby.

"Every day I look out the window and up at the sky hoping to see her. I know it's stupid and the odds of her just showing up are huge, but that doesn't stop me from looking every day."

"Can't find her if you don't look, and besides, she'd look for you." Yasmeen shrugged and lowered herself back down to her lounger. "That's just keeping the faith."

"Damn straight." Johnny said and turned back toward the pool, letting his feet return to the water. "Always keep the faith that I'll see my girl again." That actually included Lucy, Dutch and Pawter for Johnny but mostly Lucy.

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[Locked to Yasmeen] Time for beer and soaking up the sun

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