#MSVJackOfDiamonds – December 5, 2017

Halisi has woken up, but has lingered in bed, having been unwilling to risk waking Ilyna from her peaceful slumber, and seeming content to remain in place, studying the features of her face in silence, the hum of the ship's engine and the occasional muffled stomping of feet in the corridor above the only sound heard in the small cabin.

Jason is lucky to get a full night's sleep under the best of circumstances. The stress of the situation has made sure he was up and down as he tried to catch up on some sleep. But, ever the soldier, he doesn't seem too affected by the troubled sleep. In his usual attire of a white long sleeved shirt, black military-style pants, and black boots, he's doing his best to get his 'morning' exercise in. Without the help of the

Leah also slept little throughout the night. She had a silent pact with Jattic to sleep in shifts to make sure none of the crew members of the ship attempted to fuck with their stuff. Given What they know about James and the capabilities of the technology they're dealing with, there's no telling whether or not he's the only one who was affected. She woke up for her 'shift' about 5 hours ago and took a shower. She's now

Jattic is currently sleeping, having stayed up until Leah awoke. He has taken one of the unused cots.

Jessica didn't seem to have any problems sleeping in her little crate fort. She's now seated at the edge of her cot. She's still wearing her undersuit, but only from the waist down. The sleeves are tied around her waist like a makeshift belt. From the waist up she's wearing a white tanktop. She has taken one of the Katanas from their weapon crate and is now familiarizing herself with it.

Ilyna is still asleep, despite not being used to traveling in space. She's sleeping quietly, but in the last few minutes there's been the occasional low, unintelligible mumble coming from her.

Ehanis took a shower shortly after the tour around the ship, and she then got around five hours of sleep. She's no stranger to a lack of a proper day/night cycle, having lived on Omega on and off for decades. The asari enters the galley, looking around it from the doorway. She's wearing a form-fitting purple top and blue jeans.

Nathan had changed during the night, slipping into a pair of cargo trousers, a black vest top and boots. He seemed to have gone through the night in some semblance of sleep, waking as early as he could to immediately start working on a few of the weapons Redrock had brought with them. It was an hour later than he remembered he needed breakfast. Instead of going to the galley, he pulled a protein bar from

Oxaris had shared a similar idea with Jattic and Leah, spending most of the night acting as secondary watch. As time drew on, however, fatigue consumed her and she is currently sleeping against a single, small crate.

Wrench turns as she notices Ehanis, shooting her a small smile and a wave - with a hand still holding a ladle. "Hey! Hungry?" Food ends up staining the cabinets to her left, and she furrows her eyebrows. "Oops..."

Halisi places a hand on Ilyna's arm when she notices the mumbling, running it down until she finds her hand. She squeezes it in an attempt at reassurance, much like the night before.

Leah has remained uncharacteristically silent throughout the trip thus far. If one were to look over her shoulder, they'd see that she's been on the same article on the datapad she brought along for the past hour. As she catches sight of Nathan munching on a protein bar, she lowers her datapad to her lap and looks him over from her perch atop the crates. "...They said the galley is open to us if we want to get a bite." she

Zaylus has seemed content with his nestled sleeping place, as well as the watchful eyes of the others to look out for trouble. It would seem he's slept most of the downtime, only growing more fidgety and restless in the last hour or so until finally compelled to stand up and stretch his legs. He gives a quick thought to his pistol before leaving it behind and stepping quietly through

Ehanis tilts her head. "I was checking out that booze rumor, but eh, food sounds good too," she says with a shrug, walking up to the kitchen. "What are you serving?"

Nathan hasn't spared a glance to the others since waking, merely tinkering on the gear. The fact he even registers Leah's voice at all seems to be a small miracle as there is a brief lull in the twisting of his screwdriver. His eyes flick up to her and he searches her for a moment with his gaze. Without a word, he nods and sets the tools down, cleaning his hand with a rag before clunking towards the galley.

Lucy glances over her shoulder at Ehanis. "Got a pot of chili in the works if that interests ya. I know the doc's not very partial so maybe that ain't your thing. Got a stack of flapjacks over there if that's more your speed. Bread and all that's in the storage if ya want somethin' simple."

Leah sets her datapad aside atop the crate with a nod of her own and gracefully hops down to the floor. She passes a brief glance about at the others before lowering her gaze to the floor and following silently behind Nathan towards the galley.

Ilyna snaps awake, her breathing rapid as she looks around the cabin. She lets her head sink back down into the pillow as she registers the hand grasping hers, and her breathing calms again. "It's....," she sighs and closes her eyes again. "Good morning," she murmurs tiredly.

Halisi whispers a soft "Hey.", squeezing Ilyna's hand again and waiting patiently for her to get her bearings.

Zaylus reaches the galley after a little uncertainty, not excited to find the space rather populated at the moment. He looks to the face of each person present, lingering in the doorway for a moment, leaning against the wall and watching the activity inside.

Jessica watches as pretty much everyone leaves aside from Jason and the two sleeping teammates. Brow furrowed, she sets her shotgun aside and crosses the room to be nosey and check out whatever Leah was reading. Her expression grows more confused. "What in the fuck is an 'antioxi-... oxee-...dant'?" she mutters aloud, having trouble pronouncing the word on the datapad.

Jason pauses his crunches as he hears Jessica's question, staring distantly up at the ceiling as he takes a few deep breaths. "Think it's one of those things for farmers." he decides, shifting a bit to prop himself up with one cybernetic arm so he can better look to Jessica. "You know? Keeps the animals away from your shit? Fucking oxes get into everything. Is it oxes? Just ox?"

Jessica blinks a couple of times, looking unconvinced. "You are meaning a scarecrow?" she asks, seeming more confused than when she started.

Jason nods a couple of times before quickly shifting gears and rapidly shaking his head. "Wha-... No! Scarecrows aren't-.... Ox aren't afraid of scarecrows!"

Jessica holds Jason's gaze for a moment before deciding she just doesn't give enough of a shit to continue this conversation and sets the datapad back down. With a low mutter and a number of shakes of her head, she starts back towards her cot.

Jason continues to prop himself up with his arm, still trying to get to the bottom of this mystery. "Hey Jattic, what in the fuck is an-...." he begins but winces as he rotates enough to see that the batarian is still sleeping. Toss this one onto the pile of unsolved cases. With a frown, he crosses his ankles and returns to crunch-position.

Ehanis nods. "Chili sounds good," she says. "...I think. Can't remember if I've had either." She takes a step back, waiting for it to be ready.

Lucy chuckles slightly and gestures for Ehanis to take a seat at the table. She's just about to turn back to her cooking when she notices Zaylus. "Hey there. Thought I saw some of ya last night. Afraid pickin's are a bit slim food-wise. Keep a supply of dextro nutrient paste just in case, but that's about it. Sorry 'bout that." she says, gesturing in the direction of the food storage.

Ilyna opens her eyes again, and starts to sit up, looking towards the window. They're not there yet. Or maybe they're on their way back. "How... long have I been sleeping?" she asks, a hint of apprehension in her otherwise flat tone.

Ehanis nods again and heads over to the couch, grabbing a flapjack on the way there. It didn't look too appetizing, but she had to try it anyway.

Zaylus snorts, chuckling low and rolling his shoulders. "Fine by me." He mutters, pushing off the wall and walking to the storage indicated by the captain, searching for the telltale delicious tubes promised.

Halisi joins Ilyna in sitting up, pulling her legs in a bit and resting one arm on her knees.. "Almost ten hours." she says, offering a faint, brief smile. "You definitely needed it." she adds as her smile fades, and she places a hand on Ilyna's shoulder, a sighing sigh escaping her as she studies her.

Elena eyes Ehanis as she joins her in the couch, giving the asari a faint nod and sipping her breakfast beer.

Ilyna sighs relieved, choosing to believe her for now. "I was hoping that this was all a bad dream," she says. "That I'd wake up at home with... Li in the next room." She looks over to Halisi. "But you're right, I did need it," she says, "I'm sorry... for being like that yesterday."

Zaylus taps his talons against the containers as he peruses them, plucking the first paste tube he comes across and tossing it from hand to hand. Only as he turns to leave does he notice he grabbed the levo variety, making a face and quickly setting it back. "Yeah, that's all I need..." He mutters, now carefully checking the packaging as he grabs the correct variant. Then after a

Halisi shakes her head, wrapping her arms around Ilyna and leaning over to give her a gentle hug. "You have nothing to apologize for... just... have to do your best to take care of yourself until it's time. We're going to get her back." she says, uttering the final sentance with a great deal of conviction in her voice.

Nathan makes his way to the galley, quiet and tense, what with the way his shoulders clench and the rigid posture of his back. It's a painfully silent journey to the galley and he stops when he enters, eyes drifting around the room. There's a brief shift, his foot drifting back as almost an instinct to turn and return to his work. Fix the armour, fix the weapons, fix his focus. But the presence of Leah

Ehanis glances at the beer in her hand. "You got to tell me where to find the 'good stuff'," she says, referring to what Ehanis thinks Wrench meant last night. "Booze, I mean," she clarifies just to be sure. She takes a bite of the flapjack, and another shortly after.

Ilyna frowns. "I... know," she says. "It's just..., it feels terrible. I can only think of how scared she must be, and.... I feel like I'm betraying her somehow." She holds up a hand in front of her, flaring a biotic field around her to test if the drugs have worn off.

Elena raises an eyebrow, studying Ehanis. "Little early to be drinking, don't you think?" she asks before raising the bottle in her cybernetic hand, taking a long swig of her beer.

Halisi shakes her head again as she lets go of the hug, her right hand lingering around Ilyna's back. "You're doing everything in your power. And making sure you're in a good state when we arrive is the best thing you can do for Li."

Leah certainly hasn't done her part to break the silence during their trip. The only sound leaving her as they make their journey is the soft thud of her boots against the floor. As they reach the galley, she looks a bit taken aback by how crowded it is. Quite the change from the last time she was here. "Yeah..." she agrees distantly, unable to deny the rumbling in her stomach that only worsens when the smell of breakfast is

Lucy smiles when she spots Leah and Nathan, one of them a slightly familiar face at least. "Hungry? Hope y'all like chili. Just about done. Have a seat and I'll be right over." she says, gesturing with a ladle towards the table.

Ehanis snorts. "Yeah, yeah, I don't care though," she says, and gestures towards the viewport. "It's always night in space anyway." She eats the remainder of the flapjack.

Zaylus knocks the tubes together rythmically on his walk, sparing a look for the solemn Nathan and Leah as he passes, raising his browplate just a touch. He ceases his paste beats as he returns to the cargo unit, stepping lightly for the sleeping team members. Rounding Oxaris' crate, he gently sets one of the paste tubes next to her for when she wakes. Then, he pulls himself up onto

Elena snorts, finishing off the last of her beer before slipping out of the couch and heading over to the fridge. She soon returns with two new bottles, sliding one of them over to Ehanis.

Nathan looks down at her and there seems to be a ghost of a smile, even if it was just for a fleeting moment. But her words from yesterday (or today, dependant on time zone) still stung in his mind. He turns away to look at Lucy, exhaling gently through his nose. "Chili? That's something I haven't tried in a while," he muses, injecting a hint of his usual mirth into his tone, if for his own sake. He

Ilyna lets the biotic filed dissipate without any outward reaction to its success. "I know," she says with another sigh. "It's just... what it feels like." She glances towards the hatch. "Did you sleep well?" she asks, hoping to change the topic, though her tone is still flat.

Leah gives a small appreciative bow of her head to Lucy. She gives a hollow: "Thanks." before following Nathan over to the table and hopping into a seat beside him. She shifts and scoots a bit as she rests her elbows on the table, hands folded out in front of her. A few moments of silence pass before she looks his way again. "...How are you feeling?" she asks. It, too, sounds hollow. The way someone sounds when they just

Jessica passes a glance Zaylus' way as he enters the cargo unit. As he drops a tube of paste off for Oxaris, she sets her shotgun aside and leans back, propping herself up with both of her palms pressed against her cot. "Nothing for me?" she asks with a rather disappointed expression.

Jason stops mid-crunch with a grunt as Zaylus returns. He's been going at it for quite a while and finds himself breathing a bit deeper as he pulls himself up into a seated position. "Antioxidants." he says with a nod towards Zaylus. "They're not scarecrows, right?" Unfortunately, his question sounds entirely sincere.

Nathan 's face settles into a grim line. He doesn't dare look her way, instead his gaze falling to his hands resting upon the table. They curl into fists for a moment before relaxing and he inhales a deep lungful of recycled air. "I'm not sure," he admits. "Seeing you, Jase, the others like this. It unsettles me. -You- unsettled me." He closes his eyes, his head shaking as he tries to link fragmented

Zaylus eyes Jessica at the question, raising up his tube and wiggling it around. "They're making proper food up in the kitchen for the levo folks. Looks like it was going to be ready soon." He remarks with little emotion, remembering this one to be a bit hair-trigger in the past. Then he looks Jason's way, even more confused by his comment. "I don't... what?" Is all he can muster.

Halisi nods slightly, slipping her legs out of bed and shuddering as her feet touch the metal floor. She's quick to start putting her boots back on. "Well enough. Hope I, uh... didn't take up too much room." she says, looking back at Ilyna over her shoulder. "You... didn't have to-... I appreciate it. Glad to... avoid the chair, in hindsight..." she adds with a dampened chuckle, her voice little more than a mumble, before

Ehanis takes the beer with a nod of thanks. "Had it not been for the... you know, I'm pretty sure I would have liked you and the crew," she says, looking off towards the kitchen as she takes a swig of the beer.

Jessica gives a groan of: "Foooooooooood." as she hops off of her cot, Zaylus' words all the encouragement she needs to get her out of the room.

Jason looks relieved when it becomes obvious that Zaylus has no idea what he's talking about. The fact that Zaylus is an entirely different species doesn't seem to factor into things for him. "Right?!" he scoffs, giving absolutely no further context as he rests one arm against his knee and continues to catch his breath. "So did you manage to get some rest?" he asks.

Leah's gaze lowers to the table as she listens to Nathan, guilt crossing her features. Guilt not only over her own inability to push that lingering sense of dread down, but that it's so apparent to her teammates that it's affecting them as well. That it's affecting Nathan. She sucks in a deep breath as she nods her head. "I know I-... I'm sorry, Nate." she says softly. "I just-..." she gives a deep sigh, her shoulders rising

Elena sighs, glancing back at Ehanis and then following her gaze towards the kitchen. "Just hope we can put all that behind us... fix all this." She swallows hard, shaking her head to herself and sipping her newly acquired beer.

Ilyna turns to sit on the bed, sharply inhaling as bare feet meets the cold floor. "Look, it...," she says, looking a little bit flustered. "Us, I mean.... We need to figure that out, but in the meantime..., we don't have enough beds and it's only right that... you sleep well too." She looks back up at Halisi. "When we find her,... I hope not, but... you need to be ready."

Lucy grabs the big pot on the stove with both hands, carrying it over to the table and setting it down on a coaster simultaneously delivered by Wrench. "Alright y'all, have at it. Should be enough for everyone I reckon, but just lemme know if it runs out and I'll get somethin' else goin'." While she speaks, Wrench zips back and forth, delivering bowls and spoons to the table.

Nathan remains silent for a short time, a lull that seems to stretch between them as he waits for whatever she may want to say. When nothing is forthcoming, he links his fingers together on the table and idly twiddles with his thumbs, brow furrowing. For a moment, it seems as if time and life has been unkind to him, his face weathered and worn beyond his age. Then it's gone, replaced by him shaking his

Zaylus watches Jessica go with an amused reaction, finding it increasingly hard to peg the human down. He definitely doesn't understand what Jason is trying to say or why, but it seems like the turian has answered correctly, so he won't push the matter any further. Instead he just nods, casting a glance at the sleeping batarian, then Oxaris. "I'm sure we've all slept through worse."

Halisi nods softly, pulling her hands into her lap after finishing with her boots. "I'm going to have a word with the ship doctor. She seems... reasonable enough. Make sure the infirmary is ready to handle any... potential injuries." she says, well aware of the kind of threats they may face on the ship. She frowns slightly, glancing over at Ilyna. "Did... the others bring your equipment?"

Ehanis nods. She keeps looking towards the kitchen, but she's not in a hurry to go get food. "Yeah," she sighs. "I've never seen this shit for myself, but from what I've heard... well, Jason is stupid if he turns down help." She takes another long swig of her drink. "We need everyone that can hold a gun."

Elena seems to have taken badly to some part of Ehanis' words, a frown crossing her face as she sips her beer. As Wrench places a bowl by her she gives her a nod, reaching over to ruffle her hair before she can escape, a faint grin briefly crossing her face before fading away.

Leah's guilt only seems to worsen as Nathan waves off her apology. Her gaze remains low, fixed on her hands as he speaks. "Nate..." she sighs as he finishes, but once again nothing follows. She just... stares. Examining her hands with a distant look on her face. Despite the rest of the chatter in the room, only silence passes between the two of them. After some time passes, she opens her mouth, but by then Lucy is serving

Jason gives a snicker, nodding his head. "Figured we were safe when they gave Ilyna and Halisi a room outside of the cargo unit." he admits, implying the thought of being 'vented' had crossed his mind as well. "These people aren't fighters. Last thing they need to be dealing with is an already-pissed asari whose friends they just spaced."

Nathan shrugs at her silence, spooning some of the food into a bowl... which he sets before her. He then does the same for him, the aroma causing his stomach to rumble with anticipation. The air is awkward, tense, fragile, but he does his best to block it for the moment as he shovels a mouthful of chili, barely chewing it before swallowing it. Damn, he really was hungry. He stops after a few more

Wrench slips away with a half-giggle, half-grumble, re-adjusting her messy black hair and sticking out her tongue at Elena before grabbing a plastic container and leaning over the table to fill it up with chili. "I'm gonna eat with pops, 'kay?" she says to Lucy, already on her way toward the corridor.

Lucy looks over at Nathan when he speaks to her, flashing a small smile. "I'm hopin' the taste don't disappoint then." she says with a small chuckle, before her attention is drawn to Wrench. "He ain't joinin' us?" she calls out.

Wrench turns in place and walks backwards while giving Lucy a shrug. "'Damned strangers crawling all over the ship, tracking in dirt, messing with systems and who knows what else... bluh!'" she says, putting on the deepest voice she can muster and grimacing in an exaggerated manner.

Ilyna nods along at the mention of her, but most of what she remembers from her is a blur at this point. "She... seems nice," she says. At the second question, she looks around the quarters to see if any has been brought there during the night. "I... don't know," she says. "Maybe they did and I just didn't notice."

Lucy sighs, rolling her eyes. "Well, ya go ahead and remind him this is my ship, not his, and he should at least try bein' a bit sociable."

Halisi glances around briefly before pushing off from the bed, looking back at Ilyna. "How about I see if I can find Jason, see about getting you some new clothes... and shoes?" she asks.

Ehanis laughs as she looks at Wrench's interaction with Lucy, paying no mind to Elena for now. "So the krogan is her dad," she mutters to herself.

Zaylus snickers in return, "Huh, I didn't think about that one." He remarks, chewing thoughtfully on his paste as he imagines a pissed of Ilyna wasting the crew of the Jack. Using his food to point he gestures up toward the galley. "Aren't you hungry? I couldn't quite tell what they were making up there. Some kind of... meat... soup..." He mutters thoughtfully, narrowing his eyes.

Leah gives a strained nod in appreciation as Nathan sets a bowl down for her and she pulls it in closer. She looks from Lucy to Wrench. It's obvious that they're a tight knit group and it only makes the knowledge of Lucy's husband weigh heavier on her. Her shoulders slump as she slips her spoon into the chili, distantly pushing it around without much direction. It's not until Nathan speaks up that she seems to snap out of

Jason glances upwards as Zaylus gestures, his expression falling neutral. "Right. Meat.... soup." he repeats, the description not putting too appetizing of an image in his head, "Guessing it's getting pretty crowded up there. Figure I'll let it clear out a bit before I head up." he says. And it's partially true. More specifically, however, he's hoping to avoid Lucy for as long as possible. "What about you? Why aren't you up

Nathan 's gaze drifts from her tired face to the hand that lays down upon his. He watches for a moment, long and silent as her answer finally pieces together parts of his questions. But the pain in her voice causes his hand to turn under hers, fingers curling around to wrap around her hand as his thoughts drift back to her in the gym and the tears that stained her cheeks. He knew her answer held much more

Ilyna nods. "Yeah, I'd... appreciate that," she says before looking towards the viewport. "I really hope Jason has found some gear I could use. I... I don't want to stay here when we reach their ship. I can't..."

Lucy does her best to pretend she's not overhearing Leah and Nathan's conversation, not wanting to stick her nose where it doesn't belong. She returns to the kitchen, starting to clean up.

Halisi nods. "I'm sure he knows that." she assures, heading for the ladder. "I'll be back soon, alright?" she says, glancing back at Ilyna before starting to climb.

Elena looks over at Ehanis, a smirk tugging briefly at her lips, but never manifesting. "Something like that. Found her on Omega, yeah? Duct rat. Took her in. Taught her to work the engines."

Zaylus snorts, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head at Jason. "Yeah, you're a delight." He quips sarcastically. "Actually, I'm here for the same reason you are. Too many people milling around up there." He lets one leg dangle alongside the crate, swinging slowly. "That captains puttin' on family dinner up there. That and the inedible food... down here felt like a better bet." He

Leah finally raises her gaze to meet his as she returns the gesture, intertwining her fingers with his and giving a tight squeeze. "This one is out of our control, Nate." she says. It's an admission of fear. She knows that no matter how prepared they are, how skilled they are, they're facing an enemy where it only takes one mistake to lose everything. Hell, not even a mistake. Touch the wrong thing. Stand near the wrong

Ilyna doesn't look away from the viewport, but she does nod. "Alright," she says. She doubted there's any clothes she would wear, but she doesn't really have a choice.

Ehanis raises her brows. "How long has she been on your ship?" she asks. "Omega... well, it drains you of anything that makes a child a child, and Wrench is adorable." Ehanis may be drawing mostly on her own experience of the station in that conclusion.

Jason snorts as he scoots back a bit, leaning up against the wall as he rests both arms against his knees. He gives a brief glance around the cargo unit before resting his attention back on the turian. "You spend much time on ships?" he asks, seemingly trying to make small talk. His restless mind could certainly use it.

Elena smirks slightly at first, but then furrows her eyebrows, looking down at the empty bowl in front of her. "She's a good kid." she says with a subtle sigh. "Think she was like... ten? Twelve? She's been on this boat way longer than I have. Doesn't talk much about before she came aboard."

Zaylus raises a browplate just a touch, maybe not expecting the small talk or just the question itself. However, he seems happy enough to answer, setting the tube down beside him. "No, not really. Mostly just short stints like this." He answers before returning a curious look. "Why, have you?"

Niklos and Nadia enter the galley, rather uncermoniously making their way to the table and starting to fill up bowls with chili, without sitting down. Nadia shoots a glance at Leah and Nathan, seeming unaffected by the obviously emotional exchange.

Halisi enters the galley not long after the twins, glancing around for any sign of Jason. Not spotting him, she makes her way through the room towards the ladder, shooting an uncomfortable look at Nadia and Niklos which causes her to hurry her step a little.

Halisi no doubt looks like a bit of a mess, having had no chance to clean up since yesterday, or even a brush for her hair. She's still wearing what she wore to visit Ilyna - a grey sweater, boots, and tight-fitting pants.

Jason rocks his head back and forth with a short chuckle. "Yeah..." he says as he draws in a long breath through his nose, "...Ohhhh yeah." He falls silent, tilting his head a bit and going completely still as he listens for the unmistakable sound of the engines reverberating throughout the ship. He gives a slow, rhythmic bob of his head- much more on rhythm than his dancing ever has been- to the ship's mechanical music. His

Ehanis downs the rest of her beer. "With good reason," she says. "You do what you need to do to survive there, otherwise you... well, don't." She frowns as she sees Halisi walk across the room. Ilyna must be awake.

Zaylus nods along with Jason, finding himself sympathetic to the notions. "Yeeeah, I think I do know." He answers wistfully. He chews on his next thought for a moment, glancing at the entranceway. "Felt the same about... livin' on stations." He remarks, the "s" plural a massive exaggeration. "Just a bit bigger, of course. Nothing at all like on living on a planet again."

Jason gives another snicker as he nods. He spent his fair share of time on Omega. "It's the sounds!" he says, that seeming to really be a sticking point for him. "Freedom Falls is great. I love it. It's home, you know? But it's just so-..." he shakes his head before leaning it back against the wall with a shrug of his shoulders, "...Quiet. Especially at night. It's like-... deafening. Hard to sleep." His gaze begins to raise

Nathan locks his eyes with hers and he seems to search for that nugget of doubt. Doubt that this is truly beyond their control, doubt of the terrible fear that these abominations hold over her and the others. But he doesn't find it. All he sees is fear. Fear of whatever these things are. Fear of losing a friend. Another... friend. His hands tightens around hers and he finds himself trying to say how he won't leave

Zaylus lets out a throaty chuckle at the last sentiment, relishing the image. "Hell, if it weren't for the shitty situation you might actually have slept better in here than at home." He jokes, perking a browplate at the human.

Jessica bursts into the galley on the prowl for foodstuffs. She gives a couple of animalistic sniffs at the air. Like a freight train, she barrels through the room and leans right over Leah and Nathan's intertwined hands with a hungry roar of: "Foooooood!" as she scoops up Leah's bowl and stomps off towards the couch. About part way there, she casts a glance over her shoulder to the pair, her good eye moving to their hands.

Leah allows a small, sad smile to manifest, a stern nod her only response to Nathan's words. As she goes to speak, the Turkish barbarian intrudes and she finds herself staring at Jessica, nose scrunched up. "Hey-..." is all she manages before Jessica gets her dig in, causing Leah to turn bright red and look back to the table. Suddenly find it no longer worth going after her food, she begins glancing about for a new bowl.

Halisi barely manages to dodge Jessica on her way out of the galley, taking the ladder down and entering the cargo module not long after. She walks through the tubular space towards Jason and Zaylus, running a hand over her hair to settle it down while she waits to be noticed.

Nathan opens his mouth to speak, but the sudden barreling of the Jessica monster causes him to snap his gaze at her, too stunned to even realise that she had just stolen Leah's food. He opens his mouth to snap at her with an angry retort, but finds himself at a loss for words. He tisks and moves his bowl to Leah, looking around for a replacement. "That damn woman," he mutters under his breath.

Elena 's frown lingers, and she's just about to respond to Ehanis when Jessica bursts in. She can't help an amused snort escaping in response to the unexpected comment, finally moving to scoop up some chili of her own in the aftermath.

Lucy glances briefly over at Jessica. "You're a hungry one, aren't ya? But that's no language for the dinner table now is it?" she calls out with a shake of her head.

Jason allows himself a short chuckle, but soon enough his smile fades. "I do miss it..." he says, giving another brief glance about the cargo unit to signal what he's referring to. Life on a ship. But that chapter of his life closed long ago. And, despite whatever sentimentality he may have over it, all he could think of throughout the night spent in the cargo unit, was how much he'd rather be at home with Vasquez. "...But

Leah puts a hand up to protest the offer of Nathan's chili, but as the bowl slides in front of her she lowers it back down with an appreciative nod his way. "She's-..." she sighs, her cheeks still a shade of red, "...She's something else..."

Jessica cocks an eyebrow as Lucy calls her out on her bad manners. She forces a belch in response as she pointedly shovels a large spoonful of chili into her mouth.

Ehanis snorts at Jessica's obnoxious entrance, and shakes her head. She reaches out to grab a bowl as well, and pours it to the brim with chili.

Halisi sighs heavily, giving a small shrug and glancing off to the side briefly. "What do you think, Jason?" she says quietly when she looks back at him.

Nathan locates a fresh bowl and huddles it closer. Even with one hand occupied, he pours himself a fair heap of chili and rolls his eyes with a tired sigh. "Something else is right. I have never met a mo- are you blushing?" He blinks and tilts his head at Leah, eyebrow perked. Somehow, it still hasn't registered in his mind what she might be blushing about, too engrossed in Jessica's theft of chili. I mean, who

Zaylus grows quiet with Jason's response, not so much embarrassed by his bad joke as he is thoughtful because of the sincere answer. He too doesn't notice Halisi at first, only when she speaks does he turn to see her, frowning slightly.

Lucy frowns slightly, shaking her head again. "Mind your manners now, I have enough ungrateful slobs on this ship as it is!" she calls out from the kitchen, busy washing up one of the pans used. Her tone is surprisingly light-hearted. Perhaps this bit of routine, and the sound of people milling about and chatting in the galley, has made her forget about her troubles, or the crew's rocky introduction to Redrock, for

Elena remains silent, a short-lived smirk crossing her face before she's reminded of what she learned the night before, her expression darkening as she starts to eat.

Ilyna turns away from the viewport and lies down on her back, staring up at the ceiling as she tries to focus on the rumble of the ship's engines.

Jason lets out a deep breath, nodding softly to himself. "...Stupid question." he mutters as he looks to the floor.

Leah scoffs at Nathan, her forehead creasing as she furrows her brow. She turns an even brighter shade of red. "Wha-..." she begins, but only scoffs again. This time louder, as if that implies she means it more. "No! Why would I-.... Shut up and eat your chili!" she snaps, quickly stuffing a spoonful from her own newly aquired bowl into her mouth so she's not expected to speak again.

Jessica drips a bit of chili onto the back of her hand and she's quick to raise it to her mouth and lick at the knuckle. "Mmm-..." she hums as she scoops another bite into her maw, "...What this is?" she asks with a look towards Lucy, sloppily licking at her lips for any chili that may have been lost on its journey to her mouth. "...Is varren meat, yes?" she continues, sounding quite pleased with the food situation.

Nathan stares at her and her indignant expression. There is a brief silence, a lull in expression before Nathan snorts and covers his mouth with the back of his hand. A genuine smile finds its way onto his face and a subdued chuckle rumbles in his throat. He shakes his head, taking up his spoon as his smile fades into a smaller, but just as warm one. There is further silence as he eats a mouthful of chili, before

Lucy glances over her shoulder at Jessica, a quiet chuckle escaping her. "That there is genuine Earth cow. Stocked up our freezer last time we travelled thataway. Gettin' the impression ya haven't had chili before. Ya like it?"

Halisi doesn't offer any immediate response, her gaze falling briefly along with Jason's, but she eventually looks back at him. "What-... what's the situation?" she asks. "I'll... admit I wasn't in the best of states yesterday. It was a... rough awakening." she says, her tone dispirited.

Leah keeps her head low as she spoons more chili into her mouth. A bit of hair tumbles into her face and she swipes it aside, tucking it behind her ear. As Nathan speaks, she winces. Slowly turning her attention towards him, she lifts her spoon to point his way. "Have you ever been stabbed with a spoon?" she asks, unable to prevent the small, but sincere, smile from crossing her features. "Huh?"

Jessica raises her spoon to lick at it before jamming it right back into the chili. "Chili." she says as she looks over to Lucy, brow furrowed. She gives a single nod, "Mmm. Is fine." she decides. Lucy may not know it, but that might as well be the highest praise Jessica could've given.

Jason gives a shrug of his shoulders as he looks back to the doctor. "Fucked." he says, any semblance of the smile gained from his chat with Zaylus wiped away by the reality of their situation. "We're on their trail, but it'll be another day-and-a-half before we manage to catch up. Captain seems to know where they're going so-..." he shakes his head before resting it back against the wall, "...So-... I don't know. We wait, I

Ehanis grabs a spoon and pulls the bowl closer to her. She grimaces at the unfamiliar spicy taste, but she is also not stopping after the first spoonful.

Zaylus looks bleakly about the cargo unit, the unpleasantness bidding him into respectful silence. He picks aimlessly at his meal but doesn't seem greatly invested in eating or the conversation going on.

Halisi sighs. "Jason... I don't-... I-..." she trails off, rather suddenly finding herself tearing up now that she's away from Ilyna. She's been struggling to seem confident. To be reassuring. Now that she has the chance those walls are crumbling. She shakes her head several times and turns partly away, taking a few steps as a quiet sniffle escapes her. "What are we going to do?" she manages, her voice breaking.

Nathan puts on the most innocent look that he can manage and raises his spoon in challenge to hers. "Alright, alright, I'll stop." He winks once to her and looks down at their hands. His smile widens a little and he gives hers a final, small squeeze before withdrawing it back, so that he can hold the bowl in place to stop it from sliding around at his prodding and scooping. "...for now."

Lucy smirks slightly, letting out a quiet hum as she continues to do the dishes. "Well, help yourself. Plenty of food to go around."

Elena glances briefly over at Nathan and Leah, before turning her attention to Ehanis, catching her grimace. "Spicy food's not your thing, is it?" she asks quietly.

Jason lets out a long, drawn out sigh, another shrug of his shoulders his only response at first. He takes a moment to consider the vague question, examining the wall opposite of him as if it may have the answer. "We're going to board their ship." he says plainly, looking back to Halisi, "And then we're going to get Li back. Kill that bitch who took her. And make sure that-... whatever she has on that ship? Nobody else can

Leah rolls her eyes with a snort, finding herself- if only for the moment- forgetting the horrors that await them. She returns the squeeze with one of her own before their hands part and she brings hers over to support her bowl. "Then I suppose I'll have to let you live to fight another day." she teases with a playful sigh.

Jessica seems to take the offer more literally than intended, as she immediately gets up and moves back to the pot to top off her bowl despite it not being empty yet. She doesn't even wait until she's seated before digging back in, scooping spoonfuls into her mouth as she moves back towards her seat.

Ehanis shrugs. "It wouldn't be my first choice, no," she says, "but I'm not picky about food." She takes another spoonful of it.

Halisi stares at a nearby crate, moving a hand to her mouth to muffle a sob. "S-... she took her. She just-... middle of the night, she just-... why would-... we have to save her, Jason. We-... we have to." She remains turned partly away as she finds herself unable to keep her tears from escaping upon thinking back on the chaotic experience, and on Li.

Nathan chuckles, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes as he leans across to nudge her playfully with his elbow, before simply settling into a comfortable silence. Perhaps the only one for the rest of the trip, perhaps not. Either way, he's going to cherish it until the grim realities settle over their minds once more.

Jason bites down, but keeps his emotions in check. "We will." he says sternly. There's no need for tears. Because Li is going to be fine. That's what he keeps telling himself. "Whatever it takes." he adds with a small nod to himself.

Halisi makes several attempts at taking deep breaths to try and calm herself, but they end up ragged and uneven. She turns back to Jason, arms wrapped around herself and blinking as she tries to clear the tears from her eyes. There's a hint of embarrassment at her failure to keep it together. "I jus-... I keep-... keep thinking about... what happened on Ogofau, and-... and I-..." she shakes her head, voicing her thoughts

Jason sucks in a deep breath, passing an uncomfortable glance Zaylus' way as Halisi breaks down. He presses a hand against the wall to assist himself in climbing back to his feet. "You survived Ogofau." he says as he takes a step towards the doctor, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. He certainly can't fault her for being worried. It's not like he hasn't spent the past 10 hours running through every moment of

Halisi draws in another shaky breath, her fearful expression a far cry from her usual professionalism. She nods a few times when she feels Jason's hand on her shoulder, but seems no calmer. "But Ilyna is. You, Leah... y-... you're all-... and-... and Li-... she's-... what if-..." she can't even bring herself to finish the sentence, suddenly turning closer and leaning against him in search of a hug.

Jason's stoic expression falters in the face of Halisi- perhaps the most 'together' person he knows- falling apart. As she leans against him, he finds himself at a loss for a moment, simply standing there awkwardly, caught off guard by the gesture. It takes a moment before he moves his hand from her shoulder, wrapping his arm around her as he pulls her into the hug. "We're going to be fine, Halisi..." he assures her. Even if

Halisi 's sobs are muffled as she hides her face against Jason's shirt. "I ca-... I can't do this again... w-we got her out... away from all this... a-and now she's being pulled back in. We're all being pulled back in... it never ends..." she manages between sobs, her body trembling as all the emotions she's pushed back for Ilyna's sake resurface.

Jason sucks a deep breath in through his nose as Halisi speaks. She's not wrong. It just wittles them down. One by one. Inch by inch. Each time they come back a little weaker. A little more worn. A little more beaten down. They fight. They lose people. There is no winning. And if they keep on like this, it's only a matter of time before his number comes up. Hell, maybe this would be the one to do him in. Nothing he can say

Halisi manages to reign in her sobbing, going silent for a good while before nodding faintly, lifting her head. "I-... you're right. I-... damn it." she creates a bit of distance between them, another flash of embarrassment crossing her tear-stained face. She again nods faintly. "...Ilyna... she's-..." she sniffles quietly. "...I-I have to get back to her." she says, suddenly wondering for the first time if Jason, or anyone

Jason allows his hand to remain on Halisi's shoulder as she pulls away, giving a gentle squeeze. He gives a short nod as she mentions Ilyna. "Yeah I-... She shouldn't be alone right now..." he agrees, having kept his own distance up until now since he figured she needed some rest. The fact that Halisi was with Ilyna when this all went down hasn't gone unnoticed, but now is hardly the time to ask questions even if it does leave

Halisi sucks in her lips, nodding slightly. "Thank you." she sighs. "I-... I'm sorry about-... thank you. I... know it means a lot to her. That you've all rallied like this. Even-... even knowing what we're dealing with. It... can't be easy, I suppose. Just after the wedding..." she brings up a hand to wipe at the tears staining her cheeks, and then furrows her eyebrows as she studies Jason.

Jason furrows his brow, waving off Halisi's implication with a sharp shake of his head. "We're family, Halisi." he says. "You. Ilyna. Li. Redrock." She was right. It isn't easy. He's worried sick and can't imagine what Vasquez is going through. But Li is in danger, and that's all that matters. He falls silent, resting his tongue against his lower lip for a moment before giving a single nod, "...This is what we do. We protect

Halisi allows a faint smile to briefly cross her lips as she nods. "We do, don't we?" she says, her mood seeming to lift just a little. "I... was hoping to get some shoes for Ilyna. And... a change of clothes, if... that's possible."

Jason allows a small smirk to return to his face, nodding in response to her first question. When she continues, his gaze moves towards one of the crates. "Oh-... Shit. Yeah." he says, a few shakes of his head following for not having addressed it himself. "Yeah just-... It's over here." he says, gesturing to the crate upon which the items he scavenged for Ilyna are sat out. A tanktop. Cargo pants. Boots. Along with an armored

Halisi moves to pick up the indicated items, nodding again. "I'm sure it'll do." she says as she collects everything in her arms, pressing the clothes and gear against her chest as she turns back towards Jason. "I... should be heading back. Looked like there was food being served in the galley, if... you didn't know." she says with a nod towards the door.

Jason forces another smile as the doctor informs him of the food. "Yeah I-..." he begins but pauses, simply giving a nod. "...Thanks. I'll check it out." he says. He steps out of the doctor's way, bringing his hands to his sides.

Halisi gives yet another nod as well, briefly looking like she's going to say something, but she reconsiders and starts to head for the door to the cargo hold.